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**Rick Tinker** · March 23, 2004, 07:53 PM

Scene control is a generic term really - it deals with setting the lights to a specific level that is desired to create the lighting scene. The way you go about it is different, and for most people using regular X-10 switches, the 3 minute time is normal.

Leviton scene commands can be sent by HomeSeer, but a scene plug-in for Leviton was never built to make it easy to do. Part of this is probably due to Leviton doing scene commands differently depending on the type of controller sending the signal.

If you wish to "roll your own", a script can be run when "any" X-10 command is received on a house code, and in that script you can use the LastX10 to find out the extended data that was sent when you pressed a scene button on a Leviton scene transmitter. (e.g. 16450S) With the 'data' portion of that X-10 command, you can then create an event that transmits extended data X-10 and put the data value in it so that HomeSeer can then transmit that scene command. Do that for each house code that is a part of the scene that you want set, and now you are down to one X-10 transmission per house code, which is going to be FAR less time consuming than what is happening currently.

DC · March 23, 2004, 08:25 PM

Doesn't Homeseer eliminate the need for scene capable switches? It seems like I can accomplish the same thing by creating an event with a single X10 command as the trigger then sending the desired X10 (or zwave) commands to the appropriate switches. For example, I could have an event called "Party Royale" triggered by A1-ON. When I push A1-ON (from a KeypadLinc, mini-controller, whatever) then HS could send B1-50%, B2-50%, C3-OFF, D12-10%, etc. Wouldn't this effectively be the same as "scene" programming of switches? What am I missing?

**BrettS** · March 23, 2004, 08:49 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by DC:
What am I missing? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Nothing, really... that would work as you describe. The problem is that it's slow... depending on how many lights you need to change it could easly be 30 seconds to several minutes between the time you pushed the button on your mini-controller and the time the last light finished changing. Using a scene capable switch means that one X-10 command gets sent (per housecode) and all the switches respond at the same time.

Brett

**JLehnert** · March 23, 2004, 11:22 PM

Wazoo,

I've been through this myself, so hopefully I can save you some time. How to run Leviton scenes depends on several variables. First, do you have the green line or the red line switches? Second, what specific HAI panel do you have, and what version is the ROM?

The idea behind scenes is to think about "activities" instead of "lights". Instead of thinking "I want to turn on the light by the easy chair on medium, and the lamp next to the TV on low", think "I want to watch TV". Another example is in the kitchen. You have activities "cooking" (cooktop light on, sink light on, and task lights under the cabinets), "cleaning" (I'm a messy cook, so this means EVERY light on), "party" (under cabinet and overcabinet lights), etc.

**Wazoo** · March 23, 2004, 11:49 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by JLehnert:
Wazoo,

I've been through this myself, so hopefully I can save you some time. How to run Leviton scenes depends on several variables. First, do you have the green line or the red line switches? Second, what specific HAI panel do you have, and what version is the ROM?

The idea behind scenes is to think about "activities" instead of "lights". Instead of thinking "I want to turn on the light by the easy chair on medium, and the lamp next to the TV on low", think "I want to watch TV". Another example is in the kitchen. You have activities "cooking" (cooktop light on, sink light on, and task lights under the cabinets), "cleaning" (I'm a messy cook, so this means EVERY light on), "party" (under cabinet and overcabinet lights), etc. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I *GREATLY* appreciate the assistance...

I'm pretty sure mine are greenline (they are model number 16383). My panel is the Omni II Pro running version 2.4 of the ROM (if memory serves).

As far as scenes go.... it seems that this is exactly what I want to do. Waiting for the lights to spin up when switchen 60 of them takes some SERIOUS time.

Thanks!

Wazoo

**JLehnert** · March 25, 2004, 12:02 AM

Okay. Some good and some bad. If you have 16383 switches, you have the red line. They have a red LED at the top of the switch. The green line switch model numbers start with "HC" and have a green LED at the bottom of the switch.

The good part is that you have Leviton Scene capability built into the OPII, and the scene setup in the switches matches the setup in the Omni. Take a look at Worthington Solutions for a description of how the scenes work. In brief, each housecode is divided into 4 groups of four unitcodes, and each group of four can have 4 scenes. IOW A1-A4 has scenes 1-4, A5-A8 has scenes 5-8, B1-B4 has scenes 17-20, etc.

The bad news is that the 4x4 setup is somewhat limiting, and requires more planning when assigning codes. It also requires more commands to setup a scene throughout the house. Of course you're still better off than having to address each switch individually.

Hopefully this points you in the right direction. If you have more questions, you know where to find me.

**BigDogues** · March 25, 2004, 11:30 AM

Wow! Three minutes or more to execute a scene command. That stinks. I am in process of getting my stuff together for a new house that I'll be building this summer. I've been considering whichway to go with lighting control. I had considered levitons but now I'm seriously considering Z-waves. Seems to me I could install these at my lesiure after the house is completed. (That way they don't get trashed in the process of construction) Anyway, what I'm asking is the Z-wave switces are scene capable through HS right? Do they take as long to execute a scene as the levitons? Is there any other considerations when it comes to Z-wave and scenes?
Sorry, I couldn't find any info on this in the Z-wave forum.
Phil

**Rick Tinker** · March 25, 2004, 03:40 PM

A single X-10 command takes 666ms to transmit, and that is in one direction. A typical Z-Wave signal makes a round-trip in oh about 80ms give or take a few ms. ;-)

If you prefer the occasional pain and want to stay with Powerline carrier technology, then take a look at Lightolier Compose for the new house. If you are going to run X-10, it is probably the best thing going for scenes and X-10 infrastructure, but it is much more expensive than most other X-10 products.

**JLehnert** · March 25, 2004, 09:10 PM

Bigdogues,

You misunderstood Wazoo's comment. His system is taking 3 minutes to execute a change because it's NOT using scenes. He's addressing every module sequentially, ie A1 to 70%, A2 to 70%, A3 to 70%, A4 to 70%, etc. Using scenes, it's MUCH faster.

However, as Rick said, the X10 protocol itself is slow (in electronic terms). Speed is one advantage z-wave has going for it.

I would disagree with the "pain" comment on Compose. You get what you pay for, and Compose is worth every additional penny. It is the most feature rich, reliable, PLC system out there. I have not heard of a single instance where a properly wired system using the Lightolier firewall has had proglems. The best recommendation I can give is that if I was personally building a new house today, I would be using Compose.

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The mother of all dumb questions - What exactly is "scene" control?

The mother of all dumb questions - What exactly is "scene" control?

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