ELK M1, ELK-M1XEP and HomeSeer

[gf5300]

Is the ELK-M1XEP the only way to hook a PC (located in a separate room from the M1) to the M1?
With HomeSeer, is the ELK-RP software (assuming the ELK-M1XEP is installed) required or add any functionality for the average user? Also, still confused if the RP software is included with the ELK-M1XEP or not.
Thanks guys.

 

[electron]

In case Spanky is busy celebrating the new year early, I figured I would try to help a little <_<

ElkRP comes with the Elk M1, since it is the software used to configure the hardware. It doesn't run in the background, so it isn't required for Homeseer. The M1XEP doesn't require any additional software.

You could also use a set of serial-to-ip adapters, but you are better off getting the M1XEP, or if you already have cat5 between the rooms, just use the cat5 run for serial connectivity (you would have to build an adapter, but it's easy).

 

[ultrajones]

Is the ELK-M1XEP the only way to hook a PC (located in a separate room from the M1) to the M1?
With HomeSeer, is the ELK-RP software (assuming the ELK-M1XEP is installed) required or add any functionality for the average user? Also, still confused if the RP software is included with the ELK-M1XEP or not.
Thanks guys.

I have my Elk M1 connected to HomeSeer via the Elk M1XEP. I started out using just a serial connection, but found it MUCH easier to use the Elk M1XEP because you don't have to shutdown HomeSeer when you want to make adjustments to the Elk M1 configuration using the ElkRP software.

You have several options to connect the Elk M1 to HomeSeer.

1. The my.Elk 2.3 script available in the CocoonTech.com "Home Automation" download section (free).
2. The Elk M1 Plugin (now free).
3. The UltraM1G 3rd Party Plug-in.
4. Possible others, but I am not aware of any other options ...

Regards,
Ultrajones

 

[gf5300]

Thanks.

You all save me both time and money all the time.

I love this forum.

 

[Madcodger]

Ultra, Spanky, et al -

Is it possible to connect the XEP to the M1 using serial port 0 (the on-board port), while simultaneously connecting the M1 to a PC for Homeseer via an M1XSP serial port expander configured as port 1 (or 2, if a serial thermostat is also installed)?

Given some recent problems with my XEP locking up, I would like to switch my Homeseer-Elk connection to straight serial, while maintaining the XEP hookup so that I can log in to the Elk directly if needed. When I log in directly now (with the XEP being the connection to Homeseer as well) the XEP locks up and I lose both the direct connection to the Elk and Homeseer's connection through the UltraM1 plugin.

Thanks,

Joe

 

[electron]

Only the main port will receive all the state changes and other updates, so I don't think this would be an option.

Your XEP shouldn't lock up at all, so you either discovered a new bug, or something else is going on (maybe just a bad unit?). I would definitely try to get in touch with Elk tech support, and find out what is going on. Mine has been up and running for many months (probably since last year).

 

[Madcodger]

Only the main port will receive all the state changes and other updates, so I don't think this would be an option.

Your XEP shouldn't lock up at all, so you either discovered a new bug, or something else is going on (maybe just a bad unit?). I would definitely try to get in touch with Elk tech support, and find out what is going on. Mine has been up and running for many months (probably since last year).

Thanks, Dan.

Well, darn. I thought I had a solution there, at least for a bit.

I've reported this to Elk (just a day or so ago) and there's an active thread on it in the Marketplace / Elk section of the board. Seems several others are reporting exactly the same, so something seems to be up. Couldn't ask for a better group than the Elk folks to handle it, though. They've been terrific on everything else I've ever stumbled upon.

Joe