Gsm alarm system from China. Comparison of budget wireless alarm kits made in China, Taiwan and Ukraine
The worries of an ordinary car owner are often associated not only with his technical condition, but also with the desire to save your favorite car from encroachment various kinds attackers. Setting rating alarms the best manufacturers pleasure is not cheap. Brand popularity is associated with the highest quality for the entire range of products. Service infrastructure with active Internet support is an integral part of the marketing struggle for a high rating.
Can any trade mark in a short time push the giants of the world business to a place under the sun. A place for the possession of which a lot of money and years of hard work of the best minds of the company were paid. In the Land of the Rising Sun, there is no doubt about this possibility. The best Chinese car alarms, among other products from this country, are trying to prove that this is possible. The way to achieve the goal is to copy popular products of leading brands and sell them at dumping prices.
Should I trust Chinese alarms
It is not difficult to copy and create twins of rating products of any direction. Chinese specialists do not take diligence and diligence. Sometimes products from China, including alarms, are difficult to distinguish from original products. Especially when it is impossible to determine the manufacturer on its packaging. But they immediately admire their declared capabilities and amazing cost in size.
And it does not matter at all that such products have already been discontinued. The cost and the new name come to the fore. Such once popular car alarms as the Tomahawk TW-9020 series and StarLine model B9 are now popular and have a ridiculous cost. And such a popular alarm system as Winner dialog of the A85 series is a complete analogue of the A91 model discontinued by StarLine. Falling behind in relevance is the fate of all those who cannot afford innovation.
Basic feature of all products from China is its unpredictability. This also applies to car alarms. An alarm, once bought in an online store or received as a birthday gift, can serve you well for many years. The best of the Chinese car alarms can immediately inform the lucky owner of the gift about his incapacity. Or maybe just hang, not showing signs of life at the most inopportune moment.
It is not for nothing that in Russia the synonyms for the word goods from China are the words - base, hacky, low-quality. Of course, there are always exceptions, but you need to guess about them somehow. As for the best Chinese alarms specifically, they are characterized by the following features.
- exceptional, down to the smallest detail, external resemblance to the original;
- decorative quality of finishing of all components and assemblies;
- low cost, up to dumping values.
Negative characteristics that lower the rating of the best samples:
- the minimum number of authorized installation centers for the best Chinese alarms;
- absence after-sales service Chinese car alarms;
- no comprehensive online support for the best Chinese GSM/GPS car alarms;
- unpredictable technical quality of all components of the car alarm;
- difficult to understand technical documentation;
- the manufacturer's warranty obligations are difficult to fulfill even for the best rating samples of Chinese alarms.
Important: it doesn’t matter at all how the Chinese car alarm got to its happy owner. Another thing is important - to find a worthy specialist who can correctly install such an alarm. Difficulty starting with reading technical documentation in Russian transcription with an "Eastern" accent. It will be funny and sad at the same time.
The best Chinese car alarms
Even the best Chinese car alarms are not particularly popular. They can even be classified as scarce goods in the vastness of Russia. But no one is in a hurry to occupy this niche, filling it with a cheap assortment from China. Tolley marketing from manufacturers from China is not very aggressive, or the Russians lost faith in the expediency of acquiring even the best rating samples of Chinese alarms.
If in the regions of Central Siberia and Far East Internet discussions are still ongoing regarding the rating significance of Chinese car alarms, then Central Russia looks at this with surprise. It is necessary to realize why, besides the price, Chinese alarms are better, for example, Russian ones. What can oppose them to StarLine, BLACK BUG or Pandora. The question of price, as a non-technical category, should be omitted. It is worth considering only those characteristics of Chinese car alarms that are necessary to prevent theft:
- AGILON models AL-2000F1 series S, T and U;
Chinese alarm system AGILON AL-2000F1 S, T and U |
|
|---|---|
|
 |
Car alarm CENMAX VIGILANT 11D |
|
|
 |
Alarm Super BCS 2000RT |
|
|
 |
Important: all Chinese alarms from among the best will not be able to surprise a satiated car owner in our country with anything. Blame it all Russian manufacturers best car alarms spoiled the consumer with their innovative new products.
With a great range of Russian models of car alarms for cars, it's hard to imagine that even the best Chinese alarm system will be able to oppose them at least something other than cost. But Russian car owners are not so poor as to buy, albeit from China, but a pig in a poke.
Almost every homeowner thinks about how to provide reliable protection to your dwelling. A range of security systems modern market is quite diverse, and today without much difficulty you can choose the equipment that is suitable in terms of cost and functional set. It is known that not everyone has the opportunity to purchase expensive devices from well-known world brands, so many install a GSM alarm system from China, which is considered a budget option, while having good technical characteristics.
What should you pay attention to when choosing a GSM notification system from China?
When choosing a warning system from China, the following features should be taken into account:
- Security options;
- Ease of use criteria;
- Ability to duplicate functions;
- Availability of documentation in Russian;
- Compliance of mechanisms with state standards;
- Availability of certified service centers in Russia;
- Compatible with devices from other manufacturers.
The principle of operation of the Chinese GSM signaling and its complex composition
Ensuring control of the protected object with the help of GSM alarm occurs by transmitting an alarm signal over a radio channel. For these purposes, sensors are installed in the building that respond to a certain impact factor, which, in the event of an emergency, send a signal to receiving device. Next, notification mechanisms, such as sirens, are turned on, and an alarm message is sent to the owner's phone.
Chinese-made GSM alarms include central block and peripheral devices. The notification system is also equipped with the following mechanisms:
- Key fobs or keys;
- reed switch;
- Motion sensors.
The choice of equipment is individual and is determined by many factors: from the features of the architecture of the building to the preferences of the user. Upon completion of the installation, the complex is configured, as well as its synchronization with mobile device owner. At the request of the user, the alarm system can be connected to a centralized security console, however, for this without fail a contract must be concluded with a company providing such services. In this case, the system will transmit an alarm notification directly to the private security console, which is obliged to immediately take response measures.
Chinese GSM alarms are easy to set up and allow you to control the system with mobile phone owner.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of operating a GSM signaling system from China?
