How to Make Outgoing Calls (e.g. when intrusion is detected)

[hkfanatic]

Hi, everyone.

I'm a relatively new user of HomeSeer. I've been trying to search for an answer but nothing definite comes up.

Anyway, is it possible for my HomeTroller S6 Pro (running HS3 Pro) to make an outgoing call based on an event (e.g. motion detected)? What hardware and/or software do I need to do this?

I read that HSPhone is not supported in HS4 anymore so is that route obsolete? Is Way2Call still an option?

Thanks in advance.


Jimmy

[Pete]

Welcome to the Homeseer Forum.

You could make an outgoing call with Homeseer 2 / HSPhone using the API and script calls to the Way2Call box.

Not sure about Homeseer 3 / HSPhone.

That said you can just send a text message with Homeseer 3 which is what I do for security stuff if need be.

My Leviton HAI OmniPro 2 panel allows for sending voice calls to any number you want. I do not utilize these features today.

[hkfanatic]

Thank you very much for your welcome and your reply, Pete.

I feel that phone calls are more "tenacious" in as far as notification is concerned compared to text messages that's why I prefer the former. Furthermore, mobile signal where I live is weak at best. I was thinking of making outgoing calls using my landline.

Nonetheless, would you mind describing how you are able to send text message notifications?

[Pete]

Yes with HSPhone running in Homeseer 2 you can make outgoing calls via scripts. I do not think the functions exist in HS3-4.

Text messaging is easy peasey today. You just utilize SMTP to the cellular provider text email address via the internet.

IE: 1115551212@tmomail.net

All the carriers today have similiar email address configurations for texting.

[ITguyHS]

Anyway, is it possible for my HomeTroller S6 Pro (running HS3 Pro) to make an outgoing call based on an event (e.g. motion detected)? What hardware and/or software do I need to do this? Is Way2Call still an option?

In HS2 and HS3, you can make an outgoing call using an event and a Way2Call. You could have the event triggered by "If this device changes and becomes..." on your motion detector. In the event THEN, choose "Control the telephone", then "Dial number". You can enter the number to dial and what you want HS to speak when the call is answered. NOTE: I can't test this on HS3, because I've switched back to HS2 for my HSphone purposes. I tested it in HS2 and it works. If it works for you in HS3, please post back here.

[Pete]

@Jaime

I just tested this to work fine in Homeseer 2. Homeseer 3 is running Linux today.

Thank you Fred.



4/20/2020 10:29:28 AM Event Event Trigger "Test Phone Call"
4/20/2020 10:29:28 AM Phone Line 1 Dialing number: 12225551212
4/20/2020 10:29:28 AM HSPhone Waiting for dialtone...
4/20/2020 10:29:29 AM HSPhone Have dialtone, dialing...
4/20/2020 10:29:41 AM HSPhone Line: Office Line Speak: Testing 123
4/20/2020 10:29:41 AM HSPhone SpeakWait start
4/20/2020 10:29:44 AM HSPhone Finished SpeakWait
4/20/2020 10:29:48 AM HSPhone Line: Office Line Speak: Testing 123
4/20/2020 10:29:48 AM HSPhone SpeakWait start
4/20/2020 10:29:50 AM HSPhone Finished SpeakWait
4/20/2020 10:29:54 AM HSPhone Line: Office Line Speak: Testing 123
4/20/2020 10:29:54 AM HSPhone SpeakWait start
4/20/2020 10:29:57 AM HSPhone Finished SpeakWait
4/20/2020 10:30:01 AM HSPhone Line: Office Line Speak: Testing 123
4/20/2020 10:30:01 AM HSPhone SpeakWait start
4/20/2020 10:30:03 AM HSPhone Finished SpeakWait

[hkfanatic]

In HS2 and HS3, you can make an outgoing call using an event and a Way2Call. You could have the event triggered by "If this device changes and becomes..." on your motion detector. In the event THEN, choose "Control the telephone", then "Dial number". You can enter the number to dial and what you want HS to speak when the call is answered. NOTE: I can't test this on HS3, because I've switched back to HS2 for my HSphone purposes. I tested it in HS2 and it works. If it works for you in HS3, please post back here.

Thank you very much for the reply.

Are you saying all I need is to purchase a Way2Call device, attach it to the USB port of my HomeTroller S6 Pro and I'm good to go? I do not need to install any other software (i.e. HSPhone, drivers, etc.) or hardware?

