Solution Ultima 880

[jpage]

I have an ICP-CC488 installed and I would like to be able to view/perform the following items remotely via http.

• Alarm arming status
• Set Arm/Disarm
• View 40 event history

I understand this can be done locally with the ICP keypads, using the DOS based Alink software and a proprietary serial cable, or remotely with a PSTN/Modem connection. I don't have a PSTN line, I don't want to buy a 70 dollar copper wire with a plastic plug on it and Alink would probably work best with laptops from the late 90s. So I'm hoping that there must be some other way.

What I am planning on doing is building a web page that enables access to this functionality from a password authenticated and SSL secured form. The problem I have is interfacing with the alarm board and communicating with it, so that I can then wrap the web application around the communication protocol.

Is anyone familiar with serial communications on the Bosch panels or able to provide me with the communication specifications and pin configuration? I'd like to connect the general purpose I/O on a Rasperry Pi to my Bosch board and be able to transmit and receive the serial codes to perform the functions listed above. I hope to be able to develop a solution that would allow people to wire the general purpose I/O pins on a Raspberry Pi to their Bosch serial pins and then incorporate web/email based alarm control and monitoring into their home automation and reporting. As a Pasberry Pi is really just a little PC server with a network connection, potential applications would be:

• Being able to be sent an email with detail on which sensor tripped and when.
• Users sends an email to alarm@xyzdomain.com.au to arm system (security could be PIN/Password written in the email for the web application to interpret and then arm system)
• Users sends an email to retrieve arming status
• System sends an email when system is not armed outside of user-defined time schedule
• System monitors sensors and auto-arms after inactivity period

If there are any similar projects or alternative approaches that already exist, I'd love to hear about them. Or if the idea is fundamentally flawed/idiotic etc, then I'd love to hear that too.


Cheers

[lewko]

That alarm panel is so ancient your plan would be akin to adding Bluetooth to an LP Record player.

Why not turn the Raspberry PI into a shitty alarm panel with web, rather than try and add an interface to a shitty old alarm? Much more efficient.

Ten out of ten for hacker cred but minus several million for good security practice. Think hard. Or to put it in software terms, you don't put development systems into a critical production environment.

[Drift]

There are systems available now with smart phone apps or web interfaces that can do what you're wanting. Why bother using email to query and control the system? A little archaic dont you think.

The wheel has been invented... unless it's purely for shits and giggles, you're in for a world of missery for nothing.

[downunderdan]

It ain't no vintage car.

I vaguely recall someone did hack up a web interface to the old (old) Solution series many years ago, but even then I felt it was outdated. A polished turd is still a turd.