ActionTec zControl User manual
USER MANUAL
zControl
Introduction III
Introduction
This manual will guide you through the setup of your ActionTec
zControl, the breakthrough system that will make your home con-
trol and home monitoring easy and enjoyable!
Please make sure you read all instructions before proceeding with
the installation.
Your package contains the following items:
(1) ActionTec zControl
(1) Power supply
(1) Stand for putting the zControl in a vertical position
(1) Ethernet cable
(1) Accompanying CD (includes complete User Manual)
(1) Quick Start Guide
It may also contain any or all of the following items:
(1) Panasonic BL-C10A, BL-C20A, or other IP Camera
(1) Z-Wave Appliance module
(1) InTouch occupancy sensor CA9000
(2) Z-Wave Lamp modules
(1) Intermatic Wireless Handy Remote Controller
Now it’s time to activate and register your ActionTec zControl, get familiar with the User Interface, and learn how
to configure your home control and home monitoring devices.
Table of ContentsIV
Table of Contents
3Accessing the User Interface
1Inspecting Your zControl
4Overview: Basic UI Features and Elements
2Connection, Registration, and Activation
3.1 UPnP Access
1.1 Inspecting the Ports on Your zControl
4.1 Administrator Mode
2.1 Connecting to the Internet
4.5 Scenes
3.2 IP Address Access (Advanced)
3.3 Mobile Device Access
1.2 Inspecting the LEDs on Your zControl
4.2 Settings
2.2 Registration
4.6 Schedules
4.3 Devices
2.3 Activation
4.7 Monitor
4.4 Rooms
4.8 Dashboard
4.9 Mobile UI
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Table of Contents V
5Managing Z-Wave Devices
7Advanced UI Features
8Suggestions
9Troubleshooting
6Installing Home Monitoring Devices
9.1 Unable to Register with Portal Server
9.5 zControl Becomes Unresponsive or Online LED Is Not Solid Green
5.1 Adding Z-Wave Devices
7.1 Device Management
9.2 Unable to Access zControl UI
9.6 Unable to Control My Z-Wave Appliance Module
5.2 Adding Z-Wave Devices (UI method)
5.3 Removing Z-Wave Devices
7.2 Rooms, Scenes, and Schedules
7.3 Monitoring
7.5 Messages
7.6 Controlling Multiple zControls
7.4 Triggers
6.1 Installing Motion/Occupancy Sensors
6.2 Installing UPnP Cameras
6.3 Installing non-UPnP Cameras
9.3 Unable to Control Device
9.7 Unable to Control My Z-Wave Lamp Module
9.4 Browser Becomes Unresponsive
9.8 Motion detector Is Not Being Detected
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Table of ContentsVI
9.9 Motion Detector Takes Too Much or Too Little Time to Return to “No motion” State
10.1 Preparing the zControl to Use the Remote Controller
9.10 Unable to Access my Panasonic IP Camera
10.2 Setting Up the Intermatic CA-09 Remote Controller
9.11 Unable to View My Panasonic IP Camera Video
10.3 Programming the zControl to Use the Remote Controller
9.12 Why Do I Have an Upgrade Notification Message on My zControl Interface?
9.13 Cannot Add New Z-Wave Devices to My zControl
9.14 Understanding the LEDs
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10 Appendix A - Remote Controllers (Advanced Setup) 33
1
Inspecting Your zControl
1 Inspecting Your zControl
1.1 Inspecting the Ports on Your zControl
Let’s take a look at the back of your zControl to see all of the ports and their uses.
(2) USB ports – reserved for your future USB devices; the USB ports can be used for external, local storage›
such as an external hard drive or memory stick
Ethernet port – connects the zControl to your network (for example, to an Ethernet hub or directly to your›
gateway/router) by means of the included Ethernet cable
Reset button – restarts your zControl›
WARNING: Normal functionality will be interrupted until the zControl has fully restarted
12VDC 1.4A – connects to your power supply›
1.2 Inspecting the LEDs on Your zControl
You’ll notice several LEDs on the front of your zControl.
