I have a customer that wants this module installed to blink the lights when the doorbell is pressed. The issue that I am having is that I can not figure out how to have the lights blink but then return to their pre-pressed state. If the lights in the hall were OFF when the doorbell is pressed, then I want them to blink then turn back OFF. If they are at 52% when the doorbell is pressed, then I want them to blink then return to 52%. I can't really find any info on this module and tech support wasn't much help.
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UPB Pulseworx (DBM) Doorbell Module
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Desert_AIP
Senior Member
You need a controller for that level of sophistication. (like an Omni or Elk or a software package running on a HA server).
With the DBM and other link transmitters they can't determine the status of the target unit and then return it to a previous state.
They can only transmit links in the blind based on conditions they detect.
In the case of the DBM it can transmit a link when it detectes a button press.
You'd need a controller to detect that link, know the status of the target unit, and then return the target unit to its previous state after a preset delay.
Most UPB switches with current firmware have a built in shut off timer so the switch should be able to stop blinking independently after a preset delay after receiving the link.
The docs specify a single transmittd link per channel, and a control link to disable the system.
Looking at the unit in UPStart will give you more info (you can add one as a dummy just to look at the options available).
http://www.pcslighting.com/resources/PulseWorx/Installation/DbmOwnersManualv2.0.pdf
With the DBM and other link transmitters they can't determine the status of the target unit and then return it to a previous state.
They can only transmit links in the blind based on conditions they detect.
In the case of the DBM it can transmit a link when it detectes a button press.
You'd need a controller to detect that link, know the status of the target unit, and then return the target unit to its previous state after a preset delay.
Most UPB switches with current firmware have a built in shut off timer so the switch should be able to stop blinking independently after a preset delay after receiving the link.
The docs specify a single transmittd link per channel, and a control link to disable the system.
Looking at the unit in UPStart will give you more info (you can add one as a dummy just to look at the options available).
http://www.pcslighting.com/resources/PulseWorx/Installation/DbmOwnersManualv2.0.pdf
Desert_AIP
Senior Member
You can send a Unit command from the OmniPro (Blink On or Blink Off), but the DBM can only transmit links.
If you have the DBM set to toggle mode it will transmit the blink immediately followed by the off command when the doorbell button is released.
The docs specifically recommend keeping it in the NO mode for that reason.
You could have the DBM send the link to the Omni and have the Omni do the heavy lifting of blinking the light(s).
Do you want to blink all 70 lights?
(I'll take a look at the blink command when I get home), but returning to original state and level will be challenging.
I blink the porch lights for burglar and fire alarms to attract the responders to my house, but when the alarm is cancelled I use an ON command (with a DARK conditional).
But if someone manually modified the lights and you want to return to that level I don't know if you can do that even with unit commands.
You can do a dim - brighten and return to the original state fairly easily,
Unit # Bright 8 for 2 minutes (ramps up 8 steps (8 bright commands) from what it is already at and at the end of 2 minutes automatically ramps back down 8 steps (8 dim commands))
I don't know if it's possible with a blink when you send a blink off, the units may turn off rather than return to their original states.
If you have the DBM set to toggle mode it will transmit the blink immediately followed by the off command when the doorbell button is released.
The docs specifically recommend keeping it in the NO mode for that reason.
You could have the DBM send the link to the Omni and have the Omni do the heavy lifting of blinking the light(s).
Do you want to blink all 70 lights?
(I'll take a look at the blink command when I get home), but returning to original state and level will be challenging.
I blink the porch lights for burglar and fire alarms to attract the responders to my house, but when the alarm is cancelled I use an ON command (with a DARK conditional).
But if someone manually modified the lights and you want to return to that level I don't know if you can do that even with unit commands.
You can do a dim - brighten and return to the original state fairly easily,
Unit # Bright 8 for 2 minutes (ramps up 8 steps (8 bright commands) from what it is already at and at the end of 2 minutes automatically ramps back down 8 steps (8 dim commands))
I don't know if it's possible with a blink when you send a blink off, the units may turn off rather than return to their original states.
Desert_AIP
Senior Member
I looked at the OmniPro behavior and in UPStart.
I only have Simply Automated switches.
For a US11-40 you need firmware 2.22 or higher to blink in response to a link from within the switch itself.
I don't see that behavior on my US2-40s (but they don't have the built in timer so it wouldn't work anyway.
The US22-40 does have the built in timer but it doesn't blink in response to a link.