Like all electronic devices from different manufacturers Chinese GSM warning systems have certain advantages and disadvantages in operation. The benefits of signaling include:
- Low cost of equipment and installation work;
- No need to connect to a fixed line telephone network and laying of cable lines;
- Ease of installation and operation.
The main disadvantage of GSM signaling from China is its susceptibility to signal suppression by intruders using special devices. However, this problem is solved by connecting the equipment to a fixed telephone network. Also, when choosing a device, you should pay attention to its specifications and the ability of the system to function effectively in the climatic conditions of a particular region.
What are GSM car alarms from China?
It is known that Chinese manufacturers have a number of developments of warning systems that protect any vehicle from theft. So, the domestic market of such gadgets is filled with the following brands: Tomahawk, Huatai, Scher-Khan. They attract the Russian buyer, first of all, with their price. The cost of car alarms consists of the costs of such mechanisms:
- Processor block;
- Key fobs;
- Additional components consisting of a siren, sensors, relays;
- Cable lines and fastening mechanisms.
However, when completing the system with additional devices, the cost of the alarm increases. Chinese GSM alarms for cars have the following functionality:
- Alert the owner of an illegal attempt to break into the car;
- Indication of a specific time, date, as well as the penetration zone;
- Key fob battery charge control;
- Providing feedback;
- Interaction with various communication channels.
On the video - an overview of the alarm from China:
When buying car alarms from Chinese developers, experts recommend choosing the latest generation models, since they have not yet been mastered by attackers for the purpose of hacking. It is also better to purchase systems equipped with a high-quality immobilizer, as they allow you to provide a higher degree of protection for your car.
In case you need to buy budget option, you need to choose systems with basic set functions that can be expanded in the future.
When installing a warning system on your vehicle, you need to find out which security zones it can control. Alarms that simultaneously control several vehicle components, such as wheels, doors, hood, trunk, etc., are considered the best protection option. Chinese manufacturers offer a multifunctional car GSM system alert, which is able to automatically return to its original mode, as well as control various mechanisms (sensors, locks, ignition key).
It is better to buy that its quality and functionality correspond to the amount of money spent on it. For greater information content of the experiment, I decided to test the "signals" from manufacturers from different countries, one of which is Ukraine. To your attention, in “easy” (I emphasize twice - “easy”; a big request to fans of Viewsonic, LifeSOS, Satel, Ajax and other monsters, do not compare professional systems with alarm systems for home use) price category: Tenex Guard 5050 G - China; Altronics Al-100 KIT - according to Taiwan suppliers; Guardian Avizor KIT with a loud, patriotic statement about the origin in Ukraine.
What are we paying attention to?
From the specifics: in the first part, I will evaluate the external data: packaging and sealing, equipment, housing and board of the central part of the alarm system (popularly - the central), as well as its board; in the second part: sensors and their boards, alarm control methods, basic characteristics, power supply and other little things that are important in work. At the second stage, I will test the sensors in the laboratory. In conclusion, like a cherry on the cake - the final results. However, do not rush to scroll right away to them, because it is in the process of unpacking and testing that the reasons for the conclusions drawn will be considered in detail, attention will be focused on strong and weaknesses each set.As they say, they are greeted by clothes. In the case of technology - in a box. Judging by it (Fig. 1), the Altronics kit I bought came to me after having been in use, or having seen a lot on delivery. Perhaps any other kit would be in a more "fresh" state, but this case makes you wonder. And since the box is not sealed, no one can guarantee the performance and availability of all the little things and details after second-hand. Unlike Altronics, the packaging of the Strazh kit is delivered sealed: when I tried to remove this seal (Fig. 2), the text appeared on it, which means I can be sure that I receive the product in its original form.
On the Guardian box, as well as on all the components of the kit, I observed some kind of signature on a small sticker (Fig. 3). I can only assume that this is the person responsible for testing and packaging, who confirmed the operability of the device. And the letters on the central panel shown in the photo and other elements look like some kind of individual code. This sticker is present on all devices, even on a separate cable for the power supply.
I accidentally saw something similar under the cover on the Altronics box (Fig. 4), but since there is no seal on the box, it’s not at all a fact that “Changed, power control No. 5” refers specifically to this kit, to this alarm, to these sensors. And as the subsequent testing showed, it is generally not clear what exactly was checked there.
What is inside?
Outwardly, all kits are similar (Fig. 5), their composition is approximately the same: the central unit, motion sensor, opening sensor, key fobs, power supplies, instruction stickers and other little things.
You are unlikely to want to read the full instructions, so pay attention to speedstart (Fig. 6). Tenex - the guys are very laconic, there are only 5 lines in the speed start, of course, I understand that "brevity is the sister of talent", but I On this insert, it was not possible to figure out the setting. In addition, the alarm was not initially configured, so you will have to re-read the full version of the instructions or contact technical support. I decided to go the second way, and I must say, it took quite a while, especially considering that some answers took 5-10 minutes.
Concerning complete instructions(Figure 7): Tenex has 20 pages A6 and does not contain a description of the sensor settings, Altronics has 15 pages A4 and the same problem with sensor settings. There are no printed instructions for Guardian kits, which can cause some inconvenience. However, the instruction is present on the disk, where, in addition to it, there are many more materials that greatly simplify the setup: instructions for the entire line of sensors, software for setting up via a PC and, as already mentioned, the instruction for the alarm itself in the amount of 80 A4 pages in PDF. The instructions are 10 times larger than those of Tenex. And 20 times more informative. I read it. Understood. Set up.
Not a serious problem, but I didn’t find the “object under guard” stickers from Altronic, but Strazh and Tenex have them (Fig. 8). It would seem a trifle, but often such stickers can scare off an intruder already at the first stage of the invasion. According to the experience of friends and acquaintances, such stickers are often used instead of the alarm itself, as a preventive measure.
Whole tsimes
Now let's look directly at the control panel, its main part, its brains (Fig. 9.10). They will determine the stability, reliability, noise immunity and, in general, the functionality of the system.
