Resideo Posts

In 2021 we said goodbye to some products (here's lookin' at you, Qolsys IQ Panel 2) and hello to others. We'll take a look back on 2021 and highlight some of the changes we've seen in the industry. From new Alarm.com cameras to redesigned alarm panels, here's a look back at 2021, as it was.

January, 2021: The new year saw the release of the Alarm.com ADC-V515 Camera. This budget-friendly camera offers 1080p recording with High Dynamic Range (HDR) and a 110° field of view. The IR Night Vision feature has a range of ~15 feet. This is an indoor camera that connects to 2.4 GHz WIFI networks, and it supports the full suite of Video Analytics features.

We also said goodbye to the Honeywell 5877 Garage Door Relay. This product works in conjunction with the Honeywell Wireless Alarm Panels, with the exception of the ProSeries panels, to allow automation and remote control of a garage door. We said "Goodbye" to it in January, but we should have said "See you later" because in October we said "Hello" again! Alarm Grid was able to obtain a number of 5877s, and we'll continue to offer it until stock exhaustion. Since Honeywell has decided they will no longer produce it, at that point, it will be "Goodbye forever".

February, 2021: In February, Alarm.com announced the discontinuation of the ADC-SVR122. Although they still offer the ADC-CSVR126 this is a commercial version of the SVR122, and may not be suitable for the average residential user. In lieu of using a Stream Video Recorder, Alarm.com offers the Onboard Recording feature as an alternative to a traditional residential DVR. Click here for a list of cameras that support this feature.

March, 2021: In March, Resideo discontinued the IPCAM-WOC1, leaving their Total Connect 2.0 product with no outdoor camera option. Later in the year, they released a replacement, so TC2 users will have an outdoor camera choice, but until recently the IPCAM-WOC2 was on backorder due to supply chain issues. It is now available for purchase again and ready to ship!

Honeywell Home added the PROA7 panel to the ProSeries Lineup that they released late in 2020. In reality, the Honeywell Home PROA7 and PROA7PLUS are basically the same products as the Resideo PROA7C and PROA7PLUSC, but with different branding on the front of the panel. The PROA7 and PROA7C are "Lite" versions of the PROA7PLUS and PROA7PLUSC. The non-plus versions have no front-facing camera for disarm photos and don't support Bluetooth. They will support WIFI and Z-Wave, but don't come with the Honeywell Home PROWIFIZW built-in. For these panels, if you want WIFI, but no Z-Wave, you can choose to add the Honeywell Home PROWIFI module instead. All of the ProSeries panels support the addition of either the PROLTE-A or PROLTE-V LTE Cellular Communicators and the Honeywell Home PROTAKEOVER legacy wireless takeover module.

April, 2021: In April, 2GIG released the 2GIG Edge. They teased their newest panel for quite some time, via its own countdown webpage. After a couple of release date changes, on April 1, 2021 it became available. The Edge was an instant sensation, with a number of industry awards in addition to an honorable mention. The Edge has a strong feature set, and comes in both an Edge AT&T LTE and an Edge Verizon LTE version. Dual-path ready, with 100 Zones, 100 User Codes, Z-Wave Plus V2, and Facial Recognition Arming and Disarming, the Edge is an excellent option for a new and modern security system.

May, 2021: With the release of the 2GIG Edge, the GC3e was discontinued upon stock exhaustion. Alarm Grid originally retained some stock of the product, and offered it at an attractive price for a limited time, until our stock was exhausted. The 2GIG GC3e has now gone the way of the dinosaurs. Also in May, Alarm.com announced new support for Ecobee Smart Thermostats via server-to-server integration.

June, 2021: Alarm.com announced the release of some new System Enhancement Modules (SEM) to support the Honeywell VISTA-10P, VISTA-15P, VISTA-20P, and VISTA-21iP panels. These are Dual-Path communicators with lower power consumption than their predecessors, with the ability to be used without an external power supply. The ADC-SEM300-VT-AT uses AT&T LTE while the ADC-SEM300-VT-VZ uses Verizon LTE.

In June, Qolsys also introduced two (2) Smart Water Valve Kits. The Qolsys IQWV908-KIT-PG includes the DSC PG9985 PowerG Flood Sensor coupled with Qolsys' Z-Wave Plus 700-Series Smart Water Valve. With these two products, you can have your system sense a water leak in the early stages, and through an Alarm.com Automation Rule, automatically turn off the water until the issue can be resolved. The PowerG sensor provides exceptional wireless transmitting range. It can work up to 4,000 feet (1219m) away from a Qolsys IQ Panel 4 without a repeater being required, and will work with all variations of that panel.

