Serial Communication with HAI OMNI IIe

[ctuinstra]

I have Universal MX-3000 remotes all over the house that using a MSC-400 send serial commands to the OMNI. The system worked great for years until X10 just completely quit altogether. I never tried to use the remotes to control anything for years since the X10 was so problematic. Now I want to use HomeSeer and Z-Wave to solve that problem.

But I cannot seem to get the basic setup of the serial communication working again between the MSC-400 and the OMNI. I verified the cable and connection using my server that has PC Access and I can connect to the panel using serial connection just fine. I set Serial 1 to 9600 and Omni-Link and the Serial Address to 0. PC Access works just fine. Then I tested the serial connection from the MSC-400 to a laptop using a serial-to-USB and it communicates just fine, every time I hit a button, I get the text command.

The cabling I'm using is the same I've been using for years and I have been using the same cabling for testing and it seems to be working fine. Am I missing something in the Setup?



I'm using the BEEP 1 for testing to make the consoles beep when it does receive a message. The message here is GR LAMP ON.

 

[pete_c]

Looks fine to me. Could be a hardware issue with the MSC-400.

 

[ctuinstra]

The MSC-400 communicates with a terminal emulator on the laptop just fine. I then used the same laptop and connected directly to the panel and can see the small status LEDs light up as I send serial data. But still no response. I then created a button to Send data out the serial port to test, and nothing, no LEDs. I'm beginning to wonder if this is related to the complete failure of all of my X10. I wonder if I have a serial controller issue in the panel. But how can I get PC Access to connect and work just fine??? Puzzled.

 

[pete_c]

Guessing you continue to utilize the same serial port eh?

I am guessing you have warm booted the panel via console or just unplugging the battery and PS for a few minutes then reconnecting.

The X10 controller is just a TW-523 with a serial to RJ cable.

 

[ctuinstra]

I tried most all of them. Same result. Warm booted, and then even wiped the EEPROM and RAM and reloaded the saved file. I'm out of ideas.

 

[pete_c]

OK so:

I set Serial 1 to 9600 and Omni-Link and the Serial Address to 0. PC Access works just fine.

Guessing when you had PCA connected to the panel serially you went to status of one X10 switch and toggled it on and off and that didn't work either?? If it does then your X10 TW523 is working. If not then you should replace it and test this again. Use an old chime module set to A1 to test.

If the TW523 is bad or shorting out it could cause issues with your serial bus. Remove the TW523 for a test of communication with your MX-3000 beeper test.

 

[ctuinstra]

At the time that PCA was connected via serial, I did not happen to test the X10. I had pretty much given up on it and was focusing on using the serial for a link to HomeSeer using the remotes. I was sending commands using the Send Command function from PCA to see if I could receive anything on the server (via serial, and the same computer running PCA).

I have replaced the TW523 with another used unit I had recently purchased off of eBay to try and fix the X10. Most of the time during my most recent testing, the TW523 has been removed.

I'm thinking about re-flashing the firmware (with the same last version). I may also clear the EEPROM and RAM again and not load the save file incase it's causing an issue.

 

[pete_c]

Try testing the TW-523 first with PCA via a serial connection. Disconnect the Ethernet port for time being.

Your MX-3000 serial communications is misconfigured and should be using "pro-link" serial comm.

Universal MX-3000 remotes all over the house that using a MSC-400 send serial commands to the OMNI.

I have no clue about this device. Googling some from 2010 see something about using Pro-Link serial communications with the MSC-400.

Here is what you need to do in order to send "message" command to an hai controller.
1) You need to set the HAI serial port setting that is tied to your msc-400 controller in "pro-link" mode in your hai configuration.
"Omni link" mode is quite complicated and requires authentifications, login and most of all crc check calculations so it is really difficult to build a string.
On the other hand, "pro-link" is super easy to make work so apply this change to your hai rs232 port.

There is a "pro-link" drop down configuration and I have used it before (20 years ago)

I did and still do utilize Homeseer 2 serially (via OmniLink) connected to the OmniPro 2 panel and its worked now for 20 years. Today it is running in a VM. I am using all of the serial ports on the OmniPro 2 panel today. (IE: X10, UPB, Zigbee, ZWave, HS2, Russound, et al).

There are a few folks around today that purchased their Omni panels in the 1990's with serial only comm and they are running fine with old Homeseer 2 serial add on plugin using Omni-Link serial protocal.

I am also using Homeseer Omni Plugin today via the Ethernet port here and it works fine via HS3 and HS4. Additionally using the OminiLinkBridge (MQTT) and that works fine with the OmniPro 2 panel.

 

[ctuinstra]

You are never going to believe this, IT'S FINALLY WORKING AGAIN!!! It was the ProLink setup. I tried it no less than 3 times during all my testing and it never seemed to work and I thought I was just being silly trying the same thing over and over. I suspect I may have had another link in the chain broke during the testing of the ProLink setting.

Before making this last change you provided in your post, I wiped everything again and started with a completely fresh setup and still couldn't get it to work (using Omni-link). I even noticed when using PCA via serial, that it failed during a Write to Controller at 2048. I assumed the buffer was full and wasn't actually communicating. At this point I was sure the serial controller or something is dead.

