AT&T Specific

I have an AT&T 8000 Security System ... I was about to upgrade to a newer system, but before I spend the $$ a couple of questions...

Your most important decision should be whether the unique behaviors of the AT&T system are tolerable. Some of the AT&T users who became our subscribers (through an acquisition) had specific difficulties using their systems. Some were physically unable to get up on a ladder to change batteries; their pets were high strung and got upset over the trouble beeps, etc. Many users have never had a single problem, while others had one problem after another. We usually had to resolve the major issues with other technology. If the system creates more stress than the peace of mind it provides, you should lean toward a trade in. If you don't mind occasional low battery beeps and other System 8000 idiosyncrasies, and you are otherwise able to manage it, it could be worth your while to continue servicing the existing system.

If you are in our service area (SE Pennsylvania), we may be able to provide some on-site service if you have trouble ironing out the system. It's our experience that the System 8000 can usually be settled down with a persistent and methodic troubleshooting effort. Please note that we do not seek to interfere with any ongoing contractual relationship you may have with another company. (See Exodus 20:17.) Check your paperwork, or just ask your previous company, to determine whether they have an exclusive right to provide service to your system, when your contract term with the previous company expires, and what the procedure is to end that agreement, before contacting us.

One last word of advice, if you use the burglar alarm, you should definitely have two or more Wireless Remotes installed in case one goes bad. The most common scenario: You go on an extended vacation and when you get home, the battery in the Wireless Remote has run down. You are unable to disarm the system in the usual manner. It's very inconvenient.

Are the wireless sensors compatible with any of the newer systems or will I have to replace the panel and the perimeter sensors?

I am not aware of any other system that uses this design of transmitter. We usually have to replace all of the AT&T transmitter devices and keypads when we do a trade in. Some of the accessories might be usable, including the battery, power transformer, phone jack, optional siren driver, speaker(s) and the communicator module. The medical alert pendants and the associated receivers in the systems we service are usually non-AT&T and can often be adapted to a newer panel, although we advocate updating some of the older ones if you're getting a new system.

Is it possible to reduce the 40 second delayed entry time? ... this is too long and makes the system vulnerable

No, the Exit/Entrance time is fixed.

Do you have a catalog of parts that you carry for this system (available online or via email?)

I don't have a current catalog with prices to post. There are some variables involved that make that impractical.

I have a JPEG image of the list of components we are currently able to send in for exchange/repair. (The System 8300 parts are shown along with the 8000 stuff, although we have no 8300's in our customer base, are not well versed in it and don't stock any parts for it.) We have a modest supply of the most common System 8000 items on hand. Our stock will vary between batches of repairs. All of these parts appeared on a similar list of new parts available in 1999. Ask about the specific parts you need and we can let you know what's available and what it would cost.

We don't stock every item in the product line. There are three approaches for getting parts. The first is to send in a bad unit. (Please call ahead.) We send batches of defective units to an independent company that AT&T designated to take over their repair operations when AT&T exited the market place. We are not told whether the parts we get back are the same ones, repaired or new parts. Their packaging says "Refurbished" and that they're intended only for service to existing systems. For a while this was the only way we could get replacement units other than through trade ins.

Eventually the company offered some brand new parts. At last word we were able to obtain most types of new devices for expansion of existing systems and for building technicians' repair parts inventory, but we had to order them in carton lots. We signed an agreement that includes, among other things, we are not to use those parts for new installations. So far, we usually have had enough spare parts to meet our own needs, and have only bought a few items under this arrangement. Availability could change any time.

Third, we often acquire used parts through trade ins and outright system removals.

8570 WIRELESS GLASS BREAK DETECTOR?

WE NEVER USED THIS UNIT. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT MANUFACTURER PRODUCED THE UNDERLYING TECHNOLOGY.

THE INTELLISENSE "FLEX-GUARD" (FGW725 OR LATER) MODEL IS WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST. THIS WIRELESS UNIT HAS SPACE INSIDE THE CASE FOR AN 8240 UT CIRCUIT BOARD, MAYBE EVEN THE WHOLE THING. IT'S A BIT LARGE AS GLASS BREAK DETECTORS GO. THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF INTERFACE WIRING TO DO BETWEEN THE TWO DEVICES. THAT WILL CREATE HAVOC WITH THE UT's WARRANTY. MFR'S TECH SUPPORT CAN PROBABLY PROVIDE A HOOKUP DRAWING IF THERE'S NOT ALREADY ONE IN THE PACKAGE. SEARCH INTELLISENSE OUT OVER THE WEB TO FIND OUT THE LATEST MODEL NUMBERS. I THINK THE FGW725 MAY BE OUT OF PRODUCTION, BUT IF SO, THERE IS LIKELY TO BE A NEWER REPLACEMENT. REMEMBER TO GET A UT TO GO WITH IT.

