Jul 09, 2008 03:39 PM
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(Updated Jul 09, 2008 03:48 PM)
Product: Zicom Home Burglary Alarm System
Product Description: Security and burglary alarm system. As part of the basic package, the product includes a Control Panel, 1 magnetic door sensor, 1 motion sensor, 2 remote key fobs, 1 gas leak detector and 1 alarm hooter.
DETAILED REVIEW
I saw the ZICOM product at one of the stalls in an exhibition. Being technically savvy, with a knack for electronics and automation, I decided to go for it.
Booking, and Installation Scheduling
The booking was done with their DSA in Pune – Matcomm Electronic Security Systems. After a couple of days of follow-up (after paying the booking amount) and two subsequent schedule changes, the technicians finally arrived with the product to install and configure the same.
Installation and Configuration
Fixing and setting up the control panel, the sensors and the alarm hooter took no more than 2 hours. All the components talk wirelessly to each other and have in-built battery power/ back-up. This part of setup was a breeze.
Now the technicians starting configuring it – configuring the control panel to be aware of the sensors installed, setting up delays in sensors, the different modes of sensing, clock time for the display panel, entry and exit delays when arming the system, punching the phone numbers of the CMS station, your account ID, etc.
All this configuration can be done through the key-pad on the Control Panel – that the Zicom personnel will do –and will NOT brief you on it/ share it with you.
The technicians who did this part of setup for me, were not well trained and goofed up on several occasions and took over 4 hours to do this part – and yet not correct. The alarm kept going off in “Disarm” and also in “Home” mode – for zones it was not supposed to go off. This was a major cause of annoyance and nuisance for my neighbours. Finally another senior technician had to come the next day to configure it correctly.
*ZICOM’s CMS Service
*The control panel of the product that is installed at home connects to your home phone line and is capable of making calls to any 6 configured phone numbers (including the numbers of Zicom’s Central Monitoring Station).
Zicom offers 2 months free service of their CMS facility – where-in once alerted by the system, the CMS personnel will call the numbers provided by you and also call the local police station (based on the type of alarm received over the phone). This service comes at a monthly cost there-after.
*Incomplete Manual
*The manual supplied with the product does not include the steps to do all the configurations as detailed in the next section below.
The manual does not tell how to input your phone numbers directly into the system (including setting up your own phone numbers to receive a call incase of an emergency or alarm). The technicians who come to do the installation carry some-printouts with them (that they will NOT share with you), that details these configuration settings and the steps to do so.
On a later day, when in a probing mood, I discovered that Zicom is selling a product called ST-I of a Chinese company called Shenzhen Meian Technology Co. Ltd, and the complete manual is available for download on the manufacturer’s website https://meiantech.com/product/proShow.asp?ID=117&MaxID=17&classID=1
The first three chapters of this online manual are exactly the same as supplied by Zicom and Zicom conveniently ignored the latter chapters that include all these configuration details.
As I see it, there could be two reasons to it:
The company wants to promote their CMS service (recurring source of revenue) and hence is hiding the capabilities of the product – like it can make calls directly to personal numbers specified.
The company feels that the Indian customer is stupid and will not be able to operate and configure the system.
Summary: Secretive ways, defective product, incomplete manual, unreliable
*Contrary to what is stated in the manual provided with the product, the product can not be controlled remotely using a phone. The product does NOT pick up the phone after a configured number of rings. Zicom support guys tell that they are working on it and the current chip that ships with the product is faulty.
The Zicom personnel will tell you that you can NOT configure the product to dial the numbers of your choice to send out alarm notifications (recorded voice messages). However, it is possible on this product.
The Gas Leak Detector is very unreliable and inconsistent, and had to be changed twice on later dates. It has an independent hooter that keeps going off everytime the power fluctuates. Finally had to disconnect this part, and is now just sitting in the kitchen, doing nothing.
Zicom configures two telephone numbers of their CMS into the product – to which the product dials and sends out an alarm. Of the two simulations that I did, the numbers were engaged both the times.
Zicom only provides a partial product manual and they do not tell you all the capabilities of the product you own.
Given the segment it caters to – the safety and security of your home – all this is highly objectionable and fishy.
