2n Helios IP Vario binding

Hi everybody,
I’m making my Openhab system growing and I would like to add the 2n Helios IP Vario that I use as intercom. I’ve found some information here https://github.com/openhab/openhab2-addons/tree/master/addons but because I’m not so expert about Github I get confused reading.
I would be really interested in adding some intercom items in my Openhab, expecially two those would allow me to open two gate (I’ve an Helios IP Vario with an additional switch module).
The first thing is not clear to me is if this binding is available just for Openhab 2 or if it is possible to use it with the 1.8.3 version. In the first case I sure will have one more big reason to start to understand how to migrate to the 2 version, even if it seems to me the documentation is still not so good developed like the 1 version.
The second thing is: does it exist any documentation that I could start to read to understand this binding?
Thanks everybody will help me to get the right direction.
Bye,

Hi Marco,

I´ve got the same intercom her (not installed yet) and I´d like to see such a binding being available.
Never developed a binding on my own (lack of time), but from the postings here and the current state of
openHAB2 I´d say it is worth starting with OH2 and not going for the soon deprecated OH1.x.

Do you run the “Gold”-License ? There is plenty of documentation available for the Helios Vario, including
a very rich API.

In case you are looking for someone to test it feel free to let me know.

Cheers,
Thomas

Hello Thomas,
so you say that this new binding is being developed for OH 2. Yes, I guessed it too but I was hoping to have the possibility to add the intercom to my system, that is a OH 1.8.3, as soon as possible.
Unfortunately I’m not that expert to think to develop by myself a binding, even if it’s plenty of documentation. I’m not a IT professional neither someone similar, but I’m enthusiastic about building automation and I’m learning as much as I can about OH and other linked systems to use it for my house and for my profession too (I work in the architectural and construction field).
I’m actually learning how OH 1 works and in these days I’m starting to develop - with success, hurra! - my first automation rules with it. Moreover I’m trying to integrate all systems I have, and I need, in my house under OH control, 2n Helios IP Vario is one of them (I’ve the 3 buttons version, without camera, and I added one additional switch for a second gate in the garden - the software I use is the basic one, the normal license).
I already have in my mind that once my system will be complete and effective, then I’ll start to think to learn how to change to OH 2, but I have the impression that the documentation is still too hard to interpret for my actual OH knowledge and experience.
Actually I still have some doubts about this forum procedures, e.g. why, in the list of discussions, the title of this discussion appear grey and not black like the others?
So, it seems 2n Helios IP Vario binding is something about OH 2.
Bye bye.
Marco

Hello,
it seems somebody created the binding we spoked about in this discussion:

1 Like

Just updated to latest build, binding is now available in OH 2.3 unstable.
Thanks to @kgoderis ! Will give it a try on this weekend.

Yes, the binding is available in the snapshot build.
But what if somebody (like me :smile:) uses the stable version of Openhab2 and would anyway be happy to try the binding? Is it necessary to wait for the availability for the download through PaperUI in the stable version or is it possible to download the jar file?
Bye.

Thats why I have a second installation for the unstable version in a VM.
Install the binding, then search for eg. "* helios *.jar. Works for me and it´s easy.
Grab the file and put it into the addons-Directory of your stable version.

Guess you could get the file from the servers, but this is somehow convenient.

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Small update: I Installed the binding and gave it a try with my IP Vario.
It does exactly what I expected.
For each key pressed I get the corresponding events in openHab, so it is easy to react if someone is ringing at the door.
As I have 3 keys but only one bell I may use the other two to e.g. switch on the light in the driveway.
The only issue I see is that in the log it outputs the number for the key pressed as %1, %2 or %3.
Regards,
Thomas

Hello,
so I will try to find the time to create a second installation for the unstable version or I’ll eventually wait to upgrade for the Openhab2.3 stable when it will be available.

But until than moment I’m curious about some points of this binding:

  • Is it possible to use it with the base license or is it necessary to purchase a higher 2n license level?
  • The documentation about this binding is now included in the Openhab2 official documentation page (https://docs.openhab.org/addons/bindings/helios/readme.html); there, in the “Supported things” section, is written that the Helios IP Vario running the 2.7 or 2.21 version of the firmware are supported. I just downloaded and installed the 2.21 firmware version but the device already shows me a new possible update? Is the binding working with newer firmware too?
  • In the documentation is specified that some channels are supported in addiction for devices running the 2.13 firmware. I’ve installed the 2.21 firmware and, if I understand, I couldn’t use these four specific channels; I’m specifically interested in the switchstate channel (I can control two different gate switches with my device), is it with that channel possible to open the door locks with the binding?

Bye.

@kgoderis this is excellent news. Didn’t catch that a Helios binding is available!

Will this only work with the Helios IP Vario or is it supposed to work for other 2.21 firmware based Helios intercoms as well (e.g. Helios IP Uni)? The Uni has no video but if the keypressed / callstate channels would be available this would let me give it a try!

Cheers,
Bernd

@emme-oh

  • You do need the Gold license unfortunately (“Full HTTP API function is available with the Gold or Enhanced Integration licence only. Only Camera API a Switch API is available without this licence.”)
  • Newer firmwares should work. 2.7 uses a different API standard (WS-Notificiation), all 2.21 or newer firmwares use the HTTP API
  • switch state is available

@bernd_d It should work, but I have developed against the IP Vario because that is the only device class I do own myself.