These LEDs provide information on the zControl’s status. In general, when you see green,
everything is working correctly. When choosing a location for your zControl, remember to
make sure that the LEDs are easily visible. For more information on the LEDs, consult the
LED matrix on the last page of this manual.
Connection, Registration, and Activation2
2 Connection, Registration, and Activation
2.1 Connecting to the Internet
Plug one end of the provided Ethernet cable into the1. Ethernet port of your zControl, and the other end into
your router
Plug one end of the power cable into the2. 12VDC 1.4A port of your zControl and the other end into a wall socket
or power strip. The Power LED on the front of the zControl will turn solid green
The3. Ethernet LED on the front of the zControl will blink green until the zControl has obtained an IP address,
at which point the Ethernet LED will turn solid green. This can take up to two minutesNOTE: Your zControl is
pre-configured to receive IP address automatically via the DHCP mechanism used in most home networks. If
no DHCP server is present on the network, your zControl will default to the IP address 192.168.1.55.
Once the zControl is connected to the local network, it will connect to the Internet automatically. You’ll know it’s
connected when the Online LED on the front of the zControl starts blinking green.
You’ll need the zControl to have Internet connectivity so that you can Activate and Register it online. Once you’ve
successfully Registered and Activated your zControl, the Online LED will turn solid green.
2.2 Registration
Now that your zControl is on, connected to your local network, and has Internet connectivity, it’s time to Register
with the Portal Server.
Open your preferred web browser and go to http://digitalgardeneronline.com/zControl. You’ll see this screen:
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Connection, Registration, and Activation
Click on New User Registration. You’ll see a screen like this one:
Provide all of the required information and whatever optional information you like.
NOTE: Make sure you write down your login name and password in a safe place.
Upon successful Registration, you should see the following screen:
Connection, Registration, and Activation4
2.3 Activation
Activation will allow you to start using your zControl, access your zControl User Interface, and receive upgrades
and new services as they become available.
Open a browser window and go to http://digitalgardeneronline.com/zControl again, click on Manage My Prole,
and log in. From the menu on the left side of the screen, click on the Activate ControlPoint option. On that screen,
you’ll need to provide
A friendly name that you want to use to identify your zControl (note: underscores are not allowed). We recom-›
mend giving your zControl a unique and distinctive name.
For example: “John Smith’s ControlPoint”
Your zControl’s MAC address, which can be found on the label on your zControl›
For example: 00:06:D3:A8:00:15 OR 0006D3A80015
Your time zone (note: you’ll need this to be correct to take advantage of zControl’s›Schedule feature)
For example: PST if you live in the Pacific Time Zone
After you click Continue, you’ll see this screen:
Once the Activation process is complete, your browser will be automatically redirected to the User Interface. We
recommend that you add the User Interface to your Bookmarks/Favorites.
NOTE: Some browsers will do this automatically.
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Accessing the User Interface
3 Accessing the User Interface (UI)
The best and easiest way to access the User Interface is to open a browser window and go to http://digitalgarden-
eronline.com/zControl where you’ll see this screen again:
Once there, click on Control My Home. You can use this method to access your zControl UI from any computer --
at home, at work, abroad -- anywhere!
For your convenience, there are also several other ways to access the UI.
3.1 UPnP Access
Once your zControl is turned on and connected to your network, you should be
able to see it automatically as a UPnP (Universal Plug-and-Play) device. In order to
confirm that UPnP is enabled on your Windows PC, open My Network Places via the
Start menu or the associated icon on your desktop. If the text in the left panel says
“Show icons for networked UPnP devices” (circled in red on the right), click on it.
With UPnP enabled, the zControl will show up in the list as zControl ZCHAV1
(higlighted on the screenshot below):
Accessing the User Interface6
Simply double-click on the zControl ZCHAV1 icon to access the User Interface (UI). Your default browser will
launch automatically and display the zControl UI.
3.2 IP Address Access (Advanced)
Advanced users: you can obtain your zControl’s IP address by looking at your router’s list of attached devices. If
you know your zControl’s IP address, you can enter it into your browser’s address bar to access the UI from any
computer on your network. Note that if the zControl obtains its IP address dynamically, its IP address may change
each time the zControl or the DHCP server is restarted.
