Controlling RGB strip lighting...best options?

[sorka]

Been waiting for Insteon to come out with a low voltage x 3 output device that could be attached to RGB controllers that have low volage RGB inputs but I haven't seen anything.

Besides using an IR linc or something which I'd rather avoid doing, are there any hardwired solutions using either Insteon or z-wave that would allow me to control RGB strip lighting and set 0-255, 0-255,0-255 levels arbitrarily from scenes so I could create different scenes with specific RGB values?

[markv58]

Fibaro makes a z-wave controller that would do the trick.

LEDNET makes some that are wifi and can be controlled with MagicHome Polyglot v2 Nodeserver.

I have both and prefer the LEDNET because of price and better overall control.

[larryllix]

Fibaro makes a z-wave controller that would do the trick.
LEDNET makes some that are wifi and can be controlled with MagicHome Polyglot v2 Nodeserver.
I have both and prefer the LEDNET because of price and better overall control.

I prefer them also because they are compatible with the 24 rgbww bulbs I bought for around $10 cad each

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

[palayman]

22 minutes ago, markv58 said:

Fibaro makes a z-wave controller that would do the trick.

LEDNET makes some that are wifi and can be controlled with MagicHome Polyglot v2 Nodeserver.

I have both and prefer the LEDNET because of price and better overall control.

Is that LEDNET or LEDENET?

[larryllix]

19 hours ago, palayman said:

Is that LEDNET or LEDENET?

LEDenet. Look for a thread with photos and instructions...Magichome is the same protocol

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

 

 

 

[markv58]

My bad, Ledenet Smart Wifi Controller. You will need a power supply, 12 or 24 vdc. I run 2 - 5 meter strips on a single 12v 2amp wall wart.

 

[markv58]

These are pretty slick. I run these off the controller too. I don't use their remote or controller.

[MWareman]

The benefit of the zwave route is if you use Google Home. You can set colors via voice control and the Home app now. No need for network rules for everything.

I have both now, but new installs are going zwave.

[sorka]

Just for reference, the z-wave module:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Fibaro-Micro-Controller-Z-wave-Strips/dp/B00P1N68FW

[kohai]

I think the Fibaro is not z-wave plus.  I've purchased the Qubino and am about to install it.  I have it connected to ISY but need to finish installing the LED light strips.

 

Qubino Z-Wave Plus RGBW Controller ZMNHWD3 for 12-24V LED Strips and Light Bulbs

GIDERWEL Waterproof LED Strip Light RGB +Warm White 3500K Color 16.4ft 300LEDs Light Strip Rope Lights, Mixed Color Changing RGBWW LED Tape Light

LEDMO Power Supply, Transformers,LED Adapter, 12V, 5A Max, 60 Watt Max, for LED Strip Light

LEDENET 10m RGBW Extension Cable Line 5 Color for RGBW LED Strip 5050 ribbon rgb Warm White Cord 5pin Wire 33ft

[larryllix]

I was buying the 6A 12vdc power supplies with the big box in the middle of the cord also. I have measured loads and found that a 6A will run two 5m length RGBWW strips full on, simultaneously, no problem. Now I run some on 2A and 3A wallwart style power supplies now. never had a problem using the LEDenet controllers.

 

Here is one of the threads with pictures.

 

[sorka]

Lots of good info. 

Question, I don't see magic home in the nodeserver list. Running v0.9.31.

[markv58]

8 minutes ago, sorka said:

Lots of good info. 

Question, I don't see magic home in the nodeserver list. Running v0.9.31.

There is not one for NodeLink just NodeServer  https://polyglot.universal-devices.com/

[larryllix]

Lots of good info. 

Question, I don't see magic home in the nodeserver list. Running v0.9.31.

I just use NRs to send commands to a RPi. This is received and used to control my 30 strips and bulbs from a custom bridging software I fabricated myself and lives with Nodelink and a few other ISY servicing software tools.

 

Sent using Tapatalk

 

 

 

[sorka]

OK, so I have a bunch of LEDenet strips installed using the Magic Home LEDenet controller:

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DY56N8U

 

Fairly unimpressed at this point. The app doesn't allow you to create scenes for the W, just RGB so I can't set a ramp rate when turning on the WW leds. Perhaps this is just a limitation of hte app itself.

 

So it occurs to me I should have done a bit more due diligence when choosing a solution. Fortunately the RGBW led strips can be run off pretty much any RGBW controller.

