Best X-10 / IR Controller

[Michel]

Hi All,

I've used HS with a SmartLinc controller for a few years for all of my X-10 uses. Now that I'm trying to get it working with the IR portion I find the lack of having a learning capability anoying.

I'd like to get an other controller but would appreciate your feedback on what would be the best X-10 / IR Controller. I kind of stopped my choice on the Ocelot, but would like to validate this choice or check if I'm missing on an other great product that I might not know of.

Also, how are you, IR user, detecting the ON-OFF status of your AV gears. Some of my AV does not offer Discrete codes.

Thanks for your insights

[SteveD]

Michel

I can't speak for other choices but I have been using the Ocelot for over three years and am very happy with it.

A search on the board will provide hours of interesting reading on this subjet. Here is a lnk pertaining to the power on/off problem.

http://ubb.homeseer.com/eve/ubb.x?a=...533#5336086533

SteveD

[fireball]

I was using a Smarthome PCIR Link for IR transmissions until I recently picked up a USB-UIRT. Both can learn codes and I was happy with the PCIR Link but the UIRT can receive IR codes as well which lets me trigger events via IR and also lets me track status (fairly reliably) of my AV gear. I've got a virtual device setup to represent my TV which I've not been able to find dicrete codes for yet. I've also got an event that triggers when my UIRT sees the "TV, Power" command come in that flips that device the opposite of whatever it was. Its fairly reliable but the one thing you have to remember is that whenever you send that IR out to turn your TV on/off you have to change the status in your script as well.
For items that have multiple states that change on the push of a button (like which input your TV is on) check the scripts area for one of my posts. Rupp was able to come up with a script that will work for you. It checks to see what value is in a virtual device and then scrolls to the next each time its run. Works pretty well but you just can't scroll between them very quickly with the remote or else the UIRT won't pick it up and you'll be stuck with the wrong value.

[Rupp]

Michel,
The nice thing about the Ocelot is it can also be used as an X10 controller. It also has many add on controllers as well.

[zimmer62]

I may have asked this in the past, but right now I'm actaully ready to buy a IR solution, however I have a couple requirements.

1) I need to have multiple zones. So I can send an IR command to a particular room and only that room. I have equipment in more than one room that responds to the same IR codes.

2) I need to be able to receive IR commands in multiple zones (locations) so that If I press a button on a remote in a particluar room, homeseer knows that I pressed that button, and from what room?

Is this possible? So If I were in the living room and pressed a button on my remote, homeseer could see that I pressed pause on my dvd player in the living room, and repeat it to the DVD player that's hidden in the cabinet, but not repeat it to the dvd player in the bedroom and vice versa.

I'd like like to have other actions happen when I pause a movie for instance, like slowing diming up the lights, and diming them down when I press play.

Thanks!

Joe

[hanarmco]

Michel,

I don't know if you have seen this:

http://ubb.homeseer.com/eve/ubb.x?a=...56&m=804102917

In that thread I have provided some information about how to upgrade the SmartLinc HouseLinc to add a JP1 connector in order to add device upgrades. While it doesn't provide learning support, the JP1 tools include decoders to access a very large collection of IR commands at Remote Central. This may sound reckless, but I now think there would be very few units of IR controlled consumer electronic equipment that couldn't be added.

It will also allow adding discrete commands for Power On and Power Off, AV inputs, etc.

So this may be worth looking into (assuming that is what you have) if it were able to solve the underlying problem.

[Michel]

Steve : You're right there is plenty of good stuff said on the Ocelot. I still wanted to double check because I tend to always fall on the bad stuff just after purchasing someting.

Fireball : I agree it is a good alternative add-on. Thanks

Rupp : Exactly my goal.

Jon : Pretty extensive work. I do want to go with learning cap. I'm trying to automate a 400 DVD player and find it easier to learn directly to IR. Remote Hi-Fi is a great source but a lot of work is involved. Thanks.

I finally ordered my Ocelot. While shopping I also saw that they had something I was hoping for, an analog light detector. Most sensor in motion sensors or other detectors are binary. I like the idea of knowing how dark or how bringht it is. The RS-485 communication with other add-on is also definitivly a plus. Houselinc brought me so far but I'm confident the Ocelot will offer more.

Thanks to all for your feedbacks.

[Brian Raynor]

Michel,

Believe you'll be happy with the Ocelot for your needs. I have an Ocelot and Leopard II (basically an Ocelot with a touch screen) and two of the SECU16 modules.

Regarding IR, the Ocelot itself only has one IR zone - ie: it can send IR and receive it off the same zone. You can also purchase an SECU16IR module that will give you 16 IR outs (with the Ocelot giving you a total of 17), but no IR in on the SECU16 (there is a port labeled IR IN, but its not utilized).

The only way for the Ocelot itself to support multiple IR INs would be to have multiple Ocelots or Leopards chained together on the ADNET bus. Pretty pricey solution...

Regarding using light detectors. The light Bobcat would work well for this. However, another way would be to pickup an SECU16 (8 relays, 8 analog inputs) or SECU16I (16 analog inputs) module (yes, I know the names are all similar). Then you would simply use a photoresistor hooked into the input to measure light value (8 bit values 0-255). An SECU16 or SECU16I are a lot cheaper than equivalent number of light Bobcats, and not much harder to set up this way. You can also use the other SECU16/I inputs for things like temperature sensors (using an LM34), etc.

Hope this helps!

[Michel]

Hi Brian,

I just received my Ocelot yesterday .

Thanks for the nice precision on the IR.

You're right about the similarity in the add-on part number. Apparently even the poeples selling this product are confused. I ordered a SECU16I and received a SECU16 instead. They also show on the packing slip 4 stick-on IR emitters on order, 3 sent and 1 back-order. The shipper sent 1 and kept 3. Normally not a big issue but when you are in Canada and order from the States you get hit by the custom on every entry and sometime export for the returning parts.

I appreciate your comments on the alternative way for light sensing. I'll have to see the details about the SECU16x analog input. I taught it could be either dry contact detection or 0-5VDC input from an other source. Based on what you are saying it is generating its own voltage and simply measures what comes back, on an 8 bit scale. This makes sense, since we're using a resistor for the dry contact application. This widen my range of application to anything that can modulate or feedback a resistance value! Interesting.

For temperature I'm using Midon Desing Temp08. It works great, sensors are very low cost and you can add up to 60 using only a 1 wire bus i.e 2 wires in real life.

07:00 AM....Time to play now!