I have purchased the ADC-compatible, dual-path DSC Iotega, and I need a service provider for programming and monitoring.
Due to the non-DIY nature of the DSC iotega, we are unable to offer service to users with the iotega at this time. However, I believe that we are looking into being able to offer service in the near future.
There aren’t a lot of first-hand user accounts of the DSC Iotega, so I thought I’d update this post to offer my thoughts for the benefit of anyone considering it.
I was ultimately dissatisfied with the Iotega, so I returned/sold portions of the system; overall, I am much happier with the Qolsys IQ2 Panel Plus. On paper, the Iotega is very impressive, but I quickly became frustrated with its lack of local, end-user programming and apparent poor integration with Alarm.com. As a systems administrator, I should have known that I wouldn’t appreciate the lack of control; however, it was more limiting than I had imagined, which was exacerbated by my service provider’s (not Surety) inexperience with the Iotega. Despite having been available for at least a year now, hardly any service providers are familiar with it, so good luck obtaining quality service and support.
My service provider (again, not Surety) had a difficult time programming the Iotega and its optional touchscreen keypad. It required multiple support calls over the course of a couple weeks to get the system configured properly; several of those calls required additional assistance from Alarm.com and DSC personnel. In the end, it never functioned exactly as I wanted due to very limited (compared with Qolsys) zone type selections for door/window contacts and motion sensors in the Alarm.com programming app, which were inconsistent with the Iotega’s documentation. As I understand it, the Iotega was originally designed for compatibility with SecureNet; perhaps that version is better, but I feel as though DSC rushed the Alarm.com version to market.
The optional touchscreen keypad costs around $200, and while it offers control of Z-Wave devices, you cannot add new devices yourself, nor can it control WiFi connected devices like Chamberlain/LiftMaster garage doors or display weather information. It also features an integrated camera, but there did not appear to be any way of activating or utilizing it for anything. I don’t believe those limitations are adequately reflected in the product’s marketing materials. All in all, it seemed excessively priced for its unremarkable functionality.
It’s really a shame, because there were things that I did like about the Iotega. For one, the build quality is superior to Qolsys; the IQ2 Plus, in my opinion, looks and feels somewhat cheap by comparison. It’s fine, but the Iotega panel has a more reassuringly solid feel, and the Iotega touchscreen features a more unique and, in my opinion, more attractive user interface than the IQ2 Plus. I also preferred the black casing/mount of the Iotega touchscreen to the white IQ2 Plus; this will of course depend upon your home’s decor/design. Finally, I appreciated that DSC provided quality cables of adequate length with the Iotega panel and touchscreen. The IQ2 Plus ships with a power adapter cord that is simply too short; sure, you can swap the cable out with custom length wire, but why needlessly burden your customers?
I believe the Iotega can serve a need for customers who desire a hands-off experience and who have relatively simple requirements; but, I think most users will be better served by the IQ2 Plus. The deal breaker for me was that I was ultimately uncomfortable trusting that my service provider (not Surety) had programmed everything correctly, and I had no way to personally review or verify any settings. It was just too locked down for my comfort. Honestly, the best thing about the Iotega is the PowerG sensors, which are also supported by the IQ2 Plus.
For me, it was any easy decision to switch to the Qolsys, and I am likewise very happy with Surety versus my previous service provider.
Unfortunately the Iotega has some appealing features but yes, it completely removes local system programming control and expects all control will be in the hands of the dealer, and even then only through the back-end service. It is extremely locked down and was not what I was hoping it would be.
The Qolsys IQ Panel 2+ not only gives the ability to offer full expected access to end users, it provides local, user-facing troubleshooting and control capabilities that no other ADC compatible system has, such as advanced Z-wave mesh network troubleshooting tests and video on the panel.
Yes, it’s frustrating. The Iotega has so much potential, but DSC has made a serious mistake by limiting user control to such an excessive degree. They need to consider where the market is headed. Many buyers are gravitating toward consumer-grade “smart security systems” that offer full end-user control and lower costs than traditional, professional systems. I believe professional-grade systems still provide greater value in terms of sensor support, programming flexibility, and reliability; but, locking them down like DSC has done with the Iotega negates that value if a user is unable to easily access and leverage a system’s features and flexibility.
With the optional touchscreen, it would seem that there’s no reason that DSC couldn’t enable the same level of end-user programming control that the IQ2 affords. Hopefully, they will do so with future firmware releases or versions of the product; otherwise, I don’t expect it will succeed. Many would-be buyers looking for a simple security and smart home solution–the customers the Iotega was designed for–will increasingly opt for self-managed products from Nest, Ring, etc. Meanwhile, those looking for something more robust will dismiss the Iotega for its lack of control.