Unlocking Vista 15P3 (Monitronics Boards)

[Marc]

I have two extra of these, is there a way to reset the master Installer
Code? Or is the master password somehow BIOS locked? I don't want to
throw these away if I don't have to, but they are useless of course if
they can't be unlocked! Any help appreciated. PS *,# upon power up
then entering a new master code doesn't seem to work on either panel. I
know for sure one came out of a Monitronics system,the other has
identical numbers on it and the same behavior).....

Marc

 

[Crash Gordon]

I've never come across a Monitronics that was locked..never. The main
problem is it can only report to them, you can't change the dialer number.
But you could still use it locally...or you could probably change the chip
and have a fully usable V15P


Try *# on power up, it should display 20, then do a #20 to display the
existing code, then *20 to change the installer code.



--
Crash Gordon
-------ouch------

<I feel like I'm diagonally parked in a parallel universe>
| I have two extra of these, is there a way to reset the master Installer
| Code? Or is the master password somehow BIOS locked? I don't want to
| throw these away if I don't have to, but they are useless of course if
| they can't be unlocked! Any help appreciated. PS *,# upon power up
| then entering a new master code doesn't seem to work on either panel. I
| know for sure one came out of a Monitronics system,the other has
| identical numbers on it and the same behavior).....
|
| Marc

 

[Robert L Bass]

I've never come across a Monitronics that was locked..never. The
main problem is it can only report to them, you can't change the
dialer number...

Considering the way the panel firmware is written, it's likely that
only the sub-routine for editing the dialer number has been blocked.
Thus, with a chip burner someone could easily alter the number. The
panel would then be locked onto whatever new dialer number you
assign, effectively beating Monitronics at their own sleazy game.

Hmm. Maybe Monitronics will start filing Brinks-style lawsuits. :^)

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

=============================>
Bass Home Electronics
941-925-8650
4883 Fallcrest Circle
Sarasota · Florida · 34233
http://www.bassburglaralarms.com
=============================>

 

[Crash Gordon]

I dunno. I can only speak from my experience from having worked on about
10-15 this year and none were locked although I could not change the dialer
number - so ended up swapping the board out.



--
Crash Gordon
-------ouch------

<I feel like I'm diagonally parked in a parallel universe>
| This is the realm of expanding misinformation. Talking to different folks
| give you different answers. Getting the installer code out of Monitronics
| can be a problem. There is a policy I am told that says disclosing the
| installer code is only done at the expense of wiping all the panel
| information. Someone else here might know more about that policy, but is
| prone to not telling much about anything in a truthful fashion.
| >you can't change the dialer number.
| If you have the installer code I am told you can change the dialer number.
| As a practical matter not being able to download the panel yourself is one
| problem, but knowing that ONLY someone else can download it and might,
even
| accidentally, should cause anyone some concern.
|
| | > I've never come across a Monitronics that was locked..never. The main
| > problem is it can only report to them, you can't change the dialer
number.
| > But you could still use it locally...or you could probably change the
chip
| > and have a fully usable V15P
| >
| >
| > Try *# on power up, it should display 20, then do a #20 to display the
| > existing code, then *20 to change the installer code.
| >
| >
| >
| > --
| > Crash Gordon
| > -------ouch------
| >
| > <I feel like I'm diagonally parked in a parallel universe>
| > | > | I have two extra of these, is there a way to reset the master
Installer
| > | Code? Or is the master password somehow BIOS locked? I don't want to
| > | throw these away if I don't have to, but they are useless of course if
| > | they can't be unlocked! Any help appreciated. PS *,# upon power up
| > | then entering a new master code doesn't seem to work on either panel.
I
| > | know for sure one came out of a Monitronics system,the other has
| > | identical numbers on it and the same behavior).....
| > |
| > | Marc
| >
| >
|
|

 

[Marc]

Thanks again! Will try to unlock with sequence you described......but
won't be a monitored panel I guess!

M

 

[Marc]

PS how does one go about replacing the chip? Where can you get them?
I'd be willing to try a Monitronics code if there is one at the expense
of wiping out all info on the panle, as I'd gladly reprogram it from
scratch to avoid their monitoring! (otherwise it's at best a local
panel I guess)?

 

[Crash Gordon]

You can't buy a chip...well maybe maybe you could if you were a dealer...but
it ain't easy.
You have to have a garage full of pulled panels that my have other problems
besides the chip, and you pull one from one of them.

