PLCBUS Connector for HomeSeer 2 - V1.33.2.4

[stipus]

Here is latest info about release V1.33.2.4 of the PLCBUS Connector Plugin for HomeSeer 2


Note:

The plugin has been tested with HomeSeer 2.4.0.1 and PLCBUS interface #1141.


Plugin Features:

- Web Configuration Interface for all features,
- Scripting API for all features,
- Add and Remove PLCBUS Lamp modules,
- Add and Remove PLCBUS Appliance modules,
- Add and Remove PLCBUS Scenes,
- ON / OFF / Direct DIM / HomeSeer status request support for all PLCBUS modules,
- Standard X10 command support (A1 ON, All lights ON, All units OFF... etc),
- HomeSeer Module Polling support,
- PLCBUS Automatic UserCode discovery,
- PLCBUS Fast polling support. The plugin can poll the ON/OFF status for an entire HouseCode (16 modules) in less than one second.
- PLCBUS 3-Phase support (Commands are sent to the 3-phase coupler),
- PLCBUS Command acknowledgment (warning in the HS log in case a module didn't acknowledge a command)
- Default Dim Rate and On behavior for Lamp Devices.


- PLCBUS Tools
* get inuse addresses
* get only on addresses
* change module address
* get signal strength and noise level...
* Erase all scene addresses from a module

- PLCBUS Scene Management (several PLCBUS modules respond simultaneously with their own settings (dim level and ramp rate) to the same Scene address)
* Scene definition (Module on/off/preset-dim DimLevel, RampRate)
* Scene Address programming (easily program modules for scenes)
* Scene Address erasing (easily delete a scene)
* Scene module status (when HS receives or sends a scene command, all module status are updated)


hs.ExecX10 support

The plugin supports this HomeSeer command, and sends PLCBUS commands instead of X10.
The ramp rate is the fourth parameter of the method, right after brightness

Ramp Rate 0 = use the default ramp rate configured for the Lamp Device
Ramp Rate 1 to 100 = very fast to very slow
Ramp Rate > 100 = instant action.

Examples from the HomeSeer Immediate Control Window:

To instantaneously switch ON the A2 light to 80%
&hs.ExecX10 "A2", "DIM", 80, 256

To ramp the light from current dim level to 50% at a fast rate:
&hs.ExecX10 "A2", "DIM", 50, 3

To ramp the light from current dim level to 20% at a slow rate:
&hs.ExecX10 "A2", "DIM", 20, 10

You can also use X10 group commands such as the following:
&hs.ExecX10 "A2+3", "DIM", 60, 0


hs.PollDevice support

This HomeSeer API sends a status query to an individual module, and then adjusts HomeSeer status (ON / OFF and Dim Level).
If you need exact dim level status report for a few modules, you may schedule an event every minute with the following code for each of the devices you want to track:
&hs.PollDevice "A1"

If you don't need dim level status report, it's better to use the fast polling feature of the plugin, because ON/OFF status for an entire house code (16 modules) is updated using only one PLCBUS query. You may also use the Lamp device default On Behavior to minimize the number of PlcBus queries.


Default behavior for lamp devices

PlcBus Lamp devices have capabilities that X10 devices do not have. These PlcBus settings are found in the plugin web configuration interface.
You can find the default ramp rate for dim commands sent from HomeSeer, and the default On Behavior:

- Send On and Set HomeSeer status to On. Use this option when you want to restore the lamp device to last known dim level. This level is unknown to the plugin as it may have been changed localy on the device, and the HomeSeer device status is set to On. This is the default mode, and this works very well with FastPolling if you don't want to accurately track each lamp device dim level.

- Send On and Send PlcBus Status-Requests to update HomeSeer dim level. Use this option when you want to restore the lamp device to last known dim level, and you want the plugin to send additional PlcBus Status-Request messages to update the HomeSeer device dim level. If you use this mode with too many devices, you may use a lot of the total PlcBus bandwidth, and start to experience collisions.

- Preset Dim to xx% within yy seconds. Use this option when you want the on command to be translated to a PlcBus Preset-Dim command (force a specific dim level and ramp rate). Use this option when you don't want to restore the lamp device to last known dim level, and prefer to force your own settings (like 100%, instant). When a PlcBus On command is received by the plugin, the HomeSeer device dim level is set to the default value. This value may be wrong if the dim level has been changed locally at the device.


