2n Helios IP Vario - Integration with Control4?

[hank31980]

I require some help. I cannot seem to get control over the Door Station Relay from Control4.

So far I have loaded the Control4 driver and identified the 2n Helios IP Vario by its fixed IP address, its Camera is also added & identified.

I have followed the Documentation TAB and also looked at a Wiki page from 2N website to try & solve this.

Product Name 2N Helios IP Vario Firmware Version 2.18.1.27.8

The Intercom from the 2n Helios Vario to the Control4 system appears to work.

• I can call the Door Station and view the Camera.
• I can make a call from the Door Station and Accept the call from a Touchscreen.

I have programmed a binding to activate a Relay which activated by Pressing one of the UI Buttons. However I cannot seem to get the devices Relay to activate.

 

Also I don't understand it but within the Control4 driver the read only Data is not populating.

 

Help & advice needed.

[jasonhb]

That part of the integration is currently broken between C4 and 2N. 

You will also find that the C4 cannot see button pushes or changes in relay states either on the 2N units, but the intercom functionality works as normal.

This is a recognised driver issue and should be fixed in a future update but who knows how long that will take.

Jason

[lippavisual]

Some have rolled back their firmware to gain that functionality back, I believe.

[hank31980]

First of all thanks for your answers, although it is disappointing to hear that i'm now at a dead end with this!

2n Helios IP Vario

In the first place, I only updated the "n Helios IP Vario Firmware from 2.14.0 to the latest 2.18.1 to gain access to My2N.com iOS App to give me remote Video calls & ability for gate opening from my Phone or tablet.

This action of updating Firmware has perhaps broke the Control4 part as you say.

Today I went on the 2N website but could only find versions down to 2.15.2, so I'm a bit stuck now. I tried all of the versions from 2.18.1 down to 2.15.2 but nothing worked, all Read only data stayed unpopulated in the driver window and no control over the devices Output Relay.

Control4 DS2 - looks like 2N Helios IP Verso?

On a similar theme, does anyone know if the Control4 Door Station would be the same, i.e. not work if updated beyond firmware 2.14.0 etc.

I think that the Control4 DS2 looks like a 2N Helios IP Verso model, but not sure if it accepts those Firmware updates from 2N?

 

hank31980

 

[nevets23]

It does

22 hours ago, hank31980 said:

I think that the Control4 DS2 looks like a 2N Helios IP Verso model, but not sure if it accepts those Firmware updates from 2N?

It does, but something is still wrong with the protocol that allows communication from an iPhone and the door station, so it doesn't do you much good. It's possible there are some c4 special tweaks, but for the most part, the C4 DS2 is white labeled. As a side note, in my opinion, as much as I would love the DS2 to ring to my phone, I'm not willing to pay a monthly fee to 2n for it, which is what they will do after a 30 days trial.

[mcfod]

morning Hank31980, i've posted a similar response on a similar post elsewhere, but the fix until c4 fix the driver is to use a second driver called "door lock" and you can map the GUI button the the relay in the vario this way and it works

 

"as the fault is currently in the C4 developed driver, the easiest solution is to download (free) the "door lock" driver and use this to map the GUI button the relay in the intercom

the details are on the latest document on the 2N faq site - https://faq.2n.cz/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=46170396&src=search "

[hank31980]

Thanks for the reply. I did actually use this 2n guide when setting up everything in the first place, but I have never had any luck with the Relay control.

 

Are you saying that you have actually got a "2n Helios IP Vario" to work fully with Control4 including Output Relay control?

 

One thing I am not sure about is whether 2n Firmware version is important? I have updated my 2n device to the latest available, 2.19 I think.

 

SIP Config - This is good 

====================

The 2n Vario is able call Control4 system via its call button.

When call is made, the C4 Touchscreens Ring.

The Call can be accepted via the C4 Touchscrrens & Audio Video is working with 2n Vario.

The Call can also be ended by Touchscreens.

 

2n Output Relay - This is not good

===========================

I have tried adding Garage Door driver, Door driver, Relay Driver, Gate driver etc to the project & have used a GUI Custom button to activate programming, i.e. Open gate, 5 sec delay, Close gate triggered from GUI Button press.

