Cynical Honey: A Honeywell/Ademco alarm system interface

Posted on
Tue May 28, 2013 4:06 pm
Perry The Cynic offline
Posts: 836
Joined: Apr 07, 2008

Cynical Honey: A Honeywell/Ademco alarm system interface

Okay, here's a new plugin: Cynical Honey uses the serial interface on a Honeywell (aka Ademco) security system to connect it to Indigo. It does what you'd expect an alarm system interface to do - you can arm and disarm partitions, look at the status of zone sensors, type into keypads, and such. As usual, the documentation is the web page: http://www.cynic.org/indigo/plugins/online/honey.html; you can get there by clicking the little question-mark buttons in dialogs; and you can download the plugin right from that web page.

Cynical Honey has robust support for multiple partitions (I've got three in my house). Its Zone devices are standard Indigo sensors, so you can easily use them in Indigo triggers. There is a Monitor device that lets you group any number of zones together and summarizes their status. Not only can you create triggers that fire if one of an arbitrary set of sensors activates; the Monitor device also gives you a human-readable list of all active members to display in control pages. ("Honey, which windows are open?" :-))

There are other Indigo plugins for Honeywell security systems. Shop around and see which one works best for you. Just don't ask me for support on the other ones... :-)

If you have a Honeywell security system (with a serial port), give it a spin and let me know how it goes.

Cheers
-- perry

Posted on
Tue May 28, 2013 6:50 pm
hamw offline
Posts: 1212
Joined: Mar 31, 2008

Re: Cynical Honey: A Honeywell/Ademco alarm system interface

Wow. I have a 128 with two partitions. I've gotten Berkinet's Ademco Plugin with AD2USB to work pretty well, and can address both partitions, but I am definitely tempted... Maybe I'll find some time soon to play with it.

Do you know the pinouts for the serial connection?

Posted on
Tue May 28, 2013 9:55 pm
Perry The Cynic offline
Posts: 836
Joined: Apr 07, 2008

Re: Cynical Honey: A Honeywell/Ademco alarm system interface

Do you know the pinouts for the serial connection?

It depends on which Honeywell panel you have. The Vista 128 comes (or should have come :-)) with a VT-SERCBL ribbon cable that plugs into a header on the main board and has a DB9 serial plug at the other end. (You can also buy it after-market for $20 or so.) That's the easy way. It also has a set of five screw terminals where you can terminate your own wire. I did that with a Cat5 cable I had the contractor run through the ceiling to my computers, and (owing to my severely limited cable-construction skills) spent a fun-filled hour figuring out how to make the plug at the other end.

Here's the manual addendum that describes the Vista-128 pin-out: http://www.alarmhow.net/manuals/Ademco/Control%20Panels/Vista-250/Vista-250BPT%20Turbo%20Addendum.pdf
For instructions when using the SM4100, see here: http://www.knightwatch.net/professional_service/manuals/Ademco%20-%20Honeywell/Automation/HomeAutomation.pdf.

The fact that neither of those is from the Honeywell website should tell us all... something. :-)

Cheers
-- perry

Posted on
Wed Aug 28, 2013 7:16 pm
hamw offline
Posts: 1212
Joined: Mar 31, 2008

Re: Cynical Honey: A Honeywell/Ademco alarm system interface

Hi Perry,

I decided to take the plunge and try to get this going. I ran a very long ethernet cable (which could be a problem in and of itself) from the computer to the panel. I used the pinout diagrams to set up a pair of RJ45 to DB9 connectors, filling pins 2-9, checking that the pinouts matched.

I created a new device set up as "System" and entered the address as: /dev/cu.usbserial-03VGC6FK

Unfortunately no luck; state reads "Unavailable". Any suggestions?

Posted on
Tue Sep 03, 2013 12:57 am
Perry The Cynic offline
Posts: 836
Joined: Apr 07, 2008

Re: Cynical Honey: A Honeywell/Ademco alarm system interface

hamw wrote:
Hi Perry,

I decided to take the plunge and try to get this going. I ran a very long ethernet cable (which could be a problem in and of itself) from the computer to the panel. I used the pinout diagrams to set up a pair of RJ45 to DB9 connectors, filling pins 2-9, checking that the pinouts matched.