You should be able to get into programming. But if you cannot remove the
dialer # and account number the panel will alway try to dial when it has
something to send, and since you will unplug it from the telco line...it
will fail to communicate. This will display FC on the keypad - everyday if
they have it set to test daily (I doubt it) but when ever you want to clear
the FC you may have to go into programming then exit again. This will be a
PITA.

In the long run you will end up buying a new Vista 15P --- they're not
all that expensive. In fact you probably could step down to a 10P -
depending on what all is in the system.



--
Crash Gordon
-------ouch------

<I feel like I'm diagonally parked in a parallel universe>
| PS how does one go about replacing the chip? Where can you get them?
| I'd be willing to try a Monitronics code if there is one at the expense
| of wiping out all info on the panle, as I'd gladly reprogram it from
| scratch to avoid their monitoring! (otherwise it's at best a local
| panel I guess)?
|
| Marc wrote:
|
| > Thanks again! Will try to unlock with sequence you described......but
| > won't be a monitored panel I guess!
| >
| > M
| >
| > Crash Gordon wrote:
| >
| >> I dunno. I can only speak from my experience from having worked on
| >> about 10-15 this year and none were locked although I could not change
| >> the dialer number - so ended up swapping the board out.
| >>
| >>
| >>

 

[Frank Olson]

You're telling folks how to defeat the trade secrets of Monitronics, and
then you're going to a courtroom in the city where they're headquartered?
You are BRAVE! I know some lawyers that might try for a 'twofer' on this.
With two clients link Brinks and Monitronics he could do the work only once
and get to bill twice. You're a fortune maker for lawyers. By the way, when
in Dallas stay out of basement parking areas, a guy named Lee had some bad
luck there after getting accused of some awful stuff.

First of all, he's not giving up any "trade secrets". He's obviously
had some experience with Ademco (Honeywell) products and understands how
they're manufactured and what makes them "tick". I don't know Jim all
that well, but I understand that his whole house is a warehouse of used
parts (which would make the Federal Marshal's job all that more
difficult to find the computers buried under all that junk). Which
reminds me... Have the Federal Marshals visited the Rojas household and
place of business? It seems the "Emergency Order" Brinks wanted carried
a "double whammy". They wanted the website shut down (which I
understand they didn't succeed at because Jim's provider couldn't find
any Brinks intellectual property in it), and they wanted Jim's computers.

Since Brinks request for an "Emergency Order" (the part where they
demanded the court order www.tech-man.com shut down was based on false
information provided by Brinks Attorneys), and the revelation from Jim
this morning that his provider could find nothing belonging to Brinks in
any of the files on their server, it makes me wonder if this whole thing
might "cave in" on October 26th (when Jim's been ordered to appear in
Texas Federal Court). I might suggest that Jim obtain a letter from his
provider with suitable language to the effect that there wasn't any IP
belonging to Brinks on his website. So far the biggest culprit in all
of this is AlarmsBC's website (and I don't see any action being taken
against them).

 

[Crash Gordon]

no sheet? cool dood!



--
Crash Gordon
-------ouch------

<I feel like I'm diagonally parked in a parallel universe>
"Jim Rojas" <jrojas+tech-man.com> wrote in message
| All you have to do is swap the firmware chip.
| Press *97 will reset all to Ademco factory defaults
| Then swap chips again
| Press *97 will reset Monitronics defaults.
| By default, Monitronics has no phone numbers in fields 41 & 42.
| Check field 94 and make sure it has no number
| Check field 95 and make sure it is set to 0
| You now have a usable local only system.
|
| Jim Rojas
|
|
|
|
| Crash Gordon wrote:
| > You can't buy a chip...well maybe maybe you could if you were a
dealer...but
| > it ain't easy.
| > You have to have a garage full of pulled panels that my have other
problems
| > besides the chip, and you pull one from one of them.
| >
| > You should be able to get into programming. But if you cannot remove the
| > dialer # and account number the panel will alway try to dial when it has
| > something to send, and since you will unplug it from the telco line...it
| > will fail to communicate. This will display FC on the keypad - everyday
if
| > they have it set to test daily (I doubt it) but when ever you want to
clear
| > the FC you may have to go into programming then exit again. This will be
a
| > PITA.
| >
| > In the long run you will end up buying a new Vista 15P --- they're
not
| > all that expensive. In fact you probably could step down to a 10P -
| > depending on what all is in the system.
| >
| >
| >