Fibaro Intercom Fundamentally Flawed

[pascald 5]

I have tried to contact fibaro regarding a recent installation of the Intercom. No response through any channel. My conclusion after 2 weeks: the product is totally UNUSABLE.
Issues:
1. You cannot take a call on iOS devices  as login is not working most of the time hence you cannot intercept a call. Login should be immediate which is not the case.
The Login process is really bad: sometimes it works as local, sometimes as remote, sometimes not at all. And when you need to take a call, the not at all option is the most frequent. Additionally when you have a login issue, you would have to quit the app to hope being able to login again. 

2. It is too slow to show the video hence you never get the video of the people ringing

3. When you manage to respond on one device by intercepting the alert (audio mostly as the video almost never works) it keeps ringing on others
4. The iPhone app is poorly designed and not suitable for iPads which are used in horizontal mode (the most obvious mode) as rotation is not automatic and menus are not working in that mode
5. Login is regularly lost even for iOS terminals that stay permanently in one place (an iPad in the kitchen, wired)

6. It has crashed twice in a week, without reason

7. Voice mail feature is poorly designed and caller has no idea what to do (no message heard)
And additionally, no support provided. Fibaro doesn't respond to cases, neither to forums, etc.
The product is really bad and should maybe be abandoned by Fibaro that should better stick to more simple products and fire the engineers responsible for the Intercom.

 

I expect an intercom to:
- work 100% of the time on in-home terminals without login issues or lost streams

- provide a coherent and easy experience on these in-home terminals, analogous to what classical intercoms do

- be synchronised among terminals, ie when one terminal takes a call, the others would stop ringing within a second

- provide a systematic alert on 4G to terminals used when roaming outside of the home, video should work at least 90% of the time, audio 100%

this is the basis for an intercom. if that is not possible, drop it!

 

[Guest kallecux]

Hello @Pascald i wrote this to the support-team and got also NO answer!

I can not understand why fibaro shows NO reaction.

We know that these post are read by fibaro people - please give a short answer!

We payed a lot of money for the intercom in hope to buy a perfect system as shown in your advertising. 

 

------------------------------------------------

 

Dear fibaro team, I have purchased a fibaro intercom and have the following questions:
 

intercom app - Version 1.0.0 (11)
intercom unit: Software: 4.1.0_81_e29b44a_REL
hardware: 2000000000
LAN connected
HC2 - firmware 1.161 beta

What is the difference between "remote-login" and "local-login"?
Which user administration plays a role?

If I select Invite-User in the app under System Settings, then the user receives no eMail.

Does this invited user have to be created as a user in the Home Center 2?

Why are there two different intercom apps in the App Store?

The transmission of the camera image takes sometimes too long, especially when I switch from WLAN to 3G or back.
Sometimes the app does not respond to the operation of the bell button.

Can the volume of the speaker for dialogues be controlled separately from the volume of the ringer (the intercom unit)?

Thanks in advance!
 

 

[jakub.jezek 353]

Hello,

 

I might have some answers.

 

3 hours ago, kallecux said:

What is the difference between "remote-login" and "local-login"?

 

Which user administration plays a role?

"remote-login" is Fibaro ID and "local-login" is some superuser. Basically same as in Fibaro HC2 with superuser account.

 

3 hours ago, kallecux said:

If I select Invite-User in the app under System Settings, then the user receives no eMail.

Does this invited user have to be created as a user in the Home Center 2?

If you invite user, then you invite someone with Fibaro ID. That mail is login to Fibaro ID.

 

3 hours ago, kallecux said:

Why are there two different intercom apps in the App Store?

One is for Fibaro intercom and one is for SIP in case you have integrated (just example) 2N Vario to Fibaro, so you can communicate with it.

 

3 hours ago, kallecux said:

The transmission of the camera image takes sometimes too long, especially when I switch from WLAN to 3G or back.

 

Sometimes the app does not respond to the operation of the bell button.

Local network should be ok, if Throughput of WAPs does not degrade it. When you change to 3G or LTE, there might be some delay, since it goes through Fibaro cloud.

About that button. Be sure you are discharged of static electricity. Maybe it got "shocked" and restarted itself.

 

3 hours ago, kallecux said:

Can the volume of the speaker for dialogues be controlled separately from the volume of the ringer (the intercom unit)?

I think it is adjustable only from Intercom app.

