UPB Control - UPStart versus HCL

I will soon purchase either the Elk M1G or the HAI OmniProII. The issue with maintaining UPB linked device statuses is a concern for me.

I know that some OmniPro users (JonW) are successfully using non-HAI UPB switches with reliable status updates of linked devices. So my question today is how the HCL configuration works...

So I've read a little bit about how to configure links in UPStart. However, I have no idea how HCL works. I've looked for some documentation but haven't found it (yet).

So here's a simple link scenario... Let's say I have a bedroom with a main light, a ceiling fan and a lamp. I want to have a scene keypad that will trigger a scene.

With UPStart, the button has a toggle state where the first time you press the button does one thing (like activate) and the next press does the opposite action (like deactivate). So one scene button gets programmed in UPStart as follows:

Code:

Scene Button	| Single-Tap | Double-Tab | Hold		| Release
----------------+------------+------------+-------------+-----------
Main Light	  | Activate   | Snap On	| Fade Up	 | Fade Stop
				| Deactivate | Snap Off   | Fade Down   | Fade Stop
----------------+------------+------------+-------------+-----------
Ceiling fan	 | Activate   | Activate   | No command  | No command
				| Deactivate | Deactivate | No command  | No command
----------------+------------+------------+-------------+-----------
Lamp			| Slow On	| Activate   | Fade Up	 | Fade Stop
				| Slow Off   | Deactivate | Fade Down   | Fade Stop
----------------+------------+------------+-------------+-----------

So how does this work in HCL? Does HCL handle the implicit button toggle mode like UPStart? Does HCL support single tap, double tap, hold and release?

If anyone knows of a good tutorial on HCL programming I would appreciate it.

Thanks.

DotNetDog said:

I will soon purchase either the Elk M1G or the HAI OmniProII. The issue with maintaining UPB linked device statuses is a concern for me.

I know that some OmniPro users (JonW) are successfully using non-HAI UPB switches with reliable status updates of linked devices. So my question today is how the HCL configuration works...

So I've read a little bit about how to configure links in UPStart. However, I have no idea how HCL works. I've looked for some documentation but haven't found it (yet).

So here's a simple link scenario... Let's say I have a bedroom with a main light, a ceiling fan and a lamp. I want to have a scene keypad that will trigger a scene.

With UPStart, the button has a toggle state where the first time you press the button does one thing (like activate) and the next press does the opposite action (like deactivate). So one scene button gets programmed in UPStart as follows:

Code:

Scene Button	| Single-Tap | Double-Tab | Hold		| Release
----------------+------------+------------+-------------+-----------
Main Light	  | Activate   | Snap On	| Fade Up	 | Fade Stop
				| Deactivate | Snap Off   | Fade Down   | Fade Stop
----------------+------------+------------+-------------+-----------
Ceiling fan	 | Activate   | Activate   | No command  | No command
				| Deactivate | Deactivate | No command  | No command
----------------+------------+------------+-------------+-----------
Lamp			| Slow On	| Activate   | Fade Up	 | Fade Stop
				| Slow Off   | Deactivate | Fade Down   | Fade Stop
----------------+------------+------------+-------------+-----------

So how does this work in HCL? Does HCL handle the implicit button toggle mode like UPStart? Does HCL support single tap, double tap, hold and release?

If anyone knows of a good tutorial on HCL programming I would appreciate it.

Thanks.

Click to expand...

Required reading is here: http://kb.homeauto.com/default.asp?id=637
That is the info I linked you to in another CT thread. Look at all the attachments in that link.

Attachments
Dimmer Switch Matrix.pdf
House Status Macro Matrix.pdf
House Status Matrix3.pdf
Scene Switch Matrix.pdf
Related Articles
Applying HAI Lighting Control (HLC)
General Link Assignments
How are Links assigned to an 8-button House Status Switches in an HAI Lighting Control environment?

Click to expand...

After reading through those docs, I think it will become much clearer. The bottom line is that the link ID's in HLC are pre-allocated to rooms. Use their allocation model and you can get the best of both worlds (HLC status reporting and Upstart fine tuning).

JonW said:

DotNetDog said:

I will soon purchase either the Elk M1G or the HAI OmniProII. The issue with maintaining UPB linked device statuses is a concern for me.

I know that some OmniPro users (JonW) are successfully using non-HAI UPB switches with reliable status updates of linked devices. So my question today is how the HCL configuration works...

So I've read a little bit about how to configure links in UPStart. However, I have no idea how HCL works. I've looked for some documentation but haven't found it (yet).

So here's a simple link scenario... Let's say I have a bedroom with a main light, a ceiling fan and a lamp. I want to have a scene keypad that will trigger a scene.

With UPStart, the button has a toggle state where the first time you press the button does one thing (like activate) and the next press does the opposite action (like deactivate). So one scene button gets programmed in UPStart as follows:

Code:

Scene Button	| Single-Tap | Double-Tab | Hold		| Release
----------------+------------+------------+-------------+-----------
Main Light	  | Activate   | Snap On	| Fade Up	 | Fade Stop
				| Deactivate | Snap Off   | Fade Down   | Fade Stop
----------------+------------+------------+-------------+-----------
Ceiling fan	 | Activate   | Activate   | No command  | No command
				| Deactivate | Deactivate | No command  | No command
----------------+------------+------------+-------------+-----------
Lamp			| Slow On	| Activate   | Fade Up	 | Fade Stop
				| Slow Off   | Deactivate | Fade Down   | Fade Stop
----------------+------------+------------+-------------+-----------

So how does this work in HCL? Does HCL handle the implicit button toggle mode like UPStart? Does HCL support single tap, double tap, hold and release?

