Need a Simple and Understandable Guide to the UPB Protocol

[pete_c]

Well, I just installed the new UPStart, and not much has changed. Especially since I have all SAI switches, and one major feature seams to be just for a new PCS keypad. I am 100% fluent in using UPStart - I've been using it for quite a few years now and have my system tuned to perfection.

 
Good news DP. 
 
Yup lately mostly just look at signal levels form my floater PIM.  That said haven't made any changes  / adds now in some time. 
 
Here just thinking that Upstart would help you in your endeavor maybe starting with the delimited text configuration file you mention. 
 
The why what and when stuff you get to do while chatting with the PIM; 1,2,3 or a, b, c ....helping you with your understanding of the many inconsistencies that don't make sense.
 
Personally I think (just a guess) you are very proficient (new word of the day) at "driving"; just fussy about what it is your choose to drive which is a good thing.

 

[fcwilt]

I see. So that is what I need to decode, but still, could somebody please walk me through each part of the command?

 
In message #2 of this thread there is a link to another thread where I broke down a different message for someone else.
 
There is enough detail there to get you started, I think.

 

[pete_c]

Attended the webinar yesterday.
 
I noticed that the new webserver enabled IP to UPB device is using Digi.  PCS presenter mentioned a proprietary Digi endeavor.
 
This piece is part of the Upstart 7.0
 

 
Well you can see it when you access the device which is when I saw it while the demo was going on.
 
The new UPB device is just a little web server connected to a serial port and self contained.  You can use wired or wireless networking to manage the device via the network.  The updated Upstart 7.0 talks to the device using a built in discovery tool such that it just finds the MAC address of the device.
 
This is neato because you can manage the PIM / configuration remotely via a WAN connection to the house.
 
Powerline Interface Module - IP (PIM-IP)
 
I have used a similiar methodology today for my floating PIM connecting it to a Quatech or Digi box around the house to check for signal strengths.  Both are similiar as you talk to the UPB PIM using a basic serial transport (mentioned above).
 
The above noted today you can DIY a similiar device using a micro ARM PC; whatever flavor you want.
 
IE: the little Microrouter I installed next to the OPII panel has two network ports, wireless and USB in and out.  USB connects to serial devices such that base is already configured to talk to a 3G/4G modem (out of band management stuff) and OPII via the serial port.  That and its already connected to the network port for a primary means of communications.
 
You could actually just connect this $20 device to a UPB serial controller and remote to the device in number of ways.
 

 

[az1324]

PIM-IP is $335? Ouch.

 

[fcwilt]

PCS stuff is not cheap.
 
Is it worth the extra? I have no idea.

 

[DaAwesomeP]

Finally, I got it! I eventually emailed the Simply Automated support and got a very good reply that helped me understand the problems. Notably that every command needed to begin with ASCII character #20. I also used the Simply Automated Command Wizard to assist me in my learning of the commands. My main problem was that I was mistaking the PIM PDF for the UPB Description PDF.
 
I have created two libraries:

• The NodeJS UPB library for generating commands: upb (NPM) and node-upb (GitHub). I'm going to use this in my own DIY home automation and scheduler running on an old computer.
• The CLI Application for generating UPB commands (what most people are probably interested in): upb-cli (NPM) and upb-cli (GitHub). It can generate commands and even send them over serial.

Please post issues, requests, and help messages for these libraries on GitHub! That way my repository won't sit dead.
Installation instruction for upb-cli:

1. Download and install NodeJS and NPM (in one bundled installer) from https://nodejs.org/download/. If you download it from elsewhere (i.e. Ubuntu PPA) make sure that you have both NodeJS and NPM installed.
2. In you terminal or command prompt, run:
   
   npm install -g upb-cli
   
   
3. To get started with the CLI app, either read the help page (on GitHub) or run:
   

   upb-cli --help

4. Have fun!

I have the code written for decoding messages, but I am still bug testing it. Please star my GitHub repositories if you use them. I plan on implementing this into a whole home automation system but it will need an extra effort to open source it and make it easily installed.