UltraM1G3 Beta for HomeSeer3

[Ultrajones]

I'm running an evaluation version of UltraM1G3 and I'm unable to arm or disarm my M1G from the plug-in, though I suspect they may be two different issues causing this:

Disarming:
I get the warning: "Invalid or missing Arm/Disarm code detected. Unable to send Arm/Disarm command to Elk M1."
Tried a few different users. Verified that they have disarm privileges and they work on the keypad. When I configure the keypad in the plug-in, I'm not sure that my disarm code is "sticking." I get the message saying that the user configuration has been saved, but the text box goes blank; not even a masked passcode. I'm running on Windows 8.1. The reason I mention this is that because my HomeSeer installation is in C:\Program Files (x86)\..., and Windows UAC has been giving me grief about saving and modifying any files in that directory tree, even with elevated (admin) rights. I'm wondering if the plug-in is trying to create a new file somewhere in there, maybe Windows isn't letting it but the plug-in isn't reporting back the error. Pure speculation.

Arming:
Same problem as above, but it's odd that a valid user code is required to arm the panel when anyone with physical access can just hit an arm button on the keypad without authentication. Wondering what would happen if you set messages a1-a8 with user code 000000? I guess that's where the "arm" permission comes into play in the user profile. If those commands don't actually require a valid code, recommend setting a default.

Thanks.


UPDATE: I've upgraded to build 149 and the passcode is now sticking. However I get several errors when trying to arm (example shows arm to night Area 1 with a user code of 123456):
Jan-08 1:43:35 AM Warning No response/improper response from Elk M1 to command 'a4112345600'
Jan-08 1:43:33 AM Warning Raw data was: 1EAS0000000011111111000000000000
Jan-08 1:43:33 AM Warning Invalid checksum 242 for command AS as data 000000001111111100000000
The plugin seems to receive and parse the AS update fine when the system is quick armed from the keypad. Disarming from the plugin seems to work.

UPDATE 2: After reading some other posts, I realized that my test account did not have the "arm" permission which naturally caused the "no response" and failure of the system to arm. Interestingly, a missing arm permission causes a checksum error on the returned AS message, even if the Access bit is disabled as some other posts have suggested. Note that a passcode with arm permission and no disarm permission does not cause the same checksum error.

Sorry for the late reply. I have been away on vacation. I see you eventually found the solution. If the user doesn't have permission to arm/disarm the system, then the response contains a checksum error. I believe the access bit was added sometime after their API was released and they had no other mechanism to indicate an arm/disarm failure.

Regards,
Ultrajones

[VirtualPanther]

Ultra,
Hope you had a great vacation! Taking time to go away and relax is vital. I would have lost it long time ago without going on vacation...

Anyway, I must admit defeat in not being able to figure out the error messages I see from UltraM1G3 in the log:



I know I have asked you about this before. Since then, I have found a number of posts with a similar problem, but all pertaining to HS2 and the your plugin for that platform. I have never had this issue when I was using your plugin in HS2, but I tried the solution anyway: set counter polling to "disable". No change. Still have errors in the log. Here is a snap of my current polling options:



Any ideas?

[Ultrajones]

Hmm, your latest errors are not related to counter polling. The az00 is an API command get the Alarm By Zone Report Data. The query is 1 packet and the response is 1 packet. I am a bit concerned your Elk M1XEP isn't responding to this query. It could be related to having an HS2 and HS3 plug-in pointed at your Elk M1XEP and it's getting overwhelmed and cannot handle the load. Have you tried disabling the HS2 plug-in for a bit to see if the warnings go away?

Regards,
Ultrajones

[VirtualPanther]

Hmm, your latest errors are not related to counter polling. The az00 is an API command get the Alarm By Zone Report Data. The query is 1 packet and the response is 1 packet. I am a bit concerned your Elk M1XEP isn't responding to this query. It could be related to having an HS2 and HS3 plug-in pointed at your Elk M1XEP and it's getting overwhelmed and cannot handle the load. Have you tried disabling the HS2 plug-in for a bit to see if the warnings go away?

Regards,
Ultrajones

I have. Last week I actually finished migration of all of my hardware from HS2 to HS3, so I have permanently shut down HomeTroller that was running HS2. Now I use that Z-Troller as my remote secondary controller. No more HS2 in my house.

[srodgers]

Elk Connected Thermostat

Does the Thermostat function work in HS Designer? This worked perfect with HS2 and the HS2 version of the plugin. Can not get my Thermostat to show up in the HS3 Touch Designer. The thermostat is displayed in The Elk Plugin Web view and display on the Devices page control works. Just can not get it to display in HS Touch Designer like it does on HS2.

I have the latest software:
HS 3.0.0.149
HSTouch 3.0.0.56
HSTouch Designer 3.08
Ultra M1G3 3.0.5437.37424

[Ultrajones]

When I create a event trying to have HS3 give me a notice when the countdown timer on Elk starts and the actual security system is armed I have a problem. The trigger in the event for the elk timer works and lets me know count down has started but my event with fully arm will tell me the house is armed during the start of the count down and when it is fully armed.

I am using area status to trigger things in events. The notices in the device list is correct as things happen. In the event I even tried the actual value for fully armed but it still triggers on start of timer and fully armed. Any ideas? I thought maybe I need to remove the plugin and reinstall or is this a bug? Thanks

For reasons unknown, the Elk M1 provides a fully armed signal before the system is fully armed. So, you'll see 1) Fully Armed 2) Count Down Timer 3) Fully armed at the end of the countdown timer. I am reluctant to provide a work around when dealing with the output from an alarm system. I am open to ideas.