However nothing seems to change on the 2n device.

 

Testing

======

I have used the 2n API to test the Relay's functionality & this works, so I know the hardware of the 2n Vario Door-station is functional.

Also in desperation I have tried the 2n Vario Driver Action TAB. This gives a dedicated test button for the 2n Relay. This is also not functioning.

 

Diagnostics

=========

Not sure how to diagnose further, i.e capture LUA output, Log Files, use Wireshark data to look for http activity?????

 

Any ideas, anyone?

[mcfod]

Hi Hank, 

cant say i have tested it with a vario, but i have it working on dealer sites with both the Verso and the Force models and as the firmware, driver and http commands are all near identical you shouldnt have any problem

check if you have the switch set to mono or bistable in the intercom - you want it to be set to mono

if you cant get it to work any other way, v1.55e of the driver was the last version working before the gui button wouldnt map to the relay, and you can probably find a dealer on here with that version in their drivers they could send to you (i havent tested that driver version with intercoms beyond v2.17 of the firmware)

what country are you in?

[eddy.trochez]

You can send http commands from Control4 to activate/deactivate a switch (which can be set to control the relay) in the door station; and program the switch to send HTTP commands back to Control4. You do need a HTTP command driver though. Yeah, it's complicated but it'll solve your problems. 

[hank31980]

On 4/13/2017 at 0:34 AM, mcfod said:

Hi Hank, 

cant say i have tested it with a vario, but i have it working on dealer sites with both the Verso and the Force models and as the firmware, driver and http commands are all near identical you shouldnt have any problem

check if you have the switch set to mono or bistable in the intercom - you want it to be set to mono

if you cant get it to work any other way, v1.55e of the driver was the last version working before the gui button wouldnt map to the relay, and you can probably find a dealer on here with that version in their drivers they could send to you (i havent tested that driver version with intercoms beyond v2.17 of the firmware)

what country are you in?

I am based in the UK.

[FaraDayLight]

I've been trying futilely to get the Read Only info in the Helios driver to populate.  My Control4 system can't see button presses and this screws up my whole intercom automation scheme.  I've tried cutting back the API method back to TCP and authentication to None after attempting Basic.  Still no luck.  After reading this thread, it seems that it's not a configuration issue on my end, but a broken driver or API.

Has there been any update or change to this?  I'm running Firmware Version: 2.20.0.29.5

[hank31980]

No change as I am aware.

The options seem to be;

• Driver reprogramming from some clever person that can edit the existing 2n Helios driver to correct whatever is not functional for the 2n vario integration.
• Alternatively maybe add a new HTTP command driver to the existing C4 project & program the Open/Close commands (Relay ON/OFF) from Control4 system to 2n Vario device.

Otherwise anyone who has this fixed please come forward with advice.

[mcfod]

Hank - do you have the enhanced integration licence on the intercom?

if you haven't got that then it could explain the problem, without it you cant send the http commands to release the switch (relay)

their has been a new driver released, but i still have many sites already working using the old one so this should have been fixable, key points are make sure you have the right licence, set the http settings correctly (basic/none), and use the door lock driver in C4 for the mapping of the GUI button to the built in switch (not the built in function in the helios driver)

one day C4 might stop messing around and develop/fix the driver properly, but until then these settings/workarounds do function and whilst most of our business is done with the verso, the API is the same on all models so you shouldn't be having this problem

 

On 3/14/2018 at 7:11 AM, hank31980 said:

No change as I am aware.

The options seem to be;

• Driver reprogramming from some clever person that can edit the existing 2n Helios driver to correct whatever is not functional for the 2n vario integration.
• Alternatively maybe add a new HTTP command driver to the existing C4 project & program the Open/Close commands (Relay ON/OFF) from Control4 system to 2n Vario device.

Otherwise anyone who has this fixed please come forward with advice.

 

[mcfod]

On 7/21/2017 at 11:39 PM, FaraDayLight said:

I've been trying futilely to get the Read Only info in the Helios driver to populate.  My Control4 system can't see button presses and this screws up my whole intercom automation scheme.  I've tried cutting back the API method back to TCP and authentication to None after attempting Basic.  Still no luck.  After reading this thread, it seems that it's not a configuration issue on my end, but a broken driver or API.