 

Regards,

Jakub

 

 

 

Hello,

5 hours ago, pascald said:

1. You cannot take a call on iOS devices  as login is not working most of the time hence you cannot intercept a call. Login should be immediate which is not the case.
The Login process is really bad: sometimes it works as local, sometimes as remote, sometimes not at all. And when you need to take a call, the not at all option is the most frequent. Additionally when you have a login issue, you would have to quit the app to hope being able to login again.

Ok, i do not know much about this one, but can you re-install Fibaro intercom app and see what happens?

 

5 hours ago, pascald said:

2. It is too slow to show the video hence you never get the video of the people ringing

OK, the testing one i have runs pretty solid on my network. It is1Gbps LAN and up to 300 Mbsp Wi-Fi at my home and 1Gbps and about Wi-Fi is more than 300 Mbps for sure. It coud be in the network or intercom.

 

6 hours ago, pascald said:

3. When you manage to respond on one device by intercepting the alert (audio mostly as the video almost never works) it keeps ringing on others

I have only tested it with my iPod 6, so i cannot get the right feedback there.

 

6 hours ago, pascald said:

4. The iPhone app is poorly designed and not suitable for iPads which are used in horizontal mode (the most obvious mode) as rotation is not automatic and menus are not working in that mode

OK, i've got your point there. But my access to iPad is limited, so i cannot tell more.

 

6 hours ago, pascald said:

5. Login is regularly lost even for iOS terminals that stay permanently in one place (an iPad in the kitchen, wired)

Well, it still use some refresh rate, but it should refresh automatically and without incidents.

 

6 hours ago, pascald said:

6. It has crashed twice in a week, without reason

How it is powered up? PoE (Switch or injector) or 12V DC? Maybe it has something to do with power supply?

 

6 hours ago, pascald said:

7. Voice mail feature is poorly designed and caller has no idea what to do (no message heard)

I have not tested it, yet. So i cannot tell much about this one.

 

 

6 hours ago, pascald said:

I expect an intercom to:

 

- work 100% of the time on in-home terminals without login issues or lost streams

- provide a coherent and easy experience on these in-home terminals, analogous to what classical intercoms do

- be synchronised among terminals, ie when one terminal takes a call, the others would stop ringing within a second

- provide a systematic alert on 4G to terminals used when roaming outside of the home, video should work at least 90% of the time, audio 100%

this is the basis for an intercom. if that is not possible, drop it!

I agree with this. But on the other side, every device has "after-birth pain". So i believe, that Fibaro will improve their device.

 

Regards,

Jakub

[northyorks 35]

Totally agree that Intercom solution is unstable at present...

 

Like stated above sometimes app will not load picture and login. Force restart app is only way to fix this.

 

Sometimes app will not notify you the intercom button has been pressed and you don’t know someone is at the door.

 

I have experienced the intercom crashing a few times and becoming unresponsive.

 

I have contacted support and told an update is coming to the app.... FIBARO IS TOO SLOW TO ACT.

 

Leaves customers frustrated with intercom which is freshly installed but not reliable. 

 

Just not not good enough.... especially given cost of the intercom!!

[pascald 5]

Thank you Jakub,
1. Local vs. remote: I thought that local login was a login that wouldn't need any cloud, ie in-house. Under such a mode, the connection would be immediate and not leave the home/wifi network. Are you sure about what you wrote?

2. Video delays: experienced on local network. I never manage to get a video on my iPhone, takes too long. Wifi network is excellent, 100 Mbps+. I did not have issues with my previous interphone (which was sending the video permanently to iOS or Android tablets). 

3. Login issues: I have deleted and reinstalled the app many times, this doesn't solve the issue. This is a Fibaro bug experienced on several iOS devices.

4. Power is 12 VDC, the crashing is not power related. It happens when we touch the rotating wheel at some point and the intercom start blinking reds (5 digits alternatively). Only solution is to restart power.

 

These issues are major and a product cannot be released with bugs of this magnitude. This is not after-birth pain but rather premature birth leading to early death. I have never seen a product flawed to this extent as to its basic functions.

 

And meanwhile, all Fibaro personnel is still sleeping and none bother to answer (case submitted, facebook post, forum post).