Plugin Scripting API:

http://board.homeseer.com/showthread.php?t=124339


Please send me feedback

[stipus]

PLCBUS Lamp Device Configuration Interface:

[stipus]

PLCBUS Tools Interface:

[stipus]

PLCBUS Scene Configuration

What is a PLCBUS Scene:

A PLCBUS Scene is a way to have several modules respond simultaneously to the same command.
PLCBUS Lamp and Appliance modules can store up to 16 Scene Address, in addition to their primary address.
For each scene address, the module stores the Dim Level and the Ramp Rate.

This means you can create a Scene C1 and store settings for each module in the scene:

A1 must be OFF
A2 must go to Dim Level 80 at Ramp Rate 3 (quite fast)
A3 must go to Dim Level 40 at Ramp Rate 10 (quite slow)

Then when the PLCBUS C1 ON command is sent, A1 will switch off and A2 + A3 will simultaneously ramp to the recorded dim level, at the recorded ramp rate.
When the PLCBUS C1 OFF command is sent, A1, A2 and A3 will simultaneously switch off, at the recorded ramp rate.

The PLCBUS Connector plugin helps to create scene, add scene entries, and program the scene into the modules. Furthermore, when a PLCBUS Scene command is received or sent, the plugin updates HomeSeer device status for each Scene module.

Plugin Web Configuration interface to setup PLCBUS Scenes

[stipus]

slot reserved by stipus

[lunkan]

Installed your plugin and i'ts working only tested with appliance module, the modules I have on same phase as plcbus interface 1141 (have a 3 phase system) Don't work every time i swtched on/off in homeseer but don't think that this problem belongs to your module. Yesterday I moved my homeseer installation to a dedicated PC. This is an VIA EPIA-CN13000G. PLCBus commands from this PC don't work correct with Kevins PLCBus Controller either. I will check with raw (hex) data on com port later this week.
I also know that my plcbus interface 1141 is one of the early usb interface kevin sold. (will contact him)

[stipus]

Thanks for your report. I'll try to implement 3-phases quickly.

If PLCBUS commands do not work from the PLCBUS Controller program from x10-hk.com, they are not going to work better with the plugin.

You may want to switch the plugin debug Mode to ON to see what's happening on the line (If acks are received for commands...).

You can also use the PLCBUS tools from the plugin web configuration interface to check signal strength and noise level for your modules.

[lunkan]

Thanks!

[stipus]

Attachement in post #1 updated to V0.2.2.2

Change log since V0.1.2.2

- PLCBUS Three Phases support (commands are sent to the PLCBUS 3-phase coupler)
- PLCBUS Tools implemented (get inuse addresses, get only on addresses, change module address, get signal strength and noise level...)
- New API methods implemented (all PLCBUS tools can be used from HomeSeer scripts)

Note:

The change module address PLCBUS tool is not finished yet. It works and really changes the module primary address, but it doesn't change the HomeSeer device code for the module. You currently have to remove the HomeSeer device, and create a new one with the new address. This will be fixed later.


If you are upgrading from V0.1.2.2

Remove directory HomeSeer 2\html\hspi_plcbus before copying new files.

[lunkan]

Wow, your update was realy fast!
3 phase works ok most of the time, failed somtimes
I will get a new Interface 1141 to be shure thats not the problem
Debug log:

2007-11-06 22:34:50 ~!~PLCBUS Debug~!~SetIO() called
2007-11-06 22:34:50 ~!~Info~!~Device: Hall Tak (A2) OFF
2007-11-06 22:34:50 ~!~PLCBUS Debug~!~Sending: UserCode:51 DeviceCode:A2 Function:Off Data1:0 Data2:0 Tx:False Ack:False Id:False RiscOK:False PlcBusOK:False
2007-11-06 22:34:50 ~!~PLCBUS Debug~!~Sent: UserCode:51 DeviceCode:A2 Function:Off Data1:0 Data2:0 Tx:True Ack:False Id:False RiscOK:True PlcBusOK:True
2007-11-06 22:34:50 ~!~PLCBUS Debug~!~Received Ack: UserCode:51 DeviceCode:A2 Function:Off Data1:0 Data2:0 Tx:False Ack:True Id:False RiscOK:False PlcBusOK:False
2007-11-06 22:34:51 ~!~PLCBUS Debug~!~Received: UserCode:51 DeviceCode:A2 Function:Off Data1:0 Data2:0 Tx:False Ack:False Id:False RiscOK:True PlcBusOK:True
2007-11-06 22:34:51 ~!~X10 Received~!~A2 ( Hall Tak) A Off
2007-11-06 22:35:52 ~!~PLCBUS Debug~!~SetIO() called
2007-11-06 22:35:52 ~!~Info~!~Device: Hall Tak (A2) ON
2007-11-06 22:35:52 ~!~PLCBUS Debug~!~Sending: UserCode:51 DeviceCode:A2 Function:On Data1:0 Data2:0 Tx:False Ack:False Id:False RiscOK:False PlcBusOK:False
2007-11-06 22:35:53 ~!~PLCBUS Debug~!~Sent: UserCode:51 DeviceCode:A2 Function:On Data1:100 Data2:0 Tx:True Ack:False Id:False RiscOK:True PlcBusOK:True
2007-11-06 22:35:53 ~!~PLCBUS Debug~!~Received Ack: UserCode:51 DeviceCode:A2 Function:On Data1:100 Data2:0 Tx:False Ack:True Id:False RiscOK:False PlcBusOK:False
2007-11-06 22:35:53 ~!~PLCBUS Debug~!~Received: UserCode:51 DeviceCode:A2 Function:On Data1:100 Data2:0 Tx:False Ack:False Id:False RiscOK:True PlcBusOK:True
2007-11-06 22:35:53 ~!~X10 Received~!~A2 ( Hall Tak) A On
2007-11-06 22:35:54 ~!~PLCBUS Debug~!~Received: UserCode:51 DeviceCode:A2 Function:StatusOn Data1:100 Data2:3 Tx:False Ack:False Id:False RiscOK:True PlcBusOK:True

