Serial Interface that works with ISY994I?

[Joe]

I have an ISY994I ZW/IR PRO and am looking for an RS-232 interface that would enable control of a Nuvo Essentia whole house audio amplifier through programs and scenes implemented on the ISY994I. The Nuvo Essentia RS232 protocol is defined on pages 26 through 30 of the manual at this URL: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6O92SxtY39oMHhVN2NMTlJHRkU/view?usp=sharing.

 

Would the Insteon 2-Way RS-232 Serial Interface (item # 2410S) give me the ability to control the Nuvo Essentia through ISY994I programs and scenes?

 

 Are there other options?

[larryllix]

I have an ISY994I ZW/IR PRO and am looking for an RS-232 interface that would enable control of a Nuvo Essentia whole house audio amplifier through programs and scenes implemented on the ISY994I. The Nuvo Essentia RS232 protocol is defined on pages 26 through 30 of the manual at this URL: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6O92SxtY39oMHhVN2NMTlJHRkU/view?usp=sharing. give me the ability to control the Nuvo Essentia through ISY994I programs and scenes? Are there other options?

 

Would the Insteon 2-Way RS-232 Serial Interface (item # 2410S) give me the ability to control the Nuvo Essentia through ISY994I programs and scenes?

 

 Are there other options?

Really cool device but it seems very new and therefore no support for it would be installed in ISY994, yet.

 

May be worth requesting support in the feature request thread to UDI.

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi joe,

 

That device is obsolete and ISY does not support it. This said, you can use Network Resources/Modules in conjunction with a Global Caché TCP to Serial bridge: http://wiki.universal-devices.com/index.php?title=Main_Page#Network_Module .

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[KeviNH]

Are there other options?

I know of three less expensive options, assuming you already have the Portal or Network module:

• Any computer with a spare serial port (assuming it is always turned on), can be a RS-232 bridge with a bit of free software.
• If you're feeling ambitious, you can match (exceed, really) the RS-232 functionality of the +$90 Global Caché IP to Serial with a $35 ($50 with all accessories) Raspberry Pi.
• f you or a friend already know the Arduino SDK, you might prefer the $25 EzSBC "ESP32 Dev Board" with WiFi and 3 serial UARTs built in -- add level adapter chips and you have a 3-port Serial-to-WiFi adapter at half the price of a single Global Caché.

OTOH, there's no shame in paying the hefty premium of Global Caché if you need their plug-and-play operation, warranty, and great technical support. If I was setting up HA for a customer, I would likely go with a product like this instead of rolling my own with an ESP32.

[jtara92101]

No serial adapter is going to give you the ability to control anything using programs and scenes (directly). No matter what hardware you use, it's going to require a network resource (and thus the network module option).

 

ISY doesn't know what your serial port is controlling. It doesn't know if it has an "on" or "off", a "loud" or "soft" or a "walk the dog".

 

A program can use the network resource.

 

There is nothing you can do with a scene, other than have a program use it in a condition.

 

Maybe with 5.x you could make a node for specific equipment attached to a specific serial adapter that will make it seem like a device node.

 

Global Cache' is popular and well-supported. While I can't vouch for their serial interfaces, I'm noting but happy with my IR interface.

[larryllix]

Too bad the module was not supported.

 

It appears to be an easy to use Insteon to serial port bridge that ISY would only need to know standard on, off style commands.

 

Sent from a tiny keyboard. Response may be brief.

[Joe]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I just ordered the Global Cache IP to Serial (IP2SL). It was $91 on amazon.com. I also bought the ISY994 network module ($49). Wish me luck.

[matapan]

I just ran across this post. There are many IP to serial converters on the market, from single board modules you attach a wall wart power supply to and connect your network via network cable. These are available from Fry's or Jameco and run about $35. FWIW, I used about 3 of these boards for a similar application with the Network module without any issues.

[Joe]

I received the Global Cache IP to Serial (IP2SL) in the mail today. Maybe this coming weekend I can carve out some time to mess around with it...

[Joe]

Okay. I have the global cache setup on my internal network and connected via serial cable to my whole house audio amplifier. The global cache' IP2SL is at ip address 192.168.1.32 on my local network. I can ping it and have logged into its internal webserver and configured the serial port settings as follows:

 

Multiple Ports: disabled (not sure what this is for but left it disabled)

     Baud Rate: 9600

  Flow Control: None

     Stop Bits: 1

        Parity: None

     Data Bits: 8

 

I have the network module installed on my ISY994i. The RS-232 settings and protocol for the whole house audio amplifier are defined on pages 26 through 30 of this pdf: Nuvo Essentia Manual.

 

Now what?

 

Any tips, primers or suggestions from folks with ISY994 / Global Cache IP2SL integration experience would be most appreciated.

 

Kindest Regards,

 

- joe

[KeviNH]

I would start by connecting directly from a computer serial port to the receiver (e.g. with Windows and PuTTY).  Try sending a command like "*IRSETSR"  and hit enter, see if you get a response.   Then try sending something like "*ALLV-" to see the zone volume changes as expected.

If that works, do the same thing, but use the network connection through the IP2SL and make sure it still works as expected.