 

It's nice to have an app or remote where I can select a custom color quickly. But I also absolutely need the following and NRs aren't going to cut it given how much time I'd spend messing with them to deal with scenes mixed in with other insteon devices.

What I need is a solution where I can add an RGBW light strip to an ISY scene with other insteon devices and be able to set the RGBW levels and ramp rates for the that RGBW device in the scene that I've added it to. Just like I can with any other insteon device that is a single channel, but in this case 4 channels per device.

Before I go and spend the time to get the polyglot Magic UFO stuff in stalled on my Synology in a docker container, I'd hate to go through the trouble only to discover that I can't mix RGBW lights in basic ISY scenes. 

Will either the polyglot or z-wave solution allow this? Will both or do neither offer this?

 

 

[Scottmichaelj]

OK, so I have a bunch of LEDenet strips installed using the Magic Home LEDenet controller:
 
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DY56N8U
 
Fairly unimpressed at this point. The app doesn't allow you to create scenes for the W, just RGB so I can't set a ramp rate when turning on the WW leds. Perhaps this is just a limitation of hte app itself.
 
So it occurs to me I should have done a bit more due diligence when choosing a solution. Fortunately the RGBW led strips can be run off pretty much any RGBW controller.
 
It's nice to have an app or remote where I can select a custom color quickly. But I also absolutely need the following and NRs aren't going to cut it given how much time I'd spend messing with them to deal with scenes mixed in with other insteon devices.
What I need is a solution where I can add an RGBW light strip to an ISY scene with other insteon devices and be able to set the RGBW levels and ramp rates for the that RGBW device in the scene that I've added it to. Just like I can with any other insteon device that is a single channel, but in this case 4 channels per device.
Before I go and spend the time to get the polyglot Magic UFO stuff in stalled on my Synology in a docker container, I'd hate to go through the trouble only to discover that I can't mix RGBW lights in basic ISY scenes. 
Will either the polyglot or z-wave solution allow this? Will both or do neither offer this?
 
 

Using the Nodeserver makes a huge difference.

[sorka]

3 hours ago, Scottmichaelj said:

 

Using the Nodeserver makes a huge difference.

 

Does that mean scenes will work as expected with RGBW where the RGBW (all 4 channels) can be set for that light strip node dropped into an insteon scene? 

 

Also, I activate different indirect lighting scenes around the house via motion detection. The motion sensors aren't part of the scene. The motion sensors trigger programs where I'll turn a scene on for a ramp up over several seconds. I'm in the process of replacing these lighting devices with RGBW strips. 

 

When I manually set a color, say from the Magic Home App, is there any way to detect this in an ISY program so I can override the motion activation program and ignore it for a set period of time?

[larryllix]

Those "scenes" you are referring to in the app are just groupings in the app and not installed into the controllers. Nothing does scenes like Insteon devices, where the parameters are preset inside the devices.

I have about a dozen of the LEDenet controllers you referred to in your link and they are not MagicHome units. They may not be compatible with the MagicHome UFO protocol or the Polyglot nodeserver. I have had to modify my software to accommodate the different knockoff protocols.

These have an  extra CW channel that my bulbs  do not. They can also be set to RGBW levels before turning them on while the bulbs must be turned on before setting any levels. These controllers can mix RGB and White while the bulbs cannot. It's either RGB or White.  All these factors demand a slightly different protocol for the two styles.

I do both of these styles with only three NRs total, but that requires my bridging software. It could be done with many NRs if you want more speed between strips. When you share NRs for different strips/bulbs you will require Wait 1-2 seconds between each command or the parameters will end up mixed up with ISY variable substitution.

 

AFAIK none of these devices have any slow ramping. They have a normal mode with a very quick ramp, maybe 0.5 seconds , as well as a music mode which makes them instantaneously  change levels. Ramping cannot be done from software. The level jumping shows and the packets may not stay in order, from a RPi port anyway.

[sorka]

7 hours ago, larryllix said:

Those "scenes" you are referring to in the app are just groupings in the app and not installed into the controllers. Nothing does scenes like Insteon devices, where the parameters are preset inside the devices.

The scenes I'm referring are the one's I make on the ISY. So far, from my research, it appears that z-wave devices will work perfectly as responders when added to scenes with Insteon devices. Will the LEDenet controllers do the same?

 

Also, does anyone know the answer to my question above about getting notified by either z-wave or MH controller so I can disable my motion triggered program?