Fig 9, 10: Alarms Tenex, Altronics, Strazh
About the "Chinese" (Fig. 11). The Tenex alarm itself on the manufacturer's website is located in the section " Smart House which is a clear exaggeration and outright flattery. A more suitable section for her is “ home alarm". Interestingly, this “Chinese” has a surprisingly stylish case, but it gets very easily dirty after 3 minutes of use: fingerprints are very noticeable on it, black stripes remain from the slightest teal.
fig.11
Obviously, the reason is the plastic used in the production. Perhaps this is a deliberate design to collect fingerprints? On the top panel of the control panel there is a row of LEDs that induces the operating modes of the device. In addition to LEDs, notification is carried out using pre-recorded voice messages. But since they are written in English, and in addition, due to the influence of electronic processing, even the English pronunciation is distorted, it will be problematic to parse these messages even for a native speaker, let alone a person who does not speak English.
Now more about LEDs:
1. Indicator of signal reception from wireless sensors in zone 1 to 6
2. Security status: on or off
3. Presence of GSM signal
4. Radio signal performance
5. Notification of the enabled setting mode, which searches for sensors, connects owners, etc.
fig.12
Outwardly, everything seems to be in order. But already at the beginning of work we are faced with unpleasant surprises:
1. Relay, power connector, siren connector, backup power on / off and SIM card - all this is located in a compartment under the cover (Fig. 12), which hinders more than helps.
2. The power connector enters its port very tightly, not completely, and for this reason it is not fixed in it. As a result, contact is constantly lost and the power is turned off during the setup process. The power supply cable is very short, only 30 centimeters, as already mentioned, the power connector is not fixed in the port to which it is connected and the power is turned off at the slightest tension on the cable.
3. In the same small box (Fig. 13) there is a tiny backup power switch. In the original assembly, it is disabled so that the battery does not run out before the customer receives it, this switch must be turned on for backup power. However, getting to it even with the use of improvised means is very problematic.
4. In the same compartment is terminal block, to which, among other things, a siren and wired sensors are connected
5. To insert the SIM card, I had to use a screwdriver, and, of course, it is very important not to damage the contacts with it. Let's just say, the work is almost jewelry, it is better not to start it with shaking hands. Fortunately, the issue of connecting a SIM card in most cases is performed once.
fig.13
If you can close your eyes to each problem individually, then in combination this leads to big problems at work. The power supply is unstable, the PSU cable is short. Even if the alarm is on the edge of the table, the cable will not reach the outlet mounted at the bottom of the wall. Of course, the PSU can be soldered, but even if you have soldering skills, there is a chance to damage the microcircuit and you will certainly lose the warranty if you break the seal when you try to open the case. As a result, in the pursuit of style and a miniature case, where all the cables are hidden inside, this alarm is inferior to its competitors in terms of the simplicity of a banal connection with the ensuing reliability problems. Without exaggeration, Tenex already at this stage can hardly be called an effective or close to the real defenders of your home alarm system, more like a dummy or a toy for amateurs.
fig.14
Now let's talk about the Altronik signaling (Figure 14). The case is stylish, does not get dirty as easily as Tenex, equipped with an information board that displays the status:
1. Supply;
2. Status of protection;
3. Indication of the enabled setting mode;
4. Presence of GSM signal.
The speaker holes are also placed on the top.
fig.15
Functional elements are mounted on the rear panel (Fig. 15), among them:
1. Relay for wired zones and siren;
2. Slot SIM cards;
3. Key to enter the setting mode;
4. Reset key, apparently in demand;
5. What pleases is 12 V power, because it will not be difficult to find an inexpensive power supply, connect a battery or organize backup power(UPS);
6. ON/OFF switch;
7. SMA connector for connecting an external antenna.
Let me focus on the positives:
1. Remote GSM antenna, by the way, like the Guardian;
2. The presence of a reset key;
3. Easy access to SIM card and battery;
4. Nice design;
5. Grooves for wall mounting.
In fact, the only, but very significant, minus that greatly affects the operation of the system is the fact that it will be very problematic to connect a siren, loops of wired sensors to the terminal block. The fact is that the latches are very tight, they do not even include a stripped cable of small cross section. So as not to spoil appearance, I decided to leave the central alone. Ultimately, if I need to connect wires to the block, then only for the siren. And if I stop at this signaling, then I’ll scratch it. The main thing is to be reliable. By the way, everything is fine with the power connector, the power supply plug (Fig. 16) is fixed securely.
fig.16
Now let's talk about the Sentinel signaling (Figure 17).
fig.17
On the top panel there are indicators that in the process of work will notify you about:
Backup power status - yes or no, indicator - "Power"
When receiving a signal from wireless devices - "Radio"
Alarm mode enabled or inactive, - "Alarm"
The presence of a GSM signal - "GSM network"
The setting mode in which the search for sensors is in progress, the firmware update is “Settings”
Removed, partially or fully armed system - indicator "Protection"
fig.18
On the back side(Figure 18), like Altronics, there is a terminal block and other functional blocks:
Lever to enable/disable battery saving mode or PC setting;
Power connector. By the way, the Guardian is powered by a 14 Volt block. The power supply is supplied in the kit, but if you need to buy a new one, a PSU with equivalent voltage will cost more than the same 12 volt one;
Connector for an external microphone. With it, you can independently record voice commands, which in certain cases will be played for you, or voiced in the room in your absence by a call from your mobile;
Relay for connecting a siren, actuators, household appliances;
Terminal blocks for connecting an external battery and wired sensors (which are presented in a wide range while being very inexpensive). Unlike the alarms that we have already reviewed, these terminal blocks are easily accessible and convenient for connecting sensors, keyboards, sirens. It will not be difficult to connect several devices to one connector, since the sockets are wide and located outside;
Connector for connecting to a PC. About him a little later;
Key to enter the setup mode for connecting sensors, key fobs and other wireless devices.
SIM card slot. It is from the SIM card that calls will be made, SMS will be sent in case of alarm. It is on the SIM card in the form of calls and SMS that commands will be received that allow you to control the alarm from your phone;
SMA connector for connecting a GMS antenna from the kit or a more powerful one. A stronger antenna may be useful in areas with poor GSM signal such as countryside, basements or rooms with thick reinforced concrete walls.
Not pleased:
No wall mounts
It will be problematic to turn it on and off, insert wired sensors, go into setup mode and pull out the SIM card slot without an awl or a small screwdriver.