 

If that works, you can create a network resource on the ISY that connects to the same TCP port and sends "*ALLV-" and a carriage return, and it should work the same as when you typed the command by hand.

[etsvilik]

In addition to what KeviNH suggested I found using iTest application from Global Cache very useful.

[Joe]

I'm getting somewhere now. Thanks for the tips guys.

 

I have successfully turned a zone on and off using the "test" function on the Network Resources tab (Configuration / Networking / Network Resources) of the ISY.

 

I successfully issued the following commands using the test function:

 

*Z01ON

*Z01OFF

 

Within the resource editor I had to select

 

              tcp

        host: 192.168.1.32 (ip address of my IP2SL on my internal network)

        Port: 4,999

Timeout (ms): 250

        Mode: C Escaped

 

Also, in the "Body" box I had to add \r\n to my command (carriage return and newline?) to get it to work.

 

It looks like I need to create 1 network resource per RS-232 command I wish to issue through the ISY. Does that sound right?

[etsvilik]

Yes, Network Resource for every command. You can use Copy to quickly create similar resources. 

It was one of the reason I went with Simple Control Hub to have just high level Action called from ISY rather then myriad  of low level commands.

[Joe]

Actually the ISY network "Resource Editor" allows me to enter multiple RS-232 commands in a single resource. This seems to work... usually. It would be nice if I could set a specific delay between individual RS-232 commands within a single resource. This would enable the ability to ensure compliance to rule 5 of the protocol which reads "Whenever queuing multiple commands to the E6D, the host program should pause for 50 milliseconds between commands to prevent buffer overruns."

 

For instance, within a single network resource, I have the following commands:

 

*Z02ON\r\n (turns zone 2 on)

*Z02SRC2\r\n (sets zone 2's source to source 2)

*Z02VOL50\r\n (sets zone 2's volume to 50 dB below maximum volume)

 

This usually works but sometime source 2 doesn't get set/selected and/or the volume doesn't get set to 50 dB below maximum. I suspect that this may be because of timing - i.e. not always having at least 50 milliseconds between commands. The ISY's network resource editor doesn't appear to have a feature that allows setting a specified fixed duration pause between multiple commands within a single network resource.

 

Does anyone know if it is possible to specify a fixed duration pause between multiple commands within a network resource?

[KeviNH]

Does anyone know if it is possible to specify a fixed duration pause between multiple commands within a network resource?

Not at this time, but there is a feature request for that.

[Joe]

Bummer. I was afraid that might be the case.   Thanks for the reply. 

[spillmar]

I have a GC-100 and the ISY 994 with Networking Module and a NUVO Whole Home Audio System. Has anyone been able to get all components to work together where you have control of the NUVO system ? how about through Alexa ISY?

I would be very interested and appreciative to piggy back off what you have learned.

Thanks
 

[larryllix]

Actually the ISY network "Resource Editor" allows me to enter multiple RS-232 commands in a single resource. This seems to work... usually. It would be nice if I could set a specific delay between individual RS-232 commands within a single resource. This would enable the ability to ensure compliance to rule 5 of the protocol which reads "Whenever queuing multiple commands to the E6D, the host program should pause for 50 milliseconds between commands to prevent buffer overruns."

 

For instance, within a single network resource, I have the following commands:

 

*Z02ON\r\n (turns zone 2 on)

*Z02SRC2\r\n (sets zone 2's source to source 2)

*Z02VOL50\r\n (sets zone 2's volume to 50 dB below maximum volume)

 

This usually works but sometime source 2 doesn't get set/selected and/or the volume doesn't get set to 50 dB below maximum. I suspect that this may be because of timing - i.e. not always having at least 50 milliseconds between commands. The ISY's network resource editor doesn't appear to have a feature that allows setting a specified fixed duration pause between multiple commands within a single network resource.

 

Does anyone know if it is possible to specify a fixed duration pause between multiple commands within a network resource?

I have requested a special character or sequence to inject a 100ms. delay in Network Resources in the Feature Request fourm thread. I don't think it is going anywhere as the powers that be didn't see much support for it.

 

The original request was to implemet 0.1 second selections to the Wait time pulldown but that was reported as too difficult.

 

Possibly find that thread and add support and/or another techique to implement it. UDI is responsive and somewhat request driven .

 

For the time being I have to use Wait 1 second in ISY programming.

[Joe]

I have a GC-100 and the ISY 994 with Networking Module and a NUVO Whole Home Audio System. Has anyone been able to get all components to work together where you have control of the NUVO system ? how about through Alexa ISY?

 

I would be very interested and appreciative to piggy back off what you have learned.

 

Thanks

 

 

I stopped pursuing this project almost coincident with my post above. I'm afraid I haven't anything further to offer. As I recall, once I had the HW and briefly played around with it, I quickly realized that getting something setup and working was going to be a much larger time investment than I desired and it wasn't even clear that a practical solution could be implemented with current HW regardless of the amount of time invested. I chose to pursue other interests and left this one unsolved. My Global Cache is still plugged into the serial port of my Nuvo whole house amplifier but it isn't being used. If you come up with a solution, I'd be interested in hearing about it.