Harold

What are the proper PC settings for the RS232 interface on the isy. I am just not coming up with the right search parameters to locate this information.

I know this is a very unlikely scenario. Just asking because the coincidence was real odd. I was trying to start the application to manage my devices. I started it and it seemed to do something but never displayed a screen. Tried starting it another one or two times. Nothing. So I decided to reboot. My machine never worked again. It seemed to be pointing at some problem on the motherboard involving the display. I wound up building a new machine. I should note that this software was probably the latest version current a month or so ago. Is it possible that Java or the application was corrupted and messed up drivers or something? Just asking. I may try to do a clean bios install on that board and attempt to load some type of OS later.

Thank you. I should have realized that. My head was thinking the software had it.

I am loading the admin console from my local machine.I cannot find my piece of paper with the password. Is there a way to reset it?

This is just to test posting to the forum with IE instead of FF.

Are there any third party GUIs available free or for a reasonable cost to replace the existing programming/control interface from UD? For simple environments like an iSY and Insteon only devices. I have been reading through various posts (developer, suggestions) and see a number of approaches I would be interested in trying if they were made available. Things like using a group that is not a scene (e.g., Switch link load and another SWL as a slave appearing as a single functional unit that behaves like pushing the buttons). Use of colors to display associated items. Easier repetitive naming of buttons for a device. You know; stuff.

Thanks for all the replies. I am also considering a filament alternative. The outside light fixtures have been using cfls for several years and I have been happy with their operation. Not dimmable, of course. My intent is to try out some bulbs. I built a simple test box so I can easily attach a controller and plug in a test load to play with things on the bench. I am trying to find a good dimmable cfl to start with. i had concerns about the amount of light provided by a dimmable at the lowest reliable setting. If it does not dim enough, it will not meet my needs. These are not "security" lights in the sense that they don't work to blind someone if they move. Mostly they are for us to see what we are doing. The low level operation would let me see outside without something tripping a motion sensor. If they were on at low power, I would also expect the switch to full power would happen much faster that from a cold start. Even from a cold start, the cfls are sufficient for the outside use. At some point I may add a couple of floods that would be off and light on motion.

It is actually somewhat about keeping the light level down. I live in a moderately populated but rural area. There is a certain amount of activity and complaining about not keeping the sky dark. When I started building, I put up a sodium light and I am happy with that. Some neighbors are not. I would like some light all the time, but the amount of light from the exterior lights is too much, and in some of the wrong places for us. So keeping on a minimal level and brightening on motion or command ♦is the approach I want to take. The lamp holders are very well ventilated. I do not anticipate a thermal problem. I intend to turn them on at full, wait a few minutes, and then take them down to a minimal level. This should deal with cold weather starts. Please tell me the brand/type you talked about. Never too much information.

I have a bunch of outdoor "security" lights. Normally They do not need to generate a whole lot of light. They are fixtures with two normal bulbs. I am currently using regular old cfl bulbs. What I want to do is move to Insteon control and run them at a low level (i.e. dimmed) and brighten them up when motion is detected. This seemed like a good idea until I priced dimmable cfls. I have seen a post on this site saying GE makes good dimmable cfls that work with Insteon. They are a bit pricey. I need about 30 bulbs to populate all the fixtures with two bulbs each (yeah, I know, but wife (i.e. WAF)♦ requires balanced appearance of both bulbs - and hey, it is fail safe redundancy). Has anyone found a cheaper dimmable cfl that has good lifetime and does not cause problems for the Insteon dimmers and network? Right now I have the whole house populated with bulbs I got for $0.19 at Walgreens. Obviously i am going to have to spend a bit more for dimmable. But quite frankly, being a EE I do not see a real big reason why dimmables have to be so much more expensive.