3.3 Mobile Device Access
3.3.1 Downloading the UI to your Mobile Device
Any Smartphone running the Windows Mobile operating system with Adobe Flash Lite 2.1 can access the UI. To
set up the UI on your mobile device, open a browser (on that device or any computer) and go to http://digitalgar-
deneronline.com/zControl. Then click Manage My Prole and log in.
NOTE: If you did not enter your cell phone number when you were Registering, you must do so now in order
to download the UI onto your mobile device. Simply click Edit Personal Info and type the number into the Cell
phone: field, then click Update.
You’ll see a screen like this one:
Click on the Products tab. Click the radio button for your zControl, then click Get Mobile UI.
Click OK when asked for permission to send an SMS message to the cell phone number you entered earlier.
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Accessing the User Interface
When you receive the SMS message (this may take several minutes), it will contain a download link. Open the link
on your mobile device and the UI will be downloaded automatically. If Adobe Flash Lite 2.1 is not installed, it will
also be downloaded automatically. Depending on your mobile device, you may have to confirm/okay the installation
steps.
Whenever a mobile UI upgrade is available, your mobile device will receive another SMS message with a download
link. Just open the link and the UI will be upgraded automatically.
3.3.2 Accessing the Mobile UI
An icon labeled Hydrogen will be added automatically to your main screen. Opening it will activate the mobile UI.
You will be prompted to enter your login name and password.
Overview: Basic UI Features and Elements8
4 Overview: Basic UI Features and Elements
Let’s take a minute to get familiar with the basic elements of the UI and what they do. We’ll get into more detail
later, after several devices have been configured. The first thing you see when you access your UI will be this
screen. Until you’ve configured some devices, all of those panes will be empty. They may also be different sizes --
you can resize them at any time by clicking on and dragging the bottom-right corner of any pane.
4.1 Administrator Mode
In the bottom-right corner of the UI, you’ll find two icons. Clicking on the lock icon prompts you
to enter your PIN (or set your PIN, if one has not been set). Entering the correct PIN will turn on
Administrator Mode. You will need to be in Administrator Mode to configure and take advantage of
many of the UI’s advanced features.
4.2 Settings
Next to the lock icon, you’ll see an icon that looks like a laptop. Clicking on it will let you choose the
language in which the UI is displayed and to choose Celsius or Fahrenheit for temperature displays.
Clicking on the Settings icon while in Administrator Mode will allow you to make more changes.
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Overview: Basic UI Features and Elements
4.3 Devices
Near the top of the UI, you’ll see a row of 6 icons that form the main menu. The leftmost icon
is labeled Devices. Clicking on it will bring you to a listing of all of the devices the zControl has
discovered. We haven’t configured any devices yet, so this list should still be empty.
4.4 Rooms
Next, you’ll find the Rooms icon. Like the list of devices, the list of rooms will be empty. After some
devices have been configured, clicking on Rooms will allow you to organize those devices into groups
according to their locations.
4.5 Scenes
Next, you’ll find the Scenes icon. Like the lists of rooms and devices, the list of scenes will be
empty. Scenes are an advanced feature which allows you to control groups of rooms and devices
simultaneously.
4.6 Schedules
Next, you’ll find the Schedules icon. Like the lists of devices, rooms, and scenes, the list of
schedules will be empty. Schedules are an advanced feature which allows you to automate your
home control. For instance, you can have the zControl automatically turn on the lights in the living
room at 6 o’clock every evening.
4.7 Monitor
Next, you’ll find the Monitor icon. After you’ve installed one or more cameras, clicking the Monitor
icon will allow you to view and control your camera(s). It will also allow you to create, watch, and
delete recordings.
4.8 Dashboard
All the way on the right of the main menu is the Dashboard icon. The Dashboard allows you to see
and control Devices, Rooms, Scenes, Schedules, and Cameras on a single screen. In addition, the
Messages pane is visible from the Dashboard. Messages keep you informed about changes in the
status of the zControl as well as attached devices. Note that you can select Cameras from the pull-
down menu multiple times to open multiple Camera panes.
