Announcement

**amatore** · February 14, 2007, 03:22 AM

Forgot the attachment

[ATTACH]13579[/ATTACH]

It look likes Homeseer IRTran plugin only grabs bus zero and will not recognize Bus1.

**YoYo** · February 16, 2007, 10:56 AM

Hi amatore,

I'll look into this. If I remember right, it should work with multiple buses. I think I have an ethernet module around here, so I'll hook it up and see what it does...

One thing that is of interest to me in the log is the mention of duplicate plug-ins...

FYI, there are two versions of the plug-in. One is an OCX and is appropriate for HomeSeer 1.x versions. The other is a .net and only works with HS 2.x. Is is possible that both were installed somehow? You don't want the OCX plug-in trying to be used with HS 2.x versions.

**amatore** · February 18, 2007, 07:16 PM

Originally posted by YoYo View Post

Hi amatore,

I'll look into this. If I remember right, it should work with multiple buses. I think I have an ethernet module around here, so I'll hook it up and see what it does...

One thing that is of interest to me in the log is the mention of duplicate plug-ins...

FYI, there are two versions of the plug-in. One is an OCX and is appropriate for HomeSeer 1.x versions. The other is a .net and only works with HS 2.x. Is is possible that both were installed somehow? You don't want the OCX plug-in trying to be used with HS 2.x versions.

Yes I had the OCX installed,(based in IRtrans int guide) removed it and the error message disapeared. In the Setup/Interface it is still Irtrans Version 1.0.107.0 coming up. Seems to be the same result as before, but will test more tomorrow. Is it a newer version?
Tore

**amatore** · February 19, 2007, 08:01 AM

Some more docuemtation

Attached is the Homeseer log, Where I try to learn a command from the POE that is not working. It adresses Unit 16.

Attached Files

log.txt (13.8 KB, 2 views)

**YoYo** · February 21, 2007, 03:32 PM

Hi amatore,

I've taken an initial look at this. At this time there is no support for more than one bus. At the time the plugin was developed, that was the only scenario there was; one bus with up to 16 bus modules, either USB or serial.

The plugin will receive and process IR from all bus modules, but can only learn and send from modules on bus zero.

The native IR capability in HS2 does support the concept of zones, but that's about it... Right now, the plugin uses zones to identify individual units on the same bus., but not buses. I'm wondering what the best way to deal with this would be....

Some possibilities:
1. Make the "zone" concept refer to buses instead of individual units on a bus. This would make it fairly easy for the user and to implement. The drawback here is this would prevent a user from being able to send IR out one particular unit on a bus. So how many people have multiple units on the same bus that they need to address individually?

2. Expand the zone concept by making the zone number refer to not only the unit, but also the bus. Also have to take into consideration sending to all buses/all units and one bus/all units. Anyone have any suggestions for how to map this in an intuitive manner?

I would appreciate any suggestions on what you would like to see...

**amatore** · March 9, 2007, 06:59 PM

Multiple bus's.

The reason for having multiple bus's in the first place is probaly distance beteween IR receivaible units, like my living room/Kitchen and Basement module. I would like to keep the Zone function for each bus, but not necessarely accross bus's. So I beleive alternative 1 is acceptable, but will prefer solution 2 to be able to control the eq in the living room from the basement and visaversa, channel switching, power control f. ex. , but I'm novice in utilizing home automation . Sorry for the late response, I have been burning my skin in Brazil for a couple of weeks.
Are there any workarounds, while you are deciding how it should be designed?
Tore

**YoYo** · March 10, 2007, 11:36 AM

Hi Tore,
I hope your skin recovers

!

I need to do a bit of testing, but I think I'd like to take this approach with the plugin in terms of handling multiple buses/zones.

I'd really start numbering the zones at 0. It would be something like...

Code:

 HS     -IRTRANS-
ZONE    BUS  UNIT
----    ---  ----
   0     0     0
   1     0     1
   2     0     2
   .     .      .
  99     0    ALL
 100     1     0
 101     1     1
 102     1     2
   .     .     .
 115     1    15
 199     1    ALL
 200     2     0
 201     2     1
 202     2     2
   .     .     .
 215     2    15
 299     2    ALL

(Sequence groups continue...)

1500    15     0
1501    15     1
1502    15     2
1599    15    ALL

Anyone care to comment on this arrangement?

**RegForte** · March 10, 2007, 01:55 PM

Hi Brian,

First, thanks for all of your work on this.

From talking to Marcus I've gotten the picture of how bus fits into things, but how does "unit" apply in an ethernet environment? What significance does it have regarding functionality, if any?

Thanks again.

**YoYo** · March 10, 2007, 06:14 PM

Originally posted by RegForte View Post

From talking to Marcus I've gotten the picture of how bus fits into things, but how does "unit" apply in an ethernet environment? What significance does it have regarding functionality, if any?

For most of the ethernet products, the unit concept simply does not apply as they each must sit on their own bus, and they have no connection for the IRTrans 2/3 wire serial bus to support additional bus units; so there is ever only one unit per bus.

However, the LAN controller products do support the IRTrans 2/3 wire serial bus and you can connect up to 15 other bus units to them.

And of course, the serial and USB versions of the product have the IRTrans serial bus on them as well.

And to add more options to the mix, some of the ethernet modules support their own internal IR database and sport a mini version of the IRTrans server software, meaning that in theory, the plugin could connect directly to them without going through the IRTrans server software that is typically required on the PC. Plus, add in the ability to address a specific IR output on units that have support for external emitters, and things keep getting more involved.

I just had a conversation with Marcus about all of the possibilities and I may end up providing an immediate fix for the bus issue in the next day or two, then began work on another development path for a more advanced plugin that would completely replace the HS IR stuff so that all of these options can be directly supported without having to "shoe horn" them into the existing HS IR architecture...

