oberkc

Yes The only place I can recall that defined error numbers is: http://wiki.universal-devices.com/index.php?title=ISY-99i/ISY-26_INSTEON:Errors_And_Error_Messages I never found it to be overly helpful. I never discount a device failures. But, I have had very few. I would tend to look elsewhere.

I think stusviews identified the proper solution (use "control" versus "status"). Still, I am curious why you have the duplicate ON and OFF commands (separated by 15-sec waits)?

When two devices are linked via scene, such as your remote and switchlinc, the PLM is not involved. I would not expect moving it around would matter. Besides the suggestion from Larryllix, it is worth double-checking the ramp rates and ON levels for the reponder device/miniremomote scene. Within that scene, click on the mini remote button that is controller. Do you still see the expected ramp rates and responder levels for the switch?

I would differ from larrylix (perhaps better described as an attempt to clarify) on the response to question 1. I would definitely NOT (no maybe about it) describe the evaluation of program conditions as "continuous". Program conditions are only evaluated upon triggerining events, with those events being driven by each of the statements in the program condition. To offer an example...a program condition such as: If time is from sunset To sunrise (next day) will be evaluated exactly twice each day.

I have been playing around with the echo a while. I am not convinced that I value voice control much, but still find the whole thing interesting, so this has been an on-again, off-again activity for me. I have several Harmony hubs around the house, and have a spare IRLinc receiver, so I was curious whether the harmony could be used as an intermediary between the echo and the ISY. I have come to believe that a dedicated hub for lighting would be best, because the harmony is very much into "activities" and tends to turn off one activity when another is turned on. (I really did not like it when my TV turned off when I turned on the lights.) The other day, I noticed one of the original hubs (without the HA buttons) available for $50, so I thought I would try that, dedicating this hub exclusively to lighting control. The harmony has, in its database, the IRLinc 2411R, which basically simulates the CC remote that comes with it. The harmony can, therefore, be programmed to imitate the CC remote commands. Unfortunately, when added to the ISY, the IRLinc shows up as only four scenes, A-D, even though the included remote has many more scene buttons beyond A-D. This means, as best I can tell, that the IRLinc is limited to controlling four scenes, or triggering programs based upon the four buttons. Thus, the harmony/echo will be equally limited to four scenes/programs. With all the hardware in place, I found that my little echo can now control my insteon system. Basically, adding the correct hub to the echo, and enabling the harmony skill, I now have scenes A-D that I can control via echo. Adding those buttons as controllers for key scenes in my house, I can now control those scene with voice commands. No monthly fees. Even better, it works with the blue harmony skill. Alexa, turn on lights. No need to say "alexa, tell harmony to turn on lights" Let me know if you want any more details. One has to pay attention to device power settings, and set up custom start and ending macros for the harmony, but it was not very complicated, and works very well.

I have not had this happen before, but cannot help but wonder if this is a PLM issue. Does your PLM show as "connected"?

I tried simple control (just renamed from roomie) a couple of years ago. I really liked it. It found my connected TVs and I could use it with my global cache devices. I find myself much opposed to monthly fees, however, and having devices that operate only with the support and permission of the company. The echo support makes me want to re-consider simple control, but I am not sure that I want to have to remember and speak such long phrases as "alexa, tell simple control to do something..." Lack of android support is also near-disqualifying for me. I have several harmony remotes, including the elite. I have played around with the echo integration. While turning on/off activities works well (alexa, turn on TV), the skill for some of the of the other functions require the longer phrase "alexa, tell harmony to turn up the volume". I find it just as easy and, perhaps easier, to simply pick up the remote or tablet. Another major shortcoming for me is that I use roku devices on a majority of my TVs, and have yet to find alexa skills that allow me to navigate through the roku menus and channels, and doubt that such skills, were they to exist (alexa, tell harmony to press the left button) would be an improvement over the physical remote. In my mind, the echo will be of little use to me until there are context-senstive commands (such as, simply, "left" or "louder") Given my aversion to monthly fees, I don't have the ISY portal. Out of curiosity, mostly, I have played around with using the harmony as the glue between my alexa and ISY. I have the IRLinc reciever, and found that device in the logitech database. I found it relatively straight-forward to control some lighting scenes (four, at least) with the harmony remote. The next step was to see whether alexa could do the same through the echo. The short answer is, unfortunately, no. While I could set a lighting activity and the echo could easily turn on and off, the result was an equivalent of an ALLON or ALLOFF command...not what I wanted. Activities are also not independent. Turning on one activity turns off devices in the other activities. Thus turning on the light activity would turn off the TV activity. Yes, there are power settings in the harmony, and I started playing around with those, but decided that this was becoming more work than it is worth, given that I was not convinced that any of this was an improvement over a simple button press on a keypad or remote. Still trying to figure out if I have an interest in voice control or a use case for the echo. Maybe I will try it as a morning alarm. Maybe it is good for morning weather reports? I am having trouble seeing a compelling use for this echo thing, more than just a technology curioisity, justifying the work and expense. We will see how I feel when sonos skills come.

