mitch236 Posted March 12, 2010 Posted March 12, 2010 I am now starting to create Scenes to use in my home theater. I thought I could just write a simple program to control a Scene but it isn't working so maybe a little guidance will get me going. What I did was create a very simple Scene. It only has two devices and both are responders (since I plan on using my URC remote to trigger the Scene). So let's call the Devices Ceiling and Sconce. Then I created a program to dim the lights for movies. This is how I programmed it: If Status 'Theater Ceiling' is not Off And IR 'IR_001' is Pressed Then In Scene 'Movie Lighting' Set 'Theater Ceiling' 0% (On Level) In Scene 'Movie Lighting' Set 'Theater Ceiling' 19.0 Sec (Ramp Rate) In Scene 'Movie Lighting' Set 'Theater Sconces' 25% (On Level) In Scene 'Movie Lighting' Set 'Theater Sconces' 1.0 Min (Ramp Rate) Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') Except when I try to run it, nothing happens. I've even tried to run it from the Admin console using the Run Then command. Nothing! I'm sure its a simple fix and once I understand how this programming works, I should be fine. Thanks!
oberkc Posted March 13, 2010 Posted March 13, 2010 As I understand it, your program is simply setting on levels and ramp rates for the scene 'movie lighting'. This program, as written, will not actually turn your scene on or off. I understand, also, that certain versions of devices will not accept these changes without resetting them. If it simply your desire to design a scene with these on levels and ramp rates, go to your main tab of the admin window. Select your movie lighting scene. You should see on levels and ramp rates for devices in that scene. Use the sliders to adjust to your desired levels. These will be your setting for that scene. Your program, then, would simply be: If Status 'Theater Ceiling' is not Off And IR 'IR_001' is Pressed Then set scene 'movie lighting' to on Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action')
mitch236 Posted March 13, 2010 Author Posted March 13, 2010 That absolutely worked!! And best, its much easier. I only have one additional question (for now!), if I create a Scene that turns lights On, do I have to write another Scene to turn them Off? Or can I just run a program that sets the Scene to Off?
markens Posted March 13, 2010 Posted March 13, 2010 I only have one additional question (for now!), if I create a Scene that turns lights On, do I have to write another Scene to turn them Off? Or can I just run a program that sets the Scene to Off? Only one scene is required: An OFF sent to any scene will cause all members of that scene to turn off using each device's ramp rate for that scene. Similarly, a FAST OFF will cause all member devices to turn off immediately. --Mark
Sub-Routine Posted March 13, 2010 Posted March 13, 2010 It is not a problem to create another scene for the Off command if you would like different ramp rates. You might want one scene before the movie, another when you start the movie, another when you pause, and perhaps another when you finish. Scenes can set some devices On and others Off as you wish. Rand
MarkJames Posted March 13, 2010 Posted March 13, 2010 Scenes can set some devices On and others Off as you wish. ooooooh.... that's making a pretty broad statement. Turning a scene on can turn many devices off but afaik not KPL buttons not switchlinc relays not some older devices that could dim down but not off trying to turn things off with scene 'on's has cost me a lot of hair. Hair which I can ill afford to lose, I might add. mark
Sub-Routine Posted March 13, 2010 Posted March 13, 2010 You are correct, you cannot turn off KPL buttons. You can't turn off a KPL load from a button on the same KPL. However, you can turn off SL relays. Scenes can set some devices On and others Off as you wish. ooooooh.... that's making a pretty broad statement. Turning a scene on can turn many devices off but afaik not KPL buttons not switchlinc relays not some older devices that could dim down but not off trying to turn things off with scene 'on's has cost me a lot of hair. Hair which I can ill afford to lose, I might add. mark
MarkJames Posted March 13, 2010 Posted March 13, 2010 You are correct, you cannot turn off KPL buttons.You can't turn off a KPL load from a button on the same KPL. However, you can turn off SL relays. Oh.. ok... I only have a few in my installation and none are part of scenes that require them to turn off when the scene turns on. I just assumed. It's a shame that the KPL buttons can't be made to match up using scenes - it leaves KPL buttons 'out of sync' with the devices they control. I guess the only way to do it is make the KPL Leds part of a scene and then turn that scene off programmatically. Thanks, Rand, mark
sfhutchi Posted March 13, 2010 Posted March 13, 2010 ....It's a shame that the KPL buttons can't be made to match up using scenes - it leaves KPL buttons 'out of sync' with the devices they control. I guess the only way to do it is make the KPL Leds part of a scene and then turn that scene off programmatically..... Yes. This is an example of how I do it with a 'Morning Scene' that is initiated by a toggled KPL button. As you say, I had to put the KPL-Button as a responder in a scene by itself and then call that scene to turn it off after the completion of my timed scene. If you abort the scene by manually toggling the KPL button the program aborts and both light and fan shutoff immediately. If Control 'Master Bath Light - Morning' is switched On And Control 'Master Bath Light - Morning' is not switched Off Then Set 'Master Bath Light' 20% Wait 20 seconds Set 'Master Bathroom Fan' On Set Scene 'Slow Master Bath Light' On Wait 1 hour Set 'Master Bath Light' Off Set Scene 'KPL - Morning' Off Else Set 'Master Bath Light' Off Set 'Master Bathroom Fan' Off Used to preset the bathroom light to a low dim level, then start a very slow ramp from there. Bathroom fan is also initiated after 20 seconds and will be automatically shutoff by a separate program that is looking for a bathroom fan 'on'.
oberkc Posted March 13, 2010 Posted March 13, 2010 It's a shame that the KPL buttons can't be made to match up using scenes There may be a different way of looking at things....if certain devices within a scene are defined as off, even when a scene is on, the scene (as a whole) is still on. I would think that the KPL should be on showing that the scene is on.
MarkJames Posted March 13, 2010 Posted March 13, 2010 I see, oberkc, that you're a glass-half-full kinda guy! Good point, though! Mark
mitch236 Posted March 13, 2010 Author Posted March 13, 2010 Well, I have to say that since I've begun my migration from x-10 to Insteon, I am blown away by how good Insteon and the ISY is. With x-10 I had to come up with all these schemes (not Scenes) to get the lighting in my theater to just get to the levels that I wanted and half the time, it didn't work. With the ISY and Insteon, I just create a Scene, and it works every time! Also, I can just sit at my computer and figure out exactly what level works best! I use URC's MC 400 and MX 950 to run my theater and the ISY integrated seemlessly. I am officially a FANBOY!!! TWO BIG THUMBS UP FOR THE ISY99!!!!
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