I noticed Qolsys announced the IQ Panel 2. Based on their press release they will start the beta testing program this month and dealers can apply to participate in the beta.
Will Surety be applying to participate in this beta?
We are always excited for new alarm gear to test! I imagine so, as we try to take part in as many as possible, but I do not have definitive word at this time.
Looks like this is the revision that supports zWave Plus that we talked about a while back.
Also wonder how much more responsive the screen may be.
Also wonder how much more responsive the screen may be.
Looks like a capacitive screen, so the difference should be pretty big.
wow. demo looks great.
Definitely looks intriguing. It looks like some of the more ambitious features Qolsys discussed have made their way into the second panel here.
Also, interesting that it is being designed more as a consumer product, with ease of installation emphasized. It’s a good step in the DIY direction.
Definitely looks like a step in the right direction.
I am interested to know if this software will be released for first IQ Panel. Supposedly there are some fixes coming in 1.6, but the demo here shows a complete redesign (perhaps a 2.0 version).
Also curious if IQ2 secondary panel will connect to this. Having spoken to Qolsys directly I do know the new IQ2 that is wall mountable is the same internals and same software as the original IQ2, just a new form factor. To be honest I kind of wish there were simply an accessory that does chiming and alarm siren and nothing more. I don’t really NEED the IQ2 except that I want and need chiming. I know zwave alarms exist of course but we have toddlers and need to know what door/window is opened and when.
My own (significant) issues with stability from Qolsys’s OS notwithstanding they seem to be making headway slowly and I’m able to get a few days at a time where everything works. New features are great but what I want more than anything else is to be able to have everything stable and working for weeks at a time rather than days.
To be honest I kind of wish there were simply an accessory that does chiming and alarm siren and nothing more.
I’ve asked about this a couple times, but no panel really has this as an option, wirelessly.
New features are great but what I want more than anything else is to be able to have everything stable and working for weeks at a time rather than days
It should be working ALL the time. Are you on 1.5.3 firmware? What issues are you seeing that often?
I doubt that the new software goes back to the IQ Panel 1, probably needs more horsepower and the new screen technology. That old screen isn’t very responsive.
I’m not sure the IQ Panel 2 will be compatible with the IQ2, really could use different naming 
However, as the IQ2 is ostensibly an App on tablet hardware currently, and it connects via wifi rather than a separate rf protocol, I’d say there is a better chance for backward compatibility. We do not know at this point.
I am indeed on 1.5.3. I can get 3-4 days of stability from IQ2 to IQ but that’s it. Troubleshooting this with Qolsys directly though, they have been very helpful. Issues i am having are one of following:
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IQ2 won’t connect to IQ and requires power cycle or reset
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IQ2 won’t connect to any wifi network (and won’t scan for networks, only shows the one saved) until you power cycle or reset
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IQ2 goes completely unresponsive usually with screen off but sometimes screen on, won’t respond to touchscreen and requires reset. This happens regularly, usually every several days
So I spoke to my contact over at Qolsys and got some answers. I wasn’t told explicitly I wasn’t allowed to share the following but I will go back and edit if needed
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New IQ panel 2 will have different software than IQ panel. IQ panel will never get this upgrade but will have maintenance and a few new features coming
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Sensors and IQ2’s are meant to be forward compatible. IQ2 will not connect to IQ panel 2 at launch, will take several months after launch for that to happen
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New IQ2 with back power and proper mounting are starting to ship
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Regarding remote chime : You can turn on push notifications for any sensor open activity on Alarm.com, so essentially you can have a remote chime on your phone at all times. Although they say customers have asked for remote chime. One idea I gave them was to use IQ Siren or a premium version thereof to accomplish that.
– IQ2 won’t connect to IQ and requires power cycle or reset
– IQ2 won’t connect to any wifi network (and won’t scan for networks, only shows the one saved) until you power cycle or reset
– IQ2 goes completely unresponsive usually with screen off but sometimes screen on, won’t respond to touchscreen and requires reset. This happens regularly, usually every several days
Other than the first issue, I do not recall these being widespread. Has Qolsys indicated that all of the issues you are seeing are known ones? Or are you experiencing an issue due to router model?
They have not indicated that they are known issues necessarily but said there are many fixes coming in version 1.6 which should be sometime in May.
I happen to have two completely separate networks at my house. The problem manifests on both networks. I have ensured that only 2.4Ghz is used by way of different SSID’s with different AES keys for 5Ghz. So in total I have two separate 2.4Ghz SSID’s and two 5Ghz SSID’s. These different networks operate on different channels (such that the 2.4G and 5G SSID’s do not share the same channels and thus cannot interfere with each other) and I have verified they are working properly with an RF site survey tool. I have the SSID’s on the backend locked so that it cannot hop from 2.4G to 5G on any network.
One network is simply the wireless cable modem router (Arris) that came from my cable provider, which is brand new and there is a minimum to go wrong. The second network is an enterprise class wireless system that goes to a firewall that I use for work. I have 30+ other wireless devices in this house (mostly on the enterprise network) and none of them are having issues with disconnecting from the wireless. Also, based on the logging I have on the enterprise system, the IQ2’s are not disconnecting from wifi during the first problem where it refuses to connect to primary IQ panel. It does disconnect when the IQ2 stops connecting to any wifi or locks up however, and it’s definitely disconnecting from the client side.
In short, I have done due diligence to ensure my network is up to snuff and is not the direct cause of the issue. Even if it were, that should be limited to the IQ2 disconnecting from the primary IQ panel. The issue where IQ2 will not connect to any wifi network or scan for any wifi network (even with wifi toggle off/on) and the IQ2’s going completely dead and unresponsive - that I have to call a software problem. Both of my IQ2’s seem to have issues around the same time. I suppose it’s possible hardware is a bad run, but my gut says software issue. Unfortunately there is very little in the way of troubleshooting an IQ2.
The issue where IQ2 will not connect to any wifi network or scan for any wifi network (even with wifi toggle off/on) and the IQ2’s going completely dead and unresponsive – that I have to call a software problem. Both of my IQ2’s seem to have issues around the same time.
I would agree with you. I haven’t seen quite the same level of issues testing locally.
I do notice the IQ2 lose synchronization at times.
Hopefully connection stability is improved in the new firmware.
Hopefully connection stability is improved in the new firmware.
I asked Qolsys to see about an update that forcefully keeps the wifi connection going, a little more than the standard android behavior. This was under the guise that this is a security/safety device, and all efforts should be on being reliable. I wish it was dual path RF/wifi for best of all worlds.
Given that these things run only one app, they are surprisingly unstable. I find myself wishing the reset button was bigger and on the side. I’m hoping in the next update they fix the time issue and allow you to adjust brightness.
Both Chime adjustment and Display settings are slated for inclusion in upcoming firmware last I checked.