Honeywell VISTA Panels via EnvisaLink 3/4

This driver is for the Honeywell VISTA Security Panels using the EnvisaLink EVL-3 or EVL-4 Security Module found at http://www.eyezon.com/.

This driver will NOT work with the EnvisaLink EVL-3 or EVL-4 Security Module when used and setup with DSC security panels.

Revision History

1.0 Initial Release of the Driver.

1.01 Maintenance Update.

1.02 Fixes issue when adding partition instances using ID APEX.

1.03 Fixes initialization issue with new project files.

Connection Settings

Connection Type - Network connectivity is only available while using the EnvisaLink 3/4 Module.

IP Address - Enter in the IP address assigned to the EnvisaLink 3/4 Module. It is recommended the EnvisaLink 3/4 Module be set to a static IP address using MAC address reservations in the network router or in the EnvisaLink 3/4 Module setup.

Port - The EnvisaLink 3/4 Module defaults to port 4025 for local IP control.

Login Password - Enter in the password used to access the EnvisaLink 3/4 Modules local network setup page.

Enable Poll Command - Only enable this feature if the EnvisaLink 3/4 Module does not have access to the EnvisaLink Servers (no WAN access). This feature will reset the EnvisaLink's built in watch dog timer in order to prevent the EnvisaLink device from rebooting every 20 minutes if no EnvisaLink Servers are accessible.

Quick Bypass Settings

Zone Padding - Select the number of digits required for bypassing a zone. Systems that support up to 64 zones will likely use 2 digits, while systems that can support up to 128 zones will likely use 3 digits. Refer to the security panel operation for how many actual digits are required for zone bypassing.

Partition Settings

Number of Partitions Used - Enter the number of partitions programmed in the VISTA security system. Up to 8 partitions are supported.

Partition Names and Quick Codes

Partition (1-8) Name - Enter the name to be used for the respective partition. These names are only for use in Integration Designer and the driver.

Partition (1-8) Quick Code - Enter the code to be used for quick arming/disarming of the respective partition. It is required that this field have a numerical value whether the quick arming/disarming is to be used or not.

Zone Settings

Number of Zones Used - Enter the number of zones used in the system. EnvisaLink EVL-3 Modules support up to 64 zones while EnvisaLink EVL-4 Modules support up to 128 zones.

Zone (1-128) Names

Enter the name to be used for the respective zone. These names are only for use in Integration Designer and the driver.

Driver Notes

- An event list is available in the driver. This supports up to the last 100 events received from the EnvisaLink Realtime CID Event data. Events are not stored in persistent memory, so a processor reboot will clear out the event list and start over from scratch. During development it has been noticed that not all zone or partition status changes are provided by the Realtime CID Event process.

- Quick Arming Driver Commands implemented are Arm Away, Arm Stay, Arm Instant, Arm Max, and Disarm. These commands require the proper Quick Code be configured in the driver for arming and disarming of a partition. Improper configurations will result in the inability of these commands to operate.

- Keypress to Partition commands are implemented to mimic controlling the system via a VISTA Keypad. There are also variables designed to mimic the feedback the VISTA keypads provide to the end user.

- Keypad Arming/Alarm Audible functions, variables, and events are implemented for allowing the driver control of playing sounds on a user interface. Please see the included sample file and wav files for an example of how to implement the audible features.

- Quick Zone Bypass commands have been included and will emulate the end user bypassing a zone via a VISTA keypad. Currently there are no variables and events for displaying a zones bypass status. The zones that are bypassed will however show up in the Keypad Display information just as they would with a Honeywell Alpha keypad.

- There are no commands to disable (un-bypass) a zone's bypass status, other than disarming the partition just as one would do from a Honeywell keypad.

- Force Zone Status Feedback commands have been included for use when manually adjusting the status of a zone is required. These commands will also signal the corresponding event in the driver. Caution when using these commands is advised as they will change the status of a zone pertaining to driver feedback which in turn may not reflect the actual state the zone is in. An example of how these commands may be used would be to change the zone to a "Ready" status after arming the system while a zone is still flagged as faulted. This should only be done if the EnvisaLink 3/4 never reports the zone as "Ready" on its own after the system has been armed and the zone has been verified not to be faulted anymore.

- A RAW Driver Command is implemented for any additional commands that may become available or have been omitted in the driver. Omit the framing documented in the EnvisaLink TPI documentation as the driver automatically takes care of the framing. Feedback may not be available for commands sent using the RAW driver Command.

Special Notes About Zone Status

- When the driver initializes, it sends the EnvisaLink 3/4 module the command for resetting the zone timers. This is the only way zone status can be polled from the EnvisaLink 3/4 module according to Eyez-On. When the driver gets any value other than zero for the zone timer the zone will show as faulted. If any zones are displayed as any level of red in the Eyez-On web interface, the zone will be initialized as faulted, but should reset to ready within 15 seconds as long as no partitions are in a non-ready state. The algorithm the EnvisaLink 3/4 uses to determine the level of the zone fault in the web interface may also provide a faulted state for a period of time even if the zone does not appear to have any level of red displayed in the interface. These zones should also reset after 15 seconds as long as no partitions are in a non-ready state.

- Not all Honeywell VISTA panels provide zone ready feedback but do provide zone faulted feedback. The EnvisaLink 3/4 intercepts this information and attempts to accurately provide feedback for these two states based off of certain parameters that the system is in, but it has been noticed during development that there may be issues where a zone will not be displayed as ready or the fault may not be triggered when the status has changed due to the timing algorithm the EnvisaLink 3/4 uses.

- This driver uses its own algorithm for zone ready status. When the EnvisaLink 3/4 notifies the driver of a zone fault or the keypad data shows a zone is faulted, the zone is flagged as faulted and the proper events and variables are adjusted. A timer for the zone is then started which after 15 seconds the driver will test all partition states. If no partition is in a fault state, the fault will then be cleared, and the events and variables adjusted. If any partition is in a faulted state, the routine will be repeated every 15 seconds until either the zone is cleared by the EnvisaLink 3/4, or all partitions are restored to a ready state.

- If a fault has not cleared and a partition's state changes to any value other than "Not Used", "Ready", "Ready To Arm", or "Exit Delay", the zone will continually show as faulted unless the EnvisaLink 3/4 actually updates the zone's status and relays the proper information to the driver.

This driver will NOT work with the EnvisaLink EVL-3 or EVL-4 Security Module when used and setup with DSC security panels.