Some Newbie Questions

[rdsi]

I’ve been using Insteon with House Linc and to provide some automation I have CRON jobs setup on my NAS using a USB PLM. I bought a ISY 944i Pro a while back & finally decided to get it doing something and relieve my NAS.

Anyway, when I setup a desktop link the program loads as expected asking for my account info but another window is also present “ISY Finder : Not Found”, but it is displaying my URL & UUID for my ISY. I can enter my account info & continue on with the admin console as expected but why is the other window always present when I startup. I can close it & the admin console does communicate with my ISY. Any idea’s?

Next, when I link devices & setup some simple scenes I’m only able to set some device options under the scene controller. I cannot set any options in the scene responder link or the device table. I can make changes but the “Write Changes” button does nothing and the values eventually revert back to their original state. This seems very strange?

Finally, I’m running v5.3.0 is it worth updating to the latest version? If so where do you find the firmware update files? When I go here: Current Official Firmware Releases there’s nothing listed expect for a link to the Firmware Releases Forum which only talks about the latest releases. What am I missing?

Thanks for any help...

[MrBill]

Finder:   Finder is the program that locates ISY's on your local network and supplies the IP address to the admin console.  If there is only one entry in the finder table it makes an assumption and opens an admin console for that ISY.   While many people probably only have one ISY, its still possible to have two entries in the table--first the one that's automatically found from your local network and perhaps a second record that was manually added to access via UDI's portal (this would allow access to your ISY from anywhere in the world via a secure portal, without opening ports on your router.)   The finder window is harmless I usually just leave it behind the admin console.

3 hours ago, rdsi said:

Next, when I link devices & setup some simple scenes I’m only able to set some device options under the scene controller. I cannot set any options in the scene responder link or the device table. I can make changes but the “Write Changes” button does nothing and the values eventually revert back to their original state. This seems very strange?

The write changes button is a bit of a confusing issue, but before we tackle that topic lets cover did you factory reset the Insteon devices, then add them to the ISY?   If you're trying to carryover a previous setup from houselinc by just adding the devices and trying to add previous links I wish you luck, at some point in time you will give up and start over from scratch.  Nobody ever wins trying to import an Insteon installation from another platform.

You didn't say what you're having difficulties changing, but to change the dim level or ramp rate in a scene you need to edit the scene, not the device.  Also you must edit the scene multiple times, once at the root level and once for each controller in the scene.  To reiterate that with an example:

this is a simple 3-way switching scene with 2 switches, both controllers.  If we want to change the On value or the Ramping Rate, we need to first click the Root level "DN Recessed OH (Kitchen)" and edit the scene there, this are the scene attributes when the ISY itself is the controller.  Next we need to click each of the RED Controller links and edit the scene under each of those controllers as well.   While most people tend to use the same values in all 3 places it is possible to customize and use different values in each of the three.

Device attributes:

Somewhere along the way.... the write changes button became less useful.  When changing these values shown above it's NOT intuitive but change the dropdown on the right, then press the corresponding button on the left to write the change.  In other words, change the Dropdown for On Level then click the button "On Level" to the LEFT of the dropdown... yea it doesn't make sense until someone tells you.

Another important thing to understand is that Backlight has a bug around it's usage.  It works fine for setting the backlight level...  but when you move to the next device it will show the LAST setting, not the setting stored in the device you just switched to.  So Set the dropdown, and push backlight it will write the change.  Whatever the box says when you land on the device is going to either be 0% or the last value that you set.

3 hours ago, rdsi said:

Finally, I’m running v5.3.0 is it worth updating to the latest version? If so where do you find the firmware update files? When I go here: Current Official Firmware Releases there’s nothing listed expect for a link to the Firmware Releases Forum which only talks about the latest releases. What am I missing?

All firmware distribution is done thru the forum.  The pinned threads contain download links AND INSTRUCTIONS for upgrade in the first post of the thread.  The PINNED threads at the top of the listings are versions that are most current, the thread to The Launcher is also pinned.  5.3.4 is the most current version, technically it's a "test build" but it been out for a few months and no one has reported major issue.  (Prior versions are no longer pinned but can be found with search.)  The version you're running 5.3.0 is the last "Official release" but is a couple years old now.  You're better off with 5.3.4.   Version 5.0.16C is pinned because it's the last version that can be used in ISY's that have a series 300 Z-wave board installed.  Version 4.9 is for those that haven't yet made the jump to version 5.

Edited September 20, 2021 by MrBill

[rdsi]

Just ignore the ISY finder window. - I can do that.

My updates now work as you explained.

Found the firmware update file.

Thank you very much...