Any way to have HS recognize button presses from Contolinc?

[atldba]

Hi everyone -

I'm hoping someone here with more experience than myself may know how to do this. I have HS running with a 2414U PLC and about 10 Insteon devices controlling lights. I'm phasing out all my x-10 modules but still have a couple left.

I have one Remotelinc and two Controlinc units in my configuration as well as two access points.

I have registered my two Controlinc units to HS and they do show up along with the 5 buttons on each unit.

What I'm trying to find out is how I can use one of the buttons on the Controlincs to kick off a triggered event in HS to turn on certain house lights. This is a kind of way around the ALL ON button only controlling the lights directly linked to the Controlinc units. The event would bring on many of the lights in the house as a kind of panic mode ALL ON.

I see how to trigger such an event in HS using an X-10 command, but I can't seem to get HS to recognize key presses on the Controlincs in Insteon mode. I presume that's because they are controllers.

Right now the best I can come up with is using the Controlinc's ability to send an X-10 command which I can use to trigger an all on type event in HS. Unfortunately, I run into the usual limitations with X-10 such as not having the Controlincs on the same phase of the power, etc. I'd love to get away from any dependency on X-10 if I could.

Anyone have any bright (chuckle) ideas?

Thanks!

[mtwalsh367]

I forgot the exact details but you should be able to see a controllinc button push and kick off an event in HS. I do this with two of the buttons on my controllinc. I remember there being some sort of a trick to get HS to be able to respond to controllinc button pushes. I think you need to link at least one Insteon device to the button you want to use on the controlinc and then HS will be able to recoginze the button push. I have one button set up as "wake up" it turns off one light in my bedroom but then HS does a variety of other stuff as well. I use the other button to put the house into "bedtime mode" without me setting the alarm which is usually what triggers this event.

Hopefully this helps.

[atldba]

Thanks

I appreciate the feedback. I'll give that a try. I haven't really tried doing it the way you mentioned, but that's a pretty easy thing to check out. If that works, I can get rid of the X-10 thing altogether.

[conservative2]

Can't get it to work

I'm trying to get something very similar to work but I cannot find the option you mentioned. Can anyone explain in further detail?

[Oman]

The ControlLinc firmware won't activate the buttons unless there is a link to a physical device. Once that is done if the ControLinc is added to homeseer properly you will get the button press events.

Jon

I'm trying to get something very similar to work but I cannot find the option you mentioned. Can anyone explain in further detail?

[conservative2]

Using SwitchLinc

Hi Jon,

Thanks for your response. Actually I'm not using a ControlLinc, but I'm using a SwitchLinc.

Right now I have my living room broken into two sets of lights; set 1 is the main set and set 2 is the set in front of my TV. I wired them so I can control them separately.

I have SwitchLinc A connected to the load of set 1 and SwitchLinc B connected to the load of set 2. This works perfect.

Then, on the other side of the room, I have a third SwitchLinc (C) which I have linked to both SwitchLinc A and SwitchLinc B. So in other words, SwitchLinc C controls all of the lights by sending commands to both SwitchLinc A and SwitchLinc B (through Insteon communication, not X10). If I want to individually control set 1 of lights or set 2 of lights, I simply go across the room to SwitchLinc A and SwitchLinc B.

Here's my issue. I'm trying to get HomeSeer to "see" when these lights turn on and off and trigger actions based on those events. How do I get HomeSeer to "see" the Insteon commands sent by the switches?

What I did temporarily was configure an X10 address in both SwitchLinc A and SwitchLinc B. When either of these switches are used, the lights are controlled and an X10 command is sent which is seen by HomeSeer and I can trigger the actions I want based on those events. However, when I use SwitchLinc C, it sends Insteon commands to SwitchLinc A and SwitchLinc B to turn the lights on or off but HomeSeer doesn't see it since I'm only able to get HomeSeer to see the X10 events, not the Insteon events.

I'd like to move everything to Insteon (assuming I can get HomeSeer to see the events) since I'm having signal issues with X10. I will need X10 compatibility though since I have several older KeypadLincs that will only send X10 and I want Homeseer to trigger other actions based on these KeypadLinc X10 events.

Any thoughts on how I can get Homeseer to "see" Insteon events?