Regards,
Ultrajones

[Ultrajones]

I just started playing with the plugin.

So if Elk is truly in timer mode I wanted to know which arm mode and tell me by voice by the trigger, the timer is running and which arming mode it will go into.
I created a event as seen below but it seems area 1 arming status does not work as a trigger but the status in the devices changes. Tried different arming status and none of mine seem to trigger. Any ideas?


IF Elk M1 Area Status UltraM1G3 Plugin AreaStatus 02 [Area 1 Arm Up State] has been Armed with Exit Timer working for exactly 2s
AND IF Elk M1 Area Status UltraM1G3 Plugin AreaStatus 01 [Area 1 Arming Status] has a value equal to Armed Away
Then do something.

If your goal is to speak the arming status during the countdown timer, then try what I have in the screenshot.

Regards,
Ultrajones

[Seer1001]

Problems last night after power failure

Ultra,
We had some major storms last night north of Chicago, I fared much better than some folks. I did loose power at 1am - 5am. After I got everything back up. The UltraM1G3 plug-in would not connect to the ELK panel. The status tab showed Connection Status: Disconnected. I was able to ping the ELK panel. I found on the options tab that Connection Type went back to Serial Port.
I changed back to Ethernet and entered the IP address. The IP Port was already set to 2101. After restarting HS3 I was able to get Connection Status: Connected. BUT I am not able to Arm/Disarm the system and the zone statuses do not update. It is like I am not connected.

A few weeks ago the alarm company upgraded the M1G Firmware from 5.2.8 to 5.3.0. They attempted to update the M1XEP Firmware (Currently 1.3.28) but were not successful. They were doing it remotely and HS3 was connected via your UltaM1G3 plugin at the time. They did not know this. I am not sure if this would prevent them from updating the M1XEP or not.

I do not think the ELK was restarted until maybe last nights power failure. Not sure if the battery lasted the entire duration of the power failure.

My question is will the M1G Firmware 5.3.0 work ok with the older M1XEP Firmware 1.3.28? Should I shutdown HS3 and have them try again to update the M1XEP Firmware?

Any suggestion you might have would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

Tom

[Seer1001]

Found the problem.
On the Areas Tab the Arm/Disarm Code was missing.
Not sure why this was lost during a power failure but it is working now.

Tom

[Seer1001]

Ultrajones - More Problems

Hi Ultrajones,
My alarm company was here this morning for my yearly service on my ELK panel. They changed the batteries etc. No problem. THEN they updated the firmware in he elk panel and my 2 keypads. The M1 Firmware is 5.3.0 I think and The MX1XEP is 2.X I think?

After the firmware update I restarted HS3. No Luck!
They tell me that once the firmware is upgraded you can't go back.

Is their a supported firmware list somewhere?

Your plugin is version 3.0.5437.37424
Status = Ok
Connection Status = Disconnected
M1 F irmware: Unknown
M1XEP Firmware: Unknown

None of what I would expect shows on the AREA, KEYPADS,ZONE tabs.

Is their a reload or refresh button somewhere that I am missing?

Thanks f or your help.

Tom

[Ultrajones]

Hi Ultrajones,
My alarm company was here this morning for my yearly service on my ELK panel. They changed the batteries etc. No problem. THEN they updated the firmware in he elk panel and my 2 keypads. The M1 Firmware is 5.3.0 I think and The MX1XEP is 2.X I think?

After the firmware update I restarted HS3. No Luck!
They tell me that once the firmware is upgraded you can't go back.

Is their a supported firmware list somewhere?

Your plugin is version 3.0.5437.37424
Status = Ok
Connection Status = Disconnected
M1 F irmware: Unknown
M1XEP Firmware: Unknown

None of what I would expect shows on the AREA, KEYPADS,ZONE tabs.

Is their a reload or refresh button somewhere that I am missing?

Thanks f or your help.

Tom

Hi Tom, I have not tested the plug-in with MX1XEP version 2.x. Can you tell me if you have the non-secured port enabled? That's a requirement.

Regards,
Ultrajones

[Seer1001]

Hi Ultajones,
Thanks for the quick response.
I do not have access to the config and programming in the ELK Panel.
But my Alarm Guy is coming tomorrow to switch the eithernet module to one with old firmware in it. I will also make sure he checks that the port is enabled.
Question: Is their a refresh or reload button to cause the plugin to re-load the info from the ELK panel?

Thanks
Tom

[Ultrajones]

Why are you switching it out? It should work. You just need to enable the unsecure port.

You can force a reload from PLUG-INS > UltraM1G3 > UltraM1G3 > Status > "Reload Data" button. You can also reload HomeSeer which will force a re-initialization.

[Seer1001]

The alarm co told me that the only way to try the old firmware is to swap out the eithernet module.
Seems once the F/W is upgraded you can't go back.
Seems weird to me but that is what they told me.
The eithernet module now has F/W 1.3.28

I had them check the unsecure port 2101 and it is enabled.

Everything started to work so the alarm guy left then things went south.
I restarted HS3 and the Connection Status = Connected but their is no other data from the ELK so I hit the Reload Data Button
and it told me that a reload has been scheduled. I assume this means the next time HS3 is started. So I restarted. SAME THING!! Grrrrr!!!!

With F/W 2.x Connection Status = Disconnected
With F/ 1.3.28 Connection Status = Connected but no other data from ELK and reload does not seem to work.
Any Ideas?

Thanks again for your help.

Tom

[Ultrajones]

Tom, from your HomeSeer system, telnet to your Elk M1XEP on TCP port 2101 and tell me if you are seeing data.

Regards,
Ultrajones