@emme-oh I just checked the manuals (https://wiki.2n.cz/hip/elog/latest/en) and it does not really state in this part if the Basic license is OK.

Just to be clear, the binding uses the “Gold” HTTP API to command the Vario (open the door etc), and uses the Event logging API (which also runs over HTTP, but no word on what license that requires) to receives updates back from the device. If you want to fully use the binding, then a Gold license is necessary.

@kgoderis First of all, thank you for creating this binding.
I hope to try it soon (I’m running the Openhab 2.2 stable so I can’t download it yet and, as I wrote before, I haven’t found anywhere any jar file to put in the addons file).

I haven’t any special license, as my IP Vario is a quite basic one (just three buttons, no camera, no display, one additional switch for a second gate lock) but it makes what I need from it. When I’ll start to use it I’ll surely test it without any special license but maybe the binding could give me the functions I need (what I really need are info about states in my Openhab2 system, because the only action I want to make is to send ON/OFF to the switches but I already managed to do that starting a call through the exec binding and then using DTMF).

So, when I’ll have the possibility and the time to insert the binding in my system I’ll do some tests with its behavior with a “basic” license device (and if helpful I could post here the results). After that, if I’ll see that for the functions I would be happy to use a better license is needed, I guess I’ll have to build a cost-benefit analysis and then take an investment decision…

Thank you again for your work and for your answers.

Bye.

@emme-oh Marco, the forum does not allow to attach/upload binary files, but provide me an email address and I will send you the .jar

K

Interesting binding, hadn’t seen this before, will possibly have a look at it some time although working on other bits at the moment.

I have a 2N Helios IP Verso running firmware 2.21 without any active license.

I like the fact that there are always different solutions to a problem in IT. As I didn’t want to write a binding myself I found the syslog option in the Verso and used that to integrate messages and states in to OH. Running OH server on a linux box it was easy to turn on a syslog server, point Verso to report there with ‘Debug level 1’ set and I was suddenly getting all the notifications I wanted. A bit of filtering at the syslog level to remove some noise and then a little python script to parse the resulting log file and post events to OH.

Now when the door opens and the reed contact connected to the Verso goes open I get the message almost instantly in OH from Verso via syslog. Same for the electronic lock switch, RFID scanner valid/invalid access, user account access etc and the only bit I push at the Verso is to trigger the lock release which is done via the HTTP API:

executeCommandLine("curl --digest --user <user>:<password> -k https://<VersoIP>/api/switch/ctrl?switch=1&action=on", 2000)
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@kgoderis Karel, yesterday I sent you a PM with the e-mail address where you could send me the jar file of your binding. I write you here too because it was my first PM in the Openhab community, so it could be possible that I made mistakes and it didn’t reach you. When you’ll have the time to send the jar file, just in case you didn’t get my PM, let me know here and I’ll try to re-send it to you.
Bye.

Marco

Did you see my email? The .jar (even if zipped) is rejected by the google SMTP servers. Will do a WeTranfer today

@kgoderis
OK, I got the mail and I downloaded the file. I’ll start to test it and in the next days I’ll post here some results of the use with just the basic license.
Thank you.

@kgoderis I did a test install of the binding for my Helios IP UNI - no license available for this one,
but as I understood the HTTP API / Logging is used which I should have available according to my config screen:

I guess this looks similar in IP Vario but you have more Privileges available?
Which user do I need to put in the thing configuration? The UserID of logging into the Web server or this HTTP API account (I tried both without success) ?

The binding seems to communicate with the Helios IP UNI as I can see the firmware and basic information within PaperUI, but I get communication errors with the following error message and the Thing goes offline (flipping somehow, flooding openhab2.log with this error).

2018-02-08 21:16:12.168 [ERROR] [ding.helios.handler.HeliosHandler221] - An error occurred while communicating with the Helios IP Vario 'helios:ipvario221:aac9498e': code '8', param 'null' : 'invalid authentication method'

2018-02-08 21:18:32.002 [ERROR] [ding.helios.handler.HeliosHandler221] - An exception occurred while processing an event : 'null'
java.lang.NullPointerException: null
	at org.openhab.binding.helios.handler.HeliosHandler221$3.run(HeliosHandler221.java:699) [251:org.openhab.binding.helios:2.3.0.201802061951]
	at java.util.concurrent.Executors$RunnableAdapter.call(Executors.java:511) [?:?]
	at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.runAndReset(FutureTask.java:308) [?:?]
	at java.util.concurrent.ScheduledThreadPoolExecutor$ScheduledFutureTask.access$301(ScheduledThreadPoolExecutor.java:180) [?:?]
	at java.util.concurrent.ScheduledThreadPoolExecutor$ScheduledFutureTask.run(ScheduledThreadPoolExecutor.java:294) [?:?]
	at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1149) [?:?]
	at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:624) [?:?]
	at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:748) [?:?]

Which authentication method should be supported? Non, basic or digest?

It would really be great if the log information e.g. key pressed would also be available using the basic Logging API services without license.

Bernd