About 12 months ago AVS released their new “C series” CAN-BUS alarm. I checked the RhinoCo website and noted that AVS must have a new supplier as it was not a re-branded RhinoCo alarm like all their S Series alarm systems.
It didn’t take me long to discover that the C series was a re-branded Tytan DS410 which is made in Poland.
AVS C Series Alarm Review
Re-branded Tytan DS410
AVS specialise in finding low cost car alarms from other countries, purchasing them in bulk, then putting an AVS sticker on the product to hide it’s original identity.
The C Series comes in 3 models:
- AVS C3 – Entry level CAN-BUS alarm with a standard siren
- AVS C4 – Additional features ultrasonic sensors and a digital battery back-up siren
- AVS C5 – Additional tilt sensor.
Digital Battery Back-up Siren - Claim
The most noteworthy feature of the C4 and C5 was that it boasted having a digital battery back-up siren. Could it be that AVS were finally waking up to the concept of a siren that works? I hoped so as sirens with over-ride keys really should be a thing from the last century!
This quote from the AVS website:
This self powered siren communicates independently with the alarm so the siren knows if the alarm is armed or disarmed. This means there is no need for an over-ride key so the siren can be well hidden at installation. The siren will sound for 30 seconds if any of above intrusions are detected.
Real World Testing
The best way to test a system is in the real world. This is the first AVS C5 I’ve come across. It had been installed somewhere in the Hutt Valley by an approved AVS dealer, but my customer was not impressed with it. The siren was very quiet with the bonnet closed and after having experienced how good Cobra alarms are he wanted it replaced. Before ripping the AVS out I decided to test it to see if it did what the AVS website claimed.
I opened the bonnet and found the siren screwed to the firewall. AVS claim that the siren can be hidden but the installer clearly did not make any effort to do so. I set the alarm off en even with the bonnet open it is not very loud. It had to go.
Upon removing the siren I found the following sticker on the bracket.
Red + power
Black – Power
White + Trigger
Positive trigger? Really, you have to be Kidding me. Surely this was not right as AVS claim that the siren is digital!
I wired the siren up on the test bench to see if the label was correct. Lo and behold it sounds when 12 volts is applied to the red and white wires and the black wire is grounded!
AVS Product Research
I then did my homework. After 10 minutes of website browsing I found that the AVS C series look suspiciously like the Tytan DS410
Tytan Siren: Look familiar?
Now I don’t know about you but personally I find the claims AVS are making about this siren to be misleading! It’s possible that the one I tested was a faulty one and I welcome AVS to send me a video of a working siren in action, or better still send me an actual unit to test. I’ll happily post it here if they do.
Do AVS test their products?
I get the impression that AVS don’t test their own products, let alone do any form of quality control or website proof reading.
Misleading Claims
Now I’m not going to say that AVS are intentionally misleading their dealers and customer, but it’s pretty obvious that their alarm systems don’t do what they claim..
Where I am happy to stick my neck out and accuse AVS or dishonest practices is their self awarded Star rating system. I means absolutely nothing, yet gives the impression that their car alarms are insurance certified.
Is the Tytan DS410 insurance rated?
Thatcham Certification Status
The only respected vehicle security testing standard in Europe (Poland is in Europe) for CAN-BUS alarm systems is Thatcham Category 2-1
The DS410 is not rated as being Thatcham approved. In fact none of it’s products are.
Here is a link to all current approved alarm systems: https://www.thatcham.org/thatcham-security-certifications/
AVS Self Awarded 5 Star Rating for the AVS C5
Why do AVS haver to mislead everyone? If car manufactures started claiming fake ANCAP certificates then things would end up in court very quickly. Hopefully the Commerce Commission will take notice and do something about this as it’s misleading.
Obsessive Rating
Just like the AVS 5 Star rating system, the AVS C series probably best avoided.
If you’re happy being spun some marketing hype and love smoke and mirrors then you should get one, but be warned – you’ll be flushing your money down the toilet.