If anyone knows of a good tutorial on HCL programming I would appreciate it.

Thanks.

Click to expand...

Required reading is here: http://kb.homeauto.com/default.asp?id=637
That is the info I linked you to in another CT thread. Look at all the attachments in that link.

Attachments
Dimmer Switch Matrix.pdf
House Status Macro Matrix.pdf
House Status Matrix3.pdf
Scene Switch Matrix.pdf
Related Articles
Applying HAI Lighting Control (HLC)
General Link Assignments
How are Links assigned to an 8-button House Status Switches in an HAI Lighting Control environment?

Click to expand...

After reading through those docs, I think it will become much clearer. The bottom line is that the link ID's in HLC are pre-allocated to rooms. Use their allocation model and you can get the best of both worlds (HLC status reporting and Upstart fine tuning).

Click to expand...

Thanks Jon. I had glanced at the documents before and was hoping for a quick overview of HCL. But this time I went through them more carefully and I think I understand the HCL scheme. But I do have a few more questions...
How are rooms defined? The docs refer to rooms 1-31. Do rooms get defined elsewhere in HAI?
I noticed on the HAI web site that they sell "scene switches" and "house switches". Since I would be using non-HAI switches is there really a difference here? Can I just use any keypad as either a scene or house switch?

How are rooms defined? The docs refer to rooms 1-31. Do rooms get defined elsewhere in HAI?

Click to expand...

Yes they get defined in the Link designated numbers. (JonW - please let me know if my interpretation of the HLC logic is ok?)
IE:

Room 5 unit numbers are

33 - defined as master (per HAI named even if not used) - scene switch?
34 - first UPB switch of "room 5" - house switch?
35 - 2nd UPB switch of "room 5"
36 - 3rd UPB switch of "room 5"
37 - 4th UPB switch of "room 5"
38 - 5th UPB switch of "room 5"
39 - 6th UPB switch of "room 5"
40 - 7th UPB switch of "room 5"

Room 5 Receive Link (HLC) numbers are as seen on the dimmer switch matrix:

25 - 100% of all units in room 5
26 - 0% of all units in room 5
27 - 80% of all units in room 5
28 - 60% of all units in room 5
29 - 40% of all units in room 5
30 - 20% of all units in room 5

OR (not sure if this is right eh?)

25 - 100% of unit 34 in room 5
26 - 0% of unit 34 in room 5
27 - 100% of unit 35 in room 5
28 - 0% of unit 35 in room 5
29 - 0% of all units in room 5
30 - 20% of all units in room 5

Curious though; am I supposed to see the Unit 34 status in HAI PCA when sending a link dim command following the configuration of the non HLC UPB switch as previously stated (using Upstart?)

To expand on what Pete outlined, attached are some screenshots from PCA and a small snippet I made in a spreadsheet to show the allocation.

(Due to attachment size, they'll be in a couple of consecutive posts.)

Screenshot of unit allocation in PCA.

Screenshot of link allocation in PCA.

petec said:

OR (not sure if this is right eh?)

25 - 100% of unit 34 in room 5
26 - 0% of unit 34 in room 5
27 - 100% of unit 35 in room 5
28 - 0% of unit 35 in room 5
29 - 0% of all units in room 5
30 - 20% of all units in room 5

Curious though; am I supposed to see the Unit 34 status in HAI PCA when sending a link dim command following the configuration of the non HLC UPB switch as previously stated (using Upstart?)

Click to expand...

I'm not exactly clear on what you are asking here. Each switch Unit # in room 5 (units 34 through 40) should have their first 6 "receive" links set to link # 25 through 30. Now, you don't have to do the 80/60/40/20 % for the last 4 links like HLC sets as the standard, but you should still define those links as the first 6 and set a specific level that they should be at when that link is received.

but you should still define those links as the first 6 and set a specific level that they should be at when that link is received.

Click to expand...

Understood.

What about the two transmit links defined as 241/242 associated with the top/bottom paddle status?

So does that mean every UPB light switch uses the same two links for paddle status ?

petec said:

but you should still define those links as the first 6 and set a specific level that they should be at when that link is received.

Click to expand...

Understood.

What about the two transmit links defined as 241/242 associated with the top/bottom paddle status?

So does that mean every UPB light switch uses the same two links for paddle status ?

Click to expand...

You know, this is a very good question. I didn't program these two links in my switches because status tracking worked just fine without them. I've set all of my switches to transmit their status, so maybe it is not needed. Also, the other reason I didn't program in these links is that for several rooms, I have other links programmed into the switches. Take the garage for example - I have 3 different light switches in there, but when you enter the garage from the kitchen and press the switch at the door, it transmits the link ID for the room to set all lights to 100%. Another thing I do with many switches is set them to tranmsit status on single click, but a link on double click. This way you can single tap a light when entering a room to only command that light on, but if you double click it, it will turn all lights on (or off) for a default scene in the room. I find this method very powerful for places that I don't use a room controller.

I'll have to play with the link 241/242 configuration and see what it's doing. Possibly it is used to trigger the HAI to poll for exact light level. It's possible that in my configuration, it is setting the status of some lights to 100% when in fact it could have been dimmed and because it is not transmitting the link 241, HAI doesn't poll it to get the exact level. I'm just theorizing on that, but I have not noticed that behavior at all. I'll try and test to see what exactly its doing.

JonW,

When I look at the PCA Units status; send out a link command say to Dim a room 30%; am I supposed to see it in the status / units / unit status section?

So I did a quick test. The unit reports the status of what the link is defined for (verbiage-Scene A) which works for me for a bit then changes (although the RM5 lights stay on).

Just configured links 241/242 in additon to one room (5).

Thank you for your help Jon.