Insteon Health Test Tool app now available

Posted on
Fri Mar 19, 2010 8:31 pm
IslandLife offline
Posts: 20
Joined: Feb 23, 2008

Re: Insteon Health Test Tool app now available

2414U w/ firmware 2.13

Posted on
Fri Mar 19, 2010 8:43 pm
berkinet offline
User avatar
Posts: 3290
Joined: Nov 18, 2008
Location: Berkeley, CA, USA & Mougins, France

Re: Insteon Health Test Tool app now available

IslandLife wrote:
2414U w/ firmware 2.13
Unfortunately the iHealth software wil not work with the 2414 controllers (PLC). You need a 2412 or 2413 modem (PLM). I apologize, this should have been made clearer in the User Contribution Library.

Posted on
Fri Mar 19, 2010 9:25 pm
jay (support) offline
Site Admin
User avatar
Posts: 18200
Joined: Mar 19, 2008
Location: Austin, Texas

Re: Insteon Health Test Tool app now available

I added that information in the installation section for the entry in the File Library.

Jay (Indigo Support)
Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn

Posted on
Fri Mar 19, 2010 9:26 pm
berkinet offline
User avatar
Posts: 3290
Joined: Nov 18, 2008
Location: Berkeley, CA, USA & Mougins, France

Re: Insteon Health Test Tool app now available

jay wrote:
I added that information in the installation section for the entry in the File Library.
Thanks Jay.

Posted on
Mon May 17, 2010 9:45 am
kpfriedberg offline

Re: Insteon Health Test Tool app now available

Just checking back in to see if there has been any progress for those of us with PLC's and not PLM's...i'd love to use this but my setup is working pretty well with my 2414 and with 4 access points in my house already i don't see the need to get the newest PLM...

Posted on
Mon May 17, 2010 10:46 am
seanadams offline
Posts: 489
Joined: Mar 19, 2008
Location: Saratoga, CA

Re: Insteon Health Test Tool app now available

Unfortunately nothing about this tool is applicable to the 2414/PLC. I'm measuring timing characteristics by talking directly to the PLM's internal serial interface, which is highly specific to the 2412/13.

With a complete re-write I can imagine ways of doing it that _might_ work to some degree with the 2414 (eg issuing commands through Indigo and measuring response time) but there are good reasons to expect that this will not work at all.

Honestly if the 2414 weren't such a comparatively poor product in terms of performance I would be inclined to look into it. But as it is I have already switched my own home (which is my "development environment") to the 2413 so there's no going back!

Posted on
Mon May 17, 2010 10:49 am
kpfriedberg offline

Re: Insteon Health Test Tool app now available

seanadams wrote:
Honestly if the 2414 weren't such a comparatively poor product in terms of performance!


Hasn't there been documentation that the PLM in many cases is worse when it comes to sending/receiving signals? I thought it was just faster than the PLC, but couldn't operate in standalone mode...

Posted on
Mon May 17, 2010 11:08 am
seanadams offline
Posts: 489
Joined: Mar 19, 2008
Location: Saratoga, CA

Re: Insteon Health Test Tool app now available

kpfriedberg wrote:
seanadams wrote:
Honestly if the 2414 weren't such a comparatively poor product in terms of performance!


Hasn't there been documentation that the PLM in many cases is worse when it comes to sending/receiving signals? I thought it was just faster than the PLC, but couldn't operate in standalone mode...


It is noticeably faster especially when you have back-to-back events going on (i.e. Indigo triggered events controlling insteon devices in response to an incoming insteon command). In terms of reliability you may find anecdotes one way or the other but it's not quantifiable since we can't run the same tool against both of them.

Both products use the same powerline modem circuitry, meaning power levels and sensitivity are the same, so I wouldn't expect a big difference in general. In someone is having problems with one or the other it's more likely they have one flakey unit.

Posted on
Mon May 17, 2010 11:17 am
matt (support) offline
Site Admin
User avatar
Posts: 21411
Joined: Jan 27, 2003
Location: Texas

Re: Insteon Health Test Tool app now available

As Sean mentioned, it is significantly faster. I've found it to be more reliable as well. Therefore, I recommend the 2413U for anyone that has a Mac they can leave on. If you must have standalone capability, the 2414U is the only option but other than for that I recommend the newer PLMs. Additionally, SmartLabs hasn't updated the 2414U firmware or hardware in a very long time, whereas that are continually improving the 2412/3 line.

Image

Posted on
Mon May 17, 2010 11:23 am
kpfriedberg offline

Re: Insteon Health Test Tool app now available

ok...and which one would you guys recommend the 13? if i get it, is it as simple is pulling out 2414 and pluggin in 2413?

Posted on
Mon May 17, 2010 11:27 am
seanadams offline
Posts: 489
Joined: Mar 19, 2008
Location: Saratoga, CA

Re: Insteon Health Test Tool app now available

kpfriedberg wrote:
ok...and which one would you guys recommend the 13? if i get it, is it as simple is pulling out 2414 and pluggin in 2413?


Yes I would recommend the 2413. The 2412 is the same thing without the RF, but the dual band is good especially if you are dependent on access points for signal coverage. -that- may have a significant reliability advantage which I overlooked in my previous comment.

Switching over was very easy. Indigo detects the change and configures it automatically.

Posted on
Mon May 17, 2010 11:31 am
seanadams offline
Posts: 489
Joined: Mar 19, 2008
Location: Saratoga, CA

Re: Insteon Health Test Tool app now available

See this thread where I tested 2412 and 2413. viewtopic.php?f=7&t=5338&hilit=2413

In my house I am using couplers to bridge the AC, and I don't think my access points are doing any good as repeaters, so I did not see an improvement from dual band. Others' mileage may vary significantly on this issue though.

Posted on
Mon May 17, 2010 11:40 am
kpfriedberg offline

Re: Insteon Health Test Tool app now available

Sean,
Thanks for the post and the links...just a couple follow up questions: To first give some background on my setup...

1. My system reliability is ok. Despite having filterlincs on many of the 'usual suspect' appliances, i still get what i can only deem to be 'noise issues' for some modules (and usually its 3-4 very specific modules).
2. The Insteon motion sensors are 50/50 at best, this despite having 4 APs in my home, and having put them specifically near the motion sensors.
3. I don't plan on bridging the phases in my house, although i was considering it.
4. I almost always leave my Mac/Indigo Server on

Given this, i am guessing you would recommend switching to the 13, i guess if i have major problems i can always return?

Posted on
Mon May 17, 2010 11:50 am
seanadams offline
Posts: 489
Joined: Mar 19, 2008
Location: Saratoga, CA

Re: Insteon Health Test Tool app now available

kpfriedberg wrote:
3. I don't plan on bridging the phases in my house, although i was considering it.


Definitely do that if you're having problems. Electrical coupling has many advantages over the APs and it helps to do both. I have two panels fed separately from 250' away, so the hard-wired signalincs were essential to getting things working. If possible put them right in the panel (note that this is questionable from a code standpoint).

What I did is removed them from their bulky plastic enclosures, soldered on new wires, and encased them in heat shrink tubing. Then you have a very small thing that can be hooked right onto a 2-pole breaker and stuffed in the panel. I also use one to bridge the two panels together inside the house - that one made all the difference because of how far apart they were across the separate feeds.

Once you have the 2413 you will be able to test different scenarios and figure out what's going to work.

Posted on
Mon May 17, 2010 12:06 pm
kpfriedberg offline

Re: Insteon Health Test Tool app now available

are you referring to this? b/c i don't see a plastic enclosure...
http://www.machomestore.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=29&products_id=159

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest