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For 2 years I've had issues with the drawbacks with the original C4 door station. The latest version only addresses 1-2 of my issues, not all, and I do not like the form factor, or color, for the new door station. My searches led me to Holovision. They came to an agreement with C4 in 2014 to start producing a SIP Door Station compatible with C4. The item and drivers were ready by fall 2015 and I've been testing them for the last few months and I am glad to say everything is fine and working as it should. http://eholovision.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=249&Itemid=290 - that is the model I selected, size wise it is the closest to the original C4 door station https://www.houselogix.com/shop/holovision-vio-control4-driver - driver for the SIP door station https://www.houselogix.com/shop/ktc-hdi47-control4-driver-license - driver for the IP camera that is on board Compared to the original door station by Control4, here are improvements I see: The IP camera is on 24x7 and available to view in the navigators, etc (this is fixed with the new door station) Camera placement - this is not addressed with the new C4 door station. With these Holovision units, you can move the camera left or right AND swivel the camera too. It is a great way to get what you need in sight of the camera. The original and new C4 door stations are lacking in this feature. Keeps the same shape as the original door station. The new C4 door station is too modern/futuristic looking for my house. The size of the faceplate is only 1-2'' bigger. However, there is more "stuff" that has to go into the back box. I worked with Holovision to try and retro fit a 400 series door station with the C4 back box but it is not possible. 2 options, use the Holovision back box (Which I did) or you can use the C4 back box with a specially designed Holovision bracket, but then you need to put the VIO/SIP unit inside your house and run extra wires and do a reconnections between the VIO unit and the door station and camera itself. For me, it was easier to just cut out a larger hole in my siding and add a new back box. If the VIO/SIP unit is in the back box, only 1 PoE is needed. A 2nd small ethernet is needed to hook up the camera to the VIO but to give you an idea I am using a 6'' patch cable between the two. Attached are some photos of the uninstalled unit to give you an idea of what it looks like out of a wall, the back box, the VIO unit, how you can angle the camera, etc 1st and 2nd photos show the rear of the unit and you can see how the camera is all the way off to the right and swiveled back to the left to get a full view of that area. 3rd and 4th photos are a straight shot and side shot of the unit with the back box attached. the last photo is the VIO/SIP unit. For example purposes, the blue cable is the PoE cable whereas the purple one is the one that attaches the camera to the VIO unit. that purple cable is long, so when I did the install, I used a 6'' patch cable. If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask me. This was purchased via a Beta test direct from a dealer. Holovision does not sell direct to public. So I am not sure of MSRP, etc so please do not ask.

I checked measurements as did Holovision. The Holovision back box is like an inch bigger but they are making some bracket so they said I can make a small tweak to my c4 back box and it will work. Different 400 series may have different boxes so your mileage may vary. I'll report on my findings and document as much as possible.

The Door Station has been one of the only weak spots in my home set up. Within a few weeks I should be giving one of these a test drive: http://eholovision.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=249&Itemid=290 There is a driver from houselogix: https://www.houselogix.com/shop/holovision-vio-control4-driver This is all rather new so not sure how many real world users are out there. I'll gladly report back with my findings. I like this door station model because: 1) its a real IP camera, on 24x7, can record on motion via my Blue Iris software, etc 2) the lens is adjustable 30 degrees left/right. This way I can angle the lens so I can actually see who is standing at the door. The current DS by c4 doesnt have a wide enough field of vision to allow me to see clearly who is at my door 3) has IR so will help in low light scenarios I am hoping to have the hardware in 2-3 weeks, and once I sync up with my dealer for installation and testing I'll report back. I am told the 400 series should play well with the C4 back boxes as they are almost identical in size and will have some retro fit options.

I have mine going through Sonos. Not sure if its 15 seconds or not if you use Sonos hardware. That said, it reads me the day, date, time, forecasted hi/low temps, current temps and will check my google calendar. and it works without being cut off.

thanks got it all worked out with my dealer with the weather driver. Next up, google calendar integration!

Agreed - Neil knows how to utilize these drivers and the features of the Advanced Announcement driver is a great addition.

still here plugging away. something else I noticed, when I start over to follow the directions from scratch - When I am in Agents > Announcements I notice my Master Bedroom (Sonos Play 1) is not "saved". I can enter any other room, leave that screen and come back and those room(s) are still there, except the Master. I can try the Master on its own, the Master plus 2 other rooms, etc. And whenever I leave that screen and come back, the Master is never there, yet if I did Master + 2 other rooms, those other 2 rooms are there. So for now I am trying another room, but still no luck. For after step 10, I realize I can get that screen shot if I pick a Sonos unit in a particular room. Yet I do that, type in Advanced Announcement.wav and I am still not getting any audio. The only text to speech I am converting is Hello Today Is (I did not try a variable for the date, literally just those 3 words, Hello Today Is) I've attached photos of my programming too if anyone can see maybe my slip up. Thanks in advance

Hi Alan, I am having some issues trying to program. My dealer installed the driver but now I am having trouble with our schedules to sync up to get him to program. So I was trying to hack at it myself. I have Sonos and its around step 10 where my issues pop up. I am picking the Sonos driver on the events side, but when I go to the actions side to pick announcement I do not see announcement, but I have announcements. If I click on that, I get a list of the announcement files but nothing that looks like your documentation with having to type in a file name. If I picked the Advanced Announcement driver I do not get that option either. I am sure I a missing something simple, but after reading and re-reading and staring at my computer for too long of a time, I think I may be glossing over something easy?

Hi Alan, And they would all be in sync (the Play radios and the in wall speakers using the Sonos connect/C4 Amp/C4 Matrix set up)? Especially if using the PA function to make an announcement over the system. Thanks!

Alan - my audio distribution is kind of "complex" at least in my head. My bedroom, office and bonus room have a Play 1 or Play 3 Sonos speaker. My living room has its own Sonos connect directly into a local AVR. My dining room, kitchen and outdoor space have speakers that are ran into a C4 amp, which is hooked into the C4 matrix and has its own Sonos connect. So its all sonos, some off a connect, some off a connect via a matrix and some just Sonos Hardware. Any limitations on where I can send these announcements? My Bedroom has a Play 1, could I get a morning announcement read off the Play 1? If I am not mistaken, I have audio outs on the HC 800 going into either (or both) the audio Matrix and the Sonos connect that is near the Audio Matrix. Thanks.

This is just an editorial type article but I agree with the point of view - its not a slam dunk since there are obstacles around non iOS users, companies not wanting to certify through more steps/different hardware needs, etc: http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/03/apple-connected-homekit/ I think competition is good and if it lights a fire under C4 even better. I know there is that voicepod thing, but if I could easily use Siri with some hacks to my phone to allow some voice control of my system, that would be great too. Maybe C4 finds a way to tap into the SDK so we can have the best of both worlds.