Returning to the ability to connect to a PC for configuration, which other models from the comparison do not have (not even all semi-professional systems have this function). This function greatly simplifies the process and saves setup time. All the deepest functionality of the Sentinel central becomes available. So from a PC, you can delimit access rights to certain functions, set up a response delay, voice control, firmware updates, and much more. With the naked eye, with an external comparison of alarms, this palette of functions is not visible.
Below is a screenshot of the configurator, where you can see the available functions (Fig. 19). Now imagine that your alarm is not connected to the PC. Even if it has the same functions, setting up via SMS will take a decent amount of money, time and nerve cells. Users of the GSM operator Life can approximately imagine and compare the setup process with changing the melody on an incoming call through the LifeBOX menu using DTMF commands (for example, the most popular of them is *111#).
fig.19
Speaking of power supplies. I won't say anything special, but their parameters can be useful.
fig.20: Small 1A 12V Tenex PSU with very short cable
fig.21: 1.2A 12V block at Altronik
fig.22: 14V 2A power supply at STRAZH with stickers, as I believe, about passing those control
It was very interesting for me to look at the "insides" of the centrals and compare them. The seal on the screws turned out to be an obstacle. Still, I planned to return 2 out of 3 alarms. Only at Strazh, the screws were not sealed (Fig. 23). A label with authenticity, or maybe with verification, is present, but does not cover the screw slots.
fig.23
On the board (Fig. 24) there is a sticker already familiar to us. Important point: nowhere on the board could we find such painfully familiar words as "Made in China". The board is neat enough, no drips, or poorly soldered parts. Yes, and they definitely did not solder with a soldering iron. Everything is civilized, it looks more like serial stamping. I am not a professional, so I did not find anything more for myself here. Unless the GSM module reminded me of the EMAI code that is given during customs clearance. This information will not be useful for those who do not know what EMAI is. But I know and asked if STRAZH, Tenex and Altronik have an EMAI code. The Guardian and Altronik had it, but Tenex did not. Perhaps the time is not far off when unofficially imported iPhones and other GSM devices will be disconnected from support, and the Tenex alarm will turn out to be useless. Anyway. There's nothing else for me to see here.
fig.24
Now let's deal with the sensors (Figure 25). There are no seals on them, so it is possible to disassemble, look and compare.
fig.25,26
The first thing that catches your eye is the images on the Sentinel sensor. Their essence is an advanced IR sensor system. The first thing the Sentinel sensor is protected from: at a time when a regular IR sensor will respond to sudden changes in illumination, for example, if the sun came out of the clouds or when a very bright light turned on after dark room, the compensation algorithm will work in the Sentinel sensor and false alarm will not take place. Secondly, the Sentinel sensor has the so-called immunity from animals, which, being in a room that is armed, can cause false positives. If you use sensors in which "immunity" is not implemented and you have, for example, a dog, get ready to drive home every time the dog enters the room with the motion sensor.
After I disassembled the sensors, I found a couple more details:
First, batteries like those from Altronics and Tenex will be harder to find than for the Guardian;
Secondly, the tamper is a small lever on the left above the switch - only the Sentinel sensor has it, and it, the tamper, is essential to protect the system from sabotage, in case an attacker manages to come up behind unnoticed and he tries to break the sensor, tamper will be squeezed out and give out an alarm;
Thirdly, the sensitivity setting, the inclusion of immunity and the choice of power consumption mode are, again, only for the Sentinel sensor;
Fourth, about the board manufacturer. Looking at Altronics, I began to doubt more that this is Taiwan. I decided to take a picture of the box and google it, and was almost not surprised: manufacturer Delta Security Co., Limited (http://www.deltasecurity.cn/) CN domain means China. Leaks on the board, careless soldering and a sloppyly assembled case - only China could look like this. All these things are typical of Tenex, but at least they are honest in their statements about the country of origin;
And fifthly, these are jumpers. They are necessary in order to assign the sensor to the control panel, how to do this is described in the instructions for the sensor, which, as already mentioned, is available only to the Guardian. Even if you found necessary information and figured out how this setting happens, then, in the case of Tenex, you have to spend a lot of soldering to connect the necessary racks, while for Strazh and Altronics everything is configured with jumpers, which allows you to configure the sensor yourself and relatively quickly. But, the saddest thing for a simple user is that neither Altronics nor Tenex are initially configured to work with the control panel. How it happens in reality: You bring such a kit home, a kit that seems to be “already ready for use”, and not a single sensor works, here's the surprise. Send to service center? As I asked those support, most do just that. Can you set it up yourself? Theoretically, you can, but it will take you extra time, and in the case of Tenex, a lot of extra time.
Motion sensor test
And finally, I conducted a test in the "field" conditions. I attached the sensors with double tape to the wall (Fig. 27,28). The test is banal - will they work for me and will they be able to ignore my "home creature". I don't have enough knowledge for more.
fig.27
fig.28
The results are expected. I will not delve into it: Altronics and Tenex worked for my daughter (Fig. 29) and me (they winked at us with an LED), and the Guardian only worked for me - “immunity” worked. At the same time, only the Guardian alarm turned on, and the other two sensors, as already mentioned, were not assigned to the control panel.
fig.29
Reed switch comparison
The situation is identical to the situation with motion sensors (Figure 30,31): the advantages of the Sentinel, the same problems for Tenex and Altronics. These photos just make it easier to see where the Tenex will need to be soldered, where streaks can damage the board or burn the sensor.
fig.30,31
At the Guardian, we again find the sensitivity module, fuse, quality control sticker and already installed jumpers for binding to the control panel. And the Tenex and Altronics sensors are still not assigned to the control panel, they do not have any additional functionality, and in the case of Tenex they do not even have a battery (Fig. 32). At the same time, the jumpers for both the Chinese and the Taiwanese sensor (or, after all, we will already call a spade a spade, the second Chinese) will have to be soldered, there is no longer the possibility of installing jumpers in the Altronics sensor!
fig.32
Triggering and measuring the distance between the parts of the sensors for her is not difficult. Nothing special, 1 cm distance between the main unit and the magnet.
fig.33
In laboratory conditions, friendship won, all sensors worked. True, not everyone sent a message about the operation to the central.
