Re: C-BUS vs. EIB

["David Buckley" <db@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

--- In ukha_d@xxxxxxx, "Neil Ball" <neilball@b...> wrote:
> With regard to ABB I was pointing out that products using the
> EIB protocol are available from a number of manufacturers
> and that these may use additional proprietary
> intructions/extensions on top of the basic protocol.
> They still retain their EIB badging, but to fully utilise
> the advanced features on a given product range requires
> using a single-vendor system approach. This can also mean
> that the software tools from that manufacturer have to be used
> to commission these systems.

The Siemens Instabus EIB compatible equipment, as well as all other
manufacturers EIB compatible equipment is programmed using the ETS2
software, available from EIBA.  Siemens themselves don't make
programming software for their kit.  Thet do supply (downloadable)
a "product database" which is how ETS2 "knows" about
EIB devices.
All other EIB manufacturers also have product databases for their
kit.

Therefore, as long as you have a product database for _any_ EIB
device(s), you can mix and match manufacturers EIB products.  So a
single manufacturer approach has no benefit over a mix and match,
apart from aesthetics.

ETS2 is available from EIBA at 875 Euros (ouch!)  There is a demo
version downloadable from www.eiba.org

Well, actually, Siemens do programming software, they do a thing
called "easy starter" which is free, but only programs a small
subset of their devices.  But the devices it does covers on/off and
dimming, so is perfectly adequate for what many houses need.
Annoyingly, you cant take EasyStarter designs and load them into
ETS2.  Also annoyingly, if Siemens loaded just a few more modules
into EasyStarter, then ETS2 would only be needed for really big
projects.

Anyway, have a play:

http://www.ad.siemens.de/et/gamma/html_76/support/easy.htm

Everything you nwanted to know about Instabus is on tha net, but not
>from
coverage: http://instabus.siemens.com.sg/

I also have to take issue about the DIY bit.

If you have the ETS2 software, and an RS232 interface to an EIB
system, you can do anything you like with it.  Thus it is as DIY as
CBus.

I've posted a price comparison previously based on CBus trade
pricing versus Instabus trade pricing, and there are swings and
roundabouts, but over the cost of a full system they come out fairly
similar, but ETS2 software costs, whereas the CBus software
is "free".

As EIB is an "open" standard, integration is actually easier,
there
are no NDAs to sign, and there is a Linux EIB interface!

The equivalent to CGate for CBus is Falcon from EIBA, though this is
also costware.





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