[sorka]

Ultimately, in the end, if I can't get the kind of scene level control that I have with insteon, I'll buy 4 of these, https://www.amazon.com/PLUSPOE-Dimmable-Transformer-Flexible-Standard/dp/B075Y2RFTD, and combine them with 4 Insteon inline dimmers and then I'll have complete scene level and ramp level of control of each and every channel. 

 

 

[larryllix]

4 hours ago, sorka said:

The scenes I'm referring are the one's I make on the ISY. So far, from my research, it appears that z-wave devices will work perfectly as responders when added to scenes with Insteon devices. Will the LEDenet controllers do the same?

 

Also, does anyone know the answer to my question above about getting notified by either z-wave or MH controller so I can disable my motion triggered program?

I cannot answer that as I don't use PolyGlot for LED strips/bulbs. You will have to load the PolyGlot node server and try it.

I can send my NRs to control my LEDs simultaneously with my Insteon equipment. Sometimes the LEDs come on first and sometimes the Insteon switches come on first. It is not predictable with different technologies and comm pathways. The ISY program delay cannot be measured or seen and I know it isn't a factor unless multiple devices are being controlled from the NR with different addresses.

With PWM dimming techniques that the controllers use you can dim lighting right down to 1% without any flicker. With an Insteon dimmer that is not likely going to happen. SwitchLincs with LED bulbs usually flicker and/or fail about 8-15% levels.

The PSU unit you linked to may be way oversize for RGBW strips. Some recommend a 60W supply for all four channels but after measuring and testing, even a 12W PSU will run all four RGBWW channels simultaneously without problems. I use a 3A 12v PSU for two 5m RGBW strips (radially fed) , four channels lit  simultaneously without problem. This has worked fine for MiLight controllers and now LEDenet controllers the same.

Sequentially feeding two 5m strips doesn't work either ,as the voltage drop gets too large and the second strip starts to show dimming with increasing length.

[sorka]

Going PWM dimmable power supply certainly ups the cost:

https://www.amazon.com/PowerNex-PWM-120-24-output-power-supply/dp/B01515L67E x 4

...although they don't need to be anywhere near that kind of power since one for each channel. Hopefully a good search will turn up smaller less expensive units.The NR would certainly be a feasible work around for some aspects but you can't set the ramp rate in the formatted NR or can you?

Would really love to hear from folks using polyglot or z-wave. I did order the Fibraro z-wave unit to try it out and it does what i need including mixing with insteon scenes, then I'll just stick with that. 

 

The LEDenet MH controller is very unimpressive. Setting WW to 1% on the app results in about 10% illumination. No flickering but a very hard start when turning it on. 

[larryllix]

16 minutes ago, sorka said:

Going PWM dimmable power supply certainly ups the cost:

https://www.amazon.com/PowerNex-PWM-120-24-output-power-supply/dp/B01515L67E x 4

...although they don't need to be anywhere near that kind of power since one for each channel. Hopefully a good search will turn up smaller less expensive units.The NR would certainly be a feasible work around for some aspects but you can't set the ramp rate in the formatted NR or can you?

Would really love to hear from folks using polyglot or z-wave. I did order the Fibraro z-wave unit to try it out and it does what i need including mixing with insteon scenes, then I'll just stick with that. 

 

The LEDenet MH controller is very unimpressive. Setting WW to 1% on the app results in about 10% illumination. No flickering but a very hard start when turning it on. 

The LEDenet controllers you linked to are PWM voltage switching outputs. They will dim down to 0.4% level no problem.

@Scottmichaelj should have experience with the real MagicHome UFO controllers regarding scenes inside ISY.

[markv58]

I use Polyglot with MagicHome. In a scene with Ledenet wifi controllers you set the rgbw levels as you would any other rgbw controller. There is no ramp rate with these. I also have a fibaro that has r g b and w settings all separated. Setting the levels for the fibaro are quite the pain as I don't have an app to set the color first. With the Magic Home app on iPhone I can set strip or bulb levels and the go to ISY and see the values and set my rgbw levels in the scene.

[markv58]

There is no ramp rate with the fibaro either. Led lights generally don't ramp from 0%, they require a certain voltage to start up. The best led lamps I have are the Lifx brand, those do have a ramp rate setting. Lifx has something called Z Led strip, haven't tried it and won't because a ramp rate isn't worth the cost.