Has there been any update or change to this?  I'm running Firmware Version: 2.20.0.29.5

Hi FaraDayLight, 

the new driver version i believe has resolved the issue that the "state" info wasnt populating, one of my customers has reported back that he can now program page flips based on state and incoming calls, etc so it seems to work. theirs still a few bugs in the driver, but if you use the main driver to get the intercom to connect and make the calls, and then use the door lock driver (free) to map the gui button to the built in switch in the intercom you can release the door/gate with that.

we've dozens of sites out there with 2N/C4 integration working, it is just a case of getting the right driver matched up with the right FW and C4 OS - unfortunately as C4 are responsible for the driver and the built in comms agent has bugs these workarounds continue to be needed

i've supplied 2 loan intercoms to a dealer to add to the 3 he has in the showroom for some enhanced testing of the new driver in a larger than average deployment test, and so far, all seems ok (the bugs C4 know are in there are definitely there (even though somehow they've fixed them on the DS2), but at least we knew what to expect this time rather going in blind)

[stash718]

Has anyone successfully used the Verso to call the app on the phone AND the C4 Touch screens?

[eggzlot]

10 hours ago, stash718 said:

Has anyone successfully used the Verso to call the app on the phone AND the C4 Touch screens?

I’m using the 2n video kit and it calls touchscreens and 2n mobile app.  

[stash718]

Can you program base on which code is entered?

Sent from my SM-N915T using Tapatalk

[eggzlot]

9 hours ago, stash718 said:

Can you program base on which code is entered?

Sent from my SM-N915T using Tapatalk
 

Video kit doesn’t have a keypad.  I use a holovision doorstation.  The communication with c4 is via the video kit 

 

https://www.2nusa.com/en_US/products/intercoms/2n-helios-ip-video-kit

[hank31980]

On ‎11‎/‎04‎/‎2018 at 1:11 AM, mcfod said:

Hank - do you have the enhanced integration licence on the intercom?

if you haven't got that then it could explain the problem, without it you cant send the http commands to release the switch (relay)

their has been a new driver released, but i still have many sites already working using the old one so this should have been fixable, key points are make sure you have the right licence, set the http settings correctly (basic/none), and use the door lock driver in C4 for the mapping of the GUI button to the built in switch (not the built in function in the helios driver)

one day C4 might stop messing around and develop/fix the driver properly, but until then these settings/workarounds do function and whilst most of our business is done with the verso, the API is the same on all models so you shouldn't be having this problem

 

On ‎11‎/‎04‎/‎2018 at 1:11 AM, mcfod said:

Hi there, yes I do have the Enhanced Integration License with the 2n Helios IP Vario.

I am no further on with this quest of trying to get this 2n device integrated with Control4. The Properties section of the Driver do not populate with the 2n devices details. Nothing is responding from the Action TAB buttons. And the LUA Output constantly shows the following;

Subscribe Unsuccessful: {

"success" : false,

"error" : {

"code" : 7,

"description" : "invalid connection type"

}

}

However the Intercom (SIP side of things) does work, so I can do the following;

From a Control4 Touchscreen, I can call the Doorstation and hear Audio & see Video.

From the 2n Call button (i.e. Button 1) I can call the configured Group of Control4 Touchscreens. There is an Audible Ring to alert me to the call.

I can then Accept this call & then I get Audio & Video from the Doorstation to the screens & Audio at the Doorstation.

So in summary it partly works, but is no better now than 12 months ago when I tried to get this working.

Control4 system is on 2.10.1.554795-res

2n Helios IP Vario is on Firmware Version 2.23.0.32.6

So has anyone got any ideas?