Qolsys also introduced the Qolsys IQWV908-KIT-SL. This kit includes the same great Z-Wave water valve, but with a Qolsys IQ Flood-S 319.5 MHz flood sensor for use with the Qolsys IQ Panel 2 & 2 Plus 319.5 MHz version or Qolsys IQ Panel 4 AT&T 319.5 Mhz version or Qolsys IQ Panel 4 Verizon 319.5 MHz version, or even one of the Interlogix panels that support the 319.5 MHz frequency. This flood sensor will only work with the 319.5 MHz version panels, so be certain which panel you have when ordering.

Resideo and Honeywell Home introduced a firmware update for the Honeywell Home PROA7 and PROA7PLUS, and the Resideo PROA7C and PROA7PLUSC that enabled programming through the panel touchscreen (or via a remote touchscreen keypad, the PROWLTOUCH or PROWLTOUCHC). Many users had been waiting not-so-patiently for this update, particularly DIY users who prefer to handle their own panel programming. Prior to this update, referred to as MR3, only an alarm dealer could program the ProSeries panels and only remotely via AlarmNet360 or via the AlarmNet360 Mobile App.

And finally, in June we discovered that the 2GIG Edge had a limitation with regard to using Image Sensors. Namely, that at the time of the panel's release, the 2GIG IMAGE3 only behaved like any other motion sensor when paired with the panel. It did not provide any alarm images, or the ability to peek in. Fortunately, in August 2GIG released Firmware Version 3.1.0.011, which solved this issue.

July, 2021: Honeywell Home announced in July the addition of the PROSIXRPTR Encrypted Wireless Repeater. Up to two (2) repeaters can be used with each ProSeries system and each repeater increases the range for PROSIX and SiX Series sensors by about 200 feet (60m).

Qolsys released the Qolsys IQ WIFI just ahead of ISC West. This product allows the alarm dealer to control all, or a portion of the customer's network to provide for easier alarm system integration to WIFI, as well as easier remote troubleshooting. Up to eight (8) IQ WIFI devices can be used per network with one (1) behaving as the controller, while up to seven (7) behave as agents. Locally, the IQ WIFIs can be configured using the touchscreen on a Qolsys panel (IQ Panel 2 must be version 2.6.0 or higher).

Z-Wave continued to evolve in 2021, and we began to move up from Z-Wave Plus to Z-Wave Plus V2 products. Z-Wave Plus uses the 500-Series Chipset, while Z-Wave Plus V2 uses the 700-Series Chipset. The 2GIG Edge uses a Z-Wave Plus V2 Chip as does the Qolsys IQ Panel 4. We've received no word on when, or if the ProSeries panels from Resideo and Honeywell Home will move up from the 500-Series Chipset to the 700-Series. You can read about the differences between the versions of Z-Wave here.

August, 2021: August was a sad month for us at Alarm Grid. We lost our beloved, and prolific writer Michael Goris suddenly and unexpectedly. Not only did Michael write about everything having to do with alarms, he was also featured in many of our videos, particularly once COVID-19 hit hard and we couldn't all always be in the office together. We miss you Michael.

Resideo and Honeywell Home announced compatibility issues between certain of their 6160RF keypads and the 5800WAVE or 5800RL products. The issue had to do with the 6160RF not sending correct status information from the panel to the 5800WAVE or 5800RL. This issue affected keypads manufactured between May 26, 2020 and February 18, 2021. You can read the full post about it here to determine if you have a keypad that may be affected.

September, 2021: Resideo and Honeywell Home announced in September that the Weather feature on the TUXWIFIW and TUXWIFIS would no longer be available. This, after they had issues for months with the information for this screen not updating properly. In the final week of December, we received good news that this issue has been resolved and that the weather for these products is now operating as it should!

On another positive note, the Resideo and Honeywell home ProSeries panels won the CEPro Best Product Award. Specifically, they won the award for Best Integrated Security System/Module/Device/Surveillance Camera System. You can read the full announcement here.

October, 2021: In October, Alarm.com announced the release of the Alarm.com ADC-V724 their first outdoor camera that supports 2-way audio. In addition, it supports the full suite of video analytics, and onboard recording, it also supports dual-band WIFI and IR Night Vision with a range of up to 49 feet (15m). This camera came out just in time for homeowners to really mess with the trick-or-treaters in their neighborhood using the 2-way audio feature!

In October we also got a sneak-peek at the new Resideo IPCAM-WOC2, which replaced the IPCAM-WOC1. Briefly, we had a new supply of outdoor cameras that were compatible with Total Connect 2.0, however we sold out pretty quickly. Supply chain issues had this camera back on the unavailable list but as of December, 2021 it is back in stock and ready to ship.

