johnnyt

If I'm not mistaken it should be noted that in this configuration an ON command is sent every 10 secs when there's activity in front of the MS. This could keep your insteon network pretty busy if you live in a busy household. In my case I use 2 motion sensors to monitor rec room occupancy and there are certainly times when the kids are down there that both would be sending an ON command every 10 secs for extended periods of time. Add to that the traffic generated by other motion sensors firing off in other rooms. I could see reliability suffering, which is why I live with the delay of letting ISY turn the lights on but if I've missed something, please let me know.

I personally do not recommend the product. It has several bugs that can add notably to your cost through either lengthy troubleshooting or by having to research forums to find them. Also, the company is not doing anything to fix or improve the product. You'll find a summary of my experience and a suggested alternative at the following post. Also, if you're not deterred, earlier in the thread is one of the key bugs (scenes don't work as intended) to save you some time on that one. http://forum.universal-devices.com/topic/12401-ezio8sa-mysteriously-turning-devices-on/?p=116570

I use ISY to close dampers to my basement during ac calls and to close a damper to a room that doesn't need heat during a heat call. I use IOLincs plus a device that's not longer sold by Smarthome (forget what they called it) to sense when the stat is calling for heat or ac because my stat is not hooked into ISY. I did have one that homeseer controlled but the comms died over a year ago and I haven't pulled the trigger on a new one because I can't decide (leaning to venstar and venlink but still waiting). Don't forget to think of making things fail safe. You don't want to start your ac with fan on high and all (or too many) dampers closed because something didn't work as planned. I used normally open dampers and a killawatt power meter to make sure I wasn't causing my furnace motor to work too hard to push the air under the worse case - I put a 120v plug on my furnace line so I can run it off a UPS, and it's the kind of furnace fan (variable speed DC motor) that maintains the CFM so I can see the wattage go up when the static pressure goes up. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I have the switch Xathros mentions too to make sure all my devices power up in sequence, not just ISY. ISP modem, router, VoIP router, ISY, etc. AND have the thing on a UPS. It can also autoping to restart ISY if it hangs (only kicked in once in the 2 yrs I've had the switch) and to restart a VPN router I had that would not keep the VPN up more than a few days. Although I replaced the router, it was a handy workaround until I could find something I wanted (ended up splurging for a sonicwall tz105). I put some icons on my/my wife's desktops that will restart our VoIP router and another for the whole network (in sequence) using curl to send http commands to switch. I also use curl in my windows server's startup and shutdown scripts to power on/off an external hard drive connected to it. Super cool product. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

looking back in my saved event viewer log I see there was a device that showed "hops left = 2". It's a double band v.41 KPL. The ones with hops left =3 are v.36 KPL's I've attached the event viewer file showing some of my travels over the last hour around a few KPL's - not all at level 3 but I did make sure to turn it to level 3 when I was doing device table reads. All but two (of 7) KPLs needed a restore because of the PLM change. Yes, I did do a "Restore Modem" yesterday but clearly some links didn't get updated properly (the records showed the previous PLM's address) ISY-Events-Log.v4.2.16__Fri 2014.10.17 03.05.26 PM.txt

yes, this is the special PLM that is supposed to prevent the all on issue. I just installed it yesterday so that explains the hops left =3. This post is about a v.36 KPL but it's not the only one showing both issues. The db range message has been an on-going issue when I check device links for other v.36 single band KPL's too. I haven't seen it on my DB KPL's (one v.41 and one v.43). Not sure if it's because they are dual band or for other reasons. Some of the KPL's are in comms challenged areas of the house (2nd floor whereas ISY is in basement) and while the comms is good enough for everyday use, it's tough for "show device links table" purposes and often needs one or more redos before I get to the end of the link table. The DB range error messages are usually if not always part of the equation when those are read. After doing a few more device link table reads, including of a KPL that has always struggled, the "hops left" are always 3 so I'm suspicious that no longer means anything with the newer special firmware. Unfortunate as this is only going to make finding problems harder given the lack of other tools to do that.

Am on firmware 4.2.16 and for the first time ever seeing "hops left = 3". Is this new in .16? I thought the best one could hope for was "hops left = 2" Despite the better than best comms am getting lots of "unexpected response". There's a ~10 sec delay after each unexpected response resulting in a pretty slow "show device links" process, etc. See first screenshot. At some points I sometimes get a flood of "unexpected response". See second screenshot. When I've seen it happen it does eventually recover/move on but adds further delay. The process also fails sometimes, requiring a restart and turning a bit of maintenance or quick troubleshoot into a full morning/afternoon/evening event. What do these two things mean? How can the delays be reduced?