I created a new device set up as "System" and entered the address as: /dev/cu.usbserial-03VGC6FK

Unfortunately no luck; state reads "Unavailable". Any suggestions?

Does the Indigo log say anything? Check the verbose checkbox in the plugin dialog, reload the plugin, and see what messages you get. If that doesn't clarify things, enter ademco.system into the Debug Modules field and try again.

It's likely that you're having trouble with the cable (the above output can confirm that). There's a lot of ways to screw up hand-made cables. If you have the serial cable that came with your VISTA system, try that instead; it bypasses any of those.

The other possibility is that your system is somehow different from mine. I've got a VISTA-128BPT system. What exactly is yours?

Cheers
-- perry

Posted on
Thu Sep 05, 2013 4:36 pm
ELWOOD offline
Posts: 225
Joined: Feb 11, 2007
Location: Ramsey, NJ

Re: Cynical Honey: A Honeywell/Ademco alarm system interface

Perry
I also gave your plugin a try, so far have not gotten it to work.
I am using a vista 128BP, this is not the newer turbo version like your set up.
The 128BP does not have a serial port like the turbo so I am using the 4100SM serial module.
With 128BP the baud rate for serial is 1200bps, the turbo is 9600bps, this may be the problem.
When setting up the first "security system" device, the states shows exploring for about 10 minutes.
Than I get an error and state changes to connecting.

Here is a copy of the log errors:




Sep 5, 2013 5:55:42 PM
Cynical Honey 128 Panel reconfiguring because address changed
Cynical Honey 128 Panel reset
Cynical Honey 128 Panel connecting to serial port /dev/cu.usbserial8
Cynical Honey 128 Panel is now exploring
Cynical Honey 128 Panel enabling idle probes

Sep 5, 2013 5:57:53 PM






Sep 5, 2013 6:05:43 PM
Received INSTEON "HVAC HALL STAT INSTEON" humidity changed to 48.0

Sep 5, 2013 6:06:03 PM
Cynical Honey Error 128 Panel unavailable: no response from device
Cynical Honey 128 Panel connecting to serial port /dev/cu.usbserial8
Cynical Honey Error in runConcurrentThread: Traceback (most recent call last):
File ".../Server Plugin/cyin/debugging.py", line 46, in diagnostic_log
yield
File ".../Server Plugin/cyin/debugging.py", line 56, in diagnose_call
return method(*args, **kwargs)
File ".../Server Plugin/cyin/asynplugin.py", line 52, in runConcurrentThread
self.run()
File ".../Server Plugin/asyn/inject.py", line 49, in run
asyn.Controller.run(self)
File ".../Server Plugin/asyn/controller.py", line 95, in run
self._dispatch()
File ".../Server Plugin/asyn/controller.py", line 227, in _dispatch
top.callout(Ctx('TIMER', sched=top, control=self, when=top.when, now=now))
File ".../Server Plugin/asyn/core.py", line 140, in callout
results = [cb(ctx, *args) for cb in list(self._callbacks)] # latch callback list
File ".../Server Plugin/cyin/devstate.py", line 185, in _retry_soft
self.setup(ctx)
File ".../Server Plugin/cyin/devstate.py", line 268, in setup
self.connect_ip(self.res)
File ".../Server Plugin/cyin/devstate.py", line 321, in connect_ip
fd = os.dup(res.fileno())
File ".../PlugIns/serial/serialposix.py", line 579, in fileno
if not self._isOpen: raise portNotOpenError
ValueError: Attempting to use a port that is not open

Cynical Honey Error plugin runConcurrentThread function returned or failed (will attempt again in 10 seconds)
Cynical Honey plugin starting asyn operation

Sep 5, 2013 6:06:41 PM


I think I have the usb to serial adapter set correctly????

Thanks for you help
Elwood

Posted on
Thu Sep 05, 2013 11:22 pm
Perry The Cynic offline
Posts: 836
Joined: Apr 07, 2008

Re: Cynical Honey: A Honeywell/Ademco alarm system interface

Well, I plain forgot that the older panels use 1200bps connections. I'll fix that in the next version. (It'll have to be a checkbox; there's no way to ask the panel until you can, uh, talk to it.) Meanwhile, if you have a network adapter, it will work if configured to 1200bps.