Still don't know why the X10 is 100% dead, but don't care anymore as it was so problematic, I'm glad to get away from it. I have a well pump controller that converts single phase to 3-phase variable voltage that makes so much noise on the AC line, it's awful! X10 will never work when the pump is on.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE HELP!!! And sticking with me, I'm so happy to have this working again. It's a small part of the whole thing, but it's nice to have all of the remotes able to send commands to the OMNI and eventually on to the HomeSeer for other control.

Thanks again for the help!

 

[pete_c]

You are never going to believe this, IT'S FINALLY WORKING AGAIN!!! It was the ProLink setup. I tried it no less than 3 times during all my testing and it never seemed to work and I thought I was just being silly trying the same thing over and over. I suspect I may have had another link in the chain broke during the testing of the ProLink setting.

Great news! Note what you are doing with the serial link / MSC-4000 works and was documented many many years ago and no longer supported today.

Still don't know why the X10 is 100% dead, but don't care anymore as it was so problematic, I'm glad to get away from it. I have a well pump controller that converts single phase to 3-phase variable voltage that makes so much noise on the AC line, it's awful! X10 will never work when the pump is on.

There are many OmniPro 2 users still using X10 today. It does work It works better for me in that I am using a dual phased VOLP TW-523 emulator with two serial outputs. X10 on steroids That and my lines are monitored here for noise 24/7. The old TW-523 and CM11A work fine too today. That said I only use X10 for my Christmas decorations. HAI did sell a double TW-523 (one for each phase) with one cable long long time ago. I use a UPB repeater and have used phase couplers in the past.

Mostly my in wall switches today are UPB with is still 100% today. UPB is also like X10 on steroids.

Best of all the Omni panel doesn't need a cloud connection to manage your security or automation.

As mentioned HAI firmware for ZWave and Zigbee was only intended for use with switches and never intended for use with hard wired sensors and Leviton HAI wireless transceivers (I have both models here and really only tested them for use but never really used them).

I was able to get my VRCOP and Homeseer ZWave talking to the same ZWave network (for lighting) except that I could not get status of the VRCop ZWave network to talk to the Homeseer ZWave network.

So here the OmniPro 2 panel does the heartbeat of the home with the lighting, thermostat, temperature and humidity sensors. I never believed in wireless so in 4 homes wired or had wired all of the alarm sensors. That and never liked romex so paid extra for conduit during builds.

The OmniPro2 panel will never forget the automation lines and will not debend like software does. What I am writing is for you to continue to utilize the Omni panel for your base automation and use software like Homeseer as an addendum to the OmniPro automation. The Omni panel will never die cuz it is using firmware. It is very much like the old Bakelite telephones and built like a "brick s-house".

Serial bus communications is still used today for planes, trains and automobiles.

Today there still is no match for the combo OmniPro automation and security panels and the Elk M1 panel.

 

[ctuinstra]

I tried to find one of the VRCOP units and didn't seem to find one. My phase coupler was fried for who knows how long, bought a new one thinking that was my issue, but it still didn't work.

I know what you mean about keeping the OMNI, I love the unit and don't want to ever have to get rid of it. I've actually bought a few spare themostats, etcs. just to have incase they become hard to find. The controller unit, well, the prices of those used right now are outrageous! I agree, the firmware based units will always be more reliable than the software based stuff. And App controlled units are even worse. At work, we have equipment that is firmware-based and it has always been more stable than any of the "more flexible" and "high tech" software-based units.

My plan with the Z-Wave is primarily for lights, Christmas lights for sure. I used to have quite a few lights come on at dusk around the house and turn off when setting the alarm or at 10:00. I want to get back to that. I have some puck lights in the cabinets that haven't worked in years because they were X10 only. It will be nice have them working again. I need the OMNI to pass commands from my remotes to HomeSeer to allow for control of the lights from the remotes. But the rest of the automation will be handled as much as possible by the OMNI.

After my last email, I was still having some issues with not all messages would trigger the programs and the MSC-400 still wouldn't work with it. But playing around with it for a bit and some reason everything started working again. Not sure why. But it's working.

I've been around serial a lot over the years (starting with 1200 baud modems) and am quite comfortable with it. Recently I built a DMX controlled LED light unit for stage lighting. DMX uses RS-486. So I got to learn a lot about the DMX protocol and decoding it to recode it for the LED controllers. Here is a link. DMX Controlled LED

 

[pete_c]

My plan with the Z-Wave is primarily for lights, Christmas lights for sure.

I tried doing the Christmas lighting with UPB, ZWave and Zigbee. It is a PITA unless you leave the switches on line some place.

If you utilize X10 you can use one house code like A5 for all of your Christmas Lights. Well and if you use Wireless X10 / old palmpad you can go outside and turn all of your Christmas lights on at once....

I used wireless X10 to enable and test and clean the water lines in my irrigation zones in the last home.

You can use the Homeseer Omni Plugin to manage the lighting connected to the Omni Controller and concurrently connect UPB / X10 controllers to Homeseer.

In house number two tinkering with in house MQTT (Homeseer MQTT plugin and Home Assistant) and modded to Tasmota WiFi switches.

Started this stuff using Node Red a few years back. The Home Assistant OmnibridgeLink talk MQTT and works well

Cheap Ring wireless alarm managed via a Ring to MQTT bridge.

Thank you @ctuinstra for the link to your DMX controlled LED lighting. Great stuff there!!!