[stipus]

Thanks for the feedback.

Is this the log of a command that didn't work ?

Because I see the A2 OFF command received an ack, and the A2 ON also received an ack. If an ack is received, this means it *should* have worked

------------

I'm currently working on PLCBUS Scene Programming from HomeSeer. This currently seems to work quite well.

I still have to update HomeSeer status for each individual scene devices, when the plugin receives a scene command... then it will be OK for release...

[Malarcy]

Stipus,

Realise you are busy with this plugin, but do you have a summary of the feature set of PLC bus - for example - I didn't realise ramp rate was available - is there any documentation on the modules etc.

I haven't checked Kevin's site for a little while but I couldn't see much detail on there.

Malarcy

[stipus]

I haven't checked Kevin's site for a little while but I couldn't see much detail on there.

I'm building the plugin only from Info found on Kevin's site

PLCBUS Summary info:

- Device Codes and Commands are similar to X10 (eg A1 ON... etc). You won't be lost.
- All devices also have a 1-255 UserCode. This means your neighbour can also install a A1 device, and this won't create problems. Total addressing scheme is 255 * 16 (A-P) * 16 (1-16) modules.
- All devices are two-way and can acknowledge commands (You can be sure the command hit the device).
- All Lamp modules have Direct DIM capabilities + Ramp rate. That's nice.
- Lamp and Appliance modules can be programmed for 16 different scene addresses. All modules participating in the scene address return simultaneously to the programmed DIM level. (That's very cool).

What else ?

- It's a lot quicker than X10. Really faster.
- There are usefull commands. For example you can change a module address (reprogram the module) from HomeSeer.
- There is a very fast command to poll an HouseCode for all switched-on modules.
- There is the same very fast command to poll an HouseCode for all In Use addresses.

I found only one problem:
- Standard PLCBUS wall switches do not send a status update when you press the local button. However, as there is a very fast polling method, it's ok.

Is this the kind of info you are looking for ?

[stipus]

I just found during my scene programming experiments, that modules do store the dim level + fade rate for each scene address.

These settings are also independant from the primary address current dim level + fade rate.

Example programming with Appliance module A1 and Lamp module A2

hs.ExecX10 "A2", DIM, 80, 256
This instant dims A2 light to 80%, and the PLCBUS module records instant FadeRate for address A2, and 80% last dim level for address A2.

Then I program the following scenes:
Scene C1-ON = A1-ON, A2 PresetDim 20 with FadeRate 3 (fast)
Scene C2-ON = A1-ON, A2 PresetDim 80 with FadeRate 3 (fast)
Scene C3-ON = A1-ON, A2 PresetDim 20 with FadeRate 20 (slow)
Scene C4-ON = A1-ON, A2 PresetDim 80 with FadeRate 20 (slow)

Then I send the following commands:
A2 OFF --> This instantaneously switches A2 OFF
C4-ON --> A2 slowly brights to 80%
C3-ON --> A2 slowly dims to 20%
C2-ON --> A2 quickly brights to 80%
C1-ON --> A2 quickly dims to 20%
A2 ON --> A2 instantaneously goes to 80%

That's very promising !

[Malarcy]

Just the kind of info I was looking for - this seems like a great way to get "premium" lighting - mix with x10 for occasional or non time or local control dependant installs and it could be very useful.

Might go this route instead of zwave for living areas.

Thanks

Malarcy