But there's another problem - apparently the serial port could be opened but then magically (and rather unexpectedly) closed itself. That's a bit weird - usually, opening with the wrong baud rate doesn't do this. Double-check that you're using the right port (and not one already used by something else :-)).

Cheers
-- perry

Posted on
Fri Sep 06, 2013 4:35 pm
hamw offline
Posts: 1212
Joined: Mar 31, 2008

Re: Cynical Honey: A Honeywell/Ademco alarm system interface

I have a 128 FBP, with the 4100sm as well. Let us know when a new version is out and I'll give it a run. Hopefully we can get it to work over my ethernet cable, as my mini is about 80' from the alarm panel....

Thanks for the effort!

Posted on
Mon Sep 09, 2013 10:20 pm
Perry The Cynic offline
Posts: 836
Joined: Apr 07, 2008

Re: Cynical Honey: A Honeywell/Ademco alarm system interface

Okay, give version 1.0.2 a spin. This is a bit thinly tested (all my functional testing has been with a network relay), so let me know.

Running 80ft of Cat5 for a 1200bps serial link shouldn't be a problem. I'm running about 40-50ft for 9600bps (and it's running along a major Ethernet trunk line), with hardly any trouble.

Cheers
-- perry

Posted on
Tue Sep 10, 2013 11:49 am
ELWOOD offline
Posts: 225
Joined: Feb 11, 2007
Location: Ramsey, NJ

Re: Cynical Honey: A Honeywell/Ademco alarm system interface

Hi Perry

Tried the new version on a vista 128BP with a 4100SM serial module and still not working.
Starting the plugin I get the following in the log:


Sep 10, 2013 11:58:50 AM
Reloading plugin "Cynical Honey 1.0.2"
Stopping plugin "Cynical Honey 1.0.2" (pid 7993)
Stopped plugin "Cynical Honey 1.0.2"
Starting plugin "Cynical Honey 1.0.2" (pid 8069)
Cynical Honey API version 1.11
Started plugin "Cynical Honey 1.0.2"
Cynical Honey mapping device "128 Panel" 446055016(system)
Cynical Honey 128 Panel starting
Cynical Honey 128 Panel connecting to serial port /dev/cu.usbserial6
Cynical Honey 128 Panel is now exploring
Cynical Honey 128 Panel enabling idle probes
Cynical Honey plugin starting asyn operation


The device system shows "exploring"
After about 10 minutes the device system shows connecting and I get the following on the log:


Sep 10, 2013 12:09:12 PM
Cynical Honey Error 128 Panel unavailable: no response from device
Cynical Honey 128 Panel connecting to serial port /dev/cu.usbserial6



I looked through the 128bp's programing setup and found field *14 that sets terminal 23 from a zone input to RS232 input states the following:

"If enabled, sets terminal 23 (high side (+) of zone 9) as anRS232 input. This enables the system to receive serial data (75 baud) via terminal 23."

Is it possible the data speed "75 baud" is causing the problem.



Thanks again
Elwood

Posted on
Tue Sep 10, 2013 2:33 pm
Perry The Cynic offline
Posts: 836
Joined: Apr 07, 2008

Re: Cynical Honey: A Honeywell/Ademco alarm system interface

The plugin is telling you that it never got any messages from the panel (and more or less gave up after 10 minutes). It could send messages, so your serial port is active; but you know how serial ports are...

I've never personally programmed a Vista with a SM4100 board (though I know it can be done :-)). Here are instructions: http://www.knightwatch.net/professional_service/manuals/Ademco%20-%20Honeywell/Automation/HomeAutomation.pdf. I know it can do multiple things (like drive a serial printer), and there's multiple settings that need to be done.

Anyone else with a SM4100 who can help?

Cheers
-- perry

Posted on
Wed Sep 11, 2013 1:01 am
berkinet offline
User avatar
Posts: 3290
Joined: Nov 18, 2008
Location: Berkeley, CA, USA & Mougins, France

Re: Cynical Honey: A Honeywell/Ademco alarm system interface

The ADEMCO serial installation wrote:
The control panel's versatile protocol allows the end-users to arm and disarm one partition, control outputs, and view system status.