[mcfod]

15 hours ago, hank31980 said:

 

So has anyone got any ideas?

what driver version are you on? and have you tried using the door lock/gate lock driver thats freely downloadable from within composer (this works around the mapping issue of button to switch)?

heres some new info that seems to have worked for some people with the same issue on a verso:

1. Log into the project with Composer Pro.
2. Click on the 2N doorstation driver, then click on Lua.
3. Paste the line below in the Lua Command window then click Execute.
   helios_ip_eventlogstart()
4. Contact/relay programming should begin working almost immediately.

see how you get on

[eggzlot]

21 minutes ago, mcfod said:

what driver version are you on? and have you tried using the door lock/gate lock driver thats freely downloadable from within composer (this works around the mapping issue of button to switch)?

heres some new info that seems to have worked for some people with the same issue on a verso:

1. Log into the project with Composer Pro.
2. Click on the 2N doorstation driver, then click on Lua.
3. Paste the line below in the Lua Command window then click Execute.
   helios_ip_eventlogstart()
4. Contact/relay programming should begin working almost immediately.

see how you get on

from what I was told you may have to do that every time the 2n device gets booted up.  So if you lose power, unplug it for any reason, etc.  Pretty much on any reboot go into Composer HE and do that via the LUA code.  I was not trying to work a relay but the programming in C4 (doorbell wav file playing and a few other things) only happened after I put in that line of LUA code.

[stash718]

I installed a 2N IP force with control4.  No touchscreens, I have 4 in wall ipads.  getting the 2n doorstation to work with C4 was a bit of a challenge and I learned a few things.  I think the most important was that I had to use the 2n driver from the online database from the dealer website and not the online database in composer.  All my challenges with not being able to trigger the relay and create announcements off of the button press were resolved once i installed the updated driver. (the one I got from 2n and through composer were a few versions behind).  I also found that 2n has really good level 3 tech support.  After a few phone calls to 2n and C4 I managed to finish out my project the way the customer wanted:  Press button ring his phone and ipads, also announcement on the house audio and be sturdy and durable unlike the ring or nest). 

Using the C4 doorstation driver (not the 2n doorstation driver) actually worked well but because of the custom firmware it was actually flooding the doorstation with some traffic and causing it to crash the app/doorstation.  All in all I'm pleased with the end result and the next install will be more straight forward.  I would really like C4 to get into the ring/nest/doorbird game already because it's getting annoying telling someone they have to pay alot of money for something that an inferior product that they see everywhere can do and his expensive doorstation can't do natively.  just my 2 cents.

[hank31980]

Well “all good things” and all that!

Ive only just found out that this has finally been fixed for the 2n Helios Vario intercom.

So new driver installed and hey presto I can actually activate the Relay from a C4 Touchscreen.

Now I can finally open the Gate from C4, that’s all I was trying to do.

Thanks to 2n or C4 for finally fixing this bug.

[hank31980]

Help on a question please about displaying the Video feed from this 2n Helios IP Doorstation to Control4 system Intercom via T3 Touchscreens?

 

I can see the camera feed from within Security/Cameras/.......doesn't matter whether I use iPhone App, T3 Wall Mounted Touch or V2 Portable Touch, all is good.

 

However in the Intercom section of the T3 Touch, I cannot see the Video stream although the Audio is fine as is Relay control?

 

Strangely via the V2 Touch all is good and on the iPhone/iPad App all is good also?

 

 

What could be preventing the T3 Touchscreen from displaying either the H264 or MJPEG video feed from the 2n Door Station?

 

 

[hank31980]

So the new Control4 Driver for this 2n IP Helios device now gives full integration to this 2n Doorstation. Its taken a while, but it looks like we are now there.

My previous requests for help are now answered, by trial and error myself, but that's the best way to learns anyway I guess. Anyway a few points that I found are listed below.

2n Doorstation Driver

So within the 2n Doorstation driver I can assign an alternative Camera for the Doorstation's video, which actually is the 2n Camera driver for its own internal Camera, then as long as I set the aspect ratio to 4x3 rather than 16x9 then it works correctly.

2n Camera Driver

Further discovered that by setting the Aspect Ratio in the 2n Camera Driver to 4X3 then it works.Tested OK

So when Call button is pressed on Doorstation, Video from Doorstation is displayed at T3's and V2's Touchscreens, with the Answer or Reject Button displayed as well as the programmed button Open the Gate/Door.

Then when the Green Answer button is pressed the Intercom from the Screen is started with the Doorstation.