Insteon Beta Software For M1/EZ8

[Steve]

I would like to think that Insteon will fix this in the future.

Currently, a Zwave switch will not send to the M1 any switch changes, On, Off, or Dim. Zwave and its partners are working to correct this problem also.

If manufacturers were to make their switches field flashable then perhaps this would not be so bad. But what about people who spend a lot of time and money installing V1 or V2 switches and then have to redo them with V3 to get the benefit? Surely there has to be a solution to that as well.

 

[WayneW]

But what about people who spend a lot of time and money installing V1 or V2 switches and then have to redo them with V3 to get the benefit? Surely there has to be a solution to that as well.

V1 is what we refer to as the original SH X-10 only stuff, it has nothing to do with Insteon. V3 is just a rumor and why would V3 not be compatible with V2 (possibly like V2 is to V1). If V3 is when they add RF, then that still doesn't require a change to any V2 stuff.

 

[Steve]

Sorry for the confusion, I probably should not have referred to them as V1,2,3...

My point was is if you have a physically installed switch and the firmware in that switch does not support 2 way status (or any other missing feature), how do you get the new functionality? You have to rip out and replace switches with new firmware. If the firmware were field upgradeable/flashable, you could simply keep your investment in hardware and install time and easily get the new features.

Does that make more sense?

 

[toymaster458]

Insteon implimentation for Elk is an evolutionary product. As you guys find your likes and dislikes, let us know and we will try to react to them.

One of the changes I would like to see is the setup of lighting. For example right now you have:

Device / Name / Format / Type / 2-way / Show / Voice Description

I would rather it be

Device / Name / Location / Category / Address / Type / 2-way / Show / Voice Description

Location – would be the room or location in the house
Category – would be if it was a Light or fan or motion sensor, etc ....
Address – would be like A1 or 00:12:3A ...

This would open up the possibilities and better organize the web interface.

 

[tanstaaf1]

Where/how would I get the best price on an Elk and what additional components might I need to make use of this insteon software (aside from insteon components, of course? Would my stargate IRxpander likely work with Elk?

This beta is great news for elk and insteon both. I am a little jealous...but maybe I can fix that!

 

[Guy Lavoie]

Martin at automatedoutlet.com will usually have the most competitive price and certainly the best service (from my and other's experience) for getting an Elk panel and other HA gear.

You will need a serial expander dedicated to to the Insteon interface and the serial Insteon PowerLinc V2 to connect to it.

 

[Mike]

A few clarifying questions:

5.) Install jumper JP1 only if this M1XSP is at one extreme end of the RS-485 data bus.

This is only if you are 'manually' wiring the RS-485 bus right? If you are using a data bus, the termination is done there, right?

4.) On the powered Insteon device you want to be number 1 (A1), press and hold the “SET†button on the LampLinc or the paddle on the SwitchLinc until the load (light) flashes once or twice. The LED on the LampLinc or SwitchLinc will flash; tap the button once and the LED stops flashing. Be sure the LED has stopped flashing, or that device will still be in linking mode and the devices that are linked after will also be linked to that device.

When dealing with switchlincs, does it matter if it is the up paddle, or down paddle?

 

[dlamb]

If you're connecting the M1XSP to a Data Bus Hub you would not install the JP1 jumper.

It didn't matter if it was the Up paddle or Down paddle when I linked my devices. Typically, if the light was already on I used the up, if off I used the down.

 

[jduncc]

Has anyone had success getting their elk working with insteon?

How about elk + insteon + x10?

 

[SpaceCowboy]

My M1 is working with Insteon great.

jduncc: No success for you yet? What are your symptoms?

I'm using the WGL W800 for X10 wireless (working great also) but haven't confirmed the X10 thru the 2414s yet (it's on my list to check out).

 

[jduncc]

Do you have your elk working with Insteon and X10?

I have two serial port expanders, one for my w800rf and one for the insteon interface. When I upgrade the firmware on the 2nd serial port expander, and then run an x10 command from the keypad, all my x10 lights go nuts, they start turning on and off.

Also, I can't seem to get a single light to work with insteon and x10. After going into linking mode, is the insteon serial port device suppose to start blinking? It doesn't, then I put a lamp module into linking mode and the light on the serial port expander blinks like the documentation speaks about in step 6, so it acts like it is working. Then I go to the keypad and turn turning on a1, and it doesn't work.

Do you have to make changes in Elk rp?

Thanks.

 

[dlamb]

All of the Insteon devices that are to be controlled by the M1 need to be selected in ELK-RP as "Serial Expander" format. In your case be sure that the A1 device is configured as serial expander.

 

[jduncc]

Even after changing the type, it still doesn't work. I even tried a1-7, thinking maybe I did it a couple times, but none of those work.

Do you have your insteon working with X10?

 

[wuench]

Paul, from Page 4 of the doc above:

IMPORTANT: With the PowerLinc firmware version 2.12, and the SALad program “timerCoreApp†installed, the ELK-M1XSP can receive the status from an Insteon device when the User turns the load on or off. The ELK-M1 can track on and off states changed by the User. The status when a device is changed by the User to a level other than on or off (ex. 55%) is not reported to the ELK-M1XSP. The ELK-M1 can not track dim states changed by the User.
In order for on or off status tracking to be enabled the LampLinc or SwitchLinc device must have the Powerlinc’s Address linked into their database.

2 way for on/off, not dim. Also can poll.

Is the failure to report local dim status an issue in the Powerlinc or in the switches themselves?

This seems like a pretty critical issue to me. Maybe even a deal breaker. How can they claim true two-way with an issue like this existing? If it is in the Powerlinc then I might still move to Insteon with the hopes for a new Powerlinc version. If it is the switches or protocol, then this issue will most likely push me to UPB. Polling doesn't sound like a good workaround, IMHO.

 

[Mike]

All of the Insteon devices that are to be controlled by the M1 need to be selected in ELK-RP as "Serial Expander" format. In your case be sure that the A1 device is configured as serial expander.

Wow, this was my mistake. Forgot about that (changing the type). My Insteon is now working.

I never changed it from the default. I think my X10 issues from that circuit (that I knew about) were throwing off the symptoms for me.

Thanks for clearing up my oversight!