Itach Flex Wifi - Serial

Posted on
Tue Jan 09, 2018 6:23 am
UKCamaroSS offline
Posts: 4
Joined: Jan 08, 2018

Itach Flex Wifi - Serial

Hi,
I'm brand new to Indigo (day 2), and Mac! I've previously been using Fibaro HC2.
I have a Global Cache iTach flex wifi, with a serial connection which I use to control some equipment - this works fine in the Fibaro HC2.
In Indigo, I have downloaded and installed the cynic plugin, I have then created a device, or Type Cynical Cache, Model = Network device and inserted the iTach's ip address (xxx.xxx.x.xxx) with no port.

When I then try to create a second device, I am unable to connect / get working, using any of the models to choose from. Also, I do not get any log file created.

I have tried to install the other Global Cache plugin, and successfully setup the network device, but again I could not get a serial cable to work... I did however at least get a log file created.

Can anyone help - does the cynical plugin work with serial (Rs485 / RS232), and if so, how do you set it up?

Many thanks,

Posted on
Tue Jan 09, 2018 8:12 am
howartp offline
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Joined: Jan 09, 2014
Location: West Yorkshire, UK

Re: Itach Flex Wifi - Serial

Hello and welcome!

It definitely works with itach serial connections but mines disconnected at moment as I’ve moved things round.

Perry is helpful when he’s around but he comes and goes quite a bit.

Others may be able to contribute and advise in the meantime.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Posted on
Tue Jan 09, 2018 12:18 pm
UKCamaroSS offline
Posts: 4
Joined: Jan 08, 2018

Re: Itach Flex Wifi - Serial

Thanks howartp, fingers crossed I can get this to work :)

I've also decided to try using the Cynical Network plugin, and I can get this connected to the iTach, but the Hex I need to send does not work from the Cynical Network - it does work from Naglecode's standalone Packet Sender, so I know I'm inserting the correct Hex in to the Send Text box.

The hex I am trying to send is:
7f f2 fa 01 00 00 ae 49 fa f7 fb 06 4f
The hex above translates to \7f\f2\fa\01\00\00\aeI\fa\f7\fb\06O ASCII, but entering this does not work either.

Hopefully someone can help point me in the right direction.

Posted on
Tue Jan 09, 2018 12:28 pm
jay (support) offline
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Location: Austin, Texas

Re: Itach Flex Wifi - Serial

Shot in the dark (I know nothing about this plugin or the Itach): did you enter the hex with or without the spaces? Try it both ways though I'd expect the spaces to be extraneous.

Jay (Indigo Support)
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Posted on
Wed Jan 10, 2018 10:54 am
UKCamaroSS offline
Posts: 4
Joined: Jan 08, 2018

Re: Itach Flex Wifi - Serial

Ok, so I've got this to work now, using the Cynical Network.

For anyone else, the issue turned out to be the difference between Hex: 7f f2 fa 01 00 00 ae 49 fa f7 fb 06 4f
and
\x7F\x72\xFA\xFE\x00\x00\xAE\x49\xFA\xFF\xFB\x06\xD4

So, this now means I have complete control of all of my somfy rts blinds, using itach wifi flex and the somfy rs485 rts transmitter.

So, after 2 to 3 days I've managed to replicate all of the Fibaro functionality I had (power switches, motion detectors, hue lighting, blind control, camera feeds, harmony hub), easier, and with better stability, and with no coding (lucky as I dont' know python :)).
The only thing left for me to do is to figure out a way to reproduce the nice app control from Fibaro, presumable using "Control Pages" -- that will probably take a air amount of time. If anyone knows of a step by step manual to create the designs that would be great -- I'll check the forum now for tips.

Posted on
Wed Jan 10, 2018 11:56 am
Different Computers offline
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Location: East Coast

Re: Itach Flex Wifi - Serial

My first tip for creating control pages is to search forUI templates for the devices you're going to use for control pads on the web.

There are a bunch of designers out there who have generic iOS templates available. The way I figure it is, Apple has a whole bunch of UI designers who are paid a LOT of money to make the UI as good as possible. While I can't tweak everything pixel by pixel like they do, I can use their concepts to create something with more usability than I would get if I did something entirely on my own.

This, of course, is only good advice if you want control pages that look like iOS screens. I'm more than happy with that!

My second piece of advice is a direct challenge to almost everyone's first impulse when designing a control layout. (Even mine way back when!) And here it is: Floorplan based user interfaces are very inefficient ways of displaying house status.

Third, keep in mind that since Indigo offers unlimited control pages, you don't have to make a single page that works on every device. You can have single use pages for that old iPod Touch you have lying around (I have a page for it that displays only a single switch) and you can have pages for your iPhone X that are of course much higher rez. I have control pages that are only really for looking at on a retina iMac screen.

Finally, there are a lot of great examples in the forums: viewtopic.php?f=133&t=1506

SmartThings refugee, so happy to be on Indigo. Monterey on a base M1 Mini w/Harmony Hub, Hue, DomoPad, Dynamic URL, Device Extensions, HomeKitLink, Grafana, Plex, uniFAP, Fantastic Weather, Nanoleaf, LED Simple Effects, Bond Home, Camect.

Posted on
Wed Jan 10, 2018 3:55 pm
jay (support) offline
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Re: Itach Flex Wifi - Serial

I think the first place you start is in the control page documentation and with the built-in images/features, etc. Trying to design fully custom control pages with custom images, etc., can be a HUGE task. Indigo includes many (most?) of the images you need to get started (and for things where there aren't appropriate built-in images, just use text for the first pass).

This wiki article has some great tips on using the built-in images.

Later, when you've got a better handle on things, you can go full on with customization.

Jay (Indigo Support)
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Posted on
Fri Jan 12, 2018 7:07 am
UKCamaroSS offline
Posts: 4
Joined: Jan 08, 2018

Re: Itach Flex Wifi - Serial

Thanks Jay, great wiki article., and a great place to start from. I'm now off and running with my first control page and its working well.

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