Thanks!
Ken

[Oman]

If you properly add the switchlinc devices to the plug-in then it will see both the local and remote load control changes. Events can then be triggered.

Jon

Hi Jon,

Thanks for your response. Actually I'm not using a ControlLinc, but I'm using a SwitchLinc.

Right now I have my living room broken into two sets of lights; set 1 is the main set and set 2 is the set in front of my TV. I wired them so I can control them separately.

I have SwitchLinc A connected to the load of set 1 and SwitchLinc B connected to the load of set 2. This works perfect.

Then, on the other side of the room, I have a third SwitchLinc (C) which I have linked to both SwitchLinc A and SwitchLinc B. So in other words, SwitchLinc C controls all of the lights by sending commands to both SwitchLinc A and SwitchLinc B (through Insteon communication, not X10). If I want to individually control set 1 of lights or set 2 of lights, I simply go across the room to SwitchLinc A and SwitchLinc B.

Here's my issue. I'm trying to get HomeSeer to "see" when these lights turn on and off and trigger actions based on those events. How do I get HomeSeer to "see" the Insteon commands sent by the switches?

What I did temporarily was configure an X10 address in both SwitchLinc A and SwitchLinc B. When either of these switches are used, the lights are controlled and an X10 command is sent which is seen by HomeSeer and I can trigger the actions I want based on those events. However, when I use SwitchLinc C, it sends Insteon commands to SwitchLinc A and SwitchLinc B to turn the lights on or off but HomeSeer doesn't see it since I'm only able to get HomeSeer to see the X10 events, not the Insteon events.

I'd like to move everything to Insteon (assuming I can get HomeSeer to see the events) since I'm having signal issues with X10. I will need X10 compatibility though since I have several older KeypadLincs that will only send X10 and I want Homeseer to trigger other actions based on these KeypadLinc X10 events.

Any thoughts on how I can get Homeseer to "see" Insteon events?

Thanks!
Ken

[conservative2]

My Switches

Thanks Jon,

I just removed my X10 addressed from all the switches I mentioned. When I turn the lights on with SwitchLinc A and SwitchLinc B, I need to set the Insteon Plugin logging to "Detailed Debugging" in order to see anything in the HS log. When I do that, here is what I see in the HS log:

(Single pressed top paddle of SwitchLinc A)

Line 1: Insteon ProcessGroupBroadcast: Device index 2 08.0C.87 is group broadcast source (tgt group/button: 1) sending cmd 11

Line 2: Insteon Setting status and value for device \2 to % based value of 56

(Single pressed bottom paddle of SwitchLinc A)

Line 3: Insteon ProcessGroupBroadcast: Device index 2 08.0C.87 is group broadcast source (tgt group/button: 1) sending cmd 13

Line 4: Insteon Setting status and value for device \2 to % based value of 0

(Double pressed top paddle of SwitchLinc B)

Line 5: Insteon ProcessGroupBroadcast: Device index 3 06.E1.3C is group broadcast source (tgt group/button: 1) sending cmd 12

Line 6: Insteon Setting status and value for device \3 to % based value of 50

(Double pressed bottom paddle of SwitchLinc B)

Line 7: Insteon ProcessGroupBroadcast: Device index 3 06.E1.3C is group broadcast source (tgt group/button: 1) sending cmd 14

Line 8: Insteon Setting status and value for device \3 to % based value of 0

(Double pressed top paddle of SwitchLinc C)

Line 9: Insteon ProcessGroupBroadcast: Device index 4 06.BB.88 is group broadcast source (tgt group/button: 1) sending cmd 12

Line 10: Insteon Setting status and value for device \4 to % based value of 100

Line 11: Insteon ProcessGroupBroadcast: Located remote link record match for group broadcast - Device:08.0C.87 link record # 4 target channel 1

Line 12: Insteon Setting status and value for device \2 to % based value of 56

Line 13: Insteon ProcessGroupBroadcast: Located remote link record match for group broadcast - Device:06.E1.3C link record # 1 target channel 1

Line 14: Insteon Setting status and value for device \3 to % based value of 50

(Double pressed bottom paddle of SwitchLinc C)

Line 15: Insteon ProcessGroupBroadcast: Device index 4 06.BB.88 is group broadcast source (tgt group/button: 1) sending cmd 14

Line 16: Insteon Setting status and value for device \4 to % based value of 0

Line 17: Insteon ProcessGroupBroadcast: Located remote link record match for group broadcast - Device:08.0C.87 link record # 4 target channel 1

Line 18: Insteon Setting status and value for device \2 to % based value of 0

Line 19: Insteon ProcessGroupBroadcast: Located remote link record match for group broadcast - Device:06.E1.3C link record # 1 target channel 1

Line 20: Insteon Setting status and value for device \3 to % based value of 0




Any ideas on how I can set up actions based on any of these events since they only show up when the Insteon logging level is set to detailed debugging mode?

