Don Cohen

Initiating a group call from the DS2 via programming does not work (again).  Very few people use this feature.
The snapshots sent become out of sync time wise a day or two after the director has been rebooted in some setups.
Our country rep is aware of (and has, I understand) replicated both issues, so hopefully they will be fixed before long.

i take them all day i see them and I have auto driver update enabled

Thanks for the reply and info.  I found the KB article you referenced.
Didn't realize *all* drivers would need to be updated and current to allow the upgrade to proceed, so thanks for that as well.

Hey @bdo21,
See my responses below.
 

I would also suggest using a routine with Alexa to setup more natural voice control. Will be a topic in my composer home training course. 

Serena is the retail version of Triathlon shades - less fabric selections and less advanced options but uses the same great motors.
Triathlon - more fabrics better options - WIDR widths.
Sivoia - Wired power, drapery, horizontal sheer, blind and Roman shade control. Multiple motors to choose from, longer wire runs, ability to do both wired power and control, many more advanced options.

This is sounding very promising, Thanks for all the input.
Now all I need is for Alexa to understand our Kiwi accent so we don't have to ask more than once for a simple command....
Changing her from US to Australian helped a bit, but not 100% yet.
 

And each App can be activated with an Alexa command.  So in my Family Room (this is with the free driver):
Alexa, turn on:  [Netflix, Amazon, Disney+, Hulu, Acorn, etc.]
Don't have to reach for a tablet, phone, remote, etc.  Couldn't be simpler.

My office has started a youtube studio for our products. Since we have the equipment I am looking to invest in the time to creating a composer home training course. To start this will be focused completely for the consumer side and we may do some videos that are dealer specific if it is popular. Just wanted to see whom here may be interested and hopefully I can help you better your own automation and home setup. Below are a few of the topics we are looking to cover. Any suggestions on what you may want us to cover or that i missed? Hope to start filming soon!
 

Composer Home Walk Through
Announcements
Creating Advanced Light Scene
Using Advanced Lighting Scenes in your project
Keypad Lighting and Feedback
Motion Detection
Panic Button!
Security Light Driver
Camera Navigation Agent
Camera Email and Push notifications
Security System and the Mockupancy Driver
The Power of macros
Customizing Room Navigators
Creating a Favorites room for Navigators
Remote Focus buttons for Neo
Custom buttons for SR260
Door Station Custom Buttons
Room based Programming
Source Selection Programming
Room Control Driver
Plex Driver
Favorite Rooms in the room and on the neo and sr260
Alexa and Google Home Voice Scene Drivers
Alexa and Google Home Routines
Add Music Driver
Source Selection Programming
Timers in depth
PDU Programming
Network Switch Programming
Fireplace Programming
Experience buttons
Dimmer Load setup
Shades
Scheduler
Airplay Driver
Spotify Connect
Pandora and other Music service programming
Programming on Room Off
Irrigation
Christmas Lights
Dlna My Music Driver

Guys, give RyanE a break.  He is a Control4 employee - what do you want him to do?  Crap all over his company and products?  His paycheck comes from Control4.  We all purchased the stuff.  He is just here helping.  I'm very glad that he is around the forum to answer questions and bring feedback to Control4 / SnapAV.  Let's not make him quit coming here, please.
 
PS  RyanE - I am still trying to understand and figure out if I can make a custom button as I asked above...

I'm sure one of the more knowledgeable members will comment, but the 2nd line of programming needs to be 'nested' under the "If" conditional above it.  Just drag the command to where the Question Mark is, and an arrow to the right will show up, showing that you want this nested under that Conditional.
I've received a huge amount of help here, as a newb, so just wanting to pay it back a little.

This explains a True/False variable: https://www.control4.com/documentation/Composer_HE_User_Guide/Using_Custom_Variables_Agent_Boolean1.htm
It goes into detail on how to find the variable agent and how to use the Boolean Variable (True/False).  It even gives a front door scenario.  If someone is at the front door or if someone is not at the front door.  So you would use the same idea if its holiday or not holiday.  
So first step, go to the agents in composer and select Variable and create a Boolean (True/False) variable called Holiday mode.  Set it to true (because it is the holidays right now)
In your programming - I am not sure what doorbell you have but on the trigger of the action (button press, whatever it is called) you would do the following:
On the upper left pane scroll down to variables and pick the new on you created and go to the conditionals
IF holiday mode is true
    Play Holiday Door Bell (or whatever the file is called, again not sure how you are playing the sound through what service)
IF holiday mode is false
     Play Standard Door Bell (or whatever the file is called)
Notice the indents on the second line, that nesting is required.
Now you can have several ways to to create buttons to go back and forth between holiday mode and regular mode.  Your dealer can add an experience button.  Or you can create a custom button:
https://www.control4.com/documentation/Composer_HE_User_Guide/Program_Using_a_Custom_Buttons_Agent.htm
when you create the custom button call it Holiday Mode or whatever and the action of the button would be to toggle the True/False variable you created in the first step.
You can see if the toggle is working because if you go to Agents > Variables > Holiday Mode (in monitoring tab in Composer HE) you can see the current state of the variable.  Press the custom button again and go back to Agents > variables > Holiday Mode and the state should know be the opposite.
Get the doorbell working first.  Then you can do the same thing with exterior lights/outlets with Christmas lights, program a Wemo to turn your Xmas tree on/off (really easy to do if your alarm is hooked up into C4), etc.
Hope that is helpful.
 