 

[jakub.jezek 353]

Hello @pascald  and @northyorks ,

 

1. Login issue. Could be app. Could be reach of Intercom if it is on Wi-Fi. That is one reason, why Doorbird stopped adding Wi-Fi to their flush installed intercoms.
2. Video delay: If your Troughput is ok, then it could be intercom than an app.
3. Crash: @northyorks, what LAN cable did you use to connect it? Could be some electrostatic on faulty connected ground wire from UTP? @pascald if it's not power related, then it could be intercom or faulty ended Ground on STP cable. I saw pretty nasty ending of STP recently and it was for PoE powered camera. I got electrostatic shock and camera restarted from it.
4. Login issue: Hmmm, If multiple iOS devices does that, then it could be app. Please try to access video stream from browser in PC or your iOS device. You need:
   1. IP address of Intercom,
   2. Port 8080,
   3. MJPEG stream url “/live/mjpeg”,
   4. Your local access login credentials.

And honestly and it is just mine opinion. If i had to choose between intercoms now, i would choose Doorbird D2101V over Fibaro intercom*.

 

But only because of things below:

• IP65 - Well, it's higher IP protection.
• RFID tag. - I cannot force seniors living with me to buy iPhone only because keyless unlocking.
  • Sorry, i do not like most Apple devices. I like only Apple TV and my iPod Touch.
• Android app - But i believe Fibaro Intercom gets it eventually.
• Completely flushed installation. Instead of making KU68 hole i would make some big rectangle one, where i fit almost everything.
• It has RJ-45 connector there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* To admins: This is just my opinion. Fibaro intercom is great, but i see there few things, because of i would choose Doorbird. It is listed above.

[tinman 1,028]

2 hours ago, jakub.jezek said:

Video delay: If your Troughput is ok, then it could be intercom than an app.

 

no, he speaks about 3G, which can be 384Kbit/s to 42Mbit/s, another problems might be uplink speed (Intercom likes 5MBit), lot of people think "they have" fast internet, where their uplink is only max 5 Mbit and additionally kids / wife / other gears are uplink uplink as well - in combination with slow 3G a killer, for every video technology.
 

 

2 hours ago, jakub.jezek said:

• RFID tag. - I cannot force seniors living with me to buy iPhone only because keyless unlocking.
  • Sorry, i do not like most Apple devices. I like only Apple TV and my iPod Touch.

 

you can use Fibaro Intercom API com.fibaro.intercom.account.ble.addDevice to add any BLE device, can be a BLE Tag as well, not much bigger than RFID Tag

 

2 hours ago, jakub.jezek said:

• It has RJ-45 connector there.

 

feel free to solder one, CN6 on PCB, drill bigger hole for the RJ45 plug, try somehow to find space for the cable and RJ45 ... now you can see, Fibaro prepared RJ45 option, but leaved in as not populated, as this is anyway stupid idea to fight with RJ45 plug, if you have cable with plug, just cut it, and you will be much faster ready with the installation as with RJ45 plug. Btw, it is good idea to have at least Wago 2059-189 tool

[Guest kallecux]

Hi @tinman can you please explain your note: 

 

"you can use Fibaro Intercom API com.fibaro.intercom.account.ble.addDevice to add any BLE device, can be a BLE Tag as well, not much bigger than RFID Tag"

 

is it possible to open the door via BLE-tag?

 

Greetings

Karl Heinz

[jakub.jezek 353]

Hi @tinman ,

 

9 hours ago, tinman said:

no, he speaks about 3G, which can be 384Kbit/s to 42Mbit/s, another problems might be uplink speed (Intercom likes 5MBit), lot of people think "they have" fast internet, where their uplink is only max 5 Mbit and additionally kids / wife / other gears are uplink uplink as well - in combination with slow 3G a killer, for every video technology.

I agree with that on 3G. But @pascald wrote about video delay on local network also.

 

9 hours ago, tinman said:

you can use Fibaro Intercom API com.fibaro.intercom.account.ble.addDevice to add any BLE device, can be a BLE Tag as well, not much bigger than RFID Tag

And where is this mentioned? I know you have Fibaro Intercom API, but i do not have it, then i do not know it. And what BLE tags did you tested?

 

9 hours ago, tinman said:

feel free to solder one, CN6 on PCB, drill bigger hole for the RJ45 plug, try somehow to find space for the cable and RJ45 ... now you can see, Fibaro prepared RJ45 option, but leaved in as not populated, as this is anyway stupid idea to fight with RJ45 plug, if you have cable with plug, just cut it, and you will be much faster ready with the installation as with RJ45 plug. Btw, it is good idea to have at least Wago 2059-189 tool

If i had to solder one, then it would end badly for intercom and for me . For me RJ-45 is advantage and not mayority and i wrote that because i do not like those terminals and nothing will change my opinion on it. I still think that micro JST would be better sollution.

 

Regards,

Jakub

[I.Srodka 4]

Hello guys!