50-50, it is strange DIN doesn't return more. I used dinrelay to find a post by Xathros, who put me onto it and has posted his network resources that you can import. Am not near my own ISY and am using Tapatalk so not easy to point you to it or post what I did now but let me know if you don't find it and I'll try to be more helpful when Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

The ECS Liva is fanless and the CPU can burst/turbo up to 2GHz. I had pictured using remote desktop to configure it (not the TV) but, good point, the WAF will take a hit if I do that while she's watching a movie. I didn't consider that the h/w decoding may not make a difference. Quick sync covers H.264, MPEG2, and VC-1 video. Is it a case of not hitting the right video formats or is it a case of not even doing the ones advertised properly?

Thanks io_guy, larryflix, With respect to XBMC, I'm kind of starting to lean to an ECS Liva running win 8.1, particularly the version with the N2807 CPU (instead of N2806) with Intel Quick Sync (hardware video decoding/decoding). I got one (N2806-based) to replace my in-laws PC and it runs beautifully for their purposes (email, web browsing, word, other light duty) and they're loving it. I also read some positive reviews of it as an XBMC box. ISY-wise I suspect it would be able to run ISYLogger and DSCLink, my two PC-based services today, even when XBMC is running. Although I'm not sure what else people are using RPi's for, it might have to be a trial and error process to know anyway if all the services can co-exist on the same ECS Liva. For sure it doesn't sound like one RPi can do it all so I'm thinking I may try it all on an ECS Liva and, only if needed, offload some stuff to an RPi. Of course there's the cost debate but at the end of the day I don't want to be penny-wise on the hardware and pound foolish on my time to use the English expression (I'm more windows savvy than linux savvy) Any other thoughts / suggestions welcome.

Am looking at buying a RPi for a couple of reasons, mostly ISY related but not exclusively, and I have a few questions for folks with more experience. ISY-wise it would be for a bunch of io_guy's stuff and perhaps other things (I forget right now what others are using an RPi for). As of today for me, though, it's DSCLink and ISYlogger. Tomorrow possibly Venlink, OWLink and maybe a few others (which reminds me I have to get off my e-duff and send him a paypal me$$age soon for all his good work) My other immediate planned use is as an XBMC media server. My questions are: 1) what are other things people use an RPi for? 2) what OS are people using and why? 3) I found info on three RPi distros for XMBC: Raspbmc, OpenELEC and XBian. Anyone know if one or more of these would allow me to do the ISY related stuff on the same RPi? 4) Will using XBMC hamper or be hampered by the ISY stuff running on it? (Not the end of the world if I have to buy more than one but if I didn't have to I'd sooner not) 5) Anyone stick a USB tuner on one? If so, repeat question 4...

Instead of IOLincs would suggest http://www.digital-loggers.com/din.html. Search my username and IOLincs to hopefully find (and be able to avoid) the problems I had with IOLincs. I think just due to too many but I also needed to query them to ensure reliability in my hvac. Too many times my IOLincs query resulted in "safeguards" I had to code activating. The querying also killed ISY performance and lead to other problems. Am on Tapatalk and don't have the links easily accessible. Try also a search of "DIN" to find more on the din relay... Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I think you might have to do "if status on" as it's unlikely the action of going on will happen at exactly 3 or 6 pm to cause the then statement to run... Of course, with "if status on" you'll get notified everyday at 3 and 6 until you clear it. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Good idea. I was avoiding garage door automation using IOLincs because of concerns around reliability of insteon, at least in my house, and some weird still unexplained behaviour I had encountered using them with my hvac. The recent postings about all on commands had me feeling pretty good about that call even though that particular issue hasn't affected me (yet, anyway... knock on wood) and I do hope it gets resolved. How are you "sensing" the door open when the (unconnected to ISY) remote or keypad is used, or are you? Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I once had a dimmer kpl beep and refuse to work when plugged into control CFL bulbs (non dimable). I had to put in a relay. If floods are incandescent, you won't have a problem. One thing I noticed about picking one kind of kpl over another is that you can't do a "replace with" from dimmer to relay or vice versa (unless something has changed recently). With respect to BFG wire, I think if you have metal junction box the grounding can occur via the screws you use to secure kpl to box and you could do away with it. Am not an electrician though so not sure. If anyone is/knows, I would also be curious to know if you could cut a few strands off the ground wire or if they really need to be that big. I have to assume they do otherwise Smarthome would have saved a few bucks and put smaller ones in I would think. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I've been using my WU key with (free) homeseer plugin for 5+ years and am still using it despite having purchased climate module because the forecast data is more accurate. I still need to run HS anyway for some math that I can't do with ISY but I do hope one day to retire it and do everything with ISY. Am also planning a PWS soon and would love to have it update ISY variables directly without relying on cloud service. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

this prompted me to update the thread I said I would update... http://forum.universal-devices.com/topic/12401-ezio8sa-mysteriously-turning-devices-on/?p=116570

