Insteon in Europe
- Thread starter caudingo
- Start date
UDI, manufacturer of ISY994i, have discovered a way to hack an Insteon Hub and install a serial port that will communicate with the ISY994i. Apparently the Hub uses a serial port signals to bridge to it's Ethernet port internally, making it quite easy.
Europe uses slightly different frequencies for Insteon RF as well as the powerline frequency of 50 Hz. This would be needed for compliance with the national radio frequency enforcement people.
European Insteon devices must be used with the EU version of the Hub due to these feature changes. The mesh network works by synchronising to the powerline frequency to allow every device to repeat the signals simultaneously so the 50/60Hz is also important.
UDI has sent out several of these modified Hubs as a test bed for future expansion possibilities and apparently they work quite well. Many people ask about this in EU, as well as OZ, since ISY presents many good features, and Insteon works so reliably, but the Hub is about as dumb as HA can get. One of the staff at UDI has developed this hack and has published instructions how to do this.
Europe uses slightly different frequencies for Insteon RF as well as the powerline frequency of 50 Hz. This would be needed for compliance with the national radio frequency enforcement people.
European Insteon devices must be used with the EU version of the Hub due to these feature changes. The mesh network works by synchronising to the powerline frequency to allow every device to repeat the signals simultaneously so the 50/60Hz is also important.
UDI has sent out several of these modified Hubs as a test bed for future expansion possibilities and apparently they work quite well. Many people ask about this in EU, as well as OZ, since ISY presents many good features, and Insteon works so reliably, but the Hub is about as dumb as HA can get. One of the staff at UDI has developed this hack and has published instructions how to do this.
I have seen an internal photo of the 2242-222 HUB modified for Serial Port use. But not the instructions on how it is done.
It looks like the small Serial Port Daughrer board from a PLM in place of the normal board.
Too bad Smartlabs seems to be stalling the PLM controller chips they need for their own design PLM.
It looks like the small Serial Port Daughrer board from a PLM in place of the normal board.
Too bad Smartlabs seems to be stalling the PLM controller chips they need for their own design PLM.
Thanks for the info. I read some hints about this modification but never got to the bottom of it, hoping that an official EU version from Smartlabs would reach the market. Since this modification doesn't sound like an easy job I could do, Is there anybody able/willing to do this for a fee?
Thanks
Thanks
ChrisCicc
Active Member
You can still get the older hub in the UK that supports external controllers without the cloud link:
A standard European HUB does not have the nedded serial port. Needed to interface with the ISY994i series controllers.
It has a network interface in it. So it will not work with the ISY994i.
The special serial HUB has the network daughter board replaced with what looks like the serial daughter board from a PLM.
I would think the firmware on the main board may also be different than a standard HUB firmware.
The UDI designed PLM was designed to be used world wide.
The hardware is completely designed and tested.
The PLM & RF firmware chips have to be provided by Smartlabs. UDI was promised they could purchase them when they designed their PLM but now Smartlabs is dragging their feet on providing the needed firmware.
It has a network interface in it. So it will not work with the ISY994i.
The special serial HUB has the network daughter board replaced with what looks like the serial daughter board from a PLM.
I would think the firmware on the main board may also be different than a standard HUB firmware.
The UDI designed PLM was designed to be used world wide.
The hardware is completely designed and tested.
The PLM & RF firmware chips have to be provided by Smartlabs. UDI was promised they could purchase them when they designed their PLM but now Smartlabs is dragging their feet on providing the needed firmware.
The old and new HUBs can not be used with an ISY994i. They both do not support a serial connection between the ISY994i and the PLM.
The older HUB has been hacked to add the needed serial port while removing the network port. I have seen no information on the newest HUB being modified.
So for now. There is no solution to using an ISY994i in Europe. Unless you can hack the older HUB still being sold new in Europe and reconditioned here.
As for why this is happening. Your best shot at an answer would be to bother Smartlabs-Smarthome on why it is not happening.
UDI has a PLM they designed but Smartlabs is holding the needed firmware chips up for reasons only they know.
The older HUB has been hacked to add the needed serial port while removing the network port. I have seen no information on the newest HUB being modified.
So for now. There is no solution to using an ISY994i in Europe. Unless you can hack the older HUB still being sold new in Europe and reconditioned here.
As for why this is happening. Your best shot at an answer would be to bother Smartlabs-Smarthome on why it is not happening.
UDI has a PLM they designed but Smartlabs is holding the needed firmware chips up for reasons only they know.
The ISY994iZ will not work. As the European Zwave RF frequency are different than the one used here in the USA. So the Zwave daughter board in it will be on the incorrect RF frequence and not talk to European Zwave devices.
http://z-wavealliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/ZAD12837-1.pdf
http://z-wavealliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/ZAD12837-1.pdf
