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GE Concord 4 GSM security system

Joe HebertJoe Hebert Posts: 2,159
in NetLinx Studio
I have a new GE Concord 4 GSM security system to integrate for a job that doesn’t have the time or a budget for me to write a module for it. The AMX module in the Tech Center was last updated in July of 2003 and it says it’s for an ITI Concord security system. Does anyone know if this module works for the Concord 4? The module is over 8 years old and I don’t know if protocol has changed since then.

I have no experience with GE security systems and any feedback is appreciated.

Thanks.

Comments

  • TurnipTruckTurnipTruck Posts: 1,485
    Did you make any progess with this?

    Looks like I'm going to be working with a few of these.

    The AMX module was written for firmware 2.53 of Concord. It went buggy when they came out with version 3 sometime around 2005. Here is the latest protocol that I was able to massage out of Interlogix.
  • Joe HebertJoe Hebert Posts: 2,159
    TurnipTruck wrote: »
    Did you make any progess with this?
    No progress yet.
    The job turned into a hurry up and wait.
  • DHawthorneDHawthorne Posts: 4,584
    Nothing quite annoys me as much as a client (or salesman, for that matter) complaining that an out-of-the-box solution is not available (or doesn't work right), yet they don't want to pay to develop one ... but they still want you to make it work somehow. Personally, I think it's better to lose a sale altogether than to do the job at a loss, and the only exception is when you know for certain it will get you enough other work to compensate.
  • roognationroognation Posts: 138
    GE NX8-E versus Concord 4

    I am about to start a project and the security contractor _can_ provide an NX8-E, but is pushing the Concord 4. Most of my experience is with the NX8-E, but I figured I would ask: is the Concord 4 a lot more sophisticated and better?

    I would be interested in maybe helping "crowd-source" a module for this thing... Or at least helping test a module out.

    Or maybe we should really push AMX to improve the module to support the latest?

    Thx for the protocol guide!
  • TurnipTruckTurnipTruck Posts: 1,485
    To control the Concord, you only need the very last command in the manual, which is keypress. Aside from calculating the checksum, it's pretty strightforward. I beleive you will also need to send a heartbeat so that the system doesn't error that the automation is offline.
  • John NagyJohn Nagy Posts: 1,742
    GE Concorde and Advent also require that the serial connection be live and interactive at GE PANEL BOOT TIME. When the panel boots, it tests the serial to see if it is live, and if not, shuts it down and does not check again.

    If a live serial connection goes down, as in disconnected or NetLinx offline, sooner or later on what appears to be a 4 hour test cycle, the GE will notice and start beeping a warning that communication security has been compromised. This will go on until the panel is rebooted, and it won't talk to the NetLinx while it beeps. This is annoying but it does take security seriously... it could be anyone on that serial wire now, and it doesn't like that.
  • vegastechvegastech Posts: 369
    I concur with John. We use these Concord 4 alarms quite a bit with our other automation systems, and they work quite well. They are fast to respond to serial commands, and there are very few parts to go bad. That being said, the serial communications can be a pain to set up occasionally due to the exact reasons stated in John's post. If the processor goes offline, the panel will throw a bus failure and then the alarm cannot be armed until the issue is fixed. I wouldn't say it is more sophisticated by any means...but it IS an inexpensive panel.
  • roognationroognation Posts: 138
    Thanks for your comments; I was hoping to hear that the Concord 4 is better in some way (functionally, not cost); and the serial-port issues are not something I want to deal with; our design philosophy does not allow for the failure of one system to affect another. So, I think I will stay with the NX8-E since I have that choice at this point in the project.

    Thanks again forum peeps!
  • TurnipTruckTurnipTruck Posts: 1,485
    As I remember from my last Concorde, if the automation goes offline, it took an arming from automation to bring it back. I think it was Concorde version 3.

    Sent from my MB865 using Tapatalk
  • TurnipTruckTurnipTruck Posts: 1,485
    Or a disarming??

    Sent from my MB865 using Tapatalk
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