In today’s World, Automotive Security is a MUST have item.  With the replacement cost of a vehicle and the amount that your insurance carrier will jerk you around for, including your deductable to the cost of upgraded ‘goodies’, the cost of a Security System vs. rewards of not getting your vehicle stolen or broken into are far outweighed.  With that said I decided to check out one of the coolest remotes start and security systems from Directed Electronics and their Viper Brand.

Ok, just to set the record straight Neo stands for NEO or: Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) are comets and asteroids that have been nudged by the gravitational attraction of nearby planets into orbits that allow them to enter the Earth's neighborhood.  So my buddy Neo got the nick name because he was so big it seemed like gravitational forces where pulling him into the Earth at one point!  Anyway back to the task…the cool remote of the Directed Electronics Viper 5901 Responder LC3 SuperCode SST 2-Way Security and Remote Start System (let’s shorten this to just Responder LC3, ok). This remote just ROCKS!  Look, it’s been awhile since any car security system remote had some ‘Juice’ in it, and the Viper scores a ‘High-Five’ to the designer.  Dude, it has an onboard lithium-ion rechargeable battery in the remote off a mini-USB cable – all in the slimmest display remote on the market…wooo-hooo!  Oh, and the security and remote start parts of the system are awesome!

The Responder LC3 is new from the Viper line of automotive security systems from Directed Electronics.  DEI is the largest designer and marketer in North America of consumer-branded vehicle security and remote start systems (sold under Viper®, Clifford®, Python®, Autostart® and other brand names). Responder LC3 – is the 3rd generation of Responder systems, complete with SST One Mile Range, the new Priority icons and text seen on a 20% larger liquid-crystal display then the first systems.  Responder LC3 systems come with one 2-Way LC3 SST one mile range remote and a companion 1-Way one mile range remote.  The 1-Way remote is cool, but not even close to the 2-Way LC3 remote, but hey, if you want shell out the Franklins and get another 2-Way LC3 remote and be way cool.  

The Good
Look, on today’s remote start and security systems the fact is this…you don’t get a lot of stuff to show off what you bought other then the remote and the system LED*.  You can hear the scream of the siren, but the main thing you have to look at each time you go to get into your vehicle is the remote.  The Responder LC3’s front face is a sweet looking gloss black with a Silver trim on it and controls to the bottom of the small, but good looking LCD Screen.  To the right of the remote on its side are the Aux and function buttons that control secondary functions of the unit. Responder LC3 lets you command and monitor your vehicle like never before.  

If anything happens to your vehicle, the Responder LC3 notifies you right away if you are within range, playing the Revenger siren tones from inside your pocket. If anything has happened to your vehicle during your absence, LC3 spells out what happened when you unlock your doors: “Shock Sensor” for example. Below I am going to hit on a few key features of the security system.

Well you could be dork and mount the unit on the dash of the car, but Neo, under a NORMAL installation everything is hidden out of sight under the dash.  And if the installation is done well, then hidden is the operative words, you don’t want Joe the Scum Sucking Lowlife Car Thief to reach under the dash and turn off the system just by pulling out the wires would you?  

Icons/ Buttons
Priority icons are pretty simple and prioritized for easy use and they have clear text labels on the LCD screen. So when the vehicle is armed you get an Icon showing off what it did.  On the 1-Way remote you just get a pretty (but boring) LED light.  

With the Priority™ User Interface, the five buttons control 24 functions on each of two cars! And with the Priority Icon Map™, the most important icons reside in the center of the large LCD screen, 3 times larger than the less-critical icons positioned on the edges of the screen.

Range
The SST One Mile Range of the remotes is pretty cool. They have a stated range of 1 mile*.  Neo has promised to use his iPhone distance application to walk off 1 mile so we can check it out for sure, but rest assured, the range we tested on was over ½ mile and we had no problems, the signal was impressive.

One Mile Range* based on line of sight, unobstructed testing in ideal conditions. Actual range will vary due to local conditions including but not limited to environment, terrain, physical obstructions, vehicle location and orientation, interference and other possible impediments…like String Lighting Strikes, Military Aircraft and Area 51 UFO’s…but if any of those last happen, you might want to be close to your vehicle anyway.  

