Glossary for newbies?

[Jay M]

I think things would be much easier for me if I knew what the terms meant.

 

I'll start with a few that I don't quite understand:

 

Link

trigger

event

device

 

There are also a few basic things I don't understand with Insteon:

Is it a network?

what types of commands are there?

I understand X10 a little - A1 on or A1 off. What is the insteon equivilent?

 

I hope to instal my ISY-99ir tonight, and by saturday I hope to have about 20 dimmers and a few other odds and ends installed.

 

thanks,

~Jay

[Algorithm]

Hello Jay,

 

We have a UDI Wiki Glossary on our wiki site.

 

Smarthome has a Smarthome Wiki Glossary on their wiki site.

 

Smarthome also has a Smarthome Glossary on their main site.

 

The Wikipedia INSTEON Article may also be of help.

 

And this article on our wiki site, Working With Scenes, may also be of help.

 

The latter will explain Link.

 

Trigger and Event are pretty much synonymous. I often tend to think of trigger in relation to an external event (press of a button or paddle, etc.), and event in relation to an internal happening, such as a schedule. But triggers are certainly events, and events can act as triggers. A Device is just that; any individual switch, controller, sensor, etc.

 

INSTEON is a network. Many of the commands are very similar to those used with X-10 (e.g. On, Off, Bright, Dim), though devices are addressed differently.

 

At first blush it can be a bit overwhelming, but you will quickly pick it up.

 

Good luck with your installation. Do let us know how it goes.

[Jay M]

Thanks for the reply. All the stuff from SmartHome arrived today, so I can begin immediately. I already have a few Insteon devices that I was using as X-10. I'll start with the ISY-99 and see how intuitive it is.

 

~Jay

[Jay M]

Things are going well so far.

 

I only have a few Insteon devices installed right now.

 

Last night I installed 4 access points, and the ISY-99 pro IR.

 

I have a few more questions:

what is a program?

What is a scene?

 

Where is a scene stored? In the ISY or in each of the devices?

 

My HA goals for now are simple, I just want to do a few things:

 

1. create timers for lights or groups of lights, and I want those timers to turn lights off or on to a specific dim level and ramp rate.

 

2. create groups or scenes, where one button on either the Remotlinc or my IR remote will tell many lights what to do.

 

In my old X-10 programming I have scenes stored in the old Smarthome dimmers. For instance, if there is an "A1 on" command sent, each dimmer is told to respond to that command. I can have a IR, or Keypad sent that command. I can also have a timer send that command.

 

What is the BEST way to achieve that in the Insteon/ISY world?

 

Thanks,

~Jay

[Michel Kohanim]

Hello Jay M,

 

Welcome!

 

Everything is stored in ISY.

 

You will find most, if not all, the answers to your questions here: http://www.universal-devices.com/mwiki/ ... w-To_Guide

 

 

With kind regards,

Michel

 

Things are going well so far.

 

I only have a few Insteon devices installed right now.

 

Last night I installed 4 access points, and the ISY-99 pro IR.

 

I have a few more questions:

what is a program?

What is a scene?

 

Where is a scene stored? In the ISY or in each of the devices?

 

My HA goals for now are simple, I just want to do a few things:

 

1. create timers for lights or groups of lights, and I want those timers to turn lights off or on to a specific dim level and ramp rate.

 

2. create groups or scenes, where one button on either the Remotlinc or my IR remote will tell many lights what to do.

 

In my old X-10 programming I have scenes stored in the old Smarthome dimmers. For instance, if there is an "A1 on" command sent, each dimmer is told to respond to that command. I can have a IR, or Keypad sent that command. I can also have a timer send that command.

 

What is the BEST way to achieve that in the Insteon/ISY world?

 

Thanks,

~Jay

[Mark Sanctuary]

Ah a new guy, welcome!

 

Lot’s of ISY friends here to help, so come ask us forum junkies if you get stumped. Also the Forum and Wiki is packed with helpful stuff too.

 

Also here is the Wiki Program Commands guide for understanding any syntax questions.