Replacing JDS Time Commander with UDI

[Davonavo]

Not a UDI owner yet. Am planning on replacing a JDS Time Commander - yes, still functioning - with a UDI controller. Features of the TC that I have come to appreciate include the ability to connect digital input change-of-state conditions directly to TC thru opto isolators. These conditions could be incorporated into schedules. I have not been able to find here the method to be used to effect the same results without a physical connection to the controller. I understand an Insteon device accepting the digital change of state and then passing that on to the network as something the controller could respond to. Would that be an I/O device? Are there any sample programs showing how this is done. Thank you.

[Michel Kohanim]

Hello Davonavo,

 

First of all, thanks so very much for considering ISY. As much as I would want you to own an ISY, but I do think that currently ISY and the devices it supports do not match the same capabilities as JDS TC. As you noted, you could use ISY with I/O devices (such as IOLinc/TriggerLinc and - if you are lucky - with EZIOxxx) and then use their inputs to effectuate program execution. But, beyond those devices, ISY does not have the capability of natively supporting I/O devices.

 

You will find many programming examples and tutorials here:

http://www.universal-devices.com/mwiki/ ... e#Programs

 

With kind regards,

Michel

 

 

Not a UDI owner yet. Am planning on replacing a JDS Time Commander - yes, still functioning - with a UDI controller. Features of the TC that I have come to appreciate include the ability to connect digital input change-of-state conditions directly to TC thru opto isolators. These conditions could be incorporated into schedules. I have not been able to find here the method to be used to effect the same results without a physical connection to the controller. I understand an Insteon device accepting the digital change of state and then passing that on to the network as something the controller could respond to. Would that be an I/O device? Are there any sample programs showing how this is done. Thank you.

[upstatemike]

I think ou find the 2 systems complement each other without too much overlap. I use a Stargate because I use voice prompts extensively but apart from that our situations are similiar. As an example of how I use the two together:

 

My garage door is connected to a Stargate Input. If the door is open and it gets to be sunset the stargate senda an X-10 On command to an address. ISY sees the X-10 command and turns on the garage lights.

 

Another Stargate input tracks the bulb on the garage door opener. If the gargae door closes AND the bulb on the opener times out then Stargate sends and X-10 OFF command which ISY sees and then turns off the Garage lights.

 

Sounds makeshift but the operation is very solid.

 

Over the past several years I have come to appreciate the solid performance of the Stargate and would have to think long and hard before replacing it with something else. Also be very aware of the advantages of high reliability inputs like on your TC which are polled for status many times per second. Replacing these with devices that simply detect a state change once and update a status table is likely to lead to disappointment. With the TC you always know an input is what the TC says it is. With other systems you are never sure if an event was missed and the status table is incorrect.

[Davonavo]

Would you say the Stargate / TC is more reliable at recognizing external input change of states but the ISY / Insteon is more reliable at controlling modules over the powerline? Thanks.

[upstatemike]

I think the TC/Stargate and the ISY are equally reliable pieces of hardware. It is just that the ISY does not have direct inputs and the TC/Stargate does not support Insteon.

 

To use the ISY for monitoring inputs you can use your Existing TC to trigger X-10 messages to the ISY or use an I/O linc to send Insteon messages to the ISY or you can use an Elk alarm panel to send network messages to the ISY. Regardless of what you do the state of your input will be held in a table in the ISY and will only be as accurate if every single trigger message gets through.

 

With the TC, if a state change is missed there will be several opportunities per second for it to be noticed and corrected through polling. It is a different hardware implementation for a different mission.

 

In reality, you will probably never again see truly "all-in-one" automation hardware the likes of TC, Stargate, or Homevision. HAI has stretched their security platform to cover most of what a dedicated HA box can do but their programming command set is very limited which in turn limits their ability to do some things that can be done easily with a TC. The same could be said for the Elk M1.

 

Your best bet is to focus on separate subsystems that can work together but also stand alone if needed. A typical example is:

 

ISY - Lighting admin, dusk/dawn and timer control, low criticality inputs through RF motion sensors and I/O lincs.

 

Elk M1 or TC or Homevision - critical hard wired sensors and inputs, keypads, thermostats, telephone interface, relay outputs

 

Homeseer or other PC based system - touch screens, text to speech alerts and messages (weather forecasts etc.), security camera interface, etc.

 

Sonos or Slimserver - Whole house audio

 

These systems all coordinate with each other across your home network but will continue operate independently if the other systems are off line.

 

I guess this is a long way to make the point that you can't expect to replace a TC with another single product. It will likely take a combination of things since there is no product that combines high reliability wired inputs with Insteon management and control.