Happy with Elk M1 not M1G???

[kpm]

I am thinking of buying the M1 and wanted to get some feedback from
"those that went before". Anyone buy the M1 instead of the M1G
(Automationman?, Spike?) Any regrets? Have you run up against
limitations of the M1 that the M1G would have solved? What have you
done with the HA side of the board? Does everything work as
advertised? TIA
Kevin

 

[mikey]

Hello there, kpm

Yes, I have the M1G and am very impressed. I was able to get it at the M1
price (so I bought 2, where are you?)
I don't readily recall the differences but I'm pretty sure I haven't used
more than an M1 would give me.
Using my existing wiring and detectors was a snap. You set each zone
individually to whatever you want, you can use an input for what you want, I
use cheap PIRs for automation that are not part of the security system but
do control lighting. It's 4000 sq ft in here and we walk around at night
with lights fading up and down as we move around. It's x10 which means
aggravation but the fun outways the irritants. It has an industrial buzzer
available instead of a siren which is waaaaay more cool sounding and they
have that alarmforce dink guys voice saying warning, you have been hahaha
cracked me up.
I also have 3 lines in here so it's a bitch going to a phone to see whicjh
line is answering, I use Elks ring detectors and can have the voice (female,
never get tired of her) announce which line is ringing. It also has a voice
dialer, this alone is what? a couple hundred bucks to add to a regular alarm
system so the price of this thing is really not all that bad. You can call
from a phone as well, no mudule to buy. I'm just getting ready to add the
Caddx slave RX so I can use some wireless txs on bathroom doors that were
too hard to HW. when the bath door closes, fan comes on, that sort of thing.
What else? Oh yah, I want to get in to the temp stuff using analog zone
features so I can have an attic fan ventilate when and only when outside and
attuc interior temp is different. Bit of a challenge, this one. There are a
lot of bugs but the Elk folk are super and each firmware upgrade makes it
better, I'll have this thing in operation for decades. Oh, almost forgot, My
PC drops a quad to the basement and plugs into a serial connector on the
board. I connect in 4 seconds. The Elk gang also send me some software
called Virtual House. I have a bitmap of the floors with buttons
corresponding to to x10 lamps, PIRs, doors etc I can watch the dog walk thru
the house tripping detectors and lights.
All in all... No regrets but lots of aggravation. Still think it's worth it
though, neat panel.

 

[kpm]

Yes, I have the M1G and am very impressed. I was able to get­ >it at
the M1 price (so I bought 2, where are you?)

I am in Santa Maria, CA. Let me know if you want to sell the extra one

Using my existing wiring and detectors was a snap. You set e­>ach

zone individually to whatever you want, you can use an >input for
­what you want, I use cheap PIRs for automation that >are not part of
the secur­ity system but

do control lighting. It's 4000 sq ft in here and we walk aro­und at
night with lights fading up and down as we move around. It's >x10

w­hich means

Please explain a little more how this is wired. You say the PIRs are
not used for security but are they still wired to zones on the board?
Do you control the lights with Rules?

The Elk website says one of the things the M1 is missing is "Advanced
lighting options (pre-set dim, extended levels, scenes)" Do you use
these? Pre-set dim I understand. Extended levels I am not so sure
about. I think scenes are a series of dim on/off commands that I am
not sure the use for.

What else? Oh yah, I want to get in to the temp stuff using ­>analog

zone features so I can have an attic fan ventilate when >and only
­when outside and attuc interior temp is different.

Analog zones are another feature I do not completely understand. It
appears analog zone definitions are only supported by the M1G. Why
wouldn't you just use a thermostat? Maybe an analog zone is a
thermostat. Could you explain a little more?

As you can tell I am a newbie. Any help you can give is appreciated!
Kevin

 

[mikey]

Yes, I have the M1G and am very impressed. I was able to get­ >it at

the M1 price (so I bought 2, where are you?)

I am in Santa Maria, CA. Let me know if you want to sell the extra one

Using my existing wiring and detectors was a snap. You set e­>ach

zone individually to whatever you want, you can use an >input for
­what you want, I use cheap PIRs for automation that >are not part of
the secur­ity system but

do control lighting. It's 4000 sq ft in here and we walk aro­und at
night with lights fading up and down as we move around. It's >x10

w­hich means

Please explain a little more how this is wired. You say the PIRs are
not used for security but are they still wired to zones on the board?

-----There's a forum here where you can pick up a lot... me explaining
things would be like the blind leading the blind
I see someone else is having trouble with Output 2

Do you control the lights with Rules?

-----Yep, essentially, you can play with the software here...
http://www.elkproducts.com/products/m1/elkrp.htm





The Elk website says one of the things the M1 is missing is "Advanced
lighting options (pre-set dim, extended levels, scenes)" Do you use
these? Pre-set dim I understand. Extended levels I am not so sure
about. I think scenes are a series of dim on/off commands that I am
not sure the use for.

-----I can't recall why I went for the Gold. I do have lights fading up
and down which is waaaay cooler than full on, full off
but it is x10 and you know what that means but I don't think I'd
have been happy with the M1

What else? Oh yah, I want to get in to the temp stuff using ­>analog

zone features so I can have an attic fan ventilate when >and only
­when outside and attuc interior temp is different.

Analog zones are another feature I do not completely understand. It
appears analog zone definitions are only supported by the M1G. Why
wouldn't you just use a thermostat? Maybe an analog zone is a
thermostat. Could you explain a little more?

------I'm not to up on this myself... I'm pretty sure it just means you can
have
range of voltage on an analogue zone as opposed to just on / off

As you can tell I am a newbie. Any help you can give is appreciated!
Kevin

-----It's a neat panel, I don't think it has an equal right now... but lots
of buggy stuff... bit of a hassle