ESP32-targz VS dscKeybusInterface

Sounds super simple to download images via a webserver, just have a page that dumps the contents of the SD card ( if you using it to save the images ) back as TGZ format. https://github.com/tobozo/ESP32-targz

I am engineering a watch to play home videos of my children on my wrist - my Reflections project. I need an easy way to move multiple files from a Cloud based service to the watch. tar) and GZip are widely used standards to build and compress an archive of binary (for example, movies and sound files) and text (for example, JSON encoded procedural scripting command) files. Using tar I simplify my code to move one tar file instead of multiple individual files. The ESP32-targz library combines uzlib and TinyUntar to decompress and inflate tar files and works well with Arduino IDE 1.8.13, ESP32, and an SD card. This is my developer’s journal of the problems that I encountered and the work-arounds I used.

Brought an inactive home security system onto Home Assistant using the below repository, so I can track everything from smoke alarms to motion, doors, and windows. I swear there's a niche business opportunity in retrofitting all these deactivated systems!

https://github.com/taligentx/dscKeybusInterface

The sensors themselves are relatively easy to defeat, a strong enough magnet in the right position and you can pop a door or window open without tripping the sensor. This specific DSC panel was chosen as the bus protocol was unencrypted(the only reasonable attack would be a playback attack, everything needs a user, master, or installer code), but it would be relatively easy to add an esp8266 behind the wall plate of a keypad. (take notes, this is why you should have motion detectors wired inside, and add latching tamper zones). I don't have to worry about the encryption issue, since the keybus line doesn't go outside of a locked closet, which will probably use the latching tamper preset.

Additional context for anyone that's trying to google the same thing. DSC power series pc1816, pc1832, and pc1864 main boards use this connector for the battery harness, which is difficult to source. (This sub is also relevant as there is a DSC key bus Protocol library for Arduino or espressif boards, this was one of the last boards they made before the bus line was encrypted).

Actually it's not "dated" as much as it's "timeless" :) Things get a lot easier with a serial cable and the DLS software. You can even build your own Envisalink like module that works with Home Assistant, for about $6, see: https://github.com/taligentx/dscKeybusInterface

There is a lot of work done for DSC powerseries keybus interface (not the NEO version): - https://github.com/taligentx/dscKeybusInterface - https://github.com/taligentx/dscKeybusInterface/tree/expander But I cannot find any documentation online for the NEO version.

What's the main goal here? The EnvisaLink™ EVL-4EZR module works really well with home automation like Home Assistant or, if you want a less expensive solution taligentx / dscKeybusInterface is an open source solution which can run on a Wemos D1 mini (< $10). Both of these solutions appear to the DSC panel to be a keypad so unless you exceed the maximum number of keypads for a given panel then you should be OK.

Speaking of DIY, you can build your own for under $10 in components and use opensource software like taligentx / dscKeybusInterface, then monitor yourself with Home Assistant. There is even open source software to recover the installer code. So the options for such an panel are not limited.

I'm wondering because I'm planning to run this project on the system to recover the installer code. I'm a little worried that doing so will start dialing to the old alarm company.

Did you check if https://github.com/taligentx/dscKeybusInterface would support to unlock it? It would only require an arduino and a few days maximum to run (most likely a few hours). I've done it on my panel although it was more recent.

If one doesn't like the $100 cost of Envisalink, with DSC systems there is open source software on GitHub that uses a $5 Wemos D1 mini board and another $1 worth of electronic components (couple resistors and a transistor) to interface directly to the KeyBus and then provides several methods of control.