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Telecom Security - BNIB find!


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So you might have noticed back in the day a few Telecom Security boxes, the earlier ones of which had the famous post-81 British Telecom logo on.

 

https://burglaralarmbritain.wordpress.com/2013/07/18/telecom-security-southwark/

 

DSC_1726.thumb.JPG.25a0e164bbdaf0c977113273413575e7.JPG

 

It seems they were bought by Modern Alarms but also seemed to be still around for a short time at least, by the time Modern themselves were rolled into ADT.

By the end they appeared to be using the same Galaxy systems as ADT, but with Telecom branding on the RKPs and the 'famous' coloured buttons for Police, Fire and Medical.

 

But what I've got hold of is one of the earlier, very definately not-available-in-shops Telecom alarms, brand new in it's box.

 

DSC_1732.thumb.JPG.ede454895713f8e26d925a01899ab705.JPGDSC_1734.thumb.JPG.f7eaa76767e8e9bc59f6270f270cd596.JPG

DSC_1735.thumb.JPG.6cfe0b5305662ab467b7dc58d0cbc14e.JPGDSC_1733.thumb.JPG.a7aeedd1dc4f2914aeba6fdecb254d2d.JPG

DSC_1736.thumb.JPG.fad0e41cc41a3ec0bafa05de3e7da64c.JPGDSC_1737.thumb.JPG.3a01dba472e528ae952ef0ed0fed74f2.JPG

 

Note the BT logo but only on the inside. Very US looking, and would have had an external PSU and a keylock in the states too. However the

plug, rather than spur, connection is also very 'BT'. For some reason I'm assuming that these panels were never actually BS compliant, despite the

inferred police dispatch? Or did BT 'misuse' their ability to access 999 direct? It's certainly the only monitoring co. I've ever come across that will

call you an ambulance, other than specialist medical (non-security) monitoring? Note it can do up to 24 zones via expanders back when this was unheard of for

most panels especially a domestic aimed system.

 

This solves the 'mystery' of the Scantronic Telecom keypads being sold on eBay, I don't know what DSS stands for but I know that

Arrowhead* (see below) was a US company bought up by Scantronic Holdings in the early 90s. It went as badly as you can imagine and is pretty much

how Scanny fell into the hands of US buyers (Cooper) the first time round with Arrowhead (seemingly partially rebranded to Scantronic by then)

being essentially written off for pennies.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Scantronic-Alarm-Control-LED-Keypad-Telecom-Security-Ref-9601/173941423825?hash=item287fb77ed1:g:a2EAAOSwQydcyxxN

 

In fact, take a look at the panel closely and you'll see a Scan Tronic label on one of the ICs. I'm impressed by that Siemens CPU too.

 

I don;t have a keyboard but this little bundle came with something I've never seen before on ebay - an Arrowhead programming keyboard!

 

It's just like the eBay link above, but with 3 LEDs not two, and 3 extra wires and a plug.

 

DSC_1725.thumb.JPG.c3459866246bdf57ae218cef846e67b2.JPG 

 

Unfortunately, there is no-where to plug it onto this unit.

 

So, for now the adventure stops.

 

Were these programmed remotely (as it was a monitored-only service) or only via the remote? I suppose it could have been done via a 2 digit RKP, after all the 9800 is.

 

Does anyone know anything about these....?

 

 

Edited by datadiffusion

So, I've decided to take my work back underground.... to stop it falling into the wrong hands

 

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Nope from what I can gather they mostly had dummy H boxes, apparently very few were live bells, my bundle came with a few white Hex bells which come with Elmdene siren guts with manuals stating 'ADT Modern'. I think during the Modern Eurobell era they were still owner by BT?

 

Not as interesting but I also have a Galaxy 16+ bnib with Telecom software and Telecom branded rkp Inc the special multicoloured alert buttons. 

Edited by datadiffusion

So, I've decided to take my work back underground.... to stop it falling into the wrong hands

 

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Years ago, @norman said in relation to the same panel as above...

 

Quote

Unless you have a programming keypad you will not be able to use the panel, there is no service timer on these so there may be a fault elsewhere. Bullet proof panels but disliked by engineers for some reason, as Mr H says you will need to install new.

 

I seem to have the programming keypad (see above pic) but can't see where on earth you would plug it? Or is there an interface board that's missing a bit like on a Texe flasher?

 

(the plug next to the heatsink is comms and the one on the programming RKP won't fit anyway)

Edited by datadiffusion

So, I've decided to take my work back underground.... to stop it falling into the wrong hands

 

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They were made by advantor ,they did sent fire ,med and pa which complied after changes to the programming fire and med were a call to site there were 2 versions the 680 and 685 the later one was progd from its own rkp as it had a 2 segment display sounders were internal you needed a separate psu f you wanted an external siren used sia signalling ,I've got th manuals I'll try to upload

Edited by goncall
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Cheers @goncall and thanks, I forgot you'd probably have come across these.

