A scene for each device?

[junglebell]

From ISY994's features list under Scene Management:

 

• Once programmed, scenes operate completely independent of the ISY for the quickest response time and most reliable operation

 

 

Does that mean it would be help to create a scene even if it contains just 1 device .. and use the scene instead in programs?

[G W]

Yes. That's what most of us do.

 

S.A.T.T.P.

Best regards,

Gary Funk

[Teken]

From ISY994's features list under Scene Management:

 

• Once programmed, scenes operate completely independent of the ISY for the quickest response time and most reliable operation

 

 

Does that mean it would be help to create a scene even if it contains just 1 device .. and use the scene instead in programs?

 

Would you be able to offer a little more insight about the use case for a better reply? As there is no direct benefit of having one single device in scene vs it being on its own.

 

The only time this premise is not true is some older devices would not respond unless placed in a scene. Meaning direct management would not operate as expected from the ISY Series Console. This has no relations to direct linking in the purest sense though just to be clear.

[larryllix]

From ISY994's features list under Scene Management:

 

• Once programmed, scenes operate completely independent of the ISY for the quickest response time and most reliable operation

 

 

Does that mean it would be help to create a scene even if it contains just 1 device .. and use the scene instead in programs?

What Teken said above.

 

...also scenes do not have the security of transmission signal that straight programmed signals do.

 

Regular Insteon signals have confirmations and retries upon failures that, as I understand it, scene signals do not.

 

I only use scenes for large groups or to tie two devices (think MS and lamps) together, making them independent and faster than ISY can do.

[Teken]

To further add on to what Larry noted up above - best practices is to have the bulk of the Insteon network using scenes. Doing so ensures devices will operate if the controller is off line. Programs are intended to add conditional logic or make a device behave differently from its native operations.

[andyf0]

A drawback is that a scene command will not retry. If you try to send a command to a single device via a scene and the command fails to reach the device, there is no retry. Talking directly to the device will attempt retries if the initial attempt fails.

[stusviews]

Although scenes do not repeat commands, devices do even if they're part of a scene. The net result is that all the scene commands are repeated, although not as a scene.

[TheFallenAngel]

A drawback is that a scene command will not retry. If you try to send a command to a single device via a scene and the command fails to reach the device, there is no retry. Talking directly to the device will attempt retries if the initial attempt fails.

The command reelection is part of the protocol, scenes are on an abstract level. So that's taken care of no matter if you are using single device, device in a scene IR device in a program..

 

Cheers,

Alex

[andyf0]

Although scenes do not repeat commands, devices do even if they're part of a scene. The net result is that all the scene commands are repeated, although not as a scene.

 

That's good to know. Thx.

[hisenberg]

I have had issues with scenes.  For example, I grouped all my outdoor lights (6 of them) into one scene.  I then have these go on at sunset, and off at sunset.  However, I often see that some of lights don't go off (or don't go on).

I am going to change my program from a  single scene (on/off) command to 6 on/off commands.  Hopefully, it should address the problem I am having.

[larryllix]

I have had issues with scenes.  For example, I grouped all my outdoor lights (6 of them) into one scene.  I then have these go on at sunset, and off at sunset.  However, I often see that some of lights don't go off (or don't go on).

I am going to change my program from a  single scene (on/off) command to 6 on/off commands.  Hopefully, it should address the problem I am having.

That usually indicates communication signal problems. Are some HID lamps?

[hisenberg]

That usually indicates communication signal problems. Are some HID lamps?

The lamps are either LED or florescent light bulbs.  When I manually and individually turn each of  off/on, they each respond quickly and perform the requested action.

[stusviews]

I concur with larryflix. When not every device responds in a scene is a sign of communication problems. Fluorescent light ballasts especially are prone to put more noise on the power line as they age. That'll affect not just that fixture but anything on the same circuit.

 

A workaround is to use a repeat statement. But, don't neglect the problem. Is it always the same few devices that don't respond consistently?

[hisenberg]

I concur with larryflix. When not every device responds in a scene is a sign of communication problems. Fluorescent light ballasts especially are prone to put more noise on the power line as they age. That'll affect not just that fixture but anything on the same circuit.

 

A workaround is to use a repeat statement. But, don't neglect the problem. Is it always the same few devices that don't respond consistently?

The problem is intermittent and as such difficult to pin down.  The FL bulbs are newer and I would have expected that they have limited noise (I do know the older FL tubes and ballasts did create lots of noise, but I haven't experienced that in years as the technology matured).

Interestingly, I have noticed the problem occurs more often with the OFF command which could give your theory great probability (i.e. when the devices are ON, they create the noise, but when they are OFF, they don't have any initial noise).

[larryllix]

Try turning off one set before each trail and then test. Rotate the off set  tested for each trial. Run several for each unit test.

 

There may be a problem with a warm ballast/circuitry vs. a cold one also so length of time on may be a factor.

 

This could help you identify which one is making the worst noise and the problem or one of the problems.

 

Try a movable dual band unit right beside or on the same circuit as the outdoor lighting that is the problem to attempt to boost the signal at that point in the wiring. One of those medium base light splitters 1 male:2 female, comes to mind, with a med.base to plug in adapter and an Insteon plug-in module comes to mind for testing.