Sirens - chants
fig.34
As I already described at the very beginning, it was not so easy to plug the siren plug into the Tenex alarm. I could figure out where to connect the siren to the Altronics control panel only with the help of technical support, despite the fact that I set myself the task of figuring it out to the maximum on my own - the kits are for self installation. Only the Guardian has everything very clear: “D” in “D” and “Bell” in “Bell” - there were no problems with the logic.
Control devices
I would call this section “keychains” if the Guardian didn’t have a remote control for settings besides them. Well, do not forget about the ability to configure via PC. The functions of all key fobs are the same: "arm", "disarm", "arm partial" and "panic button". I’ll just say that I opened the TM Tenex keychains with difficulty - the safety latch moves quite tight, it may become easier during active operation.
fig.35
reserves
Well, the last thing you should pay attention to is backup power. The fact is that already when reading the characteristics you find that the batteries of the Altronics and Tenex alarms with a nominal value of 7.4V. Attention, the question is: "how will it power the 12V siren if the power goes out." Early answer: no way. The problem can be solved only with an additional external battery, and the Guardian immediately thought about it, the 12-volt battery is another plus.
fig.36
fig.37
The results of my research
GUARD AvizorThe Guardian is the answer to the question of whether it is possible to be proud of "ours". Can! In terms of performance and reliability, this system easily outperforms competitors in everything except the price. At the manufacturer, it is set at the level of 2551 UAH, which, in general, is not much more than they ask for undertuned and tight visiting comrades.
Advantages:
1. High-quality assembly of the control panel and sensors guarantees stable operation;
2. Can be configured via PC;
3. a battery that allows you to power all the devices included in the kit in case of loss of external power, while, according to my calculations, it should last 2-3 days of work;
4. You don't have to solder anything. The kit is preconfigured, and it is not difficult to put jumpers on additional sensors in order to assign them to the control panel;
5. Ukrainian assembly is a nice patriotic plus.
Of the shortcomings:
1. The price is higher than competitors;
2. There is no way to mount the control panel on the wall;
3. The battery is quite bulky and external.
Altronics Al-100 KIT
Altronics - below average alarm, for those who want to save money and do not bother about "whether it will really work."
There are advantages:
1. Nice reliable case;
2. Ability to record voice;
3. The ability to mount the alarm on the wall;
4. Price at the level of 2280 UAH.
But it is worth considering the disadvantages:
1. It is important to check the contents upon receipt. No one guarantees you the availability of all parts in the kit;
2. Difficult (and expensive!) setup via SMS, there is no way to connect to a PC. The 300 hryvnias that you save when buying Altronics instead of Strazh can easily be spent on tuning;
3. The siren does not work with the battery included in the kit;
4. Not long-term performance of the system as a whole in the absence of power;
5. You will have to solder the jumpers on the opening sensor, independently adjust the motion sensor with jumpers;
6. China, not Taiwan, with all the ensuing consequences. Looks like a visit to service center can't be avoided.
Tenex Guard 5050G
If it so happens that you bought Tenex - do not be discouraged - of course, now you have to figure everything out, visit the service center, but you have good chance become a professional in setting up the system, and saved a lot of money (cost 1900 UAH). Unfortunately, I couldn't find any other benefits. There is nothing in it that its competitors do not have, while it has collected all their shortcomings and generously seasoned it with its exclusive ones.
Thank you for reading the article, I hope that it helped you clarify some points of interest for yourself and save time. The choice is yours!
Our regular reader shares his experience in selecting and configuring GSM-alarm systems. We hope that this text can be useful to those who are thinking about a modern and easily controlled alarm system for home or office.
Our regular reader shares his experience in choosing and setting up a GSM alarm system. We hope that this text can be useful to those who are thinking about a modern and easily controlled alarm system for home or office. “Wireless GSM alarm system is a relatively inexpensive and at the same time mega-convenient thing. Functionality alarms are easily adapted to the specific needs of the household. The number of connected sensors is in principle unlimited, and the use of a set of sensors of various principles of operation and purpose allows you to control all potentially vulnerable places in the house "...
Why
Winter. Mice and ... various incomprehensible individuals roam around the dachas, triumphant. Having discovered an attempt to open the metal front door in the country, we decided to act somehow. Stretching? Dangerous - children, neighbors, and it's a pity for the dacha. Hire a security guard? Very expensive. Even if you don't buy him a cullet. And then I remembered about wireless GSM alarms. In the event of an alarm, the alarm will notify us, and we will already call the neighbors permanently residing in the holiday village, who, with the help of a shotgun and good word can quickly find out who is running around in other people's yards.
Of course, a wired remote alarm would also be a great option. But the holiday village is simply not serviced by "wire" security companies due to a significant distance from urban communications. In general, for suburban houses, summer cottages and rented apartments, a wireless GSM alarm system will the best option. Such an alarm will not require the conclusion of contracts, but when moving to new apartment or home it is easy and simple to take with you. The alarm system informs about all disturbing events via the almost ubiquitous mobile GSM-communication. Moreover, if desired, and additional financial injections, the alarm system is able to inform not only about the penetration of strangers into your monastery, but also about the threat of a fire or leakage of domestic gas, a break in the water supply, etc. Having received the corresponding SMS or voice call on your mobile, you immediately decide whether to call the police, neighbors, firefighters, the gas service or run to the plumber for a bottle.
Difficulties of choice
To be honest, I recently understood no more about signaling than about the nature of dark matter. Initially, as always, I wanted to save money. Therefore, the choice started with the OKO-U GSM alarm system with a very attractive price of $50. But I very quickly realized that the miser would overpay three times. Poor equipment even without sensors, a suspicious bunch of different firmware for some use cases, and finally a dumb look " young technician forced me to say a resounding no to the toad and OKO-U.
The alarm system should be beautiful - my wife thinks so. Although I've been trying all my life to convince her that any thing should be practical, but so far it's useless. A cool screen with a blue backlight plus a bonus in the form of a built-in keyboard turned out to be in the GSM alarm ALFA Vip 606C worth $144. But honestly, no one will bother with the screen and keyboard in the country. Work with the alarm system will be wireless - using a key fob or smartphone, and the control panel will generally be hidden away from prying eyes. Why all these ruffles? Plus, having turned the alarm in my hands, I was not very impressed with the build quality of the control panel, as well as the properties of the screen. Finally, the absence of an official website is very suspicious and typical for one-day firms and manufacturers of the "last echelon", so I never bought the "alpha".
