Re: insteon/UPB

["Mal Lansell" <mal@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Bah! No 240V CE approved versions.
It's X10 all over again :-(

Mal

--- In ukha_xpl@xxxxxxx, Gerry Duprey <gerry@c...> wrote:
>
> Howdy,
>
> Ian Lowe wrote:
>  > Gerry, do you have any links on UPB stuff?
>
> Sure do
>
> First, a thumbnail overview:
> Like X10, UPB uses the powerlines to talk to devices.  The
protocol is
> inherently bi-directional and unless specifically commanded not
to, all
> devices acknowledge the receipt of a command, so you know it got
there.
>
> UPB uses higher frequencies and much higher voltages than X10, so
it
> generally blasts though most household noise.  It can cross phases
of power
> easier (again, larger voltage spike, though a UPB coupler is not a
bad idea
> on larger houses (an existing X10 coupler will NOT work)).
Because of the
> frequencies, UPB commands complete in less than a 1/3 of a second
and the
> sustained command rate is 10 commands per second over the
powerline.  The
> commands all contain checksums and do automatic retries if the
data is
> corrupted (so packets have a tough time getting mangled/lost).
>
> Most UPB wall switches are really two different devices in one
package.  One
> device is a button/rocker that reacts to people pressing it and in
response,
> sends out commands.  The other half is a dimmer module that
listens for
> commands and acts on them.  You don't have to see this difference
outside
> the switch, but it is useful as it makes reactive to a person
turning a
> light on somewhere in the house very easy.  Some UPB wall switches
offer
> several different buttons -- one (or more) or which can control
the local
> load and the others can control individual lights or scenes.
>
> Most all UPB devices (wall dimmers, wall relays, fixture modules,
plugin
> modules, etc) support scenes -- called "links" in UPB
terminology.
> Basically, a scene is simply a number, 1-250.  Each device can
associate
> itself with upto 16 of those numbers and for each
"association"
(link), you
> tell it what level to be at (if the device does dimming) and how
fast to get
> there.  So you can have 250 scenes and each switch can be part of
any 16 of
> them (which has not been a limit for me yet).
>
> Devices report changes to their status (configurable) and you can
even tell
> the switch what color LED to use and how to change the LED color
to reflect
> the load status (i.e. always show blue (regardless of state), show
blue when
> on, red when off,  show red when on and no color when off, stay
off all the
> time, etc).
>
>
> Now for some docs, overviews and products.
>
> --------
> UPB Technical Documentation
> http://www.pcslighting.com/TechNotes.htm
> (low level protocol stuff
>
> Simply Automated
> http://www.simply-automated.com/
> They make some really nice switches with very flexible switchplate
> configurations.  Worthington is a good distributor for them with
good
> pricing (USA, not sure if they work outside).
>
> HAI
> http://www.homeauto.com/Products/HLC/hlc.asp
> Very nice switches, though less flexible switch plates.  But for
standard
> decora switches, they are a lot cheaper (and fully support all the
cool
> stuff UPB supports).  HomeControls is one of their largest
distributors and
> seems to have the best price (USA again).
>
> PCS
> http://www.pcslighting.com/UPBProducts.htm
> The originators of UPB.  THey make pretty nice stuff, though
sometimes a bit
> less exploitive of UPB and a bit pricier.
>
> You'll find UPB stuff under other names sometimes.  HAI calls
their version
> HLC.  PCS has a PulseWorks like of products.  They are all 100%
UPB devices,
> but then the company lays a sort of "architecture" on top
(not any
different
> hardware, just a unified "framework" for managing the
switches).
This may
> seem superfluous (and I think it is), but these switches can be
quite
> complex and having a framework done up by someone who knows the
ins and outs
> of them can help folks who just want an setup and forget it system
(such
> frameworks usually come with their own "controller"
hardware).
>
> For folks here, most would probably either integrate with an
existing house
> controller (like HomeVision) or would do it themselves (with the
xPL UPB
> module I'm writing and some xPL scripts, I'm getting some
incredibly
> powerful and responsive configurations here.  Even members of the
family are
> doing little ohs and ahs over how the house is starting to behave.
>
> Feel free to ask any questions -- I'll answer if I know (and make
something
> up if not :-)
>
> Gerry
> --
> Gerry Duprey
> Ann Arbor, MI 48103
> http://www.cdp1802.org
>