 

Yesterday, we released an update for the iOS app which improves a lot in connectivity and reliability departments.

 

I hope it will mitigate your issues or fix them completely in this matter.

[northyorks 35]

On 07/03/2018 at 10:33 AM, I.Srodka said:

Hello guys!

 

Yesterday, we released an update for the iOS app which improves a lot in connectivity and reliability departments.

 

I hope it will mitigate your issues or fix them completely in this matter.

 

Installed update - I still get random missed notifications to iPhone???

 

Should the app be completely uninstalled and reinstalled? Any guidance to fix notification issues?

[I.Srodka 4]

@northyorks, how is your Intercom connected? Via Wi-Fi or Ethernet?

 

Yes, complete removal often happens to be helpful as well ; )

[northyorks 35]

I am connected by Ethernet. It always ‘works’ when button is pressed as I have it connected to my HC2 also so I know when button is pressed.... but intercom doesn’t always notify me.

[qmoreira 0]

On 8/3/2018 at 7:59 AM, I.Srodka said:

@northyorks, how is your Intercom connected? Via Wi-Fi or Ethernet?

 

Yes, complete removal often happens to be helpful as well ; )

I’m also having a notification problem... but in my case I don’t get any notification at all... need help @I.Srodka

Edited March 16, 2018 by qmoreira

[tjam 2]

Good evening,

 

Unfortunately all of the problems described at the first post appeared during the month of using after installation. 

 

At the moment the main problems are:

 

1. Intercom periodically missing from the network connection - so the notifications are gone. HC2 can not connect. Sometimes Intercom is very generous and back to the live surprisingly, sometimes has to be restarted. For sure I do not have to explain what problems I have got in this case.  

2. Speed of connection within the local network or from the outside (i.e. LTE or other wi-fi networks) is very poor. People are leaving my gate because I can not answer the ringing. 

 

I do not like it at the moment and I spent my money for nothing special  

Is there any idea how to resolve these problems? Is somebody working to find the reasons and repair it soon?

 

Have a nice evening. 

 

Edited March 29, 2018 by tjam

[pascald 5]

Update of my issues after the last software update. The update helped the login process which is smoother. Still having issues though when moving from Local to Remote, the app needs sometimes to be killed and restarted.

 

The other issues remain. Fibaro support answered with a "funny": "Software developers are preparing another firmware update. Hopefully they will include your opinions in it."

Good to know that bugs are "opinions" from clients and that we must live out of hope

 

 

>> 1. You cannot take a call on iOS devices as login is not working most of the time hence you cannot intercept a call. Login should be immediate which is not the case.
>> The Login process is really bad: sometimes it works as local, sometimes as remote, sometimes not at all. And when you need to take a call, the not at all option is the most frequent. Additionally when you have a login issue, you would have to quit the app to hope being able to login again.
=> MAJOR

Login is clearly improved with the new software but still experiences difficulties when switching between remote and local
>> 2. It is too slow to show the video hence you never get the video of the people ringing
=> MAJOR

 The feed does not appear fast enough.
>> 3. When you manage to respond on one device by intercepting the alert (audio mostly as the video almost never works) it keeps ringing on others
=> INTERMEDIATE

Not solved
>> 4. The iPhone app is poorly designed and not suitable for iPads which are used in horizontal mode (the most obvious mode) as rotation is not automatic and menus are not working in that mode
=> INTERMEDIATE

Not solved
>> 5. Login is regularly lost even for iOS terminals that stay permanently in one place (an iPad in the kitchen, wired)
=> INTERMEDIATE to MAJOR

Still happens
>> 6. It has crashed twice in a week, without reason
=> INTERMEDIATE

Another crash without reason
>> 7. Voice mail feature is poorly designed and caller has no idea what to do (no message to indicate what to do)
=> MINOR

Not solved

>> 8. Notifications on iPhone are not systematic
=> MAJOR

Sometimes it does appear, sometimes not. Independently of the 4G connection. It seems that the app loses connection and afterwards notifications are no longer sent. Happens mostly in remote mode.

>> 9. During connections, the quality of the audio is poor
=> INTERMEDIATE

Difficult to understand what is being said. For audio messages left however, the audio is crystal clear.

[pascald 5]

Still not a single word from Fibaro on the issues above. It seems to me that they are realising they made a serious mistake by rolling out this product which is indeed totally unusable as such. 

I have tried to come in contact with Fibaro by opening a case, facebook and this forum but to no avail. They do not react.

