Couple ISY questions

[snesgenesis]

Has anybody had experience with the IRLinc Transmitter integrating with the ISY? Im just trying to control a stereo receiver in my closet to work my "low end" whole house audio system http://www.smarthome.com/2411T/IRLinc-INSTEON-IR-Transmitter/p.aspx

Also I'm leaning heavily towards purchasing the ELK module and was wondering if it conflicts with the dozen rules I already programmed in my ELK M1 Gold or is the module enough to replace the rules I already programmed?

 

[apostolakisl]

1) Don't buy the irlinc. Get a global cache itach. It is much more capable and dependable. It does require you have the network module to integrate with ISY.
2) The elk module is very good. It doesn't conflict with anything.

 

[wuench]

Elk module can pretty much replace all your lighting rules on the Elk but the programming is not as straight-forward as the Elk's.

 

[snesgenesis]

Good call that was my next question, I saw the wired version for about the same price ($90) @ smarthome, hopefully if I scoop up the global cache,purchase the Network module I can come up with additional uses for the module

 

[snesgenesis]

I see.. @ this point all I have my elk doing as far as integrating with my isy is simply turn on/ off lighting correlating to my armed status

 

[apostolakisl]

Elk module can pretty much replace all your lighting rules on the Elk but the programming is not as straight-forward as the Elk's.

I can see why you say that, but I think it is really just part of a learning curve. It takes longer to learn the nuances of ISY, but once you get there you can do more things and do them more efficiently. ISY has so much more capacity and options as far as programming that it is totally worth it to use ISY.

I moved 100% of my lighting rules over to ISY.
I have moved many of my other home automation stuff over to ISY, but not all of it. Pretty much, the deal is that since it is alread working in Elk, why screw with it? But if I were starting from scratch, I would do very little in Elk.
ISY programs are so much easier to view, edit, and organize. Plus there are quite a few things that ISY can do with Elk that Elk can't even do to itself. The one thing I really wish ISY had that it doesn't is the ability to execute and respond to Elk tasks.

 

[snesgenesis]

Hey Lou do you have any rules written for your Global Cache via ISY?

 

[apostolakisl]

Hey Lou do you have any rules written for your Global Cache via ISY?

No, all the global cache control is done via ISY. Elk can't control a global cache directly because it has no way to send the commands.

The Elk can indirectly control the global cache using the ISY. For example:

If
Elk Area 'Main House' 'Armed State' is Armed Away

Then
Resource 'Dish VIP 622 Power Off'
Resource 'channel plus system off'
Resource 'Yamaha RX V-365 Power Off'
Set Scene 'Music' Off
Set Scene 'Family Rm D Xmas Music S' Off

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

You could just as easily put any Elk activity in the If section. The only shortcomming of the ISY Elk module is the lack of "task" integration. So you might want an Elk task to trigger an ISY program. In that case you write a rule in Elk that says "whenever task x is activate, then turn output x on for 1 second". Then you have ISY trigger based on output x (which it does monitor).

 

[carempel]

I'm looking to use both the Elk-M1 Gold & ISY. I was going to create lighting scenes with the ISY, but from what I'm reading I'm not sure I've got it right.

We're going to have approximately ten 6 & 8 button Insteon scene controls, in addition to a bunch of Insteon dimmers. I'd like to also control drapes, & thermostat. Am I better to create my lighting scenes with the ISY or with Elk? Ideally I'd love to press a scene button for "movie" and have the lights dim & the curtains close.

That leads to another question, can I control wired Somfy drapes with Insteon?

PS - Lou, thanks for your help in a previous thread to help me understand the fundamentals of Insteon technology, you really helped clear up some points that SmartHome support couldn't

 

[apostolakisl]

You use ISY to create scenes. Elk cannot create scenes, but it can control scenes. But frankly, if you get the ISY Elk module you really don't need Elk to control any lighting since ISY has access to all of Elk's inputs. You just let ISY programs trigger off of Elk events.

I'm not really sure about Somfy drapes. There is going to be a way to do it, but I don't own any and haven't really investigated. It might be a matter of using an Insteon I/o link to trigger the drapes, or maybe something else.

 

[gatchel]

ISY programming is definitely the better way to go(from an Elk rules convert)