Chime - not calling phones, no snapshot command?

[Don Cohen]

I just added a POE Chime to my home, for my garage door, having a DS2-Mini at my front door for a couple of years.  I've run into a few issues:

1. With my DS2, if somebody rings the bell, I have it programmed to email me a snapshot, and I figured it would be straight-forward to do this with the Chime.  I've looked seemingly everywhere, and don't see how I can do this with the Chime.  I can't find a command to send a snapshot.  I found where I can configure a Push Notification, and add a Chime Snapshot to this, but this would go to my wife as well, rather than just an email to myself (she doesn't like to be bothered with this stuff).  Is this not possible with the Chime, or have I overlooked something probably obvious?  (I do see that it captures a snapshot in History, which can be accessed in the C4 App, but this is not a substitute for a simple email with snapshot.
    
2. When we ring the Chime doorbell, my T3 is called, with an option to answer the intercom call.  Works well.  But it has not yet gone to my phone, or my wife's at all.  The Call Group is defined as "All" in the Call Settings, which includes the T3, along with my phone and my wife's.  4Sight is up-to-date, and this works fine with the DS2-Mini.  What am I overlooking?
    
3. I like to have a browser window open on my 2nd computer monitor, showing live feeds from my Luma NVR for 4 cameras.  The one for the Chime has Audio turned on, so I'm always hearing cars going by on my computer speakers.  I can't find a way to mute this Audio without also having it muted for Intercom calls.  Is there a way to do silence it except when on a Call?

Thanks.

 

 

[Don Cohen]

Regarding Item 1 - I tried out the Push Notification option, but even there, which works, but shows only the text.  To see the snapshot, I then have to go to History and find it.  Surely there must be a way to do this?

[Don Cohen]

Another follow-up: I rebooted my Controller, and now Chime Doorbell rings go to our phones in addition to the T3.  Problem solved.

Still needing help with number 1 and 3, with number 1 being the most important in terms of usability.

[Don Cohen]

Seems like I'm just talking to myself.  It appears the Controller reboot also fixed the Audio issue.  I only hear audio from it now when using Intercom, so it's all good there.

The only remaining problem now is wanting to get a Snapshot by email when motion is detected.  I can't see any way to do that.  And when I configure a Push Notification to do this, selecting the Chime Doorbell Snapshot as an attachment when setting up this Push Notification, no image is seen.  I get the text notification that motion has been detected, but no Snapshot.  When I check the Event history in the C4 App for the Chime itself, or for the Chime Motion Sensor, I'm not seeing any Snapshots.  These are shown for Doorbell Presses, but not motion sensor detection.

Is there no way to get a simple Snapshot sent by either email or push when motion is detected by the Chime Doorbell Motion Sensor?

[South Africa C4 user]

Talking to yourself is the first sign of madness.  Sorry, I don’t have a chime so can’t chip in. Hopefully someone else can.  I seem to recall that @chopedogg88and @jfh bought Chimes early on but I may be wrong.  If I am right,  one of them may be able to assist.

[chopedogg88]

I've setup several Chimes for clients...PM me if you need my assistance.

[Don Cohen]

2 hours ago, chopedogg88 said:

I've setup several Chimes for clients...PM me if you need my assistance.

Thanks for the reply and offer.  I have the basics set up and it's working fine, and connected to my Luma NVR.  But am trying to figure out if or how I can program it to email me with a camera Snapshot when it detects motion, as I can with the DS2-Mini.  With the DS2 it's pretty straight-forward: the email parameters are defined in the DS2's Properties, and the "Send Snapshot Email" command is available in the Programming tab.

I have looked everywhere for a Snapshot command for the Chime, but am not seeing it anywhere, nor anyway to do this.  It does take Snapshots, as shown in the History, in conjunction with presses of the Doorbell itself, and I enabled and configured the Motion Media Event to include a Snapshot.  So I can see snapshots for button presses or motion detection using the C4 App's history.

But this is much more cumbersome than programming a simple email with a snapshot, again as I've done with my DS2 for a couple of years now.  I can configure a Push Notification, and then open up the App, go to Cameras, and check history.  But this is considerably more tedious than a simple email.

Is this possible with the Chime, and if so, where are the commands hiding?

[chopedogg88]

yes its possible, I setup push notifications with snapshot for all of my clients.

[Don Cohen]

2 minutes ago, chopedogg88 said:

yes its possible, I setup push notifications with snapshot for all of my clients.

Thanks again.

I would prefer to have an email sent with a snapshot - is this possible as well, or is it limited to push notifications only?