But China rules the market. The Chinese Tenex Guard 3220G GSM, priced at $125, came next. The seller spent a long time explaining to me what a cool thing this is. But I have not been fooled by empty words for a long time. And I prefer to dig further on the Internet. On the home site, the alarm is called ideal solution. But probably perfect for someone else, not for me. The need for manual soldering of contacts to obtain an alarm-compatible code for sensors (even those that are included!), no the right sensors on sale, finally, the impossibility of triggering a siren when powered off the built-in battery finally convinced me that Tenex is not the option to take.
In order for you to understand what soldering of contacts is and an alternative setting of the control panel code with jumpers, I give two pictures: in the first case, the contacts are soldered, in the second they are connected by jumpers. What do you think is done easier, faster and with less risk of damaging the sensor?
In general, it seems to me that the cheapness of Chinese do-it-yourself alarms is explained by the fact that a significant part of buyers turn to a service where they are charged an additional fee for soldering sensors.
Then I got to the "witchy virobnik". The first to fall into the hands of the GSM alarm Strazh Avizor Kit worth $135. But the lack of a cable for connecting to a PC confused me a little. It’s somehow more customary to set up a piece of hardware with a convenient user interface in front of your eyes. Therefore, the Strazh Evolution Kit alarm system was chosen, which had not only a USB cable, but also more modern look, as well as an impressive battery included, which was very important for me. In total, for $ 180, a variant that suits me with a decent package for alarms of this level was purchased. Since the neighbors in the country had a two-year positive operating experience burglar alarm"Ajax" of the same manufacturer, the choice was finally finalized.
What did you like about Strazh Evolution Kit alarm system? She, unlike Chinese crafts of a similar class, is set to normal out of the box. joint work control panel and sensors in the kit does not require fuss with a soldering iron. The free availability of additional sensors for sale, the availability of service support and a sane one-year warranty. Nice official site. Installation does not require mounting or repair work, and the modular principle of expansion makes it possible to flexibly increase the capabilities of the alarm by connecting new sensors (the number of which is practically unlimited), key fobs, signal amplifiers, and even relay-controlled devices. It is easy to connect even powerful infrared barriers to this alarm if you are seriously concerned about security country house. And finally, autonomous wireless sensors are a plus, they continue to work when there is no voltage in the mains, which is not uncommon for a summer residence. Actually, all this prompted to buy the Guardian alarm. Of course, you are free to choose the alarm model yourself, especially since the principles of operation of different alarms and especially sensors are very similar.
The delivery set of the Strazh Evolution Kit alarm system includes only "security" sensors - opening and movement. Additional sensors such as fire sensors, water leaks, gas leaks, etc. will have to be purchased separately. Fortunately, these sensors are relatively inexpensive and often even capable of autonomous operation. That is, without a central alarm at all. To raise the alarm, autonomous sensors are equipped with their own built-in sirens. However, without a control panel, these sensors are not able to inform about an alarm via GSM communication, which greatly limits their functionality. For example, while you are hanging out with friends, forgotten on country kitchen a saucepan can fill the stove, and the house will be filled with gas from a cylinder. The siren will turn on, but you won't know why. It remains to run into the house in a hurry with a cigarette, and fireworks are guaranteed.
1. Guard functions
The Strazh Evolution Kit alarm package includes a central console, a power supply for it, a backup battery (from which the alarm works when there is no voltage in the mains), two key fobs, two sensors that perform security functions (an opening sensor and a motion sensor), a siren and USB cable for setup security system using a PC. In addition to additional sensors, special keyboards and panic buttons are connected to the alarm. You can safely save on them as unnecessary.
Everything said below about the siren and sensors will be true for 99.9% of sets of inexpensive GSM alarm systems present on the Ukrainian market. Therefore, the information will be useful to owners of alarms of different brands.
1.1. Siren
The siren is turned on by the control panel in case of an alarm signal from the sensors. With its strong howl (110 dB), the siren will scare away the villain (the powerful sound really “hits” the ears), and will give a signal to the neighbors. The only sure way for an attacker to turn off a howling siren is to pull out or cut the wires connecting the siren to the control panel. Therefore, you should not place the siren and the alarm central too in plain sight. It is possible that, unable to withstand the deafening howl of an invisible siren, the thief will prefer to retreat, simply so as not to spend money on treatment by an otolaryngologist.
A double-sided adhesive tape is glued to the back of the siren for quick attachment, but I still recommend screwing it onto self-tapping screws. The adhesive tape dries out over time, and the siren (or any sensor attached to a similar adhesive tape) may fall.
1.2 Key rings
Convenient wireless key fobs Strazh M-101 are designed for setting (button closed lock) and removing (button open lock) security alarms. The key fob is also equipped with an alarm button (with a lightning pattern) and an alarm off button (crossed out siren). Alarm button when pressed, instantly turns on the alarm with a deafening howl of a siren. This can be used when, approaching the house, you notice strangers there. And so that the siren does not turn on accidentally, the sliding latch closes all the buttons on the key fob to prevent unintentional pressing. Only 2 key fobs are included, an additional copy will cost about $6.5. In general, a key fob is a handy thing with extremely intuitive controls, a kind of remote control from an alarm in your pocket. Especially recommended for children and pensioners.
Fixation of unauthorized entry into the premises protected by the alarm system is carried out with the help of opening sensors, glass break sensors and motion sensors.
1.3 Opening sensor
Includes one opening sensor Strazh M-401, price additional sensor- $6.3 per unit. If the house has metal Entrance door or need to protect Garage Doors, you will need another type of sensor - Guard M-402, already priced at $16.5. Such a sensor is already capable of working with massive metal objects, while the Guardian M-401 may not work in the presence of significant masses of metal. The opening sensor Strazh M-401 is designed exclusively for tracking the opening of wooden or metal-plastic doors and windows.
Structurally, the opening sensor consists of two elements: a magnet and the actual sensor unit with a reed switch. The magnet is mounted on the moving part of the door/window, and the sensor is mounted opposite the magnet on the fixed part. Reed switch under action magnetic field starts to conduct current. As soon as the magnet moves away from the reed switch, a door or window opens, the reed switch opens and stops passing current. The sensor issues an alarm.
