Konnected alarm kit makes your old home security system smart

Startup Konnected found a use for your janky old wired home security system -- to convert it into a SmartThings- or Home-Assistant-powered security system via its $69 Alarm Panel (roughly £50 and AU$90 converted). 

Expected to ship to backers globally in February 2018, the Alarm Panel has raised over $115,000 on Kickstarter. Konnected's original funding goal was just $25,000; two weeks are left on the campaign. 

Here's how it's supposed to work. Remove your system's existing circuit board and replace it with Konnected's version. Each port is supposed to correspond to a particular door/window sensor, smoke alarm, motion detector or other piece of home security hardware. 

While this doesn't sound like the simplest installation, it (in theory) is about the same as setting up a thermostat. Swap out the circuit board behind your old security system's main control unit, install the Konnected Alarm Panel in its place and return the same wires to their corresponding ports.

Note: Always consult a qualified professional if you have questions about the installation. 

Konnected claims its Control Panel is a catch-all for any type of wired home security system."Even systems 20+ years old work great," it states on its campaign page. 

Once Konnected is installed, you'll need a Samsung SmartThings hub. The SmartThings hub is a router-tethered device designed to unite multiple smart home products under a single app. Competing products like the Wink hub do roughly the same thing. Konnected says customers will also have the option to use the Home Assistant automation platform instead of SmartThings for an open source alternative. 

I haven't had the chance to test out the Konnected Alarm Panel, but it seems like a cost-effective, yet complicated way to bring life to an outdated security system (or a newer one you simply don't use). We'll see. 

As always, please note that CNET's reporting on crowdfunding campaigns is not an endorsement of the project or its creators. Before contributing to any campaign, read the crowdfunding site's policies -- in this case, Kickstarter -- to find out your rights (and refund policies, or the lack thereof) before and after a campaign ends.