For a US11-40 with firmware 2.22 what you want to do won't work.
The switch responds to a link and starts blinking as intended, but at the end of the timer the switch turns off instead of returning to the previous state.
I don't know what options or versions of firmware may support that feature in HAI or PCS switches.
So it appears you have to use the Omni to blink the lights anyway.
The good news is the Omni does track the status of the lights and does return them to their previous level using only a timed blink command.
So the DBM could transmit a link (no UPB switch would respond to it) and use it as a communications path to trigger Omni action.
WHEN Doorbell Link ON
THEN Family Room Lights BLINK (0.25sec) FOR 5 SECONDS
You'd just need to add the lights you want to blink the alert.
They'll start blinking in succession.
And then stop in succession.
The Omni sends the Blink command to the unit (1/4 second flash rate), then at the end of the time period (5 second) sends a Level command back to the previous level (whatever it was).
You'll need to use HLC mode to track the light status for this to work correctly.
Looking at the options for the DBM in UPStart, you definitely want to keep NO as the mode for that module, the other modes will cause some unusual behavior.
I only have Simply Automated switches.
For a US11-40 you need firmware 2.22 or higher to blink in response to a link from within the switch itself.
I don't see that behavior on my US2-40s (but they don't have the built in timer so it wouldn't work anyway.
The US22-40 does have the built in timer but it doesn't blink in response to a link.
For a US11-40 with firmware 2.22 what you want to do won't work.
The switch responds to a link and starts blinking as intended, but at the end of the timer the switch turns off instead of returning to the previous state.
I don't know what options or versions of firmware may support that feature in HAI or PCS switches.
So it appears you have to use the Omni to blink the lights anyway.
The good news is the Omni does track the status of the lights and does return them to their previous level using only a timed blink command.
So the DBM could transmit a link (no UPB switch would respond to it) and use it as a communications path to trigger Omni action.
WHEN Doorbell Link ON
THEN Family Room Lights BLINK (0.25sec) FOR 5 SECONDS
You'd just need to add the lights you want to blink the alert.
They'll start blinking in succession.
And then stop in succession.
The Omni sends the Blink command to the unit (1/4 second flash rate), then at the end of the time period (5 second) sends a Level command back to the previous level (whatever it was).
You'll need to use HLC mode to track the light status for this to work correctly.
Looking at the options for the DBM in UPStart, you definitely want to keep NO as the mode for that module, the other modes will cause some unusual behavior.
The Toggle Command
When the addressed UPB devices receive this command, they shall toggle their linked Receive Components outputs to the opposite state and back to the current state at the specified rate and repeat this for the specified number of times.
Not supported by omni?
When the addressed UPB devices receive this command, they shall toggle their linked Receive Components outputs to the opposite state and back to the current state at the specified rate and repeat this for the specified number of times.
Not supported by omni?
Desert_AIP
Senior Member
With a doorbell the opposite state will be triggered as soon as the button is released.
So you might get a single flash.
The switch would still have to have the firmware to blink in response to the link.
Much easier to use the Omni as I described above.
The code above performs an internal toggle.
You can't simply issue a toggle command to blink, you have to issue a blink command from the Omni.
The internal timer of the Omni issues the "return to previous state command" after the delay.
Blink is a specific command.
So you might get a single flash.
The switch would still have to have the firmware to blink in response to the link.
Much easier to use the Omni as I described above.
The code above performs an internal toggle.
You can't simply issue a toggle command to blink, you have to issue a blink command from the Omni.
The internal timer of the Omni issues the "return to previous state command" after the delay.
Blink is a specific command.
Yes blink is a specific command (0x25), but toggle is also a specific command (0x27). This is different from 'toggle mode' of the DBM. So I guess it depends on what he wants to do, but wouldn't the difference be that lights which are already on and dimmed would not flash at 100% brightness and would automatically stay at their level?
Desert_AIP
Senior Member
Toggle isn't an option inside the switch to respond to a link that I'm aware of, so the remaining discussion is a bit moot.
You still need a controller to issue the commands.
It would be interesting to use a command line transmitter that can handle the specific serial codes (like a RUC) to observe the difference in behavior.
I could test the Omni toggle command to observe the behavior.
What it sounds like from the descrition you posted above is:
Blink flashes the unit beteeen 100% and Off at the designated flash rate.
Toggle ramps the unit to the opposite state and back again at the designated ramp rate a number of times.