I realized recently that I hadn't updated this thread with how things ended. I ended up shipping back the two EZIO8A I had (they had sent me a single band version to see if that fixed my problems and forced me to pay for it.) It took a couple of months to get my money back for the original (dual band) unit because it exceeded the 15 day refund window, although they claimed they had sent me a paypal refund sooner than that. I'll take their word for it that they tried but there was no history of it in my paypal account and it certainly took no time to fix the problem when I followed up. Anyway, I moved all the HVAC relays I wanted the EZIO8SA to control to a Digital Loggers DIN Relay http://www.digital-loggers.com/din.html (thanks to Xathros for the suggestion), which has been rock solid reliable. The only problem (perhaps) with the DIN relay is that I can't query it, however I don't need to (unlike the insteon based IOLinc solution I had before trying the EZIO8SA). Interestingly, because ISY doesn't directly track the DIN relay relays directly (I use variables to do it), I can override some HVAC settings using the DIN relay's built in web server or the iOS app for it without writing all kinds of conditions in my ISY programs to allow manual override of my automation. That's been a nice bonus that has also helped me more easily test/fine tune when I want certain HVAC events to occur and not (e.g. particularly for furnace fan on/off, dampers open/close, etc. to re-balance air temp in parts of the house) Main lessons learned: - Smartenit is NOT fixing bugs or making improvements to their insteon devices (they're focus is zigbee). I got this directly from Justin at tech support. - The documentation beyond the one pager that comes with the EZIO-series of devices sucks - Despite telling me improvements to documentation would be made and asking me for suggestion (which I wasted my time providing) no improvements were made, despite the many known bugs that aren't being fixed While I did get a refund minus Cdn-to-US exchange rate loses both ways (including for the test unit I was sent), I wasted close to 100 hours troubleshooting problems (mostly the one in this thread) that ended up being known issues. I'll let folks decide whether any of this is important to them or not but will say I don't plan to buy anything from Smartenit in the future.

I personally don't recommend the EZIO8SA. Search for it and my username for the details - am using Tapatalk and don't have them handy. (I really should update the thread on how things ended up... Got my money back for the parts but not for the ~100 hours of my time...) Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Don't underestimate your need for scenes. They are a very nice feature of insteon and needed to change keypad buttons programmatically. Also, don't underestimate the value of good support and a helpful user community. As a veteran of homeseer that still uses it for a few things (forecast data and math functions) - and many other IT products - I will say ISY support is second to none. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Word of advice if you get custom etched: use CAPS. Lower case is too small. They now say it the on the Smarthome web site but didn't always and I learned it the hard way. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Am looking to add some LED strip that I can control with ISY. Looks like I can't use just any old insteon dimmer... Or can I? I see some LED dimmer "drivers" that only work with Lutron dimmers but I noticed one said it worked with PWM dimmers. What would Smarthome dimmers be considered? What do folks here do? Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

figured it out! I needed to bracket the first two "or" conditions. D'oh! The following works as intended. If ( Status '1-MISC (Non Lighting) / HVAC / Kitchen.E-Vent' is not Off Or Status '1-MISC (Non Lighting) / Bedrooms / JeanKPL.G-Vent' is not Off ) And ( Status '1-MISC (Non Lighting) / HRV / Back KPL.G - HRV High (XLink)' is Off Or Status '1-MISC (Non Lighting) / HRV / Back KPL.H - HRV High (XLink)' is Off ) Then Wait 7 seconds Set Scene '1-MISC (Non Lighting) / HRV / HRV Venting Buttons for Prgs' Off Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action')

