Month: September 2023

bookmark_borderIssue 52 – It’s SeptembAAARRRR!

Posted on by Holly Bechtler
Avast, Smart Home Pros!

September is here, and with it, International Talk Like a Pirate Day! That be the truth of it, matey! The 19th of September is a day that’ll shiver your timbers with all things nautical, piratical, and… um… something-else-ical. 
International Talk Like a Pirate Day started as a joke in 1995, but gained traction in 2002 when it was covered by syndicated humorist and land-lubber Dave Barry. We on the Education Team will be celebrating, and if Technical Support answers the phone with “Ahoy!” at least you’ll know what’s up. So if some scurvy bilge rat asks if your company plans to celebrate, we urge you to tell them, “We arrr!”
So grab this salty newsletter, pour a mug o’ rum, rest ye bones in your hammock, and let’s see what’s crawled out the bung, because this X marks the spot for new product features, KB arrrticles, tips, tricks, and more!
Yarr welcome!

Holly “Cap’n Gallows” Bechtler

Technical Writing Operations Specialist 
Plunder a Free Pass to GSX!
Global Security Exchange (GSX) is on the horizon and closing fast – September 11–13 in Dallas! 
Be there as the worldwide security industry reconvenes to stay informed, connected, and prepared for what’s next. Join security professionals from every sector to cultivate the skills, knowledge, and confidence you need to eliminate emerging threats. 
GSX is presented by ASIS International, the world’s largest membership organization for security management professionals.  
Board our deck at booth #3009 and hear all the latest scuttlebutt.

What’s a pirate’s favorite letter? Arrr!
Brand Ho! Halo & Xfinity Voice Integration Off the Port Bow!
Xfinity Voice integration with Halo remotes is now live! The Xfinity voice integration for Halo Remotes enables seamless media selection and control using Xfinity’s existing voice service. Because the voice command is passed directly to Xfinity, your customers can expect the same performance, accuracy, and capabilities as their original Xfinity-issued remote.

This functionality will not work automatically for most customers, so your action is required! You must first verify that the customer’s project meets these system requirements:
  • Verify the Xfinity hardware is supported
  • Verify the Xfinity hardware is running firmware v6.4 or later
  • Control4 system must be running OS 3.3.3 or later
Once verified, the only additional step required is to update the Xfinity X1 driver in Composer Pro to v14 or later. Thankfully, we have the full Xfinity hardware compatibility and driver update process outlined for you in the Tech Community.

Do pirates like to fight? Sword of.
New Micro-Cert Scuppers Centralized Lighting 2019

In a bold mutiny, the Control4 Centralized Lighting Micro-Certification has taken the helm for C4 centralized lighting certs. This online course features nine courses and a final exam, and covers the basics of a Control4 centralized lighting system. Topics include components required for a basic system, interpreting lighting schedules, Composer Pro design, and physical installation tips.
Ye olde Centralized Lighting 2019 certification has walked the plank and gone to Davy Jones’ locker. If you are one of the old salts who previously completed Centralized Lighting 2019, you must complete this updated Micro-Certification for your certification and digital badge to fly from the yardarm. 
For those who have kept their skills on the cutting edge, the new micro-certification provides a way to test out of certain modules.   

How much do pirates pay to get their ears pierced? A buck an ear.
Technical Support Seadog Ahoy!

Technical Support agent Tim Bruening is this month’s TRUE G.R.I.T. Award winner! The TRUE G.R.I.T. Award recognizes Snap One technical support agents who provide top-notch support to our partners.

Based in La Plata, Maryland, Tim supports our Control4® Partners. In his first year at Snap One, Tim has already proven to be a valuable member of the Technical Support Team. His team characterizes him as “an intelligent and experienced individual that is always willing to help anyone in any way that he can.” It is no surprise his teammates had plenty of great things to say about him.

“Tim is humble. He asks for help when it is needed and accepts suggestions when given.”

“He is a great resource for the rest of the Technical support team.”

“Tim is known to our partners as someone they can count on to do everything he can to help them resolve the issue at hand. We are very glad to have him as part of our Snap One family!”

When Tim isn’t busy making positive waves in his department, he enjoys spending quality time with his friends and family, 3D printing, Linux programming, and making hardware modifications in his Homelab. He recently rebuilt his storage server, built a brand new server, and configured both servers in a Proxmox cluster to work in unison. He also repurposes old computers with Linux so they can be used as Magic Mirror displays. These displays are self-hosted video slideshows that can be displayed throughout a home!