It is quite obvious that such a primitive type of sensor is easy to fool. An attacker, noticing the presence of an opening sensor, simply sticks a magnet to its main unit with double-sided tape or even plasticine. And you can safely open the door or window wide open - the opening sensor will not work. Therefore, a motion sensor is also used to secure the security system.
1.4. Motion Sensor
The wireless motion sensor is designed to track the movement of people in the room. The alarm set comes with one such sensor Strazh M-302, each additional copy will cost $31. The operation of the sensor is based on the detection of infrared radiation from living beings. As soon as the sensor notices the movement of a living creature (it is possible to ignore small pets weighing up to about 25 kg), it sends an alarm signal. If someone moves in the room inanimate object(for example, a jacket falls off a hanger), the sensor will not react. The sensor detects movement at a distance of up to 12 m and must be installed so that a moving person crosses the "field of view" of the sensor. In no case should you block the view of the sensor with furniture, house plants, glass structures. The sensor operates in the far infrared spectrum, and ordinary glass is as opaque to him as concrete wall. Actually, therefore, the sensor cannot identify the movement behind closed window or glass door. Naturally, a smart attacker will try to neutralize the motion sensor - quickly cover it with clothes or fill it with spray paint. After that, the sensor will become useless. Breaking or removing the sensor does not make sense, usually the device is protected by a tamper and an attempt to open it will trigger an alarm.
To make it difficult to neutralize the motion sensor, disguise it as interior elements, install it at a height of 2-2.5 m, where it will be more difficult (inconvenient) to cover or damage the sensor. After the visit strangers, allegedly from the gas service, the energy company, the water utility and who knows what organizations, be sure to conduct visual inspection motion sensors.
1.5. Glass break sensor
Glass break sensor Strazh M-601 is designed to detect glass breakage. Such a sensor may be relevant for country houses and apartments on the first and top floors high-rise buildings - when thieves can try to get through a window or balcony. The issue price is about $25 per sensor. Curiously, the sensor was made in Canada, not China. This sensor has a built-in microphone that detects sounds characteristic of glass breaking. When the glass of a window or balcony is broken, the sensor sends an alarm signal to the alarm central. The glass break detection range is up to 9 m from the sensor, while the device does not respond to others, incl. loud sounds. The minus of the sensor is that it requires a 12 V power source. The kit includes a power supply. But if several such sensors are required, the solution can hardly be called wireless. "Defusing" such sensors is as easy as shelling pears - just disconnect the house from the mains. The alarm will see the loss of voltage in the network, but it will not know whether this is a deliberate shutdown or just accidental.
Useful Features
Threats from fire, water leakage and gas leakage should not be underestimated. All these problems are real natural disasters. The damage caused by these factors is many times greater than the losses from theft. In the event of a fire, flood or household gas explosion, everything suffers: flooring and walls, doors, furniture, home electronics and Appliances. Plus, there is a serious threat of damage to neighbors, when the amount of losses increases several times. Fire sensors, water leaks and gas leaks are highly desirable as part of the alarm!
Fire protection
The fire detector makes it possible to quickly detect a fire in order to promptly notify owners and prevent losses. The wireless fire (smoke) detector Strazh M-501 is designed to monitor the presence of smoke in a room. There are sensors that can detect a fire by a sharp increase in temperature, since the flame can burn without smoke. But our sensor is simpler and is designed to detect smoke as a sign of a fire. The sensor costing about $28 is able to work completely autonomously, and not only as part of an alarm, it has adjustable sensitivity and a built-in siren. The device detects smoke using an infrared emitter and a photodetector. When particles of smoke enter the smoke chamber, the photodetector detects distortion of the infrared beam. If there is a lot of smoke, the beam distortion becomes stronger, and the sensor sends a message about fire alarm to the alarm control panel and activates the built-in sound siren. The sensor is perfectly able to ensure that nothing burns in the kitchen, loudly reminding negligent housewives of products forgotten on the stove. It is not recommended to install the sensor in a place where people smoke often and heavily, as false alarms are possible.
Water leakage protection
Leaking water warps the floor, spoils furniture and walls, household appliances often suffer. Plus, a leak is fraught with paying for repairs to neighbors living "from below" if the flood occurred in apartment building. Alas, I did not find a wireless leakage sensor for the alarm. I was already thinking about purchasing a more expensive Ajax alarm, where there is definitely such a sensor. But the toad, the economic crisis and family council they didn’t allow me to do this, especially since at the dacha in winter the water supply (by a pump from the well) is turned off. GSM alarm system Sentinel does without tracking water leakage. Possibly in the future summer season we will purchase an autonomous leakage sensor, for example, the handsome Fibaro Flood Sensor FGFS-101.
The principle of operation of all leakage sensors is simple: the detector is installed on the floor, and when water appears between the legs-contacts, a short circuit occurs electrical circuit that generates an alarm. From the experience of friends, accidental false alarms of such sensors installed in the bathroom can be very frequent. You need to be mentally prepared for this. For a false alarm, it is enough to let steam in the bathroom or splash water on the floor.
Gas leakage protection
It is well known what danger the gas accumulated in the room poses. The destruction from a household gas explosion can be so strong that not only the kitchen or apartment will suffer, but the whole house. Thanks to the gas leakage sensor, you can always be sure that there is no danger of household gas poisoning or an explosion of a gas-air mixture in the room. Wireless sensor Strazh M-502 detects the presence natural gas, propane, butane. This sensor is able to work independently, without a control panel, and in case of alarm, it turns on the built-in sound siren. The only negative of the sensor is that although it is wireless, it is powered by a 220 V network. Therefore, you need to allocate an outlet for it in the kitchen. The price of the sensor is $23. How does the sensor detect gas? The device has a special plate - a catalyst. When gas enters the catalyst, the plate begins to heat up. When a certain threshold of gas concentration is exceeded and the plate is heated, the sensor is triggered - it sends an alarm signal to the central alarm unit and turns on the built-in siren. When tested using a gas cylinder in the country house, the siren (85 dB) was normally audible within the average size of a 3-story building (in the absence of strong background noise, such as a working radio or TV).