SuperCode
We were told that the SuperCode protocol delivers the best range possible from a keychain remote. It also encompasses advances in these three key areas: software-based signal encryption (again it needs this because of Joe the Scum Sucking Lowlife Car Thief), multi-car operation and extended battery life. In addition, SuperCode eliminates simultaneous, multiple-button presses (which I personally hate). Any feature of the system can be controlled using one hand… again, very cool stuff here Neo!

Remote Start
Hit the side button of the Responder LC3 remote and viola, your vehicle starts (no it is not magic*). The status of the vehicle can be monitored by the LCD Screen on the 2-Way Responder LC3 remote. A remote start system allows you to warm up your car during cold days before you leave your home or office and in addition, it can be used to turn on the air conditioner during hot summer days.  My favorite reason is to have the engine warmed up and ready to go, I know the jury might be out on whether this makes a big deal on the vehicles engine longevity but it just feels so right to do.  

Ok, so short story time.  When remote starters first came into the scene years ago I started my car outside a restaurant and started a little old lady as she was walking by.  She had a look of confusion come over her face when she looked and no one was inside the car.  Needless to say I saw one of those ‘OIALJE’ (Once In A Lifetime Joke Events) as I walked up and said towards the car “Start System Shut Down” and toggled the system off. I really had her convinced I could ‘talk’ to my ‘Magic Car’ and make it stop start.  I then would shout “Start System” and the car would start.  Her eyes popped out and she was floored that the car ‘knew my voice’, but I didn’t tell her I had the remote in my pocket...it was ‘Magic’...you had to be there Neo.   

Run Time
The preset remote start run time is 12 minutes. You can change the run time to between 12 and 60 minutes. The remote control can notify you on the 2-way remote how much of the run time is remaining (100%, 75%, 50%, 25%, etc.).

Automatic Shut-down/Starter Lockout
After the vehicle is remote started, the remote starter will shut down the vehicle when the brake pedal is pressed, the hood is opened, if the alarm is triggered when armed, or when the remote start command is sent again from the remote control. In addition, if the hood is opened or if the brake pedal is pressed, you cannot start the vehicle using the remote starter.

Turbo Timer
The turbo timer mode keeps the engine running after arriving at your destination for a programmable period of time. This allows the system's timer to conveniently cool down the turbo after you have left the vehicle. You can select a turbo timer mode of 1, 3, 5, or 10 minutes, wish I had this back when I had a Turbo on my car.

Vehicle Cabin Temperature
Using the Responder LC3 system, you can check the temperature inside the vehicle. The 2-Way remote will tell you the temperature range of the vehicle. This allows you to monitor how long to pre-heat or pre-cool your vehicle.  If it isn’t warm enough inside your car yet, use Runtime Reset to extend your runtime. Don’t worry about forgetting about your car – Responder LC3 reminds you 3 minutes before your time runs out, with an audible tone, a vibration, and on the screen.

Rear Defogger
When the rear defogger circuit is connected to the alarm output, the rear defogger will automatically come on when the vehicle is remote started. You can also manually activate the rear defogger after the remote start is on. If the interior cabin temperature is above 55° F, the defogger will not activate.

Valet Takeover
This feature allows the vehicle to remain running after the key has been removed from the ignition. This is useful for those occasions when you want to go get that Big Gulp™ from 7-11 and lock the vehicle for short periods of time while leaving the motor running and the climate controls on.

Anti-grind Circuitry
Whenever the vehicle is remote started, advanced anti-grind circuitry prevents the starter from engaging, even if the key is turned to the start position. This prevents damage to the starter motor.

Shutdown Switch
You can temporarily disable the remote start unit to prevent the vehicle from being remote started accidentally by switching the supplied toggle switch to the Off position.

Keyless Entry
Yeah, the remote locks and unlocks the doors if equipped with power door locks. The system has door lock relays on-board, and can directly interface with most electric power door lock systems, but depending on your vehicle, extra parts might be required to interface them properly.  

Domelight Supervision
You can control your vehicle's dome light in a number of ways:
•    Security Only: The dome light activates for 30 seconds after the system is disarmed.
•    Ignition Controlled: The dome light activates for 30 seconds after the ignition is turned off.
•    Door Controlled: The dome light activates for 30 seconds after the system sees a door has closed. (If door is held open for longer than 3 minutes, the dome light will not illuminate.
•    Full: The dome light activates for 30 seconds after seeing door closure, ignition, or security disarm. (This is the factory setting.)