Resideo and Honeywell Home announced in October that with Firmware Version 03.592.107.0 for the ProSeries panels the Honeywell Home PROTAKEOVER Legacy RF Receiver module will now support wireless life-safety devices. Although you can now program any supported legacy RF device for life-safety, the Honeywell 5800 Series wireless devices have actually been tested to ETL standards for Residential Fire. This update also brought other exciting features and fixes. You can read all about them here.

November, 2021: This is the sad month we knew would come when the Qolsys IQ Panel 4 was announced earlier in the year. In November, Qolsys announced the End of Life for the Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus 319.5 MHz panel versions. Users can now purchase the IQ Panel 4 in the 319.5 MHz flavor. As supply chain issues abate, the IQ Panel 4 345 MHz option, and the 433 MHz option will become available, and as they do, their corresponding IQ Panel 2 Plus versions will also be discontinued.

We also discovered in November that the IQ Panel 4 will only support the newest version of the Qolsys IQ Remote. An easy way to tell if you have the newest version of the IQ Remote is to look for the front-facing camera. If the camera is in the top center, you have a newer keypad. If the camera is in the upper-right corner, then you have an older IQ Remote that won't work with the IQ Panel 4. Read our full notice on this information.

December, 2021: In December we received critical notices from both Alarm.com/Qolsys and AlarmNet that a couple of their products will require a firmware update prior to the 2022 AT&T 3G Sunset. For AlarmNet, any Lyric Controller with a LYRICLTE-A AT&T LTE Communicator installed must be updated prior to 02/22/22. Read the full notice from AlarmNet and Resideo. The Verizon communicators are not affected by this notice.

On the Alarm.com side, the Qolsys IQ Panel 2 and IQ Panel 2 Plus panels with an AT&T LTE Cellular Communicator also require an update prior to 02/22/22. In some cases, the panel firmware needs to be updated first, before the cellular firmware update can be implemented. Read the full notice on the Alarm.com update requirement. Again, the Verizon versions of these products are not affected.

So that's it, 2021 in a nutshell. As is usually the case, it has been a year full of ups and downs. We have seen a lot of positive change in our industry. The era of COVID-19 has exposed some opportunities in the physical safety world that may not otherwise have been considered without the pandemic having occurred. Touchless doorbells, and biometric system control are just a couple of things that have come to fruition during this time. I don't know about you, but I can't wait to see what 2022 has in store for us.

In October Alarm Grid received a limited supply of the new IPCAM-WOC2, which sold out quickly. Since that time, Total Connect has been without an outdoor camera option. We're happy to announce that the Resideo IPCAM-WOC2 is back in stock, ready to ship. If you've been waiting, wait no more.

As we reported in October, the IPCAM-WOC2 is the updated replacement for the discontinued IPCAM-WOC1. The two items look almost identical, with the IPCAM-WOC2 having an internal BlueTooth Antenna, as opposed to an external one on the wire dongle. The reset switch has also been redesigned to be slightly easier to reach once the camera is mounted.

In October, we had ten (10) of these cameras available, and they sold out pretty quickly. Since then, we've been waiting for this, and many other items' stock to be replenished, and today we got the word that the Total Connect 2.0 outdoor camera option is available once again. Hopefully, this will be the first of many items to have their stock replenished.

The IPCAM-WOC2 is an outdoor camera with an IP66 rated housing. It captures video in 1080p HD and can connect to a 2.4 GHz WIFI network. It has a 117.0° diagonal field of view, which provides excellent coverage. It has superior night vision capabilities compared to the IPCAM-WOC1, and also supports audio analytics with intelligent sound detection. It supports a MicroSD card for backup storage in the event the network connection goes down, and comes with a 16 GB card included.

As with the other Resideo HD cameras supported by Total Connect 2.0, the IPCAM-WOC2 uses a QR Code generated on a smart device in order to be associated with the proper Total Connect 2.0 account. For this reason, it is best to configure the camera with the account prior to actually mounting it in its final location. Doing so may prevent a few extra trips up and down a ladder. Pairing the camera with the account prior to installation also allows you to verify the installation location and viewing angle before you permanently tighten everything down in the installation.

What do you think about the IPCAM-WOC2 and its availability? Have you been waiting impatiently to purchase a Total Connect 2.0 compatible outdoor camera? Is there some other product you're waiting for? Leave a comment below and let us know. We always look forward to hearing from you.

Users of the Lyric Alarm System with an LYRICLTE-A AT&T LTE Communicator installed take note. Resideo has identified an issue where, after the AT&T 3G sunset on 02/22/22, any panel not properly updated will lose its connection with the cellular network. This issue does not affect Verizon units.