I think the term "signalinc" has been used for different devices. Old signalincs are those predecessors to the access points/range extenders. Current models are those passive couplers. Perhaps that is from where some of the cofusion comes.

I believe one CAN replace ZigBee board with zwave.

I like the flexibility that the zwave board gives. I use several zwave motion sensors. I cannot say whether they are more reliable than insteon, however. I have had no failure of any motion sensor, including x-10, insteon, or z-wave. Neither am I confident a zwave sensor can be used in a scene relationship, so there may be those program delays so many seem to dislike. The other hesitancy I would have about a "new-and-improved" insteon motion sensor is compatibility with the ISY. It seems to me that there can be a delay between release of the new device and ISY ability to recognize it. Most of the time, however, it seems pretty quick.

This is all from memory, but I recall that the ISY would also write updates at next opportunity. I understand that such opportunities can occur during a short time after motion triggers and, once triggered and the write-update window opens, the ISY would initiate the update. I assume, also, that the automatic update buttons would need.yo be enabled. Or...It could be a looming device failure.

My understanding of the meaning of these little icons appears is same as yours. The only thing that I can think might have recently changed would be that you have disabled automatic write updates at the ISY admin panel. This assumes you have the pro version. This setting is global and there is one for battery devices and one for external powered devices. It is a little icon along the top menu bar.

Yes, there are such settings and, yes, they are configurable via ISY. Check out, also, the jumper settings as described in the motion sensor manual. One (believe it to be jumper 5) need properly set to allow configuration control via software such as ISY.

Certainly it would eliminate spurious openings by the iolink. Those spurious openings caused by gremlins and ghosts and sunspots would likely persist.

A little premature, in my estimation. If all you want is, as stated earlier, knowledge of when the door goes up or down, simply disconnect the iokinc relay connections from the opener.

I believe the answer to that question depends upon which ISY firmware version you are on. If 4.X, my experience is that zwave devices behave fine as scene responders, but cannot act as scene controllers. Perhaps this is device dependent...I have tried only two zwave devices in a controller mode. To trigger a scene via zwave device requires a program, and only then based upon status (versus control) of the device. I understand that firmware 5.X improves upon this, but use of this firmware is not for the faint-of-heart or those who are easily frustrated. Version 5 is still in development mode.

With the ISY, a controller device is, by default, a responder device also. Given this, if something turned off the room scene, I would expect button D to be off, since it is part (controller, you say) of the room scene. Did you use the ISY to create these scenes, or did you do it manually via the devices set buttons?

I think I am loosing track of your scenes. You say something turns off the "room" scene, but "toggleD" scene is still on? I don't see how both can be true. If the "room" scene includes all all three lamp modules, button D, and the main button, would not turning off the room scene, by default, turn off the toggleD scene also?

In my mind, best approach is to use an ISY program to control the timing function and when to reset. It is much more flexible.

I think it might be something a little different. I understand that, in "sense" mode, the motion sensor will send ON commands at each detect, regardless of the timer. I am a little fuzzy about the effect of the timer, but assume that the internal timer would be also reset. If you don't want the ON command sent until after the timeout, then you do NOT want it in "sense" mode.

Sachelis, of course I agree with the concerns expressed about stealing neutrals fro other circuits. It is my hope that, were you to find the cable that was originally connected to the "elsewhere" wire, you would find a white wire bundled together with the black wire connected to "elsewhere".. This is the neutral that you should use. If such a white wire is not there, be careful. Sometimes wires can get connected together and this can be hard to identify.

If I had to guess based upon the diagram, I would say that the B cable is to the fixture, and the "elsewhere" wire is connected to a line supply cable somewhere in the back of the box. Black B is connected to common screw, as is black C. In other words...hot into black A to switch2, red/white are travelers back to switch1 and switch1 common to load. No? Is the white wire from B connected to a white bundle in the box somewhere?

Quick plug for tasker here, also. Between that and widgets and access to the file system, I cannot imagine why I would go iOS. (Now...If I can only figure out what to do with those iPads I own.) Regarding the original request, is it even possible that Alexa (or something similar) can be trained to recognize the alarm sound from an iPhone?

I am glad you have it working. I did not look too hard at Gary's suggested program but, after only a quick glance, I wonder why the second program would not retrigger the first program once the 5min wait is over and the status of 'garage entry' changes from ON to OFF? If all continues to work...Great. if you later find some unexpected, we can look a little harder.

I also don't think it helps that smarthomes' definition of "scenes" has morphed over the years. My impressions are that they are now using "links" and "groups".