My conclusion:

1. the product is not usable as such, does not provide any guarantee for a connection to an iDevice, the feed is simply not fast enough
2. the product is not stable

3. the product features (voice mail, ring tone, lack of chime,...) have not been sufficiently thought through (product design flaw)

4. Fibaro does not provide service for the product

 

I have only one conclusion: ditch the product and replace it by a real working solution. I have heard very good things about Ring (acquired by Amazon which provides some guarantees that the Fibaro situation of no support would not happen again) which is a third of the price of the Fibaro intercom and has all the key features working (chime, etc.).

 

[GreenUser 0]

I fully agree. I've been analyzing the Ring and I'm also replacing my Intercom with the Ring.
The Android app never gets ready.
Receiving calls on IOS through a 4G network in Portugal does not work.
By Fibaro, and I'll also replace my HC2 with a Vera.
I'm going back to Vera.

[kroeatschge 29]

hi @GreenUser,

I understand you concerns. Just a heads up on the Android APP.

It's available on google Playstore

Please login or register to see this link.

 

Nevertheless it has the same "opinions" as the iPhone version.

BR - kro

[pascald 5]

I have stopped using the product for my main entrance as it wasn't reliable enough. I have kept testing it on another entrance. The current status is:

>> 1. You cannot take a call on iOS devices as login is not working most of the time hence you cannot intercept a call. Login should be immediate which is not the case.
>> The Login process is really bad: sometimes it works as local, sometimes as remote, sometimes not at all. And when you need to take a call, the not at all option is the most frequent. Additionally when you have a login issue, you would have to quit the app to hope being able to login again.
=> MAJOR

still experiences difficulties when switching between remote and local
>> 2. It is too slow to show the video hence you never get the video of the people ringing
=> MAJOR

 The feed does not appear fast enough. Cannot answer calls. 
>> 3. When you manage to respond on one device by intercepting the alert (audio mostly as the video almost never works) it keeps ringing on others
=> INTERMEDIATE

Not solved
>> 4. The iPhone app is poorly designed and not suitable for iPads which are used in horizontal mode (the most obvious mode) as rotation is not automatic and menus are not working in that mode
=> INTERMEDIATE

Solved!!
>> 5. Login is regularly lost even for iOS terminals that stay permanently in one place (an iPad in the kitchen, wired)
=> INTERMEDIATE to MAJOR

Still happens
>> 6. It has crashed twice in a week, without reason
=> INTERMEDIATE

No crashes recently
>> 7. Voice mail feature is poorly designed and caller has no idea what to do (no message to indicate what to do)
=> MINOR

Not solved

>> 8. Notifications on iPhone are not systematic
=> MAJOR

Sometimes it does appear, sometimes not. Independently of the 4G connection. It seems that the app loses connection and afterwards notifications are no longer sent. Happens mostly in remote mode.

>> 9. During connections, the quality of the audio is poor
=> INTERMEDIATE

Difficult to understand what is being said. For audio messages left however, the audio is crystal clear.

 

Points 1, 2, 8 and 9 are major. The product is thus clearly still UNUSABLE in its current state.
 

And I have NEVER received any update from Fibaro Customer Service on this. 

[northyorks 35]

I have updated firmware of the device and things seem to have improved... but not 100%.

 

I have not yet experienced a ‘crash’ of the device with the new firmware - this is good news as used to happen frequently.

 

Calls / notifications to IPhones seem more reliable but not 100% solid. For example yesterday all phones rang but then 3rd visitor one of my iPhones rang but the other - nothing!

 

So possibly there’s still a minor bug with notifications.

 

I must agree it’s very annoying like stated above when one device answers a call and the other devices continue to ring (when all device notifications actually work).

 

Although calls could be handled better in app like alexa calling which is slicker I have managed to answer calls when notifications work and speed and sound seemed okay to me on 4G. I managed to speak to the caller and open a connected relay in app - it is rather cool when it works as it should. It’s just not 100% reliable yet.

 

Also sometimes when going to app in iPhone instead of getting preview you just get spinning loading circle. You have to force restart the app to get it to reconnect and then it does instantly... again probably a minor bug.

 

I think Fibaro is doing good work addressing issues - and they are almost there but it could be a bit faster at doing so...

 

So new app and new firmware of device is certainly much improved... we just now need 100% success rate with iPhone notifications of caller at door as this is most crucial function of an intercom!!

 

Once notifications work 100% I can start recommending this to others as people love it but I can’t ever recommend it to friends with the bugs it currently has.