Mobile UI Features10
4.9 Mobile UI Features
When you load the mobile UI, you will be asked to enter your username and password.
If you would like to have your credentials memorized so you can login automatically, check the “Auto Login”
checkbox by using the select button on your Smartphone.
The functions and controls in the Mobile UI are very similar to the zControl UI and include the following options:
Devices›– view and control your devices
Rooms›– view and control your rooms
Scenes›– view and run configured Scenes
Schedules›– view configured Schedules
Messages›– view received messages and alerts
Switch CP›– if you use or own more than one zControl
Settings›– manage your preferences
Logout›– log out of the Mobile UI
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Mobile UI Features
All devices are detected automatically and show up in exactly the same way as in the zControl UI. They are
grouped by the device class: “Cameras”, “Switches”, “Lights”, etc.
The Cameras view allows you to monitor and control your cameras in real-time. In order to switch to “Control”
mode you have to click the button at the bottom to change to “Controlling”. This means that now you can use
right, left, up and down controls on your Smartphone keyboard to move the camera to a desired position.
Mobile UI Features12
The Messages view allows you to read the messages and see their timestamps.
Message / Alerts of high importance will pop-up in Mobile UI automatically as they might need your immediate
attention. Examples of such events might be:
Your front door is open›
Important message from the management system›
The Schedules view allows you to see schedules configured for your ControlPoint.
The Scenes view allows you to see and run the scenes created for your ControlPoint.
4.9.1 Settingsandcongurationoptions
The Mobile UI connection to the Portal is primarily done via the Smartphone’s data connection. It is also possible
to establish a direct (LAN) connection to your ControlPoint if your Smartphone supports WiFi connectivity. In this
case you need to do the following:
Ensure your WiFi connection is up (per configuration options in your Smartphone)›
On the Hydrogen login screen chose›“Local Connect” option.
A new field will open up, type in the IP address of your controlpoint.›
Click on the›“Login” button to connect to the ControlPoint.
Other configuration options are available in the “Settings” menu.
In Release 1.2 they include:
Language selection: English and Spanish.›
NOTE: It is important to understand that only 4Homemedia menu options and messages will be presented in
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Mobile UI Features
the selected language. All customer-created names will not be affected by this selection. (e.g., if you named
your device “Floor lamp”, it will be displayed as a “Floor lamp” regardless of the language selected in the UI.)
Temperature display: allows you to choose between Fahrenheit and Celsius scales.›
Managing Z-Wave Devices14
5 Managing Z-Wave Devices
5.1 Adding Z-Wave Devices
There are many different kinds of Z-Wave devices. These include lamp modules, thermostats, motion/occupancy
sensors, blinds/shades, fans, appliance modules, and so on. There is one simple installation procedure for all of
these devices:
Plug in the Z-Wave device within six feet of the zControl1.
Push the blue2. Z-Wave button on the front of the zControl. The Activity LED will begin blinking green slowly
Push the button on the Z-Wave device (it will be labeled3. On/Off, Service, Program, or something similar)
When the4. Activity LED turns solid green or starts blinking green rapidly, the Z-Wave device has been success-
fully added
If the5. Activity LED blinks red slowly three times, the Z-Wave device has not been successfully added. Go back
to step 1 and repeat the procedure
Repeat steps 1 through 5 for each Z-Wave device6.
Unplug your Z-Wave devices and plug them into their intended places in your home7.
Open your zControl User Interface8.
Turn on9. Administrator Mode and then click on the Settings icon in the bottom-right corner
Click on the10. Z-Wave icon
Click on the11. Rediscover button
Click on12. Devices. The list should now include the new Z-Wave devices
NOTE: If you unplug a Z-Wave device (to move it to another location, for example) after completing this proce-
dure, you will need to Rediscover it. If this does not work, you may need to repeat the installation procedure
for that device starting from step 1.
5.2 Adding Z-Wave Devices (UI method)
Open your zControl User Interface1.
Turn on2. Administrator Mode and then click on the Settings icon in the bottom-right corner
Click on the3. Z-Wave icon
Table of contents