 

I did re-read the manual after (the one written by Telecom and intended to be left with the customer, although the later one tucked inside the later Galaxy based model) and you're right Medical says they would actually only call an ambulance if they had spoken back to you first (same with Fire then but not mentioned in the manual).

 

As I said earlier the Telecom Security white hex bell comes with an Elmdene manual headed up 'ADT Modern Siren model xxxx' (c) 1997 - makes you realise how long ago it all was.

 

Edited by datadiffusion

So, I've decided to take my work back underground.... to stop it falling into the wrong hands

 

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Cheers, another member has PMd me the manuals for the 680, it mentions the default engineer number, (and although you can, tells employees not to change it!)

so I'm going to assume that this is the same one that would come from the factory, after all it looks like the unit has very custom firmware.

 

What I can't see yet is any way to disable the comms or change the phone number which I find a bit odd - the 680 manual is written in house for staff rather than by the manf.

and isn't a full manual, mainly zones, helpful enough for now though.

 

Something else not mentioned is the default master code, only how to change it!

 

Once I've got my keypad I'll post a quick vid

Edited by sixwheeledbeast
codes

So, I've decided to take my work back underground.... to stop it falling into the wrong hands

 

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40 minutes ago, al-yeti said:

Any expiry date?

 

Yeah when the company got wound up! Although as H says I bet you somewhere there is a 'Assetco 1986 (Modern) Ltd' that used to be Telecom, probably with £700 in the bank and 25 years worth of 1 page dormant accounts.

So, I've decided to take my work back underground.... to stop it falling into the wrong hands

 

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Yep long post takeover of Telecom by Moderns and post integration hence hexes and gals I suppose.

 

For a very short time didn't they change all a number of former yellow Modern boxes & new installs to white hex's with 'ADT Modern' on them before realising the yellow was the best (or most recognisable) bit about it?

 

It's interesting that the original US made Telecom panel doesn't support an external siren but then again why would it? They simply don't seem to use them in the US.

Also even Chinese designed and produced DIY tat alarms such as the likes of Wickes and the butchered Visonic BT kits all had UK made bells or dummies (both Elmdene, who at the time still made in the UK)

Edited by datadiffusion

So, I've decided to take my work back underground.... to stop it falling into the wrong hands

 

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2 hours ago, datadiffusion said:

Yep long post takeover of Telecom by Moderns and post integration hence hexes and gals I suppose.

 

For a very short time didn't they change all a number of former yellow Modern boxes & new installs to white hex's with 'ADT Modern' on them before realising the yellow was the best (or most recognisable) bit about it?

 

It's interesting that the original US made Telecom panel doesn't support an external siren but then again why would it? They simply don't seem to use them in the US.

Also even Chinese designed and produced DIY tat alarms such as the likes of Wickes and the butchered Visonic BT kits all had UK made bells or dummies (both Elmdene, who at the time still made in the UK)

ADT bought modern 97 ish and a load of white hex with Adt modern were made(I’ve still got one somewhere)but not many were fitted, then thorn (tyco) bought Adt very soon after so the white hex got binned for a yellow hex with tam on it (thorn Adt modern) that never made it to press then it was decided to print the Adt logo on the yellow hex

you could put an external siren in the original telecom panels but you needed to fit an external psu and use the trigger from the panel 

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Yep Elmdene are now merely a big warehouse importer. The original factory in Fratton was a short walk from my great aunts house and I remember seeing skip fulls of 'reject' mouldings!

 

1 hour ago, goncall said:

ADT bought modern 97 ish and a load of white hex with Adt modern were made(I’ve still got one somewhere)but not many were fitted, then thorn (tyco) bought Adt very soon after so the white hex got binned for a yellow hex with tam on it (thorn Adt modern) that never made it to press then it was decided to print the Adt logo on the yellow hex

you could put an external siren in the original telecom panels but you needed to fit an external psu and use the trigger from the panel 

 

Would love to find a BNIB Thorn, thats the one box I've never seen for sale on the bay, nor removed apart from one years ago that was an empty shell that had been battered with a hammer... Funny enough that was what would now be known as a 'pop up shop' that someone had tried to burgle so they decided to get an alarm after all (this is when I worked for the contracting firm). Nearly 20 years later the whole complex (ex factory) is still falling to bits but the new houses have never come and it's still full of small businesses. Christ I hope theyve replaced those disgusting shared bogs...