The firmware version that resolves this issue is 01.09.07772.494, and it is available now on the Resideo AlarmNet360 servers. The issue at play here is that the AT&T cellular communicator currently falls back on the 3G network when it can't connect to LTE. Once an LYRICLTE-A communicator is registered, it looks for both an LTE signal and a 3G one. Without this critical firmware update, these communicators would continue to look for a 3G signal after the 3G sunset. Being unable to find a 3G signal, they will lose connection and go offline.

Users who find themselves in this situation have a few options. If you are a Lyric Alarm System user with the AT&T LTE communicator installed, you can choose to go ahead and manually update your system now. The system needs to be disarmed and have no trouble conditions present in order for the firmware update to go through, so a manual update allows you to choose a time when it is disarmed and ready. It also allows you to confirm that the update was successful after you see your panel reboot.

Since this is a critical update, AlarmNet will begin automatically updating panels that are affected by this issue starting on December 8, 2021. Since a firmware update can only go through when the panel is disarmed with no troubles, any users with a zone trouble, or a low battery message that they have been putting off correcting, should go ahead and take care of the issue. Once all trouble conditions are clear and the system is disarmed, we recommend that you go ahead and manually perform the firmware update. Instructions for updating are linked above.

If your system is automatically updated, it will reboot as part of the update process, so don't be alarmed if you see this happen. Step 3 in the FAQ on updating the panel linked above shows you how to confirm the panel's firmware version. So, if you see your panel reboot you can verify that an update was successfully completed.

Any Lyric Controller with a LYRICLTE-A AT&T LTE Communicator that is being installed on or after 02/22/22 will need to be updated to firmware version 01.09.07772.494 via the built-in WIFI communicator before the LYRICLTE-A will work properly. The firmware update should be completed prior to the installation of the LYRICLTE-A. The LYRICLTE-V Verizon LTE Communicator is not affected by this issue. You can read the full notice from Resideo here.

Local Alarm Mode, also called Demo Mode, is a way for an alarm dealer to demonstrate the full features of the panel without having to register it to an AlarmNet360 account. However, while in this mode, panel communications can't be configured. A panel in this mode can seem to be broken.

Alarm Grid has seen several of the Honeywell Home PROA7, Honeywell Home PROA7PLUS, Resideo PROA7C, and Resideo PROA7PLUSC panels recently that have either arrived with Local Alarm Mode enabled, or have been put into this mode during initial setup. Once Local Alarm Mode has been enabled, it is impossible to configure the panel communication settings until Local Alarm Mode has been toggled off.

Local Alarm Mode is a valuable tool that has been made available to alarm dealers so that they can demo these new panels for a customer in spite of the fact that the panel isn't associated with an account. This was particularly important when the panel was first introduced because there was no local programming. For those early panels, until the ProSeries panel was registered, it couldn't do much unless Local Alarm Mode had been enabled.

This was a great tool at the time for alarm dealers, but for DIY customers, it doesn't offer much in the way of benefits. Now that the panel has local panel programming available, there really is no reason for an Alarm Grid customer to want to use this feature. Whether the panel arrived with this feature enabled, or the feature was enabled during programming, once the customer decides to have the system monitored, whether self monitored, or with central station monitoring, Local Alarm Mode should be disabled.

To check to see if Local Alarm Mode is enabled or disabled, choose the Menu icon (≡) at the bottom center of the Home screen. Select Tools > Installer Code (default is 4112) > Local Alarm Mode. The feature can then be toggled OFF if it is enabled. If it was enabled and you toggle it off, you'll see a confirmation screen, click on the "YES, DISABLE" option.

If you've been using the system with Local Alarm Mode enabled, and you have signed up for alarm monitoring with Alarm Grid, be sure to toggle this feature OFF as soon as possible. Depending on which monitoring plan you sign up for, activation of your account may begin immediately after sign up, and having this feature enabled at that time can cause delays. This is particularly true of the Self-Monitoring options. If you signed up for a central station monitoring plan, just be sure to disable this feature prior to your activation appointment.

Update 12/02/21:

We have confirmed with Resideo and at least one customer that the issues regarding the syncing of Automation between all versions of the Tuxedo Keypads, and the VAM have been resolved and that remote control of Z-Wave devices has returned to normal. Users should now be able to remotely control Z-Wave Automation Devices during any Total Connect 2.0 session. Any Alarm Grid customer that notices issues like this in the future, please report it to support@alarmgrid.com.

Update 11/26/21:

On Tuesday of this week, Resideo announced an update meant to fix this issue. Apparently, it fixed the portion of the issue where all Automation Syncs were failing, but did not address the issue with being unable to control Z-Wave Devices remotely.