Yep, got the Paladin DCR, it's absolutely stunning.  Changing modes is a PITA and like you will be routing through the color buttons.

No update that I'm aware of, but as a fellow NX7 owner, I found a solution here.  Drawing on work done by a very knowledgeable guy at the AVS Forums, I have the raw IR Codes for both Anamorphic C and Anamorphic D modes, that I added to the current Driver.  I assigned those to a couple of the numeric buttons on my SR260, and it works perfectly.  I also have the Panamorph DCR Lens, and can now switch back and forth with ease.
I can supply those codes if you'd like.
Don

No problem.
I'm guessing you are also using an Anamorphic Lens - if so, which one?  I'm using the DCR Lens, and the picture quality with this and the NX7 is stunning!

I agree with Don. That flow is way too long. It would be a much better experience if that functioned almost like the native dialer. Having had some experience with Integrating apps in my work environment, I know how difficult it is to get Apple to open up IOS in the name of security. And although Android is a lot more malleable, it’s always best to keep parity between Android and IOS whenever possible. So we may not see a change there any time soon.

As for losing the intercom if we temporarily lost the Native App. I’ve only had my system for maybe three years now. I don’t recall many App failures. Maybe I wasn’t paying attention all that much in my early days. But I don’t recall many significant issues outside of the Certificate one. And I agree, all ideas aren’t good ones. But I haven’t seen many products increase user adoption by splitting functionality / features into multiple interfaces. Again... for those like myself where I love this stuff that’s great. However, everyone else in my house hold who interacts with it, and truly likes the solution, because it’s a frictionless approach to home automation, now has to think about what app and when. And what’s that ringing, etc... And back to Don’s point. By the time you unlock your phone and get into the intercom app, you’ve missed the call.

I’ll end with the following. I suspect that most people use the intercom in the following ways:
Room to room via T3.
Mobile to Room.

And... not necessarily
T3 to mobile.
Mobile to mobile.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

i dont know what you consider reasonable
$15 option: https://www.amazon.com/Docooler-Network-Cable-Tester-Remote/dp/B00DQH4XPW/ref=sr_1_8?keywords=ethernet+cable+tester&qid=1574182740&sr=8-8
- had this and used it.  it gave me a few right answers, a few wrong answers and eventually would not turn on anymore
~$60: https://www.amazon.com/Tester-Continuity-Klein-Tools-VDV526-052/dp/B004CI9NRM/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=ethernet+cable+tester&qid=1574182653&sr=8-6
~$75: https://www.amazon.com/Telephone-Remotes-Klein-Tools-VDV501-823/dp/B077Y7RV5B/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=ethernet%2Bcable%2Btester&qid=1574182740&sr=8-7&th=1
That is what I have - you can test a cable and you can also figure out what port is what on your patch panel and you can use a tone tool too which you can purchase separately
I am a novice admin tech at the best, I understand it and 20 years ago in a past life I was a summer intern for 3 summers as a Network Intern.  And I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express, but I am not a professional.
here are fancier ones to test PoE, various types of cables (not just ethernet/coax), some will give you read outs as to how far the cable distance is or where on the line is the issue, etc.  The Klein tools from what I've read are the basics, if there are errors it will tell you, if its a twisted wire or two at the ends you'll know but you will not get much more diagnostics out of it from what I gather.
they have PoE Devices such as: https://www.flukenetworks.com/datacom-cabling/copper-testing/MicroScanner-Cable-Verifier

Labeled 2n because the DS2 was built by 2n.  Those screens are what I see on my 2n.  It’s probably 95% the same 

It’s right in the driver documentation. 
 
admin
t0talc0ntr0l4!

Sounds like you know what to do. Hopefully this fixes the problem. 

I’m not a dealer so am not the best person to give you advice but AFAIK, essentially you leave the driver in the project and identify (connect) it to the new Door Station... I am not sure whether this is via an IP address or identifying it in connections (I think Pro) gives onscreen instructions for what buttons to press when identifying a device under Conmections.
As long as you leave the driver in place and don’t delete it, all programming should remain.

You do need the Hue Bridge, yes. Investing in the Hue driver / environment is well worth the expense.

Once the motion is added, you can do things like:
Turn on/off lights (doesn't matter if it's C4 or Hue)
Turn on fans based on temp (C4 only)
Dim/brighten lights based on ambient light
Just about anything you can dream up programming wise....

Additionally, there's a free Hue driver for the Hue bridge AND individual Hue lights. They are 
Group white
Group color
Single white
Single color

These work great if (I remember correctly these used to be an Extra Veg driver). Hue lights are expensive, but well worth the effort entirely. Black Friday usually has the starter kit on sale pretty cheap.

Only Dealers can buy the driver for the Hue motions currently. It's a little taxing to setup - just follow the directions and you will be fine.

Oh yes there is
Use the Phillips Outdoor motion with the UnilogIQ driver - works like a champ.

I prefer the indoor motions by Phillips too btw. They are small, low battery consumption, and sense light level as well as temperature!! All that for $39 a motion. IMO, that's an unbeatable combo.

Cool. Yeah we are not into using voice.  I don’t even use Siri.  Just not into the voice stuff.  I bought a apple pod tried it for a day then I just gave it to my dealer.  Same with Alexa.  But I hear a lot of people like it.  For now what we have works for now 

It looks to me like it can’t decide how much IR/backlight to provide and it’s causing serious changes. I’d request a warranty exchange.