RE: was: Re: Idratek - Serious Contender? Now: Alternative to clipsal switches in C-Bus Install

["Nigel Giddings" <nigel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Kevin,

It's my understanding that the AUX units can also provide the scene
trigger=
s, dim, etc... I agree I will be losing the indicators which is a definite
=
downside.

The reason for using the C-Bus Aux units is that they are 'Clipsal' units.

I have used the VIOM before and I am very impressed, not tried the NETIOM
y=
et but it is high on my list of adaptable solutions, I have it in mind for
=
the gate at the end of the drive. By using a NETIOM (and a PC) the
lighting=
system would become a little too non standard.

I would be interested in using the solution you suggest 'on top of' the
C-B=
us system to add additional intelligence. That is to say 'nice to have'
fea=
tures rather than 'must have'. By that I mean light switches need to be
99.=
99% reliable, adding a PC to the mix could reduce this figure somewhat...

Regards

Nigel

-----Original Message-----
From: Kevin Hawkins [mailto:lists@xxxxxxx]=20
Sent: 01 February 2006 14:08
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [ukha_d] was: Re: Idratek - Serious Contender? Now:
Alternativ=
e to clipsal switches in C-Bus Install


Nigel Giddings wrote:
>
> The main driver for this is cost, secondly, as much as I like the
clipsal=
C-Bus switches they are only switches ...
Actually they are quite a bit more in practice. Aside from simple ONOFF=20
they can easily be set up for many actions including dimming, ramps,=20
timers, scene triggers etc, and they have multi state feedback=20
indicators.  Some switches have IR receivers too.  Most importantly=20
depending on the model of switch they can also store and manage scenes=20
on C-Bus.   C-Bus is also very intelligent with regard to any=20
discrepancies it comes across (for example 2 switches think a light is=20
ON but another switch and a dimmer thinks it's OFF, perhaps caused by a=20
glitch, or a network interruption).  There is an involved arbitration=20
system that will resolve such inconsistencies that C-Bus switches=20
participate in.  Also although it is fairly simple to send a "Group
XX=20
to Level YY" onto C-Bus say via the PCI - something on C-Bus has to=20
maintain the group level and report it periodically , you can't create=20
'phantom' groups on C-Bus that are maintained like true C-Bus groups=20
(arbitration/reporting/status etc) .  This means that some C-Bus=20
hardware device has to have the group defined.

One of the things I am doing is using xAP to control C-Bus - hence any=20
switch that can generate a xAP command can control a C-Bus load.  The=20
xAP Netiom for example has 16 inputs (which are debounced) and thus can=20
attach to 16 switches - for =A370+VAT - also you get 16 outputs as well. -=
=20
usable for relays with C-Bus control.=20
http://www.phaedrusltd.com/pages/html/netiom-xap.html
What I don't know just yet is how immune these are to long distance runs=20
for the switches. If you can run the wires not alongside any mains that=20
would help of course.   For say 4 x 4 way switches in one room this=20
might be worth considering. There are a couple of other things like how=20
to get dimming working based on momentary actions and how to map xAP to=20
C-Bus groups but all achievable (currently needs a PC application helper).

Kevin



=20