HAI Users would you make this widget?

[pete_c]

I don't know if I should make this a poll so I am starting this way first. 
 
I know here on many Cocoontech folks like or own Elk M1 or an OmniPro panel.
 
Personally here (and it has been a while now) I posted my fix for my network, serial and time issues relating to my OmniPro 2 panel.  I have had folks ask and I have just told them what I did and how it worked for me.
 
Today (2016) it is documented that the OmniPro 2 panel
 
1 - network port is of an old design.  It is promiscuous and sees all indiscriminately.  Some folks see this as an issue(s)  while others never seen this.  The see the issue part is odd disconnects or no connectivity to the NIC port.
2 - The see everything promiscuous network issue dings the HAI serial bus noted prominantly in the Omnistat serially connected thermostats with odd zero readings replacated in PCA.  Some folks see this while others never see it.
3 - Time and time sync has always been an issue.  #1 above makes the time issue worst.  Some folks see it more than other folks.
 
I fixed it for my self a few years back by installing a Linksys router between the NICand the rest of the network.  It worked for me.  Before this tried different approaches that did not work (VLANs for one). It is innocuous and doesn't affect the normal function of the panel.  IE: I can use my Homeseer software, Omnitouch screens, CCTV stuff just fine.
 
The problem has not come back for me. 
 
I have upgraded from the Linksys router to a TP-Link Microrouter to a GLiNet Microrouter.
 
I have added three bells and whistles to the GLiNet microrouter: RTC with battery for time sync and one 1-wire temperature sensor inside of the 2" X 2" microrouter and a power supply to get its power from the OPII AUX 12VDC supply.
 
I am curious.
 
1 - Has anyone read my stuff and replicated it for their own HAI environment? 
 
If you have not but wanted to did the not part relate to soldering, firewall/router knowledgebase, OpenWRT, disconnecting / reconnecting HAI network interface?
 
I have rewritten the blog a few times and have added to it over the years.  Did I overcomplicate the verbiage? 
 
I am not looking for a feel good or a warm and fuzzy but it would feel good if someone replicated my HAI Microrouter blog stuff and it worked for them and they told me it worked for them.
 
2 - The above noted and the blog read would you rather purchase one said microrouter even smaller than 2" X 2"  (say around 1" X 2" instead) as soup already configured with base?
 
3 - Ignore this post as you do not want to touch your OmniPro 2 panel because you have no issues with it and it works just fine.

 

[BobS0327]

1 - Has anyone read my stuff and replicated it for their own HAI environment? 

Yes, I have read your blog.  No, I haven't replicated it because I have no OPII issues that your project would resolve.  Thus, I can relate to item #3.  I don't touch my OPII unless it's experiencing some quirky issue. Firm believer in "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"
 

If you have not but wanted to did the not part relate to soldering, firewall/router knowledgebase, OpenWRT, disconnecting / reconnecting HAI network interface?

I don't have much experience with building hardware.  I'm more of a software guy but I'm not afraid to tackle (build) some reasonable simple hardware projects.  So, if your widget solved a problem for me, I would definitely build it.

2 - The above noted and the blog read would you rather purchase one said microrouter even smaller than 2" X 2"  (say around 1" X 2" instead) as soup already configured with base?

No, I'd rather build it for two reasons, minimize my costs and also as a potential learning experience.
 

3 - Ignore this post as you do not want to touch your OmniPro 2 panel because you have no issues with it and it works just fine.

Yep, as previously indicated, I really don't want to go looking for problems with my OPII.  It's been my experience that OPII problems will find me.  So, I'd only mess with the OPII if I had a problem or if I wanted to add some new functionality such as adding zxwave switches etc.

 

[pete_c]

Thank you Bob for the feedback.
 
How do you connect to console wise and manage your OmniPro 2 panel (PCA only)? 
 
IE: do you utilize software, Omnitouch Screens, Customized consoles (screens) that utilize software?
 
IE: how do you sync your time type of stuff?  Do you do soft alerts via email and software or just depend on a CS connection?

 

[BobS0327]

Yep, I use PCA only to manage OPII.  I'm not aware of any type of PCA substitutes or alternatives.  I do use some "home grown" code to query and monitor the OPII.
 
I do have an OT7 touch screen.  Don't use it for much and it's installed in the basement.  It's just too quirky for other family members to use.  I have  four consoles and several tablets installed throughout the house to allow access to the OPII.  The consoles I have are the older type which aren't customizable.
 
I use the email notifier board to sync time on the OPII and I use it to send  email alerts for burglary, fire and notifications as to when my automatic standby generator starts and stops.  So, I personally don't have any problems with the email notifier board since I don't send a lot of email from it.  That is, I don't use any crazy, advanced configurations on the email notifier board. 

 

[pete_c]

Thank you Bob.
 
Yup here wife prefers the simplicity of the serially connected OmniTouch 5.7's.
 
Curious what you are running on the tablets to access the OPII?

 

[BobS0327]

I'm using Windows tablets with my own customized app built using the old HAI SDK.

 

[pete_c]

Thank you Bob.
 
I like the new Windows 10 tablets that utilize the new (old now) Intel Baytrail Atom CPUs.
 
Can you show us a sneak peak at the Windows tablet HAI app? 
 
It has to be nicer looking that the HAI OmniPro Windows software (still using that here on some embedded tabletop tablets).

 

[BobS0327]

Pete,
 
 Attached is a link to two pictures of my HAI OPII app running on a  $89.00 HP Stream 7, a Windows tablet.  I previously posted these pictures somewhere else on the HAI subforum but couldn't find them. The app was completely developed using C#, the HAI SDK and VS2013.  The GUI front end looks amateurish since I only used what was available in VS2013.  I recently found a free  GUI controls package that I will use to "spruce up" the frontend.  It's just a matter of finding the time to do it,
 
 
I took two shots of the app.  One is the main interface and the second is a 4 camera view of the perimeter of my house.  The camera view is accessed by hitting the camera button from the main view
 
The link is to my shared pictures folder on my OneDrive
 
http://1drv.ms/1TX9yFY
 
 
 

 

[pete_c]

Very nice Bob.
 
Thank-you.