[chopedogg88]

The standard email agent doesn't allow for attachments as you probably know.  I haven't used this one before, but it looks like it might do the trick-

https://drivercentral.io/images/CinSiteIcons/Doorbell Agent/Integration Guide_Doorbell Agent.pdf?1567479629533

[Don Cohen]

4 minutes ago, chopedogg88 said:

The standard email agent doesn't allow for attachments as you probably know.  I haven't used this one before, but it looks like it might do the trick-

https://drivercentral.io/images/CinSiteIcons/Doorbell Agent/Integration Guide_Doorbell Agent.pdf?1567479629533

Thanks.  I'll have a look.

One last question: I have it configured now to send a push notification, and have configured the notification to include the Snapshot from the Chime.  When I get the notification on my Android Phone, it shows the time and date of the notification, but the notification itself is not showing the Snapshot.  I have to then go to History to see it.

Is it possible to have that notification itself include the Snapshot?  If it is, I'll keep at it until it works that way, since that is almost as good as a quick email.

[ILoveControl]

Why dont you check out the Berto camera driver, it has so many different options you can send a snapshot in a notification all you need to know is the URL to the snapshot on the camera.

[chopedogg88]

1 hour ago, Don Cohen said:

Thanks.  I'll have a look.

One last question: I have it configured now to send a push notification, and have configured the notification to include the Snapshot from the Chime.  When I get the notification on my Android Phone, it shows the time and date of the notification, but the notification itself is not showing the Snapshot.  I have to then go to History to see it.

Is it possible to have that notification itself include the Snapshot?  If it is, I'll keep at it until it works that way, since that is almost as good as a quick email.

Yes its possible, like I said that's how I always program it for my clients.

[Don Cohen]

49 minutes ago, ILoveControl said:

Why dont you check out the Berto camera driver, it has so many different options you can send a snapshot in a notification all you need to know is the URL to the snapshot on the camera.

Thanks - will check that out as well.

[david@berto.co.uk]

18 hours ago, Don Cohen said:

Thanks - will check that out as well.

You could use either the Berto_Camera driver which lets you take a snapshot of the camera and email it or you could use the Berto_Cloud driver which lets you send emails with URL attachments either using your own email server or our Cloud service.

See https://prod.berto.io/download

Thanks

[Don Cohen]

21 minutes ago, david@berto.co.uk said:

You could use either the Berto_Camera driver which lets you take a snapshot of the camera and email it or you could use the Berto_Cloud driver which lets you send emails with URL attachments either using your own email server or our Cloud service.

See https://prod.berto.io/download

Thanks

Much appreciated.  I may use one of these options since the regular email function in Control4 doesn't allow email attachments, and the Chime driver doesn't provide the same ability to do this as the DS2-mini does.

Thanks again.

[Don Cohen]

I ended up adding Chowmain's SMTP Driver, and it will now send an email, with Chime Camera snapshot attached.  So I can trigger that now whenever I want.  Works like my DS2, and I'm happy about that.

For reasons unknown, I could never get the Push Notifications to include the Snapshot attachment.  I compared notes with somebody else's system, and the configuration and programming was identical for the Chime itself, the setup of the Push Notification, and the Programming.  But mine would never include the attachment while his did.  Plus, again perhaps an Android thing, or something particular to our phones configuration, the Push Notifications were often significantly delayed.

I don't know if this is an iPhone vs Android thing (he is iPhone, I am Android), or what, but I'd still like to know why I could never get this going.  But regardless, I've moved on to what I wanted to begin with: emails with snapshot attachment.

[snowcatxx87]

Didn't want to start a new topic - Chime is straight ass.

Drops constantly, doesn't call my phone (have to reboot controller), no camera feed to iphone / touchscreens.

I feel better writing this. Thanks.

[TeslaKentucky]

On 2/7/2022 at 3:29 PM, snowcatxx87 said:

Didn't want to start a new topic - Chime is straight ass.

Drops constantly, doesn't call my phone (have to reboot controller), no camera feed to iphone / touchscreens.

I feel better writing this. Thanks.

Same here, but touch screens seem to work, most of the time.  The phone worked sporadically until my provider did a "tweak" of some sort.  Then it was 100%.  I thanked him, and now it's not working ever!  Jinxed.  I'm so #@&%#

[snowcatxx87]

3 hours ago, TeslaKentucky said:

Same here, but touch screens seem to work, most of the time.  The phone worked sporadically until my provider did a "tweak" of some sort.  Then it was 100%.  I thanked him, and now it's not working ever!  Jinxed.  I'm so #@&%#

Don’t worry, its the Chime. Your dealer can’t do anything.

I am an ex-dealer, training in Utah, work with C4 for years. I now contract now and then, and I personally have had C4 for 10 years+, and composer pro.

It needs constant baby sitting. Motion is too sensitive or not sensitive enough. Doesn’t record events. Doesn’t continually record, or make dual clips. Motion is slow. No intercom. No calls to group/phone. Dropped camera constantly.

I haven’t opened composer for one particular item so much like I have for the chime. It’s irritating. And it’s so expensive.

 

/rant