MikeB

Comment and a question... Comment: I just replaced my PLM, and had a problem where the ISY kept coming back with an 'Request Failed' error. I didn't realize it was also trying to link my RemoteLincs to the PLM. If you have any RemoteLincs, be sure to put them into Linking Mode before restoring the PLM. Question: Just curious - if you're doing a 'restore PLM' anyway, what's the harm in removing links to your old PLM? What am I missing? Thanks

OK - here we go... I've been playing with this a bit today, and haven't had much luck. Like I said, to turn entire floors off at night I simply have a KeypadLinc Secondary linked as a controller to a scene containing the entire floor. This button is set to non-toggle mode off, so at night we simply press "1ST FLOOR OFF" and the entire first floor turns off. Since the button is a non-toggle off, you can't accidentally turn on an entire floor. Exactly what I want, with one limitation - we don't really know if there's anything actually left on. 1ST TRY: First I created a scene called 1stFloorStatus. I added the button KPLH as a responder of that scene. I then tried creating a group called 1stFloorAll. I added all my 1st floor lights to this group, and also added KPLH as a controller. I set this button to non-toggle OFF. I tested it's operation - the backlight is always off, and when I press the button it turns everything on the 1st floor off. Exactly what I want for control, but still no status. I then created a program that said basically if any of the lights on the 1st floor had a status of ON, turn the 1stFloorStatus ON, else turn it OFF. This worked - if any of the lights were on, the KPLH button's backlight turned on. If I turned all the lights off, the backlight went off. However, if any lights (and backlight) are on, and I press the KPLH button, it sends an ON command to all the lights - which I don't want. I only want to be able to turn the lights OFF from KPLH. 2ND TRY: I again created the scene 1stFloorStatus containing KPLH, and created scene calle 1stFloorAll contraining all my 1st floor lights. However, this time, I didn't add KPLH to that scene. Instead, I created a program that said if KPLH control is turned OFF, then turn off 1stFloorAll. I also kept the program that turned 1stFloorStatus on or off based on the status of the lights. KPLH's backlight turns on and off depending on the status of the 1st floor lights - however, pressing the button to turn KPLH OFF doesn't do anything. I have a feeling this is because KPLH does not send a signal to the PLM when it is turned off. Is this correct? Any other suggestions?

My RemoteLincs (older silver ones, and a relatively new black one) all exit linking mode after 4 mins - no matter what.

Yes, do an ipconfig /all and write down all the values. Change the IP to whatever you want it to be, and keep the rest the same.

Windows XP? Make sure you're choosing the option on the left-hand side of My Network Places that says "Show icons for networked UPnP devices".

Thanks. I'm very interested in how you make out. If I get some time over the next few days, I may experiment here as well. Like I mentioned, in my master bedroom I have a KPL button that is a controller of the scene '1st floor off' that contains all of my 1st floor lights & vents. They are all responders of this scene. The KPL button is set to non-toggle off so that I can simply press it before going to bed, and have everything downstairs turn off. Works great, but there's no real indication that something is actually on down there. It would be nice to have that indication. An indicator light seems easy enough, I think... just make a program that says 'if light1 is on or light2 is on or light3 is on..." then scene "indicator1" is on. Else, it is off. But, how do you make that same button control that group of lights? If I had room in my KPL, I'd just keep 2 KPL buttons. I'd keep my current '1st floor off' and make a '1st floor status' KPL button right above it that acts as an indicator. Or is there a better way that I'm missing?

I currently have a couple buttons that I use for "1st floor off" and "2nd floor off". They're simply KPL buttons in non-toggle off mode that are controllers of all my switches. I'd love to have some kind of indication that a light was left on, but I believe I'd need to take the button out of non-toggle mode to get that. I don't really like the idea of accidentally pushing a single button and turning all the lights/vents on. Maybe if I had some extra buttons available on my KPL I could make one button an indicator like you're suggesting, but use a 2nd button in non-toggle mode off to actually turn the lights off. What are your plans?

Hey Thom - Good luck! There is hope. I may not have as many as you, but I have surge strips everywhere, 5 UPSs throughout the house, a Monster line conditioner, a dozen or so CFLs, a bunch of fluorescents, 9 PCs, a bunch of servers, outdoor low voltage landscape lighting, etc.... and my reliability has been great. Once I got a decent amount of Insteon installed my reliability has been almost perfect. I had ONE KPL that intermittently did not receive a command, and it turned out to be a cheap surge strip causing noise on my line. Go figure. I ended up just ditching and replacing it. I do have a few FilterLincs installed in key places "just in case". Good luck, and please let us know how you make out.

Keep in mind that there are 2 PLM issues we are dealing with here. 1 - Updated firmware. This should help lockup issues. 2 - Additional memory. This should help users who are exceeding the PLM's 417 link limit. We may see an updated firmware before we see a unit with additional memory. Again, I'm just guessing, but I wouldn't be surprised if a PLM with more memory was released as an additional product - above the existing PLM in the product line - for users who need the ability to store over 417 links.

Yeah, I'm sure FilterLincs in the right place would help. BUT - be sure to throw one of your AccessPoints onto your PLM as well. If you don't already have one there, that change alone might be enough to overcome any noise issues. Please let me know your results.

Haha, I'm sure you'll love it!

My day 3 report is up: http://www.techav.com/ehx/ehxfall2007.htm Not too much to add, but a few more pictures.

Hey Thom - Sounds like your Insteon communication is just a bit shaky. Do you have AccessPoints installed to bridge your phases? If you do, throw one on top of your PLM (then make sure the other one is still on an opposite phase). If you don't have AccessPoints, you should purchase 2 or 3 and install them. I'd personally go with 3 (2 to bridge your phases, the 3rd to throw on the PLM).

My Elk is still unopened, was away at EHX most of last week. I'm hoping to get to it sometime over the next 2-3 weeks.

Try plugging one of the AccessPoints onto the back of the PLM to help your signal.

My day 2 report is up! Same link, just scroll down the page: http://www.techav.com/ehx/ehxfall2007.htm

Hey guys - I booked my EHX trip a while ago, so maybe it was someone else who said they wouldn't be able to make it.

I did up a quick review of the ISY-26. If anyone is thinking of purchasing one, here it is on my site: http://www.techav.com/udi/isy26.htm

I haven't heard anything about IR transmission, but what an interesting idea....

I had an ApplianceLinc with a .00. address (sent to Michel for testing), and never saw this.

Weird issue. Haven't seen that here, I have 3 or 4 LampLincs in my home.

I just ran this calculator, and it estimates I'm at 448 links. Wonder how many I'm really at?

Is there any chance of the ISY-26 simply checking the PLM and letting us know how many links are being used? Or is it not so easy to determine?

I love this feature. I use it all the time with my bathrooms. I double tap on or off to get both lights/fans in my master bath on or off in the AM. If only I could get the ISY-26 to contorl my wholehouse audio.

I'm doing this in several rooms here, definitely works.