| Author |
|
jeffw_00
Super User
Joined: June 30 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 929
|
| Posted: June 30 2007 at 11:05 | IP Logged
|
|
|
Hi - When Powerhome receives a key press message from a KeypadlincV2, does it try to handshake the message, or request a retry if the message is garbled? Normal INSTEON devices will do this, but the Houselinc Desktop SW (or InhomeFre) running on the PLC will not. So my work-around is to piggy-back a INSTEON appliance module onto the PLC.
What does Powerhome do when it hears a keypad press from a keypadlinc?
thanks
/j
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
dhoward
Admin Group
Joined: June 29 2001
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 4447
|
| Posted: June 30 2007 at 14:42 | IP Logged
|
|
|
Jeff,
When a kepad key on a KPL is pressed, it will send a Group broadcast message (as long as it's linked to something) which is by Insteon specifications, not acknowledged.
What will be acknowledged would be any group cleanup messages that are sent from the KPL (to linked devices) after the group broadcast. As long as the PLC is one of the devices that is linked to the KPL button, then the KPL should send a direct message to the PLC which the PLC should acknowledge appropriately. PowerHome does not need to get involved.
However, group cleanup messages are not guaranteed. What normally happens is that the KPL will send the group broadcast message. This message is not intended for any device and does not contain a "to" address and instead contains the group number so is not acknowledged. The KPL will then search it's database for the devices linked to the button and will start sending group cleanup messages in order until interrupted by other Insteon traffic. So you may get anywhere from 0 group cleanup messages sent to all group cleanup messages depending upon how much Insteon traffic is going on in your network.
What you CAN do with PowerHome however (that you cant do with any other program to the best of my knowledge) is arrange the order of the links in the KPL so that the PLC will be the first group cleanup message sent thereby increasing the chances that the PLC group cleanup message is actually transmitted.
Hope this helps,
Dave.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
jeffw_00
Super User
Joined: June 30 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 929
|
| Posted: June 30 2007 at 15:00 | IP Logged
|
|
|
Thanks Dave - I think I followed that. Powerhome has come a long way from when I reviewed it in Nov. 02 
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
dhoward
Admin Group
Joined: June 29 2001
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 4447
|
| Posted: June 30 2007 at 22:28 | IP Logged
|
|
|
It's definately seen alot of growth and little bit more refinement .
Which review are you referring to? Was the one for Home Automation Magazine?
Dave.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
jeffw_00
Super User
Joined: June 30 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 929
|
| Posted: July 01 2007 at 00:31 | IP Logged
|
|
|
That's the one  I don't write as much these days, but I recently had an INSTEON article published by Electronic House Online.
/j
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
jeffw_00
Super User
Joined: June 30 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 929
|
| Posted: November 23 2007 at 18:40 | IP Logged
|
|
|
dhoward wrote:
Jeff,
However, group cleanup messages are not guaranteed. ... The KPL will then search it's database for the devices linked to the button and will start sending group cleanup messages in order until interrupted by other Insteon traffic. So you may get anywhere from 0 group cleanup messages sent to all group cleanup messages depending upon how much Insteon traffic is going on in your network.
|
|
|
Revisiting this now that I have PH running...
SO - If the only INSTEON controller other than the PLC is this one KPL that is linked only to the PLC, then the cleanup messages really -should- happen, and I should be in good shape? (I mean, what other INSTEON traffic would stop the cleanup)
yes? Am I understanding properly?
Thanks
/j
ps - Does the KPL really give up the first time it tries to send a cleanup and sees other traffic?
Edited by jeffw_00 - November 23 2007 at 18:41
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
dhoward
Admin Group
Joined: June 29 2001
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 4447
|
| Posted: November 23 2007 at 19:13 | IP Logged
|
|
|
Jeff,
Assuming that you only have a KPL (linked to the PLC) and the PLC, then the cleanup messages *should* occur unless the PLC sends an Insteon command or you press another button on the KPL, thus creating Insteon traffic and terminating the previous cleanup messages.
Basically, *any* Insteon traffic on the powerline, would cause the cleanup messages to be terminated. If you had a switchlinc (also linked to the PLC), then the KPL cleanup messages would be terminated if you switched the switchlinc before the KPL had finished sending it's cleanup messages.
My guess as to this behaviour is because an Insteon device (the KPL in your example) *only* is aware of it's own links. If you triggered a KPL group that controls several other Insteon devices and someone triggers a different KPL or switchlinc, etc. that also controls some of the same devices, you wouldnt want a cleanup message from the first KPL potentially undoing the second KPL's group broadcast.
In my testing, it really does give up on the first Insteon traffic. Ideally, group cleanup's should be unnecessary if your Insteon communications are working properly.
Dave.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
bhlonewolf
Senior Member
Joined: March 29 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 198
|
| Posted: November 23 2007 at 20:44 | IP Logged
|
|
|
Just wondering -- how do you arrange the order of links for cleanups? That's pretty nifty...
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
dhoward
Admin Group
Joined: June 29 2001
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 4447
|
| Posted: November 23 2007 at 22:46 | IP Logged
|
|
|
Brian,
Insteon devices will do group cleanups in the order that they appear within their own database. You can see this as the record number for the device in the Links screen or you can see it in the Insteon Links report.
For group cleanups sent from the PLC by PowerHome, PowerHome doesnt use a particular order and just sends the group cleanups based upon how they appear in the PowerHome database (random determination). Since the PLC is the one device that DOESNT automatically send group cleanups, PowerHome will do it if you've checked that option. Also, since PowerHome is in control, it doesnt abort group cleanups when other Insteon traffic is heard.
Dave.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
jeffw_00
Super User
Joined: June 30 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 929
|
| Posted: November 23 2007 at 23:14 | IP Logged
|
|
|
Thanks Dave - This is arcane knowledge (you'd be amazed by the answers I get from SH tech support), and I appreciate being set straight.
Thanks
/j
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Active Topics 
Memberlist 
Search 
Help
Register 
Login
PowerHome Messageboard : PowerHome General
Topic: will PWRHM handshake INSTEON Keypadlinc?
