ControlLinc Maxi

["Robert Green" <ROBERT_GREEN1963@xxxxxxxxx>]

Anyone else out there using one?  I just got mine today and they seem to
solve the problem of not being able to access more than one housecode
easily.  Some nice programmable features, too.  Not bad for $39 but I'd
prefer it in an RF configuration.

It's also a LOT bigger than I expected which won't help with SAF, but the
fact that it's got a cover with 5 buttons for simpletons and will be
replacing two maxi X-10 controllers by the beside will probably make it
acceptable to SWMBO.

Fortunately you can expand those 5 any housecode commands to 10 through the
setup program.  The way they have it set, they leave the ON/OFF DIM/BRIGHT
buttons still visible at the bottom with the lid closed, which might leave
someone marginally familiar with the X-10 unit to punch in an extra ON which
in this case is ALL PROGRAMMABLE UNITS ON.

It's got lots of features that I will never use in all probability but some
of them will come in quite handy like the ability to send pre-set dims from
the console.  Their scheme gives you 100 presets to choose from.  It will
also be handy when troubleshooting to be able to send all sorts of commands
from any unit/housecode combo.  I've noticed that it also retries commands
when the powerline isn't clear.  Not sure how long a delay it's set for, but
it does seem to work with single commands.  I'm not sure it would wait for
an entire macro to execute.

A number of other interesting features are the ability to send ALL UNITS ON,
ALL LIGHTS OFF for up to 10 housecodes at a time, IIRTMC.

They also seem to infer that this device will control Insteon modules but I
think the excerpt below from their manual at:

http://www.smarthome.com/manuals/4071.pdf

is probably a misprint and they meant X-10 instead of Insteon in the second
paragraph:


? To turn ON all and X10 Devices linked to the addresses programmed to all 5
of the On/Off Button Pairs, tap
the ON Button. ControLinc Maxi will beep and its Status LED will blink off
once. Dimmable modules will go
to whatever On-Level they were set up for, at whatever Fade Rate they were
set up for. Switchable modules
will immediately go full on.

? To turn OFF all INSTEON and Devices linked to the addresses programmed to
all 5 of the On/Off Button
Pairs, tap the ALL OFF Button. ControLinc Maxi will beep and its Status LED
will blink off once. Dimmable
modules will go full off at whatever Fade Rate they were set up for.
Switchable modules will immediately go
full off.

--
Bobby G.