Anybody using an Omnistat with Elk M1 or Homeseer?

[upstatemike]

I was wondering what Omnistat features are available if you use it with and Elk M1 or Homeseer instead of with an HAI Omni? Can you control the background colors and send outside temp readings to it from third party systems? Anybody doing this?

 

[pete_c]

Here only have used the Omnistat 2 with my OmniPro 2.  There was a serial plugin for Homeseer and the Omnistat 2.  Control was the same whether using the serial plugin, Elk panel or OmniPro 2 panel.
 
I have my OmniStat serially connected to the OmniPro 2 panel.  It is fast and I never touch it really just looking at stats.  Instant polling and instant responses.
 
I have locally attached remote temperature sensor (2 wire) and remote OP2 temperature and temperature humidity sensors.
 
I can see everything with Homeseer (except for remote local temperature sensors) and Omnitouch screens and OmniBridge (MQTT).
 
You can change the color of the screens only on the thermostat and not remotely and it resets itself on power removal to default colors (a pita that I am used to).

 

[upstatemike]

You can change the color of the screens only on the thermostat and not remotely and it resets itself on power removal to default colors (a pita that I am used to).

 
Deal breaker! What is the point of having a color screen feature that is not accessible to the automation system?

 

[pete_c]

The thermostat is not ever touched and never has been no matter what.  IE: remains at 70 - 72 year around.
 
The coloring of the screen is really just a tint which you can change and the thermostat never goes powerless anyhow..
 
The OmniTouch thermostat screens and Homeseer touch screens are color.  I mix weather stats on the Homeseer touch screens.
 
The response if I do touch it is instantaneous because it is serial and not it is not using radio or the cloud which is really all I care about. 
 
I am not really any good at coordinating colors here though. 
 
Here is a Homeseer Touch thermostat screen.
 
[sharedmedia=gallery:images:1269]
 
Here is an Omnitouch thermostat screen with some colors to it (still learning with HAI automation studio).
 

[sharedmedia=gallery:images:1270]
 
Using MS SAPI TTS ==> Russound and to MS Embedded tabletops plus lately tinkering with Alexa TTS.
 
The thermostat is just a controller that has a basic design that has not changed in a hundred years or so.
 
What helped over the last couple of years was replacing the 10 year old contractor installed double pane windows with triple pane windows (which cost more than the automation switches in place today) and a new outdoor HVAC compressor and a new automated whole house humidifier (only have to change filters).
 
Most important here is that the thermostat work. Early in HS2 / Omnipro 2 automation there was a glitch in the software plugin which was very low on the WAF and almost killed every automation endeavors in the house.


 
 
 
 
 

 

[bmil]

I've had an Omnistat 2000 for years now and have had no problems with it. Up until about a year ago it was connected directly to my M1 and worked great controlling it either directly from the M1 or through HS using Ultra's Elk plug-in.
 
It's now directly connected to my dedicated HS3 PC using the Omnistat 3 plug-in (Kirby). It still continues to work almost flawlessly.
 
You can control both the display color and intensity remotely via the Omnistat 3 plug-in (can't remember if the M1 plug-in also provided that). Mine has never lost any config. settings, including screen color, after a power failure (maybe firmware differences from others?).
 
The Omnistat 3 plug-in does have a provision to select a HS device that provides the outside temp. to be displayed on the Omnistat but that has never worked for me.
 
When I had the stat directly connected to the M1 I had a rule that displayed the outside temp. from an M1 temp sensor to the Omnistat screen and that worked well.
 

 

[pete_c]

Mine has never lost any config. settings, including screen color, after a power failure (maybe firmware differences from others?).
 
So if you pull your thermostat off the base then replace it it will go back to previous screen settings?
 
What is your the firmware version?
 
Here mine is 1.04D.  (It is under set up).

Probably first gen here as I purchased it when introduced way long time ago.

That and there are Zigbee options on the display but do not think that the Zigbee radio is inside.

Just reading some old documentation relating to the Omnistat and it does appear to have a firmware update option.

Using stats with incorrect firmware version. g! has tested firmware version 1.02c, and suggests using this version of firmware or newer. To alter firmware on your Thermostats please contact HAI. If you will be operating in Celsius your OmniStat 2 MUST be running version 1.03.

 

[bmil]

If I remove it from the base, when I replace it all my settings are still intact.
 
Just checked and my firmware ver. is 1.05B.
 
If I remember right it was maybe 6 months after they first came out that I bought it (I never updated the firmware).

 

[pete_c]

Thank you bmil. 

Yeah here purchased it when first introduced but left my RC-80 plugged in and didn't get to installing it until maybe 2-3 years later.

Just tested my Omnistat2 pulling it off the bracket and then re plugged it in and it reset the color.

That said just purchased a new RC2000 / Zigbee.

I have read here that I can update the firmware on it via Zigbee if it is older.

IE: will leave it connected serially and use Zigbee to update the firmware on it if need be.