Don Cohen

My system was put in by the Dealer that I'm now working for, about a year ago. From the very beginning the Director had a particular IP address. I just logged into Composer Pro to check a couple of things, and discovered a different IP address for the Controller. Everything seems to be functioning normally, I can access it with Composer Pro, through the Control4 App on my Phone, access the cameras via the Luma App, etc. So there's no problem. I checked in the Router, and there is no IP reservation for the Director, and there is no other device currently assigned the IP formerly used for the Director. Is "Best Practice" here to have an IP Reservation for the Director (an EA-3 in my case), and this was just an oversight when the system was initially set up? Or is there a reason it shouldn't be reserved? Or does it make no difference? Thanks!

Thanks. Yes, I use the Luma App on my Android phone, and it works great. I just checked in Chrome again, and it still doesn't show my Luma cameras. Just my DS2 Mini. I guess I can check with Luma Support on this, but was curious to see if this worked for others.

Ok, gotcha - thanks.

I've been looking into this recently, and have a question: 4k/HDR requires 18 gbps bandwidth, which can be handled by conventional "Premium Certified" HDMI Cables up to 25 or 30 feet, or Fiberoptic HDMI Cables for greater lengths. With HDBaseT, from what I've read, Cat6 can only handle 10 gbps, so there is compression on one end, and then decompression on the other end. This has been described as "visually lossless" which implies that the compression algorithms are in fact lossy, rather than lossless. If I'm putting together a high-end Theater, this raises doubts in my mind as to whether I would want to utilize a system that is inherently lossy, and so would be inclined towards an HDMI Cable solution. But I haven't found any objective or rigorous analyses or comparisons to assess the real-world impact of the lossy compression/decompression. Any thoughts or experience on this? And if any of my working assumptions are incorrect, please set me straight! Thanks.

If you can remember, please post your experience when ths happens. Also - what do you mean when you say you "still need IE or IE extension for Chrome"?

Glad that's working for you. As for the reboot issue, I see reports of this on the AVS Forum from time to time for my Sony model, with no clear-cut cause or fix. Some troubleshooting steps have included a full power-disconnect reboot, making sure the OS is fully updated, avoid plugging into a power strip, factory reset, etc. One annoyance I find with my system, using this IP Driver, is that very often the first button push (Enter, Pause, Play, etc.) has no effect, and I have to push it again to get it to respond. And once in a while there are long (5-15 seconds) delays between button pushes and actions, such that multiple button pushes 'stack up' and then are rapidly executed one after the other. Have you seen anything like that on yours?

I have a Sony XBR75X900E, and use this driver: It works perfect with the Brava App Selector, and I have added multiple Apps to it (Acorn, Disney+, Hulu, etc.). It does provide the Connection options you need to bind the App Selector to the TV. Whether or not it would work with your Sony, I couldn't say, but thought I'd report what has worked for me.

I appreciate the reply and info. I am on the firmware you indicate, and did remember some mention of port forwarding from my reading. I've attached a screen capture of my Araknis Router configuration, blanking out the public IP address. The 8000 port was already forwarded as shown - set up by my company when they installed the system. I then added (and saved) 7681 as shown, but the 2 Luma cameras still do not show the video feed when accessed through Chrome. The internal IP is the correct one for the NVR. My networking knowledge and experience is limited, so if I haven't done this right, please let me know, and indicate what I should do differently.

FWIW, I installed an Axxess Motion Sensor last fall, and it has performed flawlessly thus far. I'm using it outdoors, only partially protected from the elements, and have read reports of favorable experience with them outdoors over several years of use. Also, FWIW, I'm using a pair of another Nyce product, the Tilt Sensor, and have had issues with their spontaneously going offline. I've been working with Nyce tech support trying to figure this out, since they have a fairly solid reputation, but am not feeling 100% confident just yet.

Anybody here using Luma Cameras and NVR, who can report on whether they are able to see their Luma cameras in Chrome? If it's just me, I can pursue directly with Luma, but if it's a current limitation of the interface, I'll just give them some more time.