Thanks,
Ken

[Oman]

Use the event triggers in HomeSeer just like for any other device. Trigger on ON or OFF or a dim level as desired. The log only shows that things are working, you don't actually trigger off the log.

Jon

Thanks Jon,

I just removed my X10 addressed from all the switches I mentioned. When I turn the lights on with SwitchLinc A and SwitchLinc B, I need to set the Insteon Plugin logging to "Detailed Debugging" in order to see anything in the HS log. When I do that, here is what I see in the HS log:

(Single pressed top paddle of SwitchLinc A)

Line 1: Insteon ProcessGroupBroadcast: Device index 2 08.0C.87 is group broadcast source (tgt group/button: 1) sending cmd 11

Line 2: Insteon Setting status and value for device \2 to % based value of 56

(Single pressed bottom paddle of SwitchLinc A)

Line 3: Insteon ProcessGroupBroadcast: Device index 2 08.0C.87 is group broadcast source (tgt group/button: 1) sending cmd 13

Line 4: Insteon Setting status and value for device \2 to % based value of 0

(Double pressed top paddle of SwitchLinc B)

Line 5: Insteon ProcessGroupBroadcast: Device index 3 06.E1.3C is group broadcast source (tgt group/button: 1) sending cmd 12

Line 6: Insteon Setting status and value for device \3 to % based value of 50

(Double pressed bottom paddle of SwitchLinc B)

Line 7: Insteon ProcessGroupBroadcast: Device index 3 06.E1.3C is group broadcast source (tgt group/button: 1) sending cmd 14

Line 8: Insteon Setting status and value for device \3 to % based value of 0

(Double pressed top paddle of SwitchLinc C)

Line 9: Insteon ProcessGroupBroadcast: Device index 4 06.BB.88 is group broadcast source (tgt group/button: 1) sending cmd 12

Line 10: Insteon Setting status and value for device \4 to % based value of 100

Line 11: Insteon ProcessGroupBroadcast: Located remote link record match for group broadcast - Device:08.0C.87 link record # 4 target channel 1

Line 12: Insteon Setting status and value for device \2 to % based value of 56

Line 13: Insteon ProcessGroupBroadcast: Located remote link record match for group broadcast - Device:06.E1.3C link record # 1 target channel 1

Line 14: Insteon Setting status and value for device \3 to % based value of 50

(Double pressed bottom paddle of SwitchLinc C)

Line 15: Insteon ProcessGroupBroadcast: Device index 4 06.BB.88 is group broadcast source (tgt group/button: 1) sending cmd 14

Line 16: Insteon Setting status and value for device \4 to % based value of 0

Line 17: Insteon ProcessGroupBroadcast: Located remote link record match for group broadcast - Device:08.0C.87 link record # 4 target channel 1

Line 18: Insteon Setting status and value for device \2 to % based value of 0

Line 19: Insteon ProcessGroupBroadcast: Located remote link record match for group broadcast - Device:06.E1.3C link record # 1 target channel 1

Line 20: Insteon Setting status and value for device \3 to % based value of 0




Any ideas on how I can set up actions based on any of these events since they only show up when the Insteon logging level is set to detailed debugging mode?

Thanks,
Ken

[atldba]

The ControlLinc firmware won't activate the buttons unless there is a link to a physical device. Once that is done if the ControLinc is added to homeseer properly you will get the button press events.

Jon

Thanks Jon.

That indeed was the case. I'm able to trigger an event off the button press with a device linked to the button. I learn something everyday!

[conservative2]

Use the event triggers in HomeSeer just like for any other device. Trigger on ON or OFF or a dim level as desired. The log only shows that things are working, you don't actually trigger off the log.

Jon

Got it - thanks John! It works great now.