THE SENTROL "SHATTERBOX" WAS COMMONLY INSTALLED IN THESE SYSTEMS IN CONJUNCTION WITH A UT. YOU CAN MOUNT THIS UNIT RIGHT ON THE FACE OF YOUR UT. I ALWAYS THOUGHT THEY WERE A BIT UGLY, BUT THEY DO WORK WHEN BATTERIES ARE FRESH. BATTERY LIFE IS A CONCERN. I HAVE SEEN MANY OF THESE UTTERLY DEAD WHEN WE GO IN TO DO A SYSTEM CHECKUP. IT HELPS IF YOU CAN CREATE ENOUGH SPACE TO HOOK UP MULTIPLE BATTERIES.

Installer's manual?

I DON'T KNOW IF I'M ALLOWED TO SELL THESE, HAVE TO CHECK. I HAVE ONE, IT'S A COUPLE OF INCHES THICK, 8-1/2 X 11. WE ONLY ACTUALLY TAKE ABOUT 10 IMPORTANT PAGES OF IT IN OUR VEHICLES. THE BULK OF IT IS ELEMENTARY LEVEL STUFF.

THERE MAY BE COPYRIGHT IMPLICATIONS.

I plan to change my monitoring company, but was told that the dialer had to be re-programmed ... do you perform this function or do I need to purchase the "digital comm prgrmr"?

THE DIALER MODULE ITSELF IS AN OPTIONAL ADD-ON TO THE CENTRAL CONTROLLER. THERE ARE NUMEROUS POSSIBLE MODELS YOU COULD HAVE. WE HAVE THE PROGRAMMERS FOR THE MOST COMMON ONES WE FIND IN THE AT&T SYSTEMS WE SERVICE, THE AT&T 8700 (PRIVATE LABELED FOR AT&T BY C&K) AND THE GC8 DIALERS. THOSE ARE BOTH REMOTELY PROGRAMMABLE. THERE ARE A FEW OTHERS AROUND, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT BE REMOTELY PROGRAMMABLE, INCLUDING THE NAPCO TRITON, ETC.

THE REMOTELY PROGRAMMABLE UNITS NEED A GOOD CLEAN PHONE CONNECTION TO LINK UP. WE OCCASIONALLY CAN'T CONNECT WITH THEM OR REPROGRAM THEM DUE TO LOW AUDIO LEVELS, NOISE AND VARIOUS OTHER CAUSES.

ALSO, YOU WOULD NEED THE DEALER ACCESS CODE THAT IS IN IT (OR THE FORMER COMPANY WOULD HAVE TO RETURN IT TO THE FACTORY DEFAULT CODE, UPON THE CONCLUSION OF THEIR MONITORING TERM). PRACTICALLY SPEAKING, EXPECT TO NEED A NEW ONE FOR ANY ONE OF SEVERAL POSSIBLE REASONS. THEN, IF YOU GET LUCKY, SO MUCH THE BETTER. YOU, THE END USER, SHOULD NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT. IT'S THE DEALER'S PROBLEM, AND THE DEALER HAS TO ALLOW FOR ALL OF THE VARIOUS POSSIBLE PROBLEMS IN HIS PRICE STRUCTURE.

THE 8700 IS PRETTY WELL BEHAVED. NOTE, THERE WAS A RECALL OF THESE DIALERS EARLY ON. I WAS ADVISED THAT ALL OF THE ONES WE CURRENTLY MONITOR WERE UPDATED.

THE GC8 WORKS OK BUT IS SUBJECT TO GLITCHING DUE TO STORMS, ETC. AND OFTEN BOMBS OUT (ACTUALLY BURNS OUT) WHEN REMOTE PROGRAMMING IS ATTEMPTED. WE NEVER EVEN TRY IT UNLESS A TECH IS ON SITE OR VERY CLOSE BY TO MOP UP THE MESS. IT IS BEST TO PROGRAM GC8'S ON THE BENCH WITH A DIRECT CONNECTION AND TWO SPARES AT YOUR SIDE. ONCE SUCCESSFULLY PROGRAMMED, IT CAN NOT BE TRUSTED FOR THE LONG HAUL WITHOUT AUTO TESTS. WHEN WE FIND ONE THAT DOES NOT BEHAVE TO OUR COMPLETE SATISFACTION, WE USUALLY REPLACE IT WITH AN 8700.

ALL DIALERS SHOULD OPTIONALLY BE PROTECTED WITH A PAIR OF 150-VOLT 10-JOULE MOV'S (RADIO SHACK) CONNECTED TO A GOOD EARTH GROUND.

Check your written contract before you engage another monitoring company. You may have a multiple-year agreement that will cause problems.

Many companies will want to supply and program a fresh dialer of their own. Along the same line, the old company may ask for the old dialer back. Dialer programming is not recommended for the faint of heart or end users. Call if you need it done.