Someone posted in another thread that Luma had made some changes in their web interface, such that their NVR's and Cameras could now be displayed using Chrome as your browser. Previously, one had to use Internet Explorer. That's what I've been using, and it works fine, displaying my DS2 Mini Feed, as well as those from my 2 Luma 510 Bullet Cameras. So I fired up the link in Google Chrome on my Windows 10 64-bit Desktop, and it loaded the interface properly. Previously, it gave a message about needing to install a plug-in, and even when you did this, it never worked. The unexpected thing now is that it does display the feed from my DS2 Mini, but *not* from my 2 Luma cameras. To repeat, all 3 cameras display properly when using IE as the browser. I imagine this is a glitch with the Luma interface for Chrome, since it was not working at all in the past. But I thought I'd ask here in case there is some odd setting or configuration that could account for this. I know I can still use IE (and I do), but as I prefer Chrome in general, it would be nice to at least have the option. ETA: The NVR Firmware is 3.4.95 Build 191127, the most recent, as recommended by Luma for this functionality.

It stated: Reading the article, one would conclude that this problem has been fully resolved, with no mention of ongoing issues. But the reality is that at least some Ecobee Thermostats may continue to disconnect despite having the most up-to-date drivers. Whether this is caused by the same problem addressed in the article, or a different one, I have no idea.

The most recent one I found (3/31/2020) "Ecobee Thermostats Fall Offline - Access Denied" states that this was fixed with Version 13 of the Ecobee Network driver, and Version 2 of the Ecobee Thermostat driver. I'm now on Version 15, and Version 3, and the problem still occurs. If there's a more recent article, I was unable to find it.

I just had to re-pair mine as well. This is about the 3rd or 4th time in the last month or two. Is this an Ecobee issue, or a Control4 Driver issue?

I've adopted a 3-step approach here: 1. Create a Voice Scene in Composer (I'm using Pro, hopefully this can be done with HE), and then program it how I want. 2. Go into my.control4.com as recommended above, and give this Scene the name you want to use (e.g. "dim the Kitchen Lights") 3. Go into the Alexa App, and create a new Activity, giving it the name you want ("dim the Kitchen Lights"), and then under its programming, select the Voice Scene you just named in Step 2. Now, you can say "Alexa, dim the Kitchen Lights" and it will work as you wish. Maybe there's an easier way, but this is the only way I could figure out to be able to use 'normal' language.

Sorry - didn't see this before. Here's the link, in Control4's Driver Database: RS2000 IP Driver I did upgrade, but ended up keeping my current IR driver, which has been working fine.

Thanks for the reply. Yes, as I acknowledged in my original post, this would be the definitive solution, and I may yet do that. A bit of a hassle, but not a big deal. But being new to Control4, and wanting to learn and understand things as best I can, I wanted to explore how and why the Nyce sensor was going offline. I find I learn the most figuring out why things go wrong!

Unfortunately, I'm not getting any further response from the guy at Nyce I've been working with. There is probably no way to do this, but is there some way I can get the Nyce Sensor back Online if it drops off without needing to physically do it? Once, I opened and closed the garage door, and it reconnected, but the other times I have had to go to the Sensor, remove it, double-tap the black button, and then it's good to go. So it's not like it's dropped off the system completely, requiring 4-taps and a re-setup. Would a Controller reboot, or some other type of action have some chance of getting the connection re-established? Some response I can program in when it detects that it goes Offline?

Thanks. Until recently, we've been traveling a lot (who knows when that will resume!), and so the possibility of having those sensors go offline while out of town was of concern. But I agree, it's fairly rare, and a minimal thing to fix when it does. But if I can do something so that it never happens, that would be preferable. I'm on 3.1.0, been thinking about 3.1.2. Just running a single Zigbee server off the EA-1 (more central location than the EA-3 in the Theater Room). Two WAP's in opposing corners of the house. The Dealer did the install, and they are quite reputable, do good work, so I think the foundation is solid. But as with any other technology trouble-shooting, rare, sporadic, difficult to impossible to reproduce, quirks like this are problematic. That's why I was hoping the Noisy Signal Status might be the source, but that seems to not be the case. I appreciate your replies, suggestions, and information.

Gotcha. That being the case, what can I do to track down how and why these Nyce Sensors are spontaneously going offline, to hopefully prevent this from occurring?