Why is being a pirate so popular? Once you lose your first hand, you just get hooked!
EDID Handshake Givin’ You the Hook?

There are many install and environmental factors that can contribute to video not displaying on some TVs. In some cases, the culprit is HDCP or EDID handshake failures. We have seen reports that later Sony and Samsung TV models are displaying EDID handshaking issues through media distribution products such as MoIP, HDMI extenders, and HDBaseT matrix switches. Some Sony and Samsung TVs use a 5-second EDID handshake instead of a standard 2.5-second handshake, which causes the EDID handshake to fail. If your television is having HDCP or EDID handshake issues, you can add a Binary™ 260 Series 4K HDR In-Line Controller (B-260-HDMI-CTRL) or similar device to intercept the HDCP/EDID negotiation after the extender or HDBaseT receiver and before the television. 
Read more in the Tech Community

Where do pirates eat while they wait for their pegleg to get made? IHOP.
The OvrC® Public BETA Be Needful o’ More Swabbies!

Do ye want to be a land-lubber, or to bravely explore new vistas OvrCs? Are ye prepared to board those UIs remotely? Make your mark and join the OvrC public BETA team!

What has 4 arms, 4 legs, and 4 eyes? 4 pirates.
Knowledgebase

New or updated articles:
New & updated reset & restore procedure:
New & updated product documentation:
Why don’t pirates let their prisoners shower before walking the plank? Because they know they’ll wash up on shore later.
Pumping the Bilge

Since SnapAV merged with Control4, we’ve been working to bring everything together into a single website under Snap One. We’ve made a lot of progress, but, as you might imagine, this is a slow and difficult process. 
Each major consolidation milestone brings a new uptick in error reports (missing certifications, classes not found, etc.), so please be patient as we push forward.

How do pirates communicate? Aye to aye.
Larn the Ropes, Mateys!

New opportunities to upgrade your knowledge and skills are coming your way! See the full training calendar here, or check out the links below. 

Local Trainings:
Designing Vibrant Systems & Programming Automated Lighting:
Webinars

Lock in with Kwikset:
How do you make a pirate angry? Spell it without a P.
Sails—er, Drivers:

New Drivers:
  • Samsung 2023 TVs- UK Models
  • LG 2023 TVs- Global Models
  • Samsung 2023 TVs- Canada Models
  • Samsung 2023 TVs- New Zealand Models
  • Yamaha R-N800A
  • Yamaha R-N1000A
  • IDIS Cameras- Camera Driver for Fixed, MFX and Fisheye
  • IDIS PTZ Cameras
Updated Drivers:
  • LG 2022 model year v207 (maintenance, add video mute)
  • Silent Gliss v114
See more drivers through your respective web portal: 
Snap One Portal Users
Control4 Portal Users
Control4 EMEA Portal Users

Why can’t pirates play cards? The captain is always standing on the deck.
Workaround for Android Users and Visualint Line+ app

The Visualint Line+ app APK is no longer listed in the Play Store for Android devices. This is still being investigated. In the meantime, please use the file attached in this Tech Community KB article as a workaround. Thank you for your patience!  

What’s a pirate’s favorite letter? They didn’t have one. Pirates were generally illiterate.
Quick Test for DMX Splitters (sent by Cameron B)

Every DMX bus line must have a 120-ohm terminating resistor attached to the last device to prevent the signal from reflecting and causing interference. Most folks just add a 120-ohm resistor and call it good, but our DMX splitters make this even easier for you!
As shown in the photo, our DMX splitters have a DIP switch for a built-in terminator. When a splitter is the last device in the DMX bus line, just flip DIP switch 1 in the red block to ON… and the bus stops there!
Why were pirates illiterate? They’d spend years at C.
Don’t Capsize Yer Camera!

Customer claims, “Camera flickers to a fuzzy brown image often.”
How do pirates recruit new crew members? Pier pressure.

 
Time to Share Your Tips and Tricks!

We want to hear more from you. (Yes, you!) We’d love to keep this section going, so if you have a cool idea, whether it’s easy or advanced, send it our way! We’d love to shine a spotlight on you and share your ideas with our awesome community of technicians! 
Sharing is Caring: Submit Your Tip Here!