If a unit is at, say 65%, what is "the opposite state"?
Is it 0% or 100%?
35% maybe?
You still need a controller to issue the commands.
It would be interesting to use a command line transmitter that can handle the specific serial codes (like a RUC) to observe the difference in behavior.
I could test the Omni toggle command to observe the behavior.
What it sounds like from the descrition you posted above is:
Blink flashes the unit beteeen 100% and Off at the designated flash rate.
Toggle ramps the unit to the opposite state and back again at the designated ramp rate a number of times.
If a unit is at, say 65%, what is "the opposite state"?
Is it 0% or 100%?
35% maybe?
Desert_AIP
Senior Member
From re-reading the protocol docs, the Toggle command may be a way to generate a timed blink since the Blink command itself requires sending a second command to stop blinking.
Though I'm not sure about the ramping thing, need to test.
Eitherway, no switch I know of can respond to a link by toggling.
And you need a controller of some sort to issue the Toggle command.
Though I'm not sure about the ramping thing, need to test.
Eitherway, no switch I know of can respond to a link by toggling.
And you need a controller of some sort to issue the Toggle command.
It would make sense that the opposite state of any level greater than zero is off but I guess it's possible that the opposite of anything less than 50% is on and anything greater is off.
I get that you still need to use omni to send the command but isn't sending one toggle command to the 'all lights' link much simpler than sending a bunch of blink commands?
I get that you still need to use omni to send the command but isn't sending one toggle command to the 'all lights' link much simpler than sending a bunch of blink commands?
Desert_AIP
Senior Member
az1324 said:It would make sense that the opposite state of any level greater than zero is off but I guess it's possible that the opposite of anything less than 50% is on and anything greater is off.
I get that you still need to use omni to send the command but isn't sending one toggle command to the 'all lights' link much simpler than sending a bunch of blink commands?
You can't send one Toggle command to all the lights from the Omni.
Just like you can't send one Blink command to all the lights.
There are only a few Link command options available (ON, OFF, SET - IIRC) in PCAccess (or the DBM for that matter).
The only thing that affects multiple lights is a Link command, and the switches themselves determine how to respond to a Link. (Unless you can send the embedded Blink command via a command line transmitter)
That's in the switch Firmware as I described above with the Blink command and firmware 2.22.
When you send Unit commands they are addressed to a specific UPB address.
To affect multiple lights you need to send individual commands.
That would be the same whether they are Blink or Toggle commands.
I'll play with it a bit at home.
I doubt the Omni could do that though.
Any fancy command line commands like this would need to be sent from something that can transmit serial strings, like the RUC.
The serial command tool on the PCS website is great for determining specific serial string commands in these situations.
Desert_AIP
Senior Member
Hardly
What controller do you know of that can send the Toggle command?
I don't think the Toggle command is implemented.
It's not in UPStart (Both the PCS and Simply Automated versions) and it's not part of the PCS UPB Command Wizard
I substituted 27 for the 25 Blink command in the command line and nothing occurs, which tells me the switch firmware isn't set up to respond to that command either.
25 from the command line works just as it should.
The command line Link command with an embedded Blink command does work
88040001FF25014E
Network 0 (global)
Link 1
Source 255 (global)
Transmit 2
Blink
Once per half cycle rate
Any unit that responds to Link 1 will start blinking
But returning to the original state you would need to transmit a second Link with the response in the switch set to "Last Level" - which won't work well if the unit was off before it started blinking.
The code example above works and works well and places the burden of the status tracking and timer function on the Omni controller.
It's the least kludgy of the methods I see to do what the OP wants to do.
What controller do you know of that can send the Toggle command?
I don't think the Toggle command is implemented.
It's not in UPStart (Both the PCS and Simply Automated versions) and it's not part of the PCS UPB Command Wizard
I substituted 27 for the 25 Blink command in the command line and nothing occurs, which tells me the switch firmware isn't set up to respond to that command either.
25 from the command line works just as it should.
The command line Link command with an embedded Blink command does work
88040001FF25014E
Network 0 (global)
Link 1
Source 255 (global)
Transmit 2
Blink
Once per half cycle rate
Any unit that responds to Link 1 will start blinking
But returning to the original state you would need to transmit a second Link with the response in the switch set to "Last Level" - which won't work well if the unit was off before it started blinking.
The code example above works and works well and places the burden of the status tracking and timer function on the Omni controller.
It's the least kludgy of the methods I see to do what the OP wants to do.
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