New more advanced FREE Leviton/ControlThink software on Levitons site?

[etc6849]

I was reading online and came accross free software from Leviton marketed towards installers. Although the names of my existing devices don't show up, everything else appears to work with a ControlThink USB stick, but I believe it's made for a new Leviton USB stick controller that's not out yet?

This free program has many new installation tools; it looks to be very nice and well thought out.

http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/ibeCCtpSctD...;minisite=10021


EDIT: A few of the features don't seem to work with the ControlThink stick such as the "Test Route" diagnostic Many of the features work though. The FAQ on Leviton's site says that the software won't work with the ControlThink USB stick as the Leviton USB stick is "configured differently."

 

[etc6849]

Another pic of the diagnostic options...

 

[etc6849]

Hop Count from the USB stick to other devices...

 

[etc6849]

Link quality test... appears to measure link quality based on line of site only (e.g. no hops). The test pictured is with the USB stick 10 feet from a switch.

 

[etc6849]

This feature looks really neat. As you walk around, it measures the signal and moves the blue bar left or right.

 

[Dogman]

This feature looks really neat. As you walk around, it measures the signal and moves the blue bar left or right.

I have been waiting for some of the other websites to start carrying the new USB stick VRUSB-1US which is supposed to be the new stick for this software. Smarthomeusa.com has it for 75 bones so waiting to see if any of the other vendors get it soon for a few dollars less if not may buy one. Irritated that the control think stick is not fully compatible but I guess everyone has to eat. I agree it looks like a much better tool then Control Think and ever since Leviton bought them it appears they are trying to ignore them anyway.

 

[etc6849]

Apparently, Leviton bought them so that they could use their code and hardware on a Leviton branded device. Nothing wrong with that except that now I have to buy a new usb stick; this stick is much more expensive than the ControlThink stick by itself (which is in the $30-$40 range). I'm going to wait to see if the new stick supports locks or not before I buy one.

 

[electron]

I'm assuming you are talking about the same software I mentioned in my CEDIA review? I was told the stick would retail for around $62, so hopefully the price will drop soon. The software is very impressive and was really needed in the Z-Wave world.

 

[etc6849]

That's the software; I'm surprised it's free. The software does a lot of things I wish I could do under Think Essentials. Think Essentials can do some of the stuff though if you know the hotkeys and it's probably most of the same computer code, just with a new gui.

Too bad ASIHome doesn't have the stick on their site yet. I bet their price will be better than Smarthome's

If anyone has one, does it work with the kwikset zwave locks or not?

 

[ASIHome]

The new software is made to work with a stick that has been flashed with the 5.02 or 4.52 firmware.

http://www.asihome.com/ASIshop/product_inf...roducts_id=4546

 

[etc6849]

Are you saying that I can use my old ControlThink stick, but all I need to do is flash the firmware?

EDIT: I think Barry is talking about new firmware for the ControlThink stick
Kenny has recently posted the new firmware for the ControlThink stick (5.02 and 4.52). From a couple of the posts on controlthink.com, it would appear that this firmware may support schlage locks. Anyone tried this? I can flash my stick with this new firmware and be the guinea pig, but I don't have a zwave lock to test

http://forums.controlthink.com/p/2243/7865.aspx#7865

Thanks Barry I hadn't been following controlthink.com as much as I should have

The new software is made to work with a stick that has been flashed with the 5.02 or 4.52 firmware. I should have the software up on the site shortly.

 

[ddennerline]

I had been wondering why it took more than one year for the ControlThink 2.5 Beta to be completed. Perhaps they have been focusing more on the “Pro” features which I really want more than HA features. I don’t use any the ControlThink floor-plan drawing features – nor do I like them. A grid based control would be more to my liking.

I would really like to see Leviton implement more advanced Z-Wave configuration, sniffing and diagnostic capabilities in order to help track down reliability and latency problems. As an example, I have a VRS05 dimmer that is extremely flakey. The device is located in kitchen and during this summer whenever the “Enter Home” group was disabled, all lights in group would turn off. After one second, this one light would pop back on. I have no way to figure out if the light is acting on its own or some other controller is signaling it. I am pretty certain the light has a temperature related physical malady. As its fall with colder weather, the problem has mysteriously gone away.

I really like configuring Z-Wave network with ControlThink. Because of the static nature of Z-Wave routing, a flakey device can play havoc with your network. Trying to diagnose these problems is extremely time consuming. I moved a VRP03 plugin module into next room – not realizing that it had become a router of sorts. This small change is location caused all sorts of havoc.

I hope that Leviton will provide a configuration export option that will make it easier to import lighting configuration into ElkRP.

 

[twilo123]

Because of the static nature of Z-Wave routing, a flakey device can play havoc with your network. Trying to diagnose these problems is extremely time consuming.

man do i agree with you here. especially when you get 60 or so nodes. it is insane trying to guess which is flakey without some diagnostic tools (which weren't even around for a long time at first). drove me crazy the first couple of years using zwave.

 

[ddennerline]

I tried installing the, “Zwave Installer Controller V5.02 patch 3_us.ctu.” It failed to operate correctly with the latest official 2.5.4 (build 0) release. The Zwave Installer Controller V4.52_us.ctu does seem to work. I am wondering if you have go through the exclude all devices, reset ThinkStick to factory defaults, and rebuild network from scratch in order to get the 5.02 version working. The 5.02 version contains support for Z-Wave lock class.

I am only trying this using my upstairs computer, so I haven’t plugged into laptop, moved closer to devices, and optimized network. There may be a problem similar to something described on HomeSeer (http://board.homeseer.com/showthread.php?t=141030 ).

I am hoping with all this Leviton Z-Wave activity that Elk will spend more time on the VRC0P integration and fix some outstanding problems such as
zone/group updates and infrequent polling. Perhaps a VRC0P with 5.02 firmware will be coming soon.

 

[ddennerline]

I just briefly played around with new Leviton tool, and it's exactly what's needed to install and maintain a Z-Wave network. An additional benefit for ElkM1SP/VRC0P owners is the file format is XML. With a simple transformation, an ElkRP lighting configuration file can now easily be created based on current network configuration.

[codebox]<Device Id="3" Kind="Light" Name="Dimmer_3" Catalog="" Level="0" Buttons="0" MfrId="0" MfrTypeId="0" MfrProdId="0" BDC="RoutingSlave" GDC="MultilevelSwitch" SDC="SceneMultilevelSwitch" />
[/codebox]