SonaHMI Manager brings every SonaHMI touch panel on the site into one list, is where you manage panel settings, screensavers and software updates remotely, and runs free on the automation server: a panel management application.
The panel is the server's screen
SonaHMI is the screen of the automation server. It shows the pages you design on the server and passes every touch straight to it; the decision runs on the brains at the back, the control stays in front with you. The panel runs in kiosk mode, locked and full-screen; the user sees only the automation interface and cannot reach the settings or the background. Up to twenty panels connect to one automation server, and each panel can show a different page. Different rooms, different floors and different buildings are managed from the same server.
Every panel in one list
You define the panels in SonaHMI Manager. Model, software version and current state appear in one list; which panel is online and which is offline reads at a glance. When you add a panel you enter its name, address and model, and the data points that can be controlled are created automatically according to the model you choose.
The connection survives an address change
When the address of a panel or the server changes because of network settings, the application finds the panel again and updates the record itself; the connection is not lost. A fixed address is still recommended for long-term stability. If there is a problem on the panel or the network, the panel says so on screen in large, readable type, and it warns the same way when login details change.
Panel features join the scenes
The features of every panel defined in Manager appear on the server as data points and take part in scenes, schedules and scripts. The alarm sound, two separate notification sounds and the doorbell are triggered; the screen is switched on and off; the panel is locked remotely; the interface is refreshed. On the eight-inch panel, the color indicator in the enclosure is controlled too and is used for states such as room occupied, room free and do not disturb. These points work over KNX, BACnet, Modbus and MQTT.
Updates without going to site
Panel software is updated remotely; the application checks over the internet whether a new version exists and starts the update if there is one. After an update the information inside the panel is preserved and the project is not rebuilt. From the same screen you also change the panel's network connection type, its address, the server login details and the wireless network settings. Even on a site with twenty panels, nobody walks to each one.
Screensaver and PIN
You upload your own images into the application and build a library; then you pick a panel from the list and send it the image you want. The screensaver is switched on and off and its type is chosen: dim the screen or a custom image. If you want a PIN asked when leaving the screensaver, the PIN is defined here and sent to the panel. In hotel rooms, the screen is taken fully dark so the panel gives off no light during a sleep scene.
A backup protects hours of commissioning
When commissioning is done, one button takes a backup: the panel definitions and the images in the gallery come down to your computer as a single file. On restore, the panels and images come back one by one and the data points are recreated in the current language. So even if the application has to be reset, hours of commissioning are not lost.
The server does not slow down as panels are added
Manager sends commands straight to the panels; the panels do not poll the server constantly. That is why the system stays fast even in a twenty-panel installation. The software on the panel side runs in the device's own software layer; the user only ever meets the automation interface, and after a factory reset the panel opens with the setup wizard again.
One installation, many languages
Because the interface works in many languages, the same installation is used on multinational sites as well.
How SonaHMI Manager works: introduction
Bringing panels into one list, managing settings and screensavers remotely, and updating panel software without going to site.
Frequently asked questions
How many panels connect to one server?
Up to twenty panels; that is the measured capacity. Each panel can show a different page, so rooms, floors or buildings are managed separately.
Do I have to go to site to update panel software?
No. The application checks for a new version over the internet and starts the update remotely. Panel settings, network details and login details are also changed remotely from the same screen.
Which panels are managed?
SonaHMI touch panels are managed; the SNTP08 and SNTP10 models are supported. The model is chosen when the panel is added, and the data points for that model are created accordingly.
Is the application paid?
No. SonaHMI Manager is free and needs no license; it installs from the store in Sona Application Center.
Does the connection break if the panel's address changes?
No. When the address changes, the application finds the panel again and updates the record. A fixed address is still recommended for long-term stability.
Can I change the panel language later?
The panel's language can be updated remotely. The application's own language, however, is chosen at first setup and then locked, because the chosen language is written into the names of the data points it creates. If it has to change, you take a backup, reset the application and restore the backup.
Does it fit corporate network policies?
Communication between the panel and the server runs over a secure connection and needs no extra arrangement on corporate networks.
Is an internet connection required?
The panel and the server work on the local network; when the internet drops, the panel keeps showing the automation page. Internet is only needed to update the panel software.
SonaHMI Manager is free and installs from the store in Sona Application Center; it needs no license.
The application manages SonaHMI touch panels. The panels work together with the automation server they are connected to.
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