I recently set up my VeraPlus and installed the DSC plugin to connect with my 1864 via IT100 serial, and I must say, the experience has been mostly smooth and very rewarding! 
The integration works well, and I appreciate the flexibility it offers for my home security setup. However, I did encounter a few questions and inconsistencies that I hope the community can shed some light on.
First, upon installation, two devices appeared: “DSC Panel” and “System”. The “DSC Panel” seems to be purely for configuration, while the “System” device handles all the control functions like “Stay”, “Force”, “Disarm”, and “Arm”. This setup makes sense, but I’m curious about the documentation for the options that can be entered in the configuration box. Any insights would be greatly appreciated!
Another area that has me puzzled is the function names in the “My Modes” setup section. The dropdown menu offers options like “Turn Off”, “All On Delay”, “All On Instant”, “Part On Delay”, “Part On Instant”, and “Force Arm”. I’m trying to understand how these map to the more familiar “Stay” and “Away” modes. Specifically, I’d like to know what “Turn Off” does and if it’s equivalent to “Disarm”. Additionally, I’m exploring the possibility of creating a scene that triggers the Vera to enter “Away Mode” when the physical DSC panel’s “Away” button is pressed. Will this create a loop, or will it work seamlessly?
On a lighter note, I came across some exciting news about the HomeKit ecosystem during the WWDC 2018 session. Apple introduced the HomeKit Accessory Development Kit, which could significantly reduce development times for new devices. This is fantastic news for enthusiasts like me who love experimenting with the latest smart home gadgets!
However, not everything has been smooth sailing. I’ve encountered some challenges with date/time formatting in my OpenHAB setup. The system occasionally flags my time data as invalid, which is a bit frustrating. I’m also dealing with some locking errors in my Fedora 22 environment, which are preventing my Z-Wave devices from communicating properly. I’ve managed to work around these issues temporarily, but I’m eager to find a more permanent solution.
Despite these hurdles, I remain optimistic and excited about the possibilities that smart home technology offers. It’s amazing how these devices can transform our living spaces into true smart homes. If anyone has tips or solutions for the issues I’ve mentioned, I’d be thrilled to hear them!
In the meantime, I’ll keep experimenting and learning. Happy smart home tinkering to everyone! 