There is something of a workaround for this portion of the issue at this time. During the TC2 session where a successful Automation Sync occurs, you can control Z-Wave devices remotely. Once you end that TC2 session and begin another one, you will lose that ability. So, for now, if you need to control a Z-Wave device remotely, perform a sync, and once you see in the Activity Log that the Automation Sync was successful, you will be able to control Z-Wave devices until the current TC2 session ends. Stay tuned and we will provide further updates as this issue is resolved.

Original Post:

In the last couple of weeks, Alarm Grid has noticed several customers with VAM and Tuxedo Keypads (all versions) having trouble syncing Z-Wave devices with Total Connect 2.0. This prevents newly added Z-Wave devices from showing up in TC2, though local control at the device is still available.

This issue doesn't seem to affect Total Connect 2.0 accounts associated with AiO (All-in-One) panels such as the Lyric Controller and the Honeywell Home PROA7PLUS. Accounts with these panel types should be working fine. It is unknown exactly what the problem is, and there is currently no workaround available. We've been in touch with Resideo and Honeywell Home and they are aware of the problem, but there is no Estimated Time of Resolution (ETR) for a fix.

You can continue to add and remove Z-Wave devices locally at the VAM or Tuxedo. But any changes that are made locally at the Z-Wave controller will not be synced to Total Connect 2.0. This means that any device deleted locally will continue to show up in TC2, and any device added locally will not show up in Total Connect 2.0 until this issue is resolved and a successful automation sync occurs.

Any device that currently shows up in Total Connect 2.0, and still exists in the Tuxedo or VAM CANNOT be controlled remotely through TC2. When an attempt to perform an Automation Sync occurs, there is no Automation Sync Failed, or Automation Sync Successful message displayed in TC2 Activity. Status changes from the Z-Wave device to TC2 seem to be coming through fine. It's only the sync process and remote control that seem to be having issues.

Alarm Grid is working with Resideo and Honeywell Home, and as soon as this issue is resolved, we'll post about it here. We posted information earlier this year about the Tuxedo Keypads and VAM Automation Controllers not updating the weather properly. We don't know if this current issue is related to the previous one, but we hope that it will be resolved soon. Stay tuned to our blog for updates.

Resideo and Honeywell Home have just released Firmware Version 03.592.107.0 for the PROA7 and PROA7PLUS panels. This update allows the PROTAKEOVER module to support 5800 Series life-safety sensors like the 5808W3, 5800CO, and more. In addition, it offers some other features and improvements.

There are four (4) different panels in the Resideo and Honeywell Home ProSeries lineup. The Honeywell Home PROA7, and Honeywell Home PROA7PLUS, and the Resideo PROA7C and Resideo PROA7PLUSC. The 03.592.107.0 Firmware Version applies to all of them. The differences between the Resideo versions and the Honeywell Home versions are purely cosmetic. You can find details about that in a previous post.

The biggest news in this firmware release is the addition of life-safety support when using the PROTAKEOVER module. For the Honeywell 5800 Series legacy RF sensors, the use of life-safety sensors such as the 5808W3, 5806W3, 5800CO, and others has actually been ETL tested and passed to the UL Residential Fire standard. When taking over a CO detector, be sure to check the expiration date. CO detectors are usually good anywhere from six (6) to ten (10) years. Life-safety sensors from any of the other manufacturers supported by the PROTAKEOVER, including DSC (433 MHz), Bosch (433 MHz), 2GIG (345 MHz), Qolsys, and Interlogix (319.5 MHz), can be used, but they will not meet the ETL listing requirement.

When life-safety devices are used with the PROTAKEOVER the functionality for Loop 2 becomes automatic. For sensors programmed for Fire, Loop 2 automatically becomes the Maintenance (Clean Me) input. For those programmed as Carbon Monoxide, Loop 2 automatically becomes the End-of-Life input. For this reason, if you use a 5817CB or 5817CBXT, for something such as a wired heat detector input, you MUST strap out the loop 2 input, either with a wire jumper or a resistor, depending on which 5817 you're using, and you cannot use that input for a zone on the system.

Although the addition of life-safety support for legacy RF sensors is the big news in this firmware release, it is by no means the only news. This revision adds the ability to enable or disable on-screen panic alarms. It also adds the ability to program scenes via Total Connect 2.0 that pertain to alarm panel arming and disarming events only. Even if the panel itself doesn't have a PROWIFIZW module installed (Smart Home monitoring plan is still required). Prior to this release, if you had no intention of using Z-Wave devices, but you still wanted to program your system to arm or disarm based on a schedule, you couldn't do so unless you installed a Z-Wave controller in the panel.

