First of all, many many thanks for the awesome work. This tool is fantastic.
I’d like to add my experience here:
While attempting to configure the system I ran into a quirk that I could not find on the Googles.
In the config.json, I had removed the “dumpZoneTimer” line and the node proxy would connect but not log in, filling the logs (or console window) with connection errors.
Only when I added the line back would the Node Proxy work.
I’m not sure if something is wrong with my EVL or if that’s what is expected behaviour with current firmware. I currently cannot log into the EVL4 TPI using PuTTY (in RAW or Passive) it will not accept the password (4 characters)
I’m planning on doing some programming on my Vista 20p. Since I don’t have a programming keypad I’m planning on using this smartapp as my programming display. In order to make the text in smartthings appear just like it does in the programming keypad I changed the line below in the envisalink.js file
Ok, I guess I’m dense. I can not figure out how to make a virtual switch of some kind so that I can trigger automation profiles from the alarm panel status.
Simple Example: when I set alarm to Armed (away), turn off all lights and lock all doors after 45s.
Anyone have any suggestions on how to get this done? I don’t mind doing the work, I just need to figure out where to begin as none of the virtual switch examples I read seemed like they would work with this custom alarm panel device type (but it could be that I’m just not understanding).
redloro, been using your app for almost a year. Very nice work, love it!
I tried to update my SmartApp code today from the repo and notifications stopped being recognized at the hub. The node-proxy logs still showed the contact sensors open/close but no update in Smartthings. I rolled back the code and it started working again. Just a heads up in case anyone else sees that issue.
@cjr222 thanks for raising this… if you update the app and device handler, you also need to update the envisalink.js plugin. The last set of updates affected all components. If you update one and not the other, things will break.
Two quick things -
First, I was able to trigger routines off of alarm panel status (via SHM status) using CoRE. Working well, no virtual devices needed.
Second, is there a need and/or instructions on updating STNP and the SmartThings app/handlers? I assume at some point I’ll have to, so I thought I would ask now. For CoRE I just added the GitHub repository, but I didn’t see an obvious way to do that on this.
No real need unless you want to update something if I push a fix or new feature. For the SmartApp and Device Handlers, you can link to the Github project directly in the SmartThings dev portal. For STNP and the plugins, you could checkout the repo using git and just pull as needed… but it’s not required.
I’m a decision point in my security system. I currently have an old Honeywell security system that I can upgrade to a Honeywell 20P.
My question is, Should I upgrade my current old technology to a bit less old technology or start over with the newest technology which I see as a full z-wave system?
I would use this Honeywell integration along with an envisalink 4. But I’m on the fence on spending the money to upgrade my system with pretty old honeywell security technology when newer options are available and without the need for jumping through hoops to integrate it into a smarthome. What do you think? Will this integration get you what a full z-wave system does for you?
It would but in the end you’re going to have to spend $$ one way or another. If all of your zones, contacts, sensors, etc are all setup with your current system, I’d just do an in-place upgrade. If you want to go crazy with new sensors, etc then maybe it would be better to go with a complete new system. Honestly I’m super happy with my 20P setup and wouldn’t dream of changing it; now if this were a new install I’d have to do some more research.
As a point of reference, I recently helped a friend setup a new Abode system… and based on all the great feedback and buzz, was excited to see it in action… long story short, we were super unimpressed and ended up returning it. Just do some research before you pull the trigger cause in the end a new system may not even do what you think it should.
Redloro, thanks for responding and yes I agree. The money is going to spent
somewhere in the system. I’d either spend somewhere around $4-500 on Z-Wave
Sensors and Motions Detectors (The Monoprice Branded No Label Models) or
the same $4-500 on the Honeywell 20P/EnvisaLink EVL-4 solution.
Here’s a breakdown of the benefits of each system as I see them.
Honeywell 20P/EnvisaLink EVL-4
Pros:
I own the sensors already
Can be professionally monitored
Reliable
Cons:
Old technology limits functionality
Requires special programming to work with ST
Z-Wave Plus
Pros:
New Technology
Tightly integrated into ST
New Security Upgrade
Widely supported
Cons:
I have to buy all new sensors.
Can’t be professionally monitored
I’m trying to avoid “upgrading” to the Honeywell solution because of the
reliance on a custom ST program to get the system up and running and a
patch to maintain it.
What panel do you have today? You can probably swap out the panel + EVL for under $200… maybe even much less if you find a good one on eBay.
Regarding the 20P Cons… while the core is “older” tech, you can extend/expand these systems with wireless sensors, so I really don’t see a limit to the functionality.
Regarding the Z-Wave Plus Cons… it can be professionally monitored through SmartThings + Scout Alarm. Or you could go with a independent system like Abode, etc.
One other thing to note is that the 20P solution IMO gives you a lot more versatility… the more out-of-the-box solutions restrict your ability to do something if they don’t support it. This is why I love ST and the open ecosystem that thrives around it… so while it may require “special programming” you can have it do whatever you want.
I currently have a Honeywell LynxR 2 panel now which isn’t compatible with the evl-4 forcing an upgrade to the Vista 20P.
Regarding the costs of the system. An EnvisaLink EVL-4 is $95 and a 20P itself is somewhere in the $60 range but I’d be adding a siren, a few extra door/window sensors, battery backup, etc, etc for a total of approx. $300. That’s how I got to $4-500 for the Honeywell upgrade.
I do like the fact that the Honeywell system is a proven system and I already own the sensors.
@redloro, I have a raspberry pi2 to run STNP . What steps should I take to prepare the pi2 to have STNP loaded on it? My RPi2 is clean so it needs an OS.
Should I load Raspbian onto the rpi2 to prepare then follow your YouTube video and uninstall the NodeJS version and install a new version of NodeJS 6.x.x. My RPi2 is clean so it needs an OS which doesn’t have to be Raspbian.
Yep - best would be to load Raspbian and follow the steps to load the latest version of Node and get STNP running. Once you do that, you’ll be set and ready for the hardware to arrive. Good luck!
I noticed with Raspbian Jessie Lite the file structure is not the same as yours. Jessie Lite does not have a Downloads, Documents, etc, folders. It’s pretty spare actually. So I went back to see if maybe PIXEL does have the file structure I expect to see.
Is the update necessary when Pixel and Lite come with NodeRed which is NodeJS v0.14.3 released June 14, 2016?
Is the file structure important? Pixel and Lite have different folders in their file structures. Of course I could create the folders but I don’t want to disturb what you’ve built.
or start over with the newest technology which I see as a full z-wave system?