**RegForte** · March 10, 2007, 09:48 PM

Originally posted by YoYo View Post

For most of the ethernet products, the unit concept simply does not apply as they each must sit on their own bus, and they have no connection for the IRTrans 2/3 wire serial bus to support additional bus units; so there is ever only one unit per bus.

However, the LAN controller products do support the IRTrans 2/3 wire serial bus and you can connect up to 15 other bus units to them.

And of course, the serial and USB versions of the product have the IRTrans serial bus on them as well.

That makes sense now, thanks.

Originally posted by YoYo View Post

I just had a conversation with Marcus about all of the possibilities and I may end up providing an immediate fix for the bus issue in the next day or two, then began work on another development path for a more advanced plugin that would completely replace the HS IR stuff so that all of these options can be directly supported without having to "shoe horn" them into the existing HS IR architecture...

Excellent... I'm totally onboard with that. Thanks for the update.

**amatore** · March 11, 2007, 02:08 AM

Solution

I agree, the two step aproach seems excellent. Thanks for your effort to solve this.
Tore

**YoYo** · March 12, 2007, 11:31 AM

Hi all,
I've attached a new version of the IRTrans plug-in (1.1.12.0) that fully supports buses as well as individual units on those buses.

Before I make it available on the Updater, perhaps a few of you could download it and give it a try in your scenarios just to make sure any kinks are worked out.

There is one new option in the IRTrans Configuration web page called "IR Learning Bus". One must specify which bus contains the IRTrans devices that you'd like to use when you learn new IR commands. In practice, you may need to change this setting as you move from room to room to learn the particular IR codes for that room; especially if you're using ethernet modules, which tend to reside on independent buses, rather than units on the IRTrans 2/3 wire serial bus. It has no effect on "hearing" IR commands on any bus, nor sending them.

If you can't remember what unit is on what bus, you can right-click on the IRTrans Tray menu and choose "Diagnostics".

Also, a couple of prototypes changed in the IRTrans.NET.dll at some recent point, so I've updated the plug-in to reflect this. As such, you need to use one of the later IRTrans.NET.dlls with this plug-in; that's why I've included one in the zip archive.

Please note: The IRTrans Bus/Unit to HomeSeer Zone map has changed according to my earlier message above. One aside, I discovered that you can have a zone number of zero, (which in our case refers to bus zero, unit 0), however, on the IR Signal Configuration web page, output zones set to zero show as blank. This is OK with me if it's OK with you.

Thanks for the feedback...

UPDATE 03 APR 2007: Discovered an issue using HomeSeer zone zero so I've removed the attachment... Click here for an updated message and plug-in...

**RegForte** · March 12, 2007, 01:05 PM

Thanks, YoYo. I'll install and test as soon as my equipment gets here.

**amatore** · March 14, 2007, 11:01 AM

Test 1

I have startet the test.
Tried to use the old allready learned commands on BUS 0, but they did not work. I have removed all learned commands, starting from scratch. With one command :Power on on Logitech Address location 0 bus 0. IT works through the IRTRANS GUI so the configuration is OK. Then to the IRTrans PLUGIN.
1. The learning command seems to work . learning completed.
2. The SEND command do not work, no reaction. Her is the debug output:
<TABLE cellSpacing=2 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=LOGDateTime0 noWrap align=left>14.03.2007 16:55:07 </TD><TD class=LOGType0 align=left colSpan=3>IRTrans Debug </TD><TD class=LOGEntry0 align=left colSpan=8>KeyLearnable() called with location 0</TD></TR><TR><TD class=LOGDateTime1 noWrap align=left>14.03.2007 16:55:07 </TD><TD class=LOGType1 align=left colSpan=3>IRTrans Debug </TD><TD class=LOGEntry1 align=left colSpan=8>SupportsIR2() called, returning true</TD></TR><TR><TD class=LOGDateTime0 noWrap align=left>14.03.2007 16:55:18 </TD><TD class=LOGType0 align=left colSpan=3>IRTrans Debug </TD><TD class=LOGEntry0 align=left colSpan=8>SetZone(1) called</TD></TR><TR><TD class=LOGDateTime1 noWrap align=left>14.03.2007 16:55:18 </TD><TD class=LOGType1 align=left colSpan=3>IRTrans Debug </TD><TD class=LOGEntry1 align=left colSpan=8>PlayIR() called on location: 0</TD></TR><TR><TD class=LOGDateTime0 noWrap align=left>14.03.2007 16:55:18 </TD><TD class=LOGType0 align=left colSpan=3>IRTrans Debug </TD><TD class=LOGEntry0 align=left colSpan=8>Bus is 0, Address mask will be 2</TD></TR><TR><TD class=LOGDateTime1 noWrap align=left>14.03.2007 16:55:18 </TD><TD class=LOGType1 align=left colSpan=3>IRTrans Debug </TD><TD class=LOGEntry1 align=left colSpan=8>Command played successfully.</TD></TR><TR><TD class=LOGDateTime0 noWrap align=left>14.03.2007 16:55:18 </TD><TD class=LOGType0 align=left colSpan=3>IRTrans Debug </TD><TD class=LOGEntry0 align=left colSpan=8>KeyLearnable() called with location 0</TD></TR><TR><TD class=LOGDateTime1 noWrap align=left>14.03.2007 16:55:18 </TD><TD class=LOGType1 align=left colSpan=3>IRTrans Debug </TD><TD class=LOGEntry1 align=left colSpan=8>SupportsIR2() called, returning true

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Tore

Announcement

IRTrans POE Lan modules. Can only use one POE at a time,

IRTrans POE Lan modules. Can only use one POE at a time,

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