Once again, thanks. I can easily do what you suggest, and see. For what it's worth, I just used Composer Express again to check Signal Strength on a variety of Zigbee Devices (some of which are much closer to the WAP than the Nyce Sensors). All of the Control4 Devices (Adaptive Phase Dimmers, Fan Switches, Regular Switches, an AC plug, both of my 2 Z2IO's, etc.) showed "Optimal". Even an Axxess Motion Sensor, closer to another Access Point, showed "Optimal". The only devices that showed as "Very Noisy" were both of the Nyce Sensors, as well as 3 Zigbee Yale Locks (some close, some far away). I have had the Yale Locks almost a year, much longer than the Nyce Sensors, and they have never gone offline, while both of the Nyce Sensors have each gone offline twice in the course of 7 months or so. (It seems that Signal Strength only has 2 readings: Optimal and Very Noisy. That seems odd, but those are the only 2 I've seen.) So perhaps the "Very Noisy" signal strength indicator for Zigbee is a red herring, and the sporadic loss of connection with the Nyce Sensors is unrelated. If that's the case, any suggestions on what it might be? And just for the record, I am working for a Dealer near me (as a second career, following 34 years of a Medical practice), and am using my home system as a learning platform. They will help when needed, but I'd just as soon figure this stuff out myself - it's a better learning experience that way, and doesn't take their time away from 'real' customers!).

I appreciate the reply, and your suggestion of possible WiFi interference is interesting. There is an Araknis Access Point reasonably close to these areas, with Channel set to Auto Selection for both 2.4GHz and 5GHz. Using the WiFi Analyzer App, the current 2.4GHz channel selected is 1. The Zigbee Server is currently set to 20. I found a chart online, attached below, which suggests that there is fairly minimal overlap with WiFi on 1, and Zigbee on 20. During my troubleshooting, I did try Zigbee on 25, which would be even less likely to interfere with Channel 1 on WiFi, with no change in the "Very Noisy" Signal Strength shown for the Nyce sensor. Your thoughts and interpretation on this additional information is welcome, along with any other suggestions on what to try in terms of a fix, or troubleshooting. And as I said in my post, I have no way to know if the "Very Noisy" signal status even has anything to do with the sensors occasionally going offline. But I don't what else to look for, and as I said, Nyce tech support has been less responsive lately (not being critical about this, since Covid 19 may have a lot to do with their ability to respond).

I installed 2 Nyce Tilt Sensors on my Garage Doors last fall as part of automating their operation. I put a Z2IO in the Garage, with relays wired to the 2 Garage Door Motors, and which also provides a Zigbee source for the Nyce sensors. It works perfectly. But... Over the 7 months or so since I installed them, each Nyce Sensor has spontaneously gone offline twice. After it happened the first time, without my realizing it, I added some programming to email me when either went offline, which then alerted me that it had occurred. I then have to double-press the small black button on the Nyce sensor to re-initiate the connection, and it's then fine. But if this should happen when I'm out of town, this would be problematic. I have been in touch with Nyce support about this, and we replaced one of the Sensors a month or two ago. Since then, it also spontaneously went offline once. In trying to figure this out, when I open Composer Express, Identification, under the Signal Strength, both of them show as "Very Noisy." I have tried changing the Channel in the Zigbee Server (my EA-1, which is in the room immediately next to the Garage), not every single one from 11 to 25, but perhaps half of them. No change. At Nyce's suggestion, since they thought the Z2IO was "too close" to the Sensors (probably about 8 feet or so), I removed it from the Garage Door, and moved it further and further away, up to 30 feet, but the Signal Strength stayed at "Very Noisy." I even just unplugged the Z2IO, so that it would get the signal from the EA-1 or light switches within that adjacent room, but this made no difference either. Nyce personnel have become less responsive (I realize the current world conditions may be part of this, so I'm not criticizing them at this point), so I thought I'd see if anybody here has any insight as to what's going on. Keep in mind that except when the Nyce Sensors go offline, they are 100% reliable. And I don't even know that the "Very Noisy" Signal Strength is even responsible for the random losses of connection, though it seems suspicious. Any thoughts/ideas/suggestions appreciated! (And yes, I realize that a wired sensor would solve this problem, and I may yet do that, but if I can do something to eliminate these rare losses of connection, that would be my first choice.) Edited to Add: all other Zigbee devices in the home show Signal Strength as "Optimal" (including the Z2IO) so it's only these Nyce sensors that seem to be having a problem.

Appreciate this, and will keep it in mind as I work through this. My initial, brief testing is encouraging that I can get the performance I'm wanting: When the TV's POWER_STATE *changes*, IF the TV is On, then turn on the AVR. I added just 2 lines of programming to 'Room Off' for that room: Turn off the TV, turn off the AVR. I started casting YouTube to the TV, and the TV came on (which it always does, not via C4), and a few seconds later, the AVR kicked on. Waited a little while, then Room Off turned both off. So far, so good, and I appreciate the posts and suggestions here.

Clever - will play with this next. I guess it shouldn't create any problems for normal function, when the Room is on. Thanks!