Having a home or business security system one can fully rely on is very important. The system will always comprise a number of components, from motion detectors to security cameras, but ensuring they work in cooperation within the system is essential. For this reason, burglar alarm suppliers point to the control panel as the heart of the system and recommend customers invest in the best.
The options available when it comes to security system control panels is quite vast, and there are several factors that should be considered before making a final decision. If the system is required for a small home, then a panel with a small capacity is perfect, like those available with the range of Veritas alarms.
However, if the area to be protected is large, perhaps a commercial or industrial complex, then far more extensive and sophisticated panels are necessary, such as some of the latest available from the Texecom Premier range.
A control panel is, in essence, the hub through which all of the sensors communicate, and identifies when a system has been breached and authorises the alarm bell or siren to sound. In the simplest alarm systems, this job is done by a relay switch, which permits a signal to circulate the system continuously until it is broken. When a contact is broken, because a window or door has opened, the switch is activated and the alarm bell goes off.
In modern systems, control of the system requires a greater degree of sophistication, but there a number of features on a control panel that can affect the efficiency of the system overall, and which therefore should be considered before one decides on an alarm system. Features worth considering are zone and system scalability, remote management, communication capabilities, and system compatibilities.
Zone and System Scalability
Scalability refers to the potential that any particular alarm system has to expand the number of zones it keeps an eye on. A zone is basically one circuit through which a signal circulates, just as with the simple example given above. Since one circuit cannot work efficiently in large areas, a system is broken down into several circuits, called zones.
A typical control panel can manage around 8 individual zones, which in the case of a home could be accounted for by the different parts, or wings, of the building. For example one zone is the upstairs west wing, while a second zone is the downstairs west wing. Some of the best control panels can accommodate hundreds of zones, making them specific to industrial or commercial complexes.
System Compatibility
As well as scaling systems upwards, security control panels can now accommodate the inclusion of fire alarm sensors too, meaning that both security and fire safety systems can be run from the same control panel. However, the panel must be compatible with sensors of other systems too. This capability removes the issue of having two separate alarm systems running simultaneously, namely intruder and fire alarm systems, thereby causing confusion.
Remote Management
In this internet age, being able to access and manage the control panel via remote methods is extremely convenient. It means that the security company or property owner can check on the security status of a building or premises without actually being there. Through remote capabilities, images can be uploaded from the cameras in the system, statistics can be viewed and fully daily reports can be examined. This remote monitoring may also be done by a professional monitoring service.
Communication Capabilities
Modern control panels are able to notify property owners of any disturbances even when they are well out of ear shot. This is done by way of SMS messaging, with the panel sending a text at a specific time each day. It means that no matter where the individual is, even if he or she is abroad, they are clued into what is going on.
For the most elaborate systems, like the Texecom Premier that boasts as many as 640 zones, each of the features above are part of the system control panel. The control panel with Veritas alarms is much smaller, but it can still accommodate 8 zones.
That may seem like a small number in comparison, but as burglar alarm suppliers will testify, if the property is small, then that control panel is perfect.
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