core: Envisalink integration makes DSC physical keypad unavailable

The problem

The Envisalink integration causes the physical alarm keypad on a DSC alarm system go ‘Unavailable’ and the ‘Ready’ or ‘Armed’ lights to go out regularly every 5 seconds, preventing a user from interacting with the physical alarm keypad such as disarming with a code. It is also impossible to use the keypad to configure the alarm system since the keypad returns to the idle screen after every 5 seconds. A debug event is logged every time the ‘Unavailable’ message occurs (see log section).

Controlling the alarm system via the Envisalink integration and Eyez-on service webpage seems unaffected, but this critically affects the ability to control the alarm system from its own keypad. The issue is not encountered if the Envisalink integration is disabled or if Home Assistant is shut down. Factory reset the Envisalink 4 board does not change the issue.

Hardware: Envisalink Board: Eyez-on Envisalink 4 DSC (firmware 183 - latest) Alarm Panel: DSC Powerseries PC1832 Alarm Keypad: DSC Powerseries PK5501

What version of Home Assistant Core has the issue?

core-2022.2.1

What was the last working version of Home Assistant Core?

core-2021.12.10

What type of installation are you running?

Home Assistant OS

Integration causing the issue

Envisalink

Link to integration documentation on our website

https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/envisalink/

Diagnostics information

No response

Example YAML snippet

host: 10.0.0.80
panel_type: DSC
user_name: user
password: !secret envisalink_password
code: !secret envisalink_code
port: 4025
evl_version: 4
keepalive_interval: 60
zonedump_interval: 30
timeout: 10
panic_type: Police
partitions:
  1:
    name: 'Home'
zones:
  1:
    name: 'Lounge PIR'
    type: 'motion'
  2:
    name: 'Bedroom PIR'
    type: 'motion'
  3:
    name: 'Study PIR'
    type: 'motion'
  4:
    name: 'Bell Tamper'
    type: 'problem'
  5:
    name: 'Panel Tamper'
    type: 'problem'

Anything in the logs that might be useful for us?

2022-02-05 16:53:49 DEBUG (MainThread) [homeassistant.components.envisalink] The envisalink sent a partition update event
2022-02-05 16:53:54 DEBUG (MainThread) [homeassistant.components.envisalink] The envisalink sent a partition update event
2022-02-05 16:53:59 DEBUG (MainThread) [homeassistant.components.envisalink] The envisalink sent a partition update event

Additional information

No response

About this issue

Original URL
State: closed
Created 2 years ago
Reactions: 5
Comments: 37 (10 by maintainers)

Most upvoted comments

Ugh. These were my changes. Sorry about the mess. I’ll get a PR going.

I wasn’t aware (until now) that the DSC panels had an installer option to require a code for zone bypass. I was hoping to be able to also make this feature work when that option is enabled but it doesn’t look possible via the API available so I’ll just make this optional.

ufodone on Feb 9, 2022

Will do. I have a PR open for pyenvisalink (https://github.com/Cinntax/pyenvisalink/pull/21) right now. Once that is approved and a new version is pushed, I’ll get an HA PR open and post it here.

ufodone on Feb 9, 2022

So… is this already fixed?

Yes, it works like usual

dhcpy on Mar 11, 2022

SOeey if this is the wrong forums for questions, but what ARE bypass switches and how are they supped to work ?

The bypass switches allow you to turn on or off the bypass function on a zone. Eg. zone 1. When the alarm is armed, it trigger, alarm siren happens. But, if the bypass is turned on, on zone 1. even if zone 1 trigger while the alarm is armed, nothing will happen.

Basically, allow you to use software to turn off the function of a zone. HA will still see the zone changes, but the alarm itself will not act on it.

We have a window with burglar bars on for the main bedroom. On hot summer nights its nice to have them open to cool down the room with natural air while sleeping. And also, there is a beam outside it for outside movement. So the bypass allows us to keep it open while sleeping on summer nights.

tinuva on Feb 18, 2022

@tinuva I’ll try and get them re-enabled as an optional feature in the not too distant future.

ufodone on Feb 16, 2022

The same issue for my DSC system. A quick fix @zilvinasbin is working… but found second option.

This issue is a side effect of the two changes:

change in pyenvisalink : pyenvisalink/dsc_client.py line 261: self.keypresses_to_partition(1, “*1#”)
change of the DSC setup for command “[*][1] - Bypass (disarmed state)/Reactivate Stay/Away Zones (armed state)” :
- enabled: the code is required for Bypass option

The second quick and also dirty temporary change is to disable the code required to access the bypass feature, but this is for users who know how to configure DSC PC1616/PC1832/PC1864 system (!!!) :

installer code is required as a prerequisite
using option [*][8] [Installer Code] enter the section 015 change option 5 to off
NOTE: In case of any doubts please contact DSC professionals, improper use of the [*][8] may be destructive for Your alarm system

franciszek-koltuniuk-red on Feb 7, 2022

Thanks for pointing @yada75 , As a quick and dirty temporary fix I changed back module dependency to pyenvisalink ver. 4.0

{
  "domain": "envisalink",
  "name": "Envisalink",
  "documentation": "https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/envisalink",
  "requirements": ["pyenvisalink==4.0"],
  "codeowners": [],
  "iot_class": "local_push"
}

I’m using non of the new zone bypass features, so this solves my problems. at least for now.

zilvinasbin on Feb 6, 2022