[hkfanatic]

Yes with HSPhone running in Homeseer 2 you can make outgoing calls via scripts. I do not think the functions exist in HS3-4.

Text messaging is easy peasey today. You just utilize SMTP to the cellular provider text email address via the internet.

IE: 1115551212@tmomail.net

All the carriers today have similiar email address configurations for texting.

Thanks for the info.

I did some research and as I suspected, this service is not available where I'm from (Philippines). Since we are the text capital of the world, I'm sure the carriers would not want to pass up on that opportunity to earn much-needed revenue.

[ITguyHS]

Are you saying all I need is to purchase a Way2Call device, attach it to the USB port of my HomeTroller S6 Pro and I'm good to go? I do not need to install any other software (i.e. HSPhone, drivers, etc.) or hardware?

You will need both a Way2Call AND HSphone, but it's built in to both HS2 and HS3. Just look under the SETUP screen for the Phone tab. You can download the W2C drivers from their website. Is your HomeTroller running Windows?

[ITguyHS]

Since you would have to buy a Way2Call, and I didn't want you to waste your money if it didn't work, I fired up HS3 and tested it. Works fine!

Make sure you get a Way2Call USB Hi-Phone Desktop Pro. The "Lite" version doesn't support all the features. There's one available on Ebay, but it appears to be the older version [HD00USGR01 while newer versions are HD00USGR02]. I'm not sure what the differences may be.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Way2Call-Hi...4AAOSw~ppedXYT

[Pete]

I did some research and as I suspected, this service is not available where I'm from (Philippines)

I use a combo SIM card modem (Ericcson - old works fine) here which provides:

1 - analog telephone line / FAX line
2 - firewall / router / switch - Internet connection
3 - Wireless Access point

I use the Analog line with a W2C box. IE: tested earlier using this line.

[hkfanatic]

You will need both a Way2Call AND HSphone, but it's built in to both HS2 and HS3. Just look under the SETUP screen for the Phone tab. You can download the W2C drivers from their website. Is your HomeTroller running Windows?

Nice! Thanks for the info.

Yes, the HomeTroller S6 Pro/HS3 Pro runs on Windows 7. Would there be any problems?

[hkfanatic]

Since you would have to buy a Way2Call, and I didn't want you to waste your money if it didn't work, I fired up HS3 and tested it. Works fine!

Make sure you get a Way2Call USB Hi-Phone Desktop Pro. The "Lite" version doesn't support all the features. There's one available on Ebay, but it appears to be the older version [HD00USGR01 while newer versions are HD00USGR02]. I'm not sure what the differences may be.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Way2Call-Hi...4AAOSw~ppedXYT

Wow!!! I sincerely appreciate the effort and the helpful information--thank you very much.

[hkfanatic]

I did some research and as I suspected, this service is not available where I'm from (Philippines)

I use a combo SIM card modem (Ericcson - old works fine) here which provides:

1 - analog telephone line / FAX line
2 - firewall / router / switch - Internet connection
3 - Wireless Access point

I use the Analog line with a W2C box. IE: tested earlier using this line.

Wow! How I wish I could find one like that here.

Thank you very much for the effort and the information too.

Time to go online hunting/shopping.

Cheers!

[ITguyHS]

Yes, the HomeTroller S6 Pro/HS3 Pro runs on Windows 7. Would there be any problems?

Should be fine! Windows 10 has been a problem for me, even using the new W2C Win10 drivers. Some machines it works fine, others it won't work with HSphone at all, even though the W2C self-test software works fine. Very strange.

If you ever upgrade to HS4, HSphone will go away. In that case, you'd need to run HS2 by itself on an old PC. If you have a license for HS3, then Homeseer will give you authorization codes for HS2 at no charge. I'm in the final testing stages of a "how-to" on having HS2 HSphone talk to HS4 via JSON to do things like run HS4 events, display caller-ID info in HStouch, announce caller ID info, run HS4 events by issuing verbal commands via phone, etc. So if you do upgrade to HS4, you will still be able to do most of the things you want. I'm not sure yet about having HS4 trigger events on HS2, which is what you would need to do in order to have HS2 do an outbound call based on things that happen on HS4. Maybe I'll have that figured out by the time you decide to upgrade.