[SOLVED]Virtual Device - Use DSC devices and RFXtrx devices

I hope this is the correct place for this request...

I have many PIR and Door Contacts hooked up to my DSC alarm. I have some rubbish LightwaveRF PIRs also.
None of the above can be used in a Virtual Device. I would like to do this to reduce my triggers down dramatically.
I can use Z-Wave PIRs in a virtual device, just not the above PIRs (i am guessing as they are not native).

[jay (support)]

Those device types need to add support for an ON/OFF state for them to be supported in the Virtual Device. Apparently they currently only use custom states to represent their data and the Virtual Device device type can't understand which (if any) of the states represent a boolean that represents an on/off state.

The plugins can be modified to add support for an on/off state so I'd request that from the developers (those developers can look at the Sensor example plugin in the SDK to see how to do this).

I have some rubbish LightwaveRF PIRs also.

Just a word of caution about LWRF PIRs.. they create a lot of wireless traffic that stop other devices working while it’s transmitting (i believe it to be about a 5 second burst per transmission).. it’d be best to phase them out if possible, i did and it was the best decision i’ve made in a long time!

OK, thanks Jay. i will ask the DSC plugin dev nicely if it can be done.

@Durosity: I did not know that, it does explain some things... I only have 2 left now but yes I will get rid of them asap. One because of the 5 second DoS on the 433mhz band and Two because my dog keeps turning the lights on and off as one is on the stairs!

Do you happen to know if the JSJS/LightwaverRF Master Switch does the same when a button is pressed? I have 2 of these also (though getting them to reliably work is another story).

Yeah the masterswitch is the same, but it’s not as bad as it’s only activated when you press it.. where as the PIR could be activated several times when just walking past it. I’ve got a few masterswitches myself which work perfectly well for me… what kind of issues are you having?

Just getting them to fire off a trigger in Indigo. Could be a range problem as if i press them a few times i can see them in Indigo change to Mood x or the all off state. But i have to press it a few times for it to work.
It could be a pir thing as well if they are flooding the band when i am hitting the button... Or Indigo could be doing something at that exact moment also as all my light switches are LightwaveRF (and most my power sockets). It also might be my action group as i am trying to have the "all off" turn off all lights at once, probably need to stick a delay in for each device.

Yeah range on the RFXtrx433 isn’t great.. you might want to invest in a better antenna for it. Mine with a conrad antenna covers my whole 4 bedroom house and garden.

And yeah, trigger timing is very important particularly when controlling another LWRF device.. i find that a 2 second delay is needed otherwise it just won’t work reliably.. but then that means a 2 second delay between lights coming on. I’ve been phasing out my LWRF receiver devices and purely using the master switches/on off switches to send commands to indigo.. most of the appliance/dimmers are now z-wave.. because they’re not using the rfxtrx the command is processed immediately with an almost 100% success rate. Also means 2 way comms with those devices so i know exactly what is on and not.. improves triggers for thing like motion sensing (little scripts to only send a command if the device isn’t already in the state required by the trigger.. reduces the amount of transmissions necessary.. )

I have a conrad ground plane too. Next jobs is to get it up in the attic as it is in a spare room right now but has improved the range no end.

I know this is all going off topic but what z-wave dimmers/switches have you gone for? I only went for the Siemens/JSJS LWRF stuff as they looked good and were at a decent price. Also i have no neutral in the box so has to be dimmers i think.

I will have to play with delays i think for now.

I have a conrad ground plane too. Next jobs is to get it up in the attic as it is in a spare room right now but has improved the range no end.

I know this is all going off topic but what z-wave dimmers/switches have you gone for? I only went for the Siemens/JSJS LWRF stuff as they looked good and were at a decent price. Also i have no neutral in the box so has to be dimmers i think.

I will have to play with delays i think for now.

All fibaro dimmers and grid faceplates with on/off/on switches, but at the moment the few rooms that have these actually have the direct switch hidden by LWRF master switches… what i’d like ideally would be some grid switches that match the look of the LWRF ones so i can have them side by side.. the ones i have at the moment from varilight just don’t match.. hence why i’ve covered them. All the dimmers i have work without neutral.. i just moved into a new build house and hoped it would have neutral.. but alas not