Programmable Contact-ID (CiD Programabil) Communicators: Brands, Models, Faults, Integration

User question

CiD Programabil

Artificial Intelligence Response

Direct answer to the question

• Most frequently in Romanian technical jargon “CiD Programabil” designates a programmable Contact-ID (CID) communicator – a module that converts the event outputs of an intrusion / fire alarm control panel into Contact-ID messages and transmits them to a monitoring station through PSTN, GSM/GPRS, IP or mixed paths.
• Less often the same wording is used for other “CID” acronyms (Colour Information Display in Ford/Opel dashboards, Controller-ID on a CAN bus, etc.). If you are dealing with an alarm system, the information below is the relevant one.

Detailed problem analysis

1. Contact-ID protocol fundamentals
   • Origin: Ademco / Honeywell standardised dual-tone DTMF format used worldwide for central-station signalling.
   • Frame layout:
   – 4-digit account (XXXX)
   – 1-digit qualifier (Q: new/restore/test, etc.)
   – 3-digit event code (EEE: 101 = burglary, 110 = fire, 602 = AC fail, …)
   – 2-digit partition (GG)
   – 3-digit zone or device (ZZZ)
   – Handshake (1400 Hz) / Kiss-off (2300 Hz) tones define delivery integrity.
   • Originally PSTN only; now routinely encapsulated in IP frames, GPRS packets or SMS strings.

2. Hardware categories that carry the label “CID programabil”
   • PSTN/GSM dual communicators (e.g. SEKA GPRS-CID, DSC TL-300, Honeywell 7845GSM).
   • Pure IP communicators with Contact-ID encapsulation (Texecom Connect, Risco IP/GSM, Paradox IP150).
   • Universal converters that accept DTMF CID from the panel’s on-board dialler and retransmit it over GPRS (marketed in RO as “modul abonat universal CID GPRS”).

3. Programmability aspects
   • Account codes – one per partition or per panel.
   • Primary / secondary receiver numbers or IPs.
   • Path priority (PSTN→GPRS backup, GPRS→IP, etc.).
   • Event filtering / mapping – deciding which CID events are forwarded (e.g. send alarm & tamper, ignore “closing”).
   • Test schedules – daily, hourly, programmable window.
   • Encryption & authentication – SIA DC09, AES-128 tunnels for IP/GPRS variants.
   • Firmware update – typically via USB, local UART, IP or FOTA.

4. Programming methods
   • Keypad of the host alarm panel (codes entered as phone numbers, e.g. *[] 41** for Ademco Vista).
   • Dedicated PC software via USB/RS-232 (Seka Config, DSC DLS-5, Honeywell Compass).
   • Remote OTA via SMS or encrypted TCP session.
   • Web dashboard (newer LTE/IP communicators).

5. Electrical & integration details
   • Line interface: 600 Ω balanced, 40 mA loop seizure for PSTN; ring detect 16–90 Vrms, 17–68 Hz.
   • Panel connection: TIP/RING for dialler, or TTL/RS-232 for direct protocol (“panel x bus”).
   • Power: 9–18 Vdc, 50–150 mA idle, up to 400 mA on GPRS burst; supervise battery.
   • Antenna placement critical for LTE/GPRS RSSI > -85 dBm.

6. Practical applications
   • Modernise legacy PSTN-only panels when copper lines are phased out.
   • Provide path redundancy: PSTN + 2G + IP.
   • Meet EN 50136-1:2012 Grade 2/3 performance class DP2–DP4 (depending on dual path times).

Current information and trends

• 2G sunset: Vendors release LTE-M / NB-IoT communicators with backward-compatible CID encoders.
• Cloud receivers: CID can now be delivered through MQTT or REST APIs into SaaS monitoring platforms (Bold Group, Manitou, SensoGuard).
• Remote provisioning: Zero-touch configuration through QR-code onboarding (Texecom SmartCom 2023 firmware).
• End-to-end encryption mandates in EU (GDPR + national police regs) push AES-128 or TLS 1.2 tunnels even for CID payloads.

Supporting explanations and details

Example installation workflow (universal GSM CID module):

1. Wire panel TIP/RING to module LINE IN, connect LINE OUT to PSTN if dual path required.
2. Insert M2M SIM, set APN.
3. Using USB config tool:
   – set Account = 1234, Receiver1 = “0374123456”, Format = CID, Path1 = GPRS.
   – enable periodic test 24 h.
   – store encryption key.
4. Run walk-test: trigger zone 1 alarm, verify CMS receives 1234 Q130 01 001.

Ethical and legal aspects

• Data protection – transmitted frames may include user codes/partition names; comply with GDPR.
• Radio equipment – GSM modules must bear CE mark and comply with RED 2014/53/EU.
• Licensing – depending on country, installer must hold a security-systems licence (in RO, Law 333/2003 + HG 301/2012).
• False alarms – improper event filtering inflates CMS workload; program restore codes correctly.

Practical guidelines

• Always keep the panel’s PSTN dialler disabled until communicator is fully provisioned to avoid nuisance calls.
• Use supervised heartbeat every 60 min on IP; 24 h on GPRS minimum.
• Install high-quality linear PSU; GSM bursts can brown-out small 12 V/1 A supplies.
• Document every programming step and export config files to the customer’s file set.

Possible disclaimers or additional notes

• Some legacy panels (DSC PC 1565, Ademco Vista-10) cannot format certain restore CID codes correctly – check manufacturer bulletins.
• 2 G modules will lose service in several EU countries by 2025 – plan upgrade to LTE-M now.

Suggestions for further research

• Evaluate SIA DC-09 IP protocol as a higher-security alternative to CID.
• Investigate dual-SIM communicators for critical Grade 4 applications.
• Review ETSI TS 102 165-1 for intrusion signalling.
• Test NB-IoT latency vs. GPRS for alarm frames in poor-coverage basements.

Brief summary

“CiD Programabil” normally refers to a programmable Contact-ID communicator added to an alarm control panel. The module listens to the panel’s dialler, encodes events in the standard CID frame, and forwards them via PSTN, GSM, GPRS or IP to the monitoring station. Programming involves setting account numbers, receiver paths, event filters and test schedules, typically through PC software or remote OTA tools. Modern devices add dual-path redundancy, encrypted IP tunnels and cloud diagnostics, helping installers comply with EN 50136 while future-proofing against PSTN shutdown and 2 G sunset.

Disclaimer: The responses provided by artificial intelligence (language model) may be inaccurate and misleading. Elektroda is not responsible for the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of the presented information. All responses should be verified by the user.