Below, we'll list all the added or updated features with an explanation of each:

• Zone Response Type Enhancement: The Device Type "Other" now offers the option to enable Chime. The PROSIXC2W now supports 24-Hour panic response types including 24-hour Silent, 24-Hour Audible, 24-Hour Medical, & 24-Hour Auxiliary. All Device and Response Types are now available when enrolling wireless zones using the PROTAKEOVER module.
• LCD Keypad (PROSIXLCDKP) Enhancement: Now, when a Duress Code is entered at the wireless LCD keypad, only the 4-digit code is required. Previously, users would have to enter the 4-digit code + OFF [1].
• Quiet Time Feature Added: The PROWLTOUCH Keypad now participates in Quiet Time (10:00 pm - 8:00 am). This means that non-emergency Trouble conditions, and Low Battery troubles will not sound the keypad during this time, though they will display. Included in this list are Communicator Trouble, System Low Battery, RF Transmitter Low Battery, RF Jam Trouble, AC Loss, and PROWLTOUCH Supervision Trouble. Sensor Tamper, and RF Supervision will sound. At 8:00 am, if the non-emergency trouble condition still exists, it will sound. This feature is automatic. It cannot be disabled, and the times cannot currently be changed, though that may change in future revisions.
• Additional PROWLTOUCH Enhancements: While in backlight timeout, if the keypad reconnects to WIFI for any reason, the keypad will not illuminate. Keypad supervision is now defaulted as "Disabled". If a system has PROWLTOUCH keypad supervision enabled, updating to this version will NOT disable it. The Wireless Touchscreen keypad can now only be enrolled when the main panel is not in program mode. This prevents conflicts with the PROSIXLCD which MUST be added through panel programming. An issue has been corrected where, if the keypad locked up, the battery had to be removed and re-installed in order to reset the keypad. The Indoor MotionViewer (PROINDMV) clips can now be played back on the PROWLTOUCH as well as on the main panel.
• End-user Can Push User Codes to Z-Wave Locks From TC2: Whew, that was a mouthful! Any Total Connect 2.0 Admin user can now create a user code and send it to a Z-Wave lock via either the Mobile App, or the Website. They have the option to both Push the User to the Lock, and allow the Lock Disarm by that User to automatically Disarm the system.
  
  
• Improved TC2 Behavior During a Z-Wave Lock Jam: Previously, when a lock jam condition was displayed, the only option available was to physically go to the lock and toggle the lock position. Total Connect 2.0 now gives you the option to attempt to Lock or Unlock through the app or website.
• Z-Wave Lock User Code Sync Improvement: In the past, setting the panel user code to match the Yale lock user code would cause issues. This is still not recommended, but the behavior should be improved.
• Security Scenes Available in TC2 Without PROWIFIZW: There is no longer a hardware requirement that the panel have the Z-Wave Controller installed in order to create TC2 Scenes pertaining to security panel-only scenes. Currently, the security system scheduling is only available for Partition 1, and a plan that includes automation (Smart Home) is still required.
• Improved Skybell and TC2 Syncing: Some doorbell cameras were having issues syncing with TC2 after the previous firmware update. Those issues should be resolved.
• Improved PROSIX RF Signal Level Indication: The system now refreshes signal level for PROSIX devices immediately upon entering walk-test mode.
• Improved TC2 Camera List Sync: In the past, it was sometimes necessary to Sync the panel twice to get an accurate camera list. This has been improved.
• Partition Master User Enhancements: A Partition Master User can now only see event logs for the partition(s) they are authorized for.
• Language Corrections: Improvements in translations for both French and Spanish.
• Cyber Security Updates: Ongoing Cyber Security maintenance, as well as other bug fixes.

This firmware update can currently only be installed via WIFI. Any account communicating via cellular only will need to be connected to a mobile hotspot or other "WIFI" option before it can be updated. The size of this update is approximately 8MB.

This is a huge update with a lot of feature additions and some user-recommended improvements. Leave a comment below and let us know what you think about the ProSeries panel and the 3.5 update. As always, we look forward to hearing from you!

When it comes to alarm panels behaving as Z-Wave Controllers, it should be easy to determine if a device is compatible or not. However, we've found that in some cases, not all Z-Wave devices are equal. Z-Wave locks by Schlage have been known to have compatibility issues with certain panels.

Alarm Grid has often stated in our documentation that we prefer that our customers use the Yale or Kwikset Z-Wave locks. We've seen issues with Schlage locks over the years and we haven't really gotten satisfactory answers as to why. We've had customers tell us that they've worked with Schlage, and we have worked with Resideo and Honeywell Home. Sometimes they will work, but other times the customer winds up changing to a different lock manufacturer, or just not using the locks with their panel.