I think the second program is a red herring. It is simply something that turns the scene ON, which then triggers the problematic program I'm posting about. It is just one of many ways to make the problematic program run. Yes, there was a circular element to it because the non-problematic program re-ran as it should to change the KPL back to OFF thereby re-triggering the problematic program that turned back to ON. I watched as the non problematic programs ran "then" for a few seconds (I had put in a 7 second delay to make sure I saw it running) followed by the problematic program running for a few seconds then the cycle repeating itself until I stopped one of them. I fixed the circular issue by looking for a button press (i.e. control) instead of status. Even though I still think the second program is a red herring after more testing, I've attached it here given that I am at a loss to understand why the problematic program is running when it shouldn't so anything you want I'll provide. As suggested, I created a test program (below) and 1) manually pushed the KPL button in question ON then OFF several times (I also did it using "not OFF" as the condition), 2) ran the scene that turns the bottom ON using the GUI several times, and 3) caused the non problematic program that sends the scene ON command to run. Each time I received the appropriate notification by email. If Status '1-MISC (Non Lighting) / Bedrooms / JeanKPL.G-Vent' is 100% Then Send Notification to 'me' Else Send Notification to 'me' I think this points to two things. One, there isn't a comms issue since the button press was seen by ISY. To that I would add that the only time I've had a comms issue with the keypad in question - which has been in place for several years - has been (sometimes) when I've query the device links table - a fairly lengthy process given the KPL has 80 some links in it. (I did a device links query again just before the above testing and it did not encounter any problems.) The second thing it says to me is that the condition does work by itself. The question remains why is this program (re-posted here for quick reference) running true when the first two conditions are false. Then the program does NOT run true under the same triggering circumstances when the second condition is removed. If Status '1-MISC (Non Lighting) / HVAC / Kitchen.E-Vent' is not Off Or Status '1-MISC (Non Lighting) / Bedrooms / JeanKPL.G-Vent' is not Off And ( Status '1-MISC (Non Lighting) / HRV / Back KPL.G - HRV High (XLink)' is Off Or Status '1-MISC (Non Lighting) / HRV / Back KPL.H - HRV High (XLink)' is Off ) Then Wait 7 seconds Set Scene '1-MISC (Non Lighting) / HRV / HRV Venting Buttons for Prgs' Off Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') VentButtonsONprogram.txt

Here's what happens over the insteon network when the offending KPL is included in the program: 1. The push of one of the "HRV High" buttons: 1-MISC (Non Lighting) / HRV / Back KPL.G - HRV High (XLink) Status 100% Sat 2014/08/30 07:53:44 AM System Log 1-MISC (Non Lighting) / HRV / Back KPL.H - HRV High (XLink) Status 100% Sat 2014/08/30 07:53:44 AM System Log 2. ISY calls scene to turn the offending KPL on, which I visually see turn ON in the GUI: Scene:1-MISC (Non Lighting) / HRV / HRV Venting Buttons for Prgs On Sat 2014/08/30 07:53:51 AM Program Log 1-MISC (Non Lighting) / HVAC / Kitchen.E-Vent Status 100% Sat 2014/08/30 07:53:51 AM System Log 1-MISC (Non Lighting) / Bedrooms / JeanKPL.G-Vent Status 100% Sat 2014/08/30 07:53:51 AM System Log 3. The program posted above runs despite ISY seeing all the KPLs in the condition as ON (meaning it shouldn't run): Scene:1-MISC (Non Lighting) / HRV / HRV Venting Buttons for Prgs Off 0 Sat 2014/08/30 07:53:58 AM Program Log 1-MISC (Non Lighting) / HVAC / Kitchen.E-Vent Status 0% Sat 2014/08/30 07:53:58 AM System Log 1-MISC (Non Lighting) / Bedrooms / JeanKPL.G-Vent Status 0% Sat 2014/08/30 07:53:58 AM System Log Here's what happens when the offending KPL condition is removed from the program: 1. The push of one of the "HRV High" buttons: 1-MISC (Non Lighting) / HRV / Back KPL.G - HRV High (XLink) Status 100% Sat 2014/08/30 08:10:48 AM System Log 1-MISC (Non Lighting) / HRV / Back KPL.H - HRV High (XLink) Status 100% Sat 2014/08/30 08:10:48 AM System Log 2. ISY calls scene to turn offending KPL on, which I visually see turn ON in the GUI: Scene:1-MISC (Non Lighting) / HRV / HRV Venting Buttons for Prgs On Sat 2014/08/30 08:10:54 AM Program Log 1-MISC (Non Lighting) / HVAC / Kitchen.E-Vent Status 100% Sat 2014/08/30 08:10:54 AM System Log 1-MISC (Non Lighting) / Bedrooms / JeanKPL.G-Vent Status 100% Sat 2014/08/30 08:10:54 AM System Log 3. Nothing. Button is ON and remains that way.