If the one partition limitation is correct, that sounds like a pretty serious limitation. Especially since most users of large panels have multiple partitions.

I can certainly understand the benefit in taking advantage of an existing Serial port on a panel. But, the VA8201 costs ~$300 and the 4100SM ~$100, and both products have minimal (lack of?) support. If you needed to add an interface to a panel, I'd think the ad2usb adapter at $88 would make a better choice. It can do everything a keypad can do and more, and has great support.

N.B. The ad2usb plugin does not yet support multiple partitions. But, that is a limitation of the plugin, not the ad2usb interface.

Posted on
Wed Sep 11, 2013 8:55 am
Perry The Cynic offline
Posts: 836
Joined: Apr 07, 2008

Re: Cynical Honey: A Honeywell/Ademco alarm system interface

berkinet wrote:
The ADEMCO serial installation wrote:
The control panel's versatile protocol allows the end-users to arm and disarm one partition, control outputs, and view system status.

If the one partition limitation is correct, that sounds like a pretty serious limitation. Especially since most users of large panels have multiple partitions.

Nah. The serial interface can arm/disarm any set of partitions at once. I've got three. The serial protocol really is pretty solid, and not badly documented. (It's setting up the panel that is confusing.)
I can certainly understand the benefit in taking advantage of an existing Serial port on a panel. But, the VA8201 costs ~$300 and the 4100SM ~$100, and both products have minimal (lack of?) support. If you needed to add an interface to a panel, I'd think the ad2usb adapter at $88 would make a better choice. It can do everything a keypad can do and more, and has great support.

Ad2usb is a very different approach. This plugin talks to the panel "from the top." The ad2usb is a system node and talks "from the side." Both have their advantages, and the ad2usb certainly can do tricks the serial protocol can't. On the other hand, the serial interface gives you the panel's "official" view of its status. Both have their advantages.

The VA8201 is a pager module that happens to also have a serial port. You'd be paying mostly for functionality you don't need. The 4100SM is the go-to serial add-on module for VISTA systems, if you don't have a built-in port.

Cheers
-- perry

Posted on
Sat Sep 21, 2013 4:01 pm
hamw offline
Posts: 1212
Joined: Mar 31, 2008

Re: Cynical Honey: A Honeywell/Ademco alarm system interface

Perry,

I have my serial cable extended via an ethernet cable with a Keyspan serial to usb adapter. How would I enter its address/name -- usa19h64p1.1 -- into the Cynical Honey settings? This is the name that pops up as a choice in a list in the RFXcom plugin.

/dev/cu.usbserial-usa19h64p1.1 (or without the .1) is not recognized by the system, and when I run a terminal check the keyspan device does not appear:


macmini:~ WilliamsEC$ ls -l /dev/cu.usbserial-*
crw-rw-rw- 1 root wheel 18, 19 Sep 21 17:46 /dev/cu.usbserial-03VGC6FK9
crw-rw-rw- 1 root wheel 18, 21 Sep 21 17:46 /dev/cu.usbserial-A1018WW310
crw-rw-rw- 1 root wheel 18, 7 Sep 21 17:46 /dev/cu.usbserial-A600exMb
macmini:~ WilliamsEC$

Thanks!

vide supra:
N.B. The ad2usb plugin does not yet support multiple partitions. But, that is a limitation of the plugin, not the ad2usb interface.


how about some partitions for that there AD2USB interface?

Posted on
Sat Sep 21, 2013 4:24 pm
Perry The Cynic offline
Posts: 836
Joined: Apr 07, 2008

Re: Cynical Honey: A Honeywell/Ademco alarm system interface

I have my serial cable extended via an ethernet cable with a Keyspan serial to usb adapter. How would I enter its address/name -- usa19h64p1.1 -- into the Cynical Honey settings? This is the name that pops up as a choice in a list in the RFXcom plugin.

You got me there. The Keyspan software is ancient. It's almost certainly one of the /dev/cu.* names you've got. If the software is written correctly (a somewhat sizeable "if" in this case), you can find out which just by unplugging the adapter and seeing which one disappears (or, if it's written not-so-well, which one changes ownership when you do).

Cheers
-- perry

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest

cron