When you look at the most current Lyric Z-Wave Compatibility Chart, which is dated 05/19, and is an official document produced by Honeywell Home, it shows that Schlage Z-Wave locks are compatible. This information is based on engineering and quality assurance testing. But testing and daily use are two different things. Engineers can never think up every scenario to test, no matter how hard they may try. So, once a customer attempts to use the products together in their own home or business, some unforeseen factors may arise and cause issues.

We recently had a customer attempting to use a Schlage Z-Wave lock with a Lyric Security System. When the lock is paired with the panel, the batteries drain very quickly, within one to two weeks. When the lock is used as a stand-alone device, the batteries appear to have a normal life. So, we asked Resideo Technical Support for their input. They suggested that the Schlage locks not be used with the Lyric, ProSeries, or Tuxedo products at this time. There is some conflicting information, certain locks may work with the ProSeries panels while others do not, but it may be best to avoid Schlage locks with these panels for now unless you can wait to use the panel and lock together until the issues are resolved.

The Lynx Series panels appear to support the Schlage locks when the L5100-ZWAVE is employed, but certain conditions must be met. The lock and the panel must be within 12 inches of one another during the pairing process, and must remain at this distance for a full two (2) minutes before either is moved. This allows the full pairing process to be completed. Also, the handing process must be completed immediately following pairing. Resideo engineers are working with Schlage to resolve any issues with those panels that have them, and they hope to have a resolution some time soon, possibly in early 2022.

If you have any thoughts about Schlage Z-Wave locks and their use with any of the Resideo or Honeywell Home alarm systems, drop a comment in the area below and lets get a conversation started. We offer feedback directly to all our vendors on behalf of our customers. We're honored to be your voice.

Alarm Grid has obtained an extremely limited supply of the brand new Resideo IPCAM-WOC2 WIFI, outdoor, 1080p camera, compatible with Total Connect 2.0. After the announcement in March, 2021 that the IPCAM-WOC1 was discontinued, Resideo and Honeywell Home were left with no outdoor camera option.

Our blog in March announced that the Honeywell IPCAM-WOC1 would be discontinued. At the time, we didn't know why the camera was being discontinued. There wasn't a lot of information available then about why it was discontinued, or whether there would ever be a replacement. With Alarm.com releasing new variations of their cameras at a fast and furious pace, we were left to wonder what Resideo was thinking.

In July, 2021, we passed on to our readers that either the IPCAM-WOC1 (also sometimes referred to as the Lyric OC1) would make a return, or if not a return, that it would possibly be replaced with something very similar. It came to light that the reason the outdoor camera had been discontinued in the first place was that certain components involved in its production were no longer being produced.

Resideo was unable to source those same components elsewhere, so they are preparing to release the IPCAM-WOC2. This camera is technically not even released yet, so we don't have official documentation, with the exception of a Quick Install Guide, which frankly, contains several errors. For starters, we know for a fact that the image of the camera and its components used in the guide is incorrect. This document, much like the camera itself, will soon be receiving a face lift.

Some of the things that we know are updated in the IPCAM-WOC2, as compared to the IPCAM-WOC1 are: The Bluetooth Antenna is internal on the IPCAM-WOC2. It was external (part of the big wiring bundle) on the IPCAM-WOC1. The WOC2 will support Audio Analytics, with intelligent sound detection. The WOC1 did not support audio. The IPCAM-WOC2 comes with a 16 GB MicroSD card pre-installed, the IPCAM-WOC1 came with a 8 GB card. These are just a few things that we know about, when the full specs are released, we will update our product description with the full gamut of features and specifications.

If you've been waiting to get your hands on an outdoor 1080p camera that's compatible with Total Connect 2.0, now is your chance to pick one up. Given all the supply chain issues revolving around the global chip shortage, this is one of a handful of products that we know is currently in stock. But you had better hurry, because supplies are extremely limited. Once the units we have in stock are gone, we will likely have to wait for the full product release before we can offer any more.

Resideo Technologies recently released a technical notification (TN #69) outlining an issue with the CELL-ANT3DB External Antenna kits. It seems that for some time, these kits have included an incorrect mounting bracket. Without the correct mounting bracket, proper mounting is not possible.

Update provided by Resideo!

The Resideo CELL-ANT3DB External Antenna kit is an outdoor rated antenna kit that supports a number of different cellular frequency bands. In addition to simply moving the antenna from the mounting location of the radio to a location outside, the CELL-ANT3DB also provides up to 3dB of signal gain to improve cellular reception for the AlarmNet communicator.

To resolve this issue, Resideo has released the technical notice listed here. All current stock has been called back and reworked to have the incorrect bracket replaced with the correct one. If you are purchasing a new CELL-ANT3DB, you can check the barcode sticker on the box. If there is a Green Dot on this sticker, the product has been through the rework process and has the correct bracket.

