Advice - New purchase, new install (house alarm).

Looking for a new alarm panel & bits. Rather stay conventional, wired etc.

Looking at current scantronics (mainly because many years ago I fitted a 9100 and was pleased with it)(even had a bell in the bell box!).

Current crop look better to use - I will need 2 keypads front & back again.
- still looking through the specs.

Q1. Are scantronic' s still okay - or are there better brands for the price

Q2. Odd one really, do any (all?) panels allow a zone to *not* alarm so I could use it to chime (only) the back gate (I wouldn't alarm an external gate).

I'm going to get shot down for this, but, 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'

The 9100 is a bullet proof, if old panel. I've had the same one fitted forever.

Although new panels can do more, why change for the sake of it? (First sentence)

I have done what you want at your gate but using a set of beams at my drive, works a treat. I've used a plug-on module to do this, would not be available now but there is no reason why the same could not be done from yours using the 'set latch' output and a suitable relay.

Or - fit an adapted radio doorbell to solve the gate problem or there are also external radio detectors that will chime back at the house.

New battery, perhaps a new outside sounder if yours has now seen better days.

The only way I'd change mine is if it died, and even then I've got a spare PCB or two, even a couple of RKPs.

Good luck.

Had a 9100 in a property yrs ago.
Solid panel albeit basic. Would need a nuke to kill it

Glad you think the 9100 was a good choice.

Different house.
Ah.

For the gate (I can wire/adapt something but don't want it live when set) will it 'chime' if set as disabled? (like permanently omit).

So from here, a new scantronics or something quite different ?