Edited by datadiffusion

So, I've decided to take my work back underground.... to stop it falling into the wrong hands

 

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Just now, Logan said:

Scantronics headquarters  (now eaton security) is a 2 minute walk from my house 

 

I once misread the start time on a training course at said HQ (they no longer use it as a venue for training) and turned up a bit late. IIRC the building that they

occupy, formerly the Rank / Xerox factory, is one of the few nearly standalone bits, not connected to anything else.

 

It turned out that everyone else had been given a massive tour of all the upstairs rooms, where a lot of both the older 'junk' but also prototypes and test beds were.

There was also a tour through the remains of the factory and shed loads of NOS stock which I believe was ditched shortly afterwards when they had a big clear out.

The only bit I got to see was on the way to the canteen (since closed I believe, as is the old social club) when they took a short cut through some unoccupied blocks

and showed us the remains of a huge 300 zone ion test bed, bloke claimed 2k of wiring. I suppose that is only 20 reels.

 

Gutted? You could say that.

 

They now use Eaton Highbridge (of roof fall death fame, google fans) for any training that used to be at HQ :(

So, I've decided to take my work back underground.... to stop it falling into the wrong hands

 

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  • 6 months later...
  • 6 months later...
On 15/07/2019 at 21:13, datadiffusion said:

So you might have noticed back in the day a few Telecom Security boxes, the earlier ones of which had the famous post-81 British Telecom logo on.

 

https://burglaralarmbritain.wordpress.com/2013/07/18/telecom-security-southwark/

 

DSC_1726.thumb.JPG.25a0e164bbdaf0c977113273413575e7.JPG

 

It seems they were bought by Modern Alarms but also seemed to be still around for a short time at least, by the time Modern themselves were rolled into ADT.

By the end they appeared to be using the same Galaxy systems as ADT, but with Telecom branding on the RKPs and the 'famous' coloured buttons for Police, Fire and Medical.

 

But what I've got hold of is one of the earlier, very definately not-available-in-shops Telecom alarms, brand new in it's box.

 

DSC_1732.thumb.JPG.ede454895713f8e26d925a01899ab705.JPGDSC_1734.thumb.JPG.f7eaa76767e8e9bc59f6270f270cd596.JPG

DSC_1735.thumb.JPG.6cfe0b5305662ab467b7dc58d0cbc14e.JPGDSC_1733.thumb.JPG.a7aeedd1dc4f2914aeba6fdecb254d2d.JPG

DSC_1736.thumb.JPG.fad0e41cc41a3ec0bafa05de3e7da64c.JPGDSC_1737.thumb.JPG.3a01dba472e528ae952ef0ed0fed74f2.JPG

 

Note the BT logo but only on the inside. Very US looking, and would have had an external PSU and a keylock in the states too. However the

plug, rather than spur, connection is also very 'BT'. For some reason I'm assuming that these panels were never actually BS compliant, despite the

inferred police dispatch? Or did BT 'misuse' their ability to access 999 direct? It's certainly the only monitoring co. I've ever come across that will

call you an ambulance, other than specialist medical (non-security) monitoring? Note it can do up to 24 zones via expanders back when this was unheard of for

most panels especially a domestic aimed system.

 

This solves the 'mystery' of the Scantronic Telecom keypads being sold on eBay, I don't know what DSS stands for but I know that

Arrowhead* (see below) was a US company bought up by Scantronic Holdings in the early 90s. It went as badly as you can imagine and is pretty much

how Scanny fell into the hands of US buyers (Cooper) the first time round with Arrowhead (seemingly partially rebranded to Scantronic by then)

being essentially written off for pennies.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Scantronic-Alarm-Control-LED-Keypad-Telecom-Security-Ref-9601/173941423825?hash=item287fb77ed1:g:a2EAAOSwQydcyxxN

 

In fact, take a look at the panel closely and you'll see a Scan Tronic label on one of the ICs. I'm impressed by that Siemens CPU too.

 

I don;t have a keyboard but this little bundle came with something I've never seen before on ebay - an Arrowhead programming keyboard!

 

It's just like the eBay link above, but with 3 LEDs not two, and 3 extra wires and a plug.

 

DSC_1725.thumb.JPG.c3459866246bdf57ae218cef846e67b2.JPG 

 

Unfortunately, there is no-where to plug it onto this unit.

 

So, for now the adventure stops.

 

Were these programmed remotely (as it was a monitored-only service) or only via the remote? I suppose it could have been done via a 2 digit RKP, after all the 9800 is.

 

Does anyone know anything about these....?

 

 

How large is that panel? I should be getting a telecom security box soon and if the panel isn't too large then i might look for one on ebay.

Edited by Jack b
stupid autocorrect
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