LED
One of my other favorite features is the cool LED in the Antenna Pod, a very-very cool and visible deterrent to keep Joe the Scum Sucking Lowlife Car Thief looking at someone else’s vehicle.  

Shock Sensor
The system features the Stinger Double-Guard Shock Sensor, which is designed to pick up impacts to the vehicle or glass. The Double Guard sensor keep thieves out of your vehicle, they form the first line of defense from you know who…yep, Joe the Scum Sucking Lowlife Car Thief.  When a light impact is felt a Pre- Warning set of chips is hear, a harder impact will trigger the full response of the system, good little Stinger.  

Siren
The Responder LC3 includes the Revenger Soft Chirp siren. It consists of six different tones in sequence. Any of the tones can be eliminated, resulting in a unique, easily identifiable siren sound. The siren chirps can be either full volume or six decibels quieter than the full alarm blast.

Starter Kill
Keep your car where you parked it is one of the main reason you need a security system in the first place, duh!  The Responder LC3 comes with the Failsafe Starter Kill, an immobilizer device designed to prevent hot-wiring.

Auxiliary Channels
Convenience options, such as remote control trunk release and window automation, are available through the system's four auxiliary outputs.

Guaranteed Protection Plan (GPP)
The Responder LC3 is covered by Viper's one-year Guaranteed Protection Plan, which is the most generous in the industry. GPP refunds your comprehensive insurance deductible up to $2,500 if your car is stolen with Viper installed and armed – whether your vehicle is recovered or not!
 
Ease of Use
The Directed Electronics VIPER Responder LC3 is a very intuitive device with a very cool User Interface. In a couple of minutes of fiddling with it, I was able to access and control a majority of its functions. This is a direct result of the detailed engineering effort that went into this unit.   

Installation
Look I have been installing for too many years and this system is complex, a qualified installer will take 3 to 4 hours to install this system and they have all the tools and computers needed…sigh… not like the good old days when you only needed a test light to do an installation. The basic installation is not simple, setting the system up, and connecting it to the interface products warrants the use of trained professionals at your nearest authorized DIRECTED ELECTRONICS dealer.  

Manuals/Web Support
The Responder LC3 came with a owners manual. The manual was well written and gives you enough information to work the unit, but the test of any good electronics system is whether you operate the system without really looking at the manual.  Joyfully the remote is pretty straight forward.  You push the buttons and blissfully warm or cool air fills the vehicle (now if they could just figure out a remote aroma therapy option…maybe next year model). Please put aside several hours to read the manual to learn all the trick things this system can do.  

The Directed Electronics website offers great support for Viper®, Clifford®, Python®, Autostart® and the other DEI brand names.  Downloading a PDF of the owner’s manual was very easy!  

The Bad
Ok, not much bad here, the screen is not color, and the remote fits a little uncomfortably in your hand.  The installation is not a DYI…You must use a trained professional. That’s about it, the bad isn’t that bad at all.     

Summary
Drum Beat Neo… The Directed Electronics VIPER LC3 is an impressive unit. This unit is perfect if you’re looking for a reasonably-priced high end Remote Start/Security solution.   It comes with lots of features and the ability to add tons of options, and should keep Joe the Scum Sucking Lowlife Car Thief moving on to someone else’s vehicle.   

Strengths: Packed full of useful features, easy to understand remote, Neo, the Responder LC3 is a winner!

Weaknesses: Not with this unit!

Best Use: Perfect system to keep Joe the Scum Sucking Lowlife Car Thief moving on to someone else’s vehicle.

ALL AROUND VALUE: 5 STARS OUT OF 5 * * * * *

DIRECTED ELECTRONICS VIPER LC3

Price & Contact: $649.99* (MSRP); 800-724-1377; www.Directed.com
* Extra parts, interfaces and labor may be needed depending on your vehicle.  

Remote Confirmation: LCD Screen
# of Remotes: (1) Responder LC3 2-Way and (1) 5-button 1-Way Range, Up to 1 Mile
Security: Yes
Remote Start: Yes
Keyless Entry: Yes
Encryption: SuperCode™
Domelight Supervision: Yes
Stinger DoubleGuard Shock Sensor: Yes
Neo Revenger 6-Tone Siren: Yes
Failsafe Starter Kill: Yes
Anti-Carjacking (VRS): Yes
Guaranteed Protection Plan (GPP): Yes
Auxiliary Channels for Optional Functions: 4
Remote Control Trunk Pop: Yes