Image showing a reworked product with the Green Dot clearly visible:

If you recently purchased a CELL-ANT3DB from Alarm Grid and you believe your product has the incorrect bracket, contact us at support@alarmgrid.com and we will verify whether your product is affected, and will arrange to have the correct bracket shipped to you if it is. The information in the technical notice is lacking a bit, so in addition we've contacted the product manager to see if we can get some more data on either date codes affected, or images that show us what the incorrect bracket looks like, as opposed to the correct bracket. We will update this post with more information when/if it becomes available.

Update September 28, 2021

We heard from Resideo today that this issue affects a very small number of units. This error occurred on only three (3) days of production. Date codes E215, E222, and E223 are the affected production days. You can see the date code in the image above. It shows E256. If you purchase a CELL-ANT3DB Kit with one of the affected date codes, and the box has the green circle sticker mentioned and shown above, then your product is good to go. If you purchase a product with date code E256 or later, whether it has a green dot or not, the product is also good. If you purchase a product with date code E215, E222, or E223, and it does not have the green dot sticker, then you need to request a replacement mounting bracket.

Resideo's Pro Series Products, including the PROA7PLUS with Amazon Alexa built in, the PROWIFIZW, PROLTE-A, PROLTE-V and all of its other peripherals have won CEPro's BEST Award for Best Integrated Security System/Module/Device/Surveillance Cameras system. This is a big win for Resideo.

Each year, CEPro Magazine announces the winners of their BEST Awards at the CEDIA Expo. CEDIA is the Custom Electronics Design and Installation Association. It represents professionals in the home automation/smart technology industry. This is the biggest trade show geared specifically toward smart home and automation integrators.

The CEDIA Expo, owned and operated by EmeraldX, LLC. was held in Indianapolis this year beginning on September 1. The 2021 show returned to an in-person format after the 2020 show was canceled due to concerns about COVID-19. Exhibitors and attendees alike were happy to meet in person once again.

The Integrated Security System/Module/Device/Surveillance Cameras award is given in the Control and Automation Category. Some other awards in this segment were for Lighting, Lighting Controls & Accessories, which was won by the Alisse Wall Control which is offered by Lutron Electronics, Motorized Shade Controls & Accessories, which was awarded to Somfy Systems for their PoE Touch Panel Room Controller. There were a number of other categories and winners.

Resideo's Honeywell Home Pro Series Products offer a comprehensive platform to support existing legacy RF sensors using the PROTAKEOVER module (available separately or in one of our kits). With the PROTAKEOVER, a customer can replace an older alarm system that used older wireless technology without having to also replace every single sensor.

This saves both time and money, allowing the customer to concentrate on adding more automation devices, or new sensors in areas that weren't protected before. For example, by not having to replace all of the existing burglary sensors, a homeowner may be able to add smoke detectors or other life safety sensors that are tied to the alarm system where they didn't have this type of protection on the older system. The PROTAKEOVER can support wireless devices from the Honeywell or 2GIG 345 MHz lineup (one or the other, but not both), sensors from the Qolsys or Interlogix/GE 319.5 MHz lineup, and 433 MHz Bosch, or 433 MHz DSC sensors.

The PROA7PLUS comes with the PROWIFIZW already installed. This module adds support for WIFI (802.11 b/g/n 2.4 GHz only) as well as Z-Wave (908 MHz North American frequency). One of the big differences between the PROA7PLUS and the PROA7 is that the PROA7 does not have a WIFI module installed from the factory. Support for WIFI can be added using the PROWIFIZW, or if Z-Wave is not going to be used, then the PROWIFI can be installed. This modular design means that you will only pay for what you intend to use.

The modular design also means that if a component should fail, only the component needs to be replaced, rather than the entire panel. In the future, when technology changes and either WIFI or cellular technology requires an update, only the modules will have to be replaced in order to keep the panel current. If you've ever had to replace a panel with numerous security sensors, or Z-Wave automation devices, you'll know that this alone makes the Pro Series panels worth considering.

With built-in Amazon Alexa for both the PROA7PLUS panel itself, and the PROWLTOUCH Pro Wireless Touchscreen Keypad you can control the system as well as automation devices using just your voice and the Total Connect 2.0 Skill for Alexa. Some of the Alexa features supported are flash briefings, weather, time, add to calendar, create shopping lists, answer general questions, and more. Some features that are not supported are the ability to read books aloud (Audible) and the ability to place calls or Drop-in to another Alexa device.

Tell us what you think of the Resideo and Honeywell Home Pro Series Panels. Do you think these new panels are worthy of accolades? Have you had an experience with one of these systems that you'd like to tell us about? Leave a comment below, we'd love to hear what you think.