GC-100

[garybixler]

Hi all

 

I have been researching the Global Cache devices as a good solid reliable means of sending and receiving ON/OFF from low voltage devices. Having the network module I was able to import a relay zip file found here and saw how it functions within the ISY. I do have a question on the input sensors however. It says that an input port can be set for auto notify and will send a notification message on state change. My question is, will the ISY receive that change. I was unable to find out exactly what the GC will send. Is it to a specific IP address, that of the ISY or in the form of a broadcast or multicast.

 

Any thoughts about making this and other type network devices more of a plug n play selection.

 

Thanks in advance for any enlightenment.

 

Gary

[MikeB]

Hi Gary -

 

Unfortunately, at the moment, the ISY's Network Module cannot react to commands or responses received FROM devices.

[Quixote]

Hi Gary -

 

Unfortunately, at the moment, the ISY's Network Module cannot react to commands or responses received FROM devices.

 

I'm investigating a similar project. Basically, I would like to have a system that is completely independent of my PC. The GC-100 seems to be one vital piece of the puzzle, as well as the ISY.

 

Can you please clarify a little? I understand that the ISY will not react to TCP/IP messages sent to it, if I'm correct. How about hooking up a SeriaLinc - Insteon to 2-Way RS232 Serial Converter (http://www.smarthome.com/2410S/SeriaLin ... ter/p.aspx) to the Global Cache and using the signals from that? Is that a viable (albeit tedious) work-around?

 

Are there plans in the near future to modify the ISY to look for commands over the network?

 

Thanks!

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi Quixote,

 

Yes, ISY does respond to properly formatted URLs ... so, you could have Global Caché send out a command to ISY though, as you said, using SeriaLinc and Global Caché and ISY makes me envision: too many points of failure.

 

Yes, we do have plans for bi directional communications though I cannot give you an exact date.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[Quixote]

Hi Quixote,

 

Yes, ISY does respond to properly formatted URLs ... so, you could have Global Caché send out a command to ISY though, as you said, using SeriaLinc and Global Caché and ISY makes me envision: too many points of failure.

 

Yes, we do have plans for bi directional communications though I cannot give you an exact date.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

 

Thanks for the advice/info. Would the bi directional communications project be a firmware release, or something more substantial that would require updated hardware? The reason I ask is because I've been holding off on my ISY purchase for a long time now in the hopes of seeing a few new features and so far a couple of them have been implemented. I'm really getting anxious to join the other happy ISY users.

 

One other feature I'd like to see is a randomized offset that you could set for the sunrise/sunset events, possibly with the ability to add a predetermined offset as well. For example, turn on a light 1 hour after sunset, plus a random amount of time between 0 and 1.5 hours. Should I bother posting this in the features requests, or are you too busy for something like that?

 

Thanks again.

 

-D

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi Quixote,

 

It would be a firmware update.

 

You can currently do randomized offsets by using the Wait command and checking the random box. So, in the condition, you would use Sunrise/Sunset +/- offset but in the action you would use wait to randomize the offset.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[Quixote]

Well, that's good news. I'll see what I can find in the wiki about the wait command. In theory then, I could have a program that is triggered by the sunset that would wait an hour then start another program that waits a random amount of time before turning on a light in order to get a wait time of at least an hour after sundown?

Thanks very much for your attentiveness!

 

Sorry for breaking the topic. That's all from me here.

[MikeB]

Here is a Program I use to randomize a bedroom light while I'm on vacation. It utilizes some of the things you are asking about:

 

If
       Time is  8:00:00PM

Then
       Wait  10 minutes  (Random)
       Set Scene 'MatthewBedLamp' On
       Wait  10 minutes 
       Wait  10 minutes  (Random)
       Set Scene 'MatthewBedLamp' Off

Else
  - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action')

 

Sometime between 8pm and 8:10pm the bedroom lights come on, then the program waits between 10 and 20 minutes and turns the light back off.

[Quixote]

Very helpful, indeed. Thanks!