Central
The central or control panel is the basis of the alarm system. She is responsible for receiving signals from all sensors and is able to send SMS and voice messages to several phone numbers at once. The control panel has a kind of support for "Smart Home" elements: the presence of relay outputs allows you to connect to the alarm various devices and activate them according to a certain type of alarm: these can be automatic shut-off valves for water or gas, a system automatic fire extinguishing etc. Just keep in mind that in the event of a false alarm (and such alarms sometimes occur), the shutdown of water or gas will generally be without consequences, but the futile operation of the fire extinguishing system can bring losses at the level of the fire itself, flooding the house.
For the alarm to work, you need to install a SIM card of any operator into it, after deleting all numbers from it and removing the PIN code request. To do this, you first need to install a SIM card in the phone, since such operations cannot be performed on the alarm itself. These procedures must be done so that when the alarm is automatically reset after firmware, failure, etc. it did not lose its functionality and automatically established a GSM connection with the operator's network.
The rear panel provides inputs for connecting wired sensors. Which are usually cheaper than wireless ones. But the convenience of using wireless sensors is an order of magnitude higher. For example, pulling wired leakage sensors up to 2 floors is another hemorrhoid.
Do not forget to connect the back-up power supply of the control panel from the battery. This makes it possible to keep the alarm working in the event of a power failure in the mains, for example, if intruders turn off the power to a house or apartment.
Mobile alarm control is very convenient. For example, arming or disarming is carried out using a call from the specified "owner" number to the SIM - signaling card, and without a connection, that is, absolutely free of charge. With an incoming call, the alarm will simply reset the call and automatically change its status to the opposite. If the alarm was in the “inactive” mode, then it will go into the “protection” mode. And vice versa: if the alarm was in the "protection" mode, after incoming call it will go into idle mode. Simple and quite comfortable. He went out, dialed the number - the house was guarded. I called before coming - and there was no need to manually disarm the alarm. You can control the alarm more flexibly by sending special SMS commands.
However, if we talk about the alarm settings in general, then everything is far from being as intuitive as we would like. The settings are very extensive. And although the interface is Russified, it is easy to get confused even by advanced users, not to mention housewives, from the abundance of options in the configurator program. Therefore, before setting up the alarm, I strongly recommend that you carefully read the manual. He describes in detail how everything works. The capabilities of the configurator are really extensive: with its help, you can, say, check the balance of funds on the SIM card account or update the control panel firmware. For those who don't need unnecessary complications, I advise you to use the configurator program with a "simplified" version of the interface, you can download it here:
Many protect their summer cottages from uninvited guests using cheap GSM alarms. Its main task is to scare the attacker, attract the attention of others and inform the owner of the building that it is worth checking whether everything is in order at the dacha. Of course, she will not stop serious robbers, but such people, as a rule, are not interested in the prey of country thieves. Of course, you can make such an alarm yourself using a controller and a gsm module, but it’s more convenient for me to use a factory product. Such alarms have an interface for connecting both wired and wireless sensors. The main problem is the short range of wireless ones, and the need to pull wires for wired ones. In this review, we will eliminate these shortcomings. I invite lovers of crafts (Arduino, boards, code) under cat.
On my suburban area, in addition to the house, there is also a bathhouse and a barn. I would also like to put sensors for the appearance of people with single center control in the house. There are two options here: a radio channel (15-20 meters are problematic for transmission through brick walls and metal tiles), a separate wire to each sensor (I didn’t want to dig and pull and wire wires between buildings). Another option would be to install its own alarm system at each object - which is no longer budgetary, and adds inconvenience (3 key fobs, etc.). At the same time, between the bathhouse and the house, as well as between the bathhouse and the barn, I have a twisted pair cable laid underground for the operation of my other electronic crafts. Moreover, each object has a switch converted for distributing passive POE (12V over twisted pair, on unused cores). Therefore, the decision became obvious - to provide wired and wireless sensors a barn and a bathhouse, and transmit the data via Ethernet to the house, where it is converted into an understandable signaling format. In addition, I decided to add notifications via the Internet and link video surveillance with the alarm (for example, send pictures to the mail at the time of the alarm). All this will be decided by the device developed in the review.
Device manufacturing
We print on yellow paper for thermal transfer: 
Preparing the workpiece: 
A reliable, heavy domestic iron comes into play: 
Drawing on the workpiece: 
Ferric chloride eats excess copper: 
Two boards after tinning: 
We solder the components and test:
Reverse side (before flux washes off):
Now you can connect the USB-TTL converter and network cable:
Reverse side with washed flux: 
As antennas, solder wires about 17 cm long: 
Those who wish to repeat the device can.
getting code
/* Simple example for receiving https://github.com/sui77/rc-switch/ */ #include
And disconnecting the magnet from the reed switch, we see a desperate cry on the air: 
Our device code: 1022617
write a code that recognizes the operation of our sensor
#include
After downloading this code, each time the magnet is disconnected, it will result in the following messages in the console:
For each event, the sensor sends 19 messages.
It remains to transfer it over the network. For the ENC28J60 module, we need the . We write a simple code:
Sending an event data center
/////////////////////////////////////////////////// /////////////////////////////////////////////////// //////////////// // yurok (last change 04/19/2016) // Signal (433) control (draft) ////////////// /////////////////////////////////////////////////// /////////////////////////////////////////////////// // #include
Connecting the device to home network, run Apache on the laptop (192.168.0.44) (it just was), we see it in the console: 
These inscriptions indicate that we were able to recognize the operation of the sensor, transmit this information over the network and receive a positive response from the web server. The log files of the web server contain our queries: 
Based on this code, it is easy to organize remote processing of sensor triggering via Ethernet. Moreover, all sensors from these alarms work according to the same principle: they recognize the event and repeatedly send their code on the air. Wired sensors can be connected to specially left inputs of our board and also transmit information about events over the network. Of course, the above code is only a prototype, but the main points are all present. Naturally, you need to add protection against repetitions, etc., but everyone can do it himself.
I end with this. Thanks to those who read to the end, I hope someone finds the information useful! If it is interesting, I will continue to write about country creativity.
I plan to buy +39 Add to favorites Liked the review +39 +69