Recommended Scene Controller?

Posted on
Thu Aug 20, 2015 9:09 am
Fordy offline
Posts: 28
Joined: May 31, 2014
Location: Winchester, UK

Recommended Scene Controller?

Heya Chaps,

Open question, hoping I'm posting in the right place... I'm intrigued - what do you guys use as a scene controller?

We currently use our phones (Indigo App), and motion sensors in each room to automate multiple things pretty happily. Hurray for Indigo! :o)

Our problem is mainly lighting... they come on in certain areas only at night time, and only dim/low red if people are sleeping... but sometimes this isn't the best option as you just want a 'button' to press (if you wake up in the night and want the light on) rather than digging out your phone. We have most of our home decked out with Appliance/Lamp modules, or Phillips Hue bulbs (which means leaving the light switch on)... ideally we're looking for some sort of 'remote button' to press - something which we can have in each room - something easy to use if a guest comes to stay, beside their bed.

The closest thing to what i'm looking for is the multi-year old Aeon Minimote, but I feel pretty sure there should be a cheaper / more functional controller available these days? Any thoughts? - I feel I'm missing something when I look around because I can't find anything quick and easy! Happy with Z-wave / wifi alternatives :)

Posted on
Thu Aug 20, 2015 11:19 am
howartp offline
Posts: 4559
Joined: Jan 09, 2014
Location: West Yorkshire, UK

Re: Recommended Scene Controller?

I'm currently eying up the Nodon Octan devices.

http://www.vesternet.com/z-wave-nodon-octan-remote

http://www.vesternet.com/z-wave-nodon-soft-remote

The former has scene support, the latter is just associations. Neither officially supported by Indigo yet.

I have a BJ2000 wall controller but I hated it so it's not in use. I also have a lightwave wall switch that works when in range, but it's right on the edge and I haven't got round to extending/replacing the antenna on the RFXTRX receiver.


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Posted on
Thu Aug 20, 2015 11:52 am
Fordy offline
Posts: 28
Joined: May 31, 2014
Location: Winchester, UK

Re: Recommended Scene Controller?

Ah-har, I can see why you're eyeing them up - they look like exactly like the sort of thing I'm after! Alas, they do not yet work with Indigo! - is there any view as to when they might be?

Seems to be an area sadly lacking at the moment - getting easy input from humans! :)

Posted on
Thu Aug 20, 2015 12:45 pm
rapamatic offline
Posts: 276
Joined: Aug 03, 2015
Location: Glencoe, IL

Re: Recommended Scene Controller?

I am partial to Lutron stuff. While a new radio Ra2 install is probably not ideal since you already have lighting control, I think you could get a caseta bridge and then add pico remotes to it. I believe indigo should be able to see the pico commands. Nice things about picos is they are very flexible in terms of mounting (flush on wall, in a decora outlet box on wall, on a desktop pedestal), are pretty cheap, long range, lots of button options (including ones with night lights).

May be worth at least considering....

Posted on
Thu Aug 20, 2015 12:49 pm
howartp offline
Posts: 4559
Joined: Jan 09, 2014
Location: West Yorkshire, UK

Re: Recommended Scene Controller?

We won't know until somebody gets one how well they'll work in Indigo, or not.

It appears Zwave scene control is not very standardised at the moment so Indigo can't just make a default interpretation of it that out-of-the-box supports most devices.

Therefore they have to make specific support for every device.

Not their fault (un-)fortunately.


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Posted on
Thu Aug 20, 2015 1:16 pm
durosity offline
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Joined: May 10, 2012
Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne, Ye Ol' England.

Re: Recommended Scene Controller?

Pipboy 3000?


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Computer says no.

Posted on
Thu Aug 20, 2015 2:13 pm
howartp offline
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Location: West Yorkshire, UK

Re: Recommended Scene Controller?

Had to look that up :-) Not one I'm familiar with!


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Posted on
Thu Aug 20, 2015 3:19 pm
Fordy offline
Posts: 28
Joined: May 31, 2014
Location: Winchester, UK

Re: Recommended Scene Controller?

Ooh, the Lutron stuff & pico's look nice, but sadly not yet launched in the UK it seems! - I'd always discounted Lutron as I always had it marked down as ovey expensive and had to be hard wired. Seems it's a long time since I looked at it! ;)

Pipboy 3000! Haha! Did laugh at that (after googling..). Now that would be handy, however the missus would not ("not pretty enough") - and guests might be a little worried if we handed them out on arrival... :)


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Posted on
Thu Aug 20, 2015 5:27 pm
rapamatic offline
Posts: 276
Joined: Aug 03, 2015
Location: Glencoe, IL

Re: Recommended Scene Controller?

Lutron's Radio Ra2 is reasonably priced. I get the dimmers for around $90 each, keypads are a couple hundred. Everything is wireless. The stuff is very reliable, never any lag, and comes in like 30 different colors so they blend in nicely on the wall. Also pretty DIY friendly.

Posted on
Sat Aug 22, 2015 1:38 pm
Chockymonster offline
Posts: 84
Joined: Jul 19, 2014
Location: Sandhurst, UK

Re: Recommended Scene Controller?

I've just taken a punt on the octan remote. I'll let you know how I get on

Posted on
Sat Aug 22, 2015 1:39 pm
howartp offline
Posts: 4559
Joined: Jan 09, 2014
Location: West Yorkshire, UK

Re: Recommended Scene Controller?

Chockymonster wrote:
I've just taken a punt on the octan remote. I'll let you know how I get on

Great!

Make sure you submit a device definition and log output from a define&sync operation for Matt/Jay.

Peter

Posted on
Mon Sep 07, 2015 3:33 pm
Chockymonster offline
Posts: 84
Joined: Jul 19, 2014
Location: Sandhurst, UK

Re: Recommended Scene Controller?

howartp wrote:
Chockymonster wrote:
I've just taken a punt on the octan remote. I'll let you know how I get on

Great!

Make sure you submit a device definition and log output from a define&sync operation for Matt/Jay.

Peter


Finally got around to trying to have a play.
The device itself is lovely, it has a really nice magnetic base that even my dearest likes, even if it's only for the way the remote jumps and locates into it!
It looks so much nicer than the zwave.me scene controller.

Unfortunately it's next to useless in Indigo, all I can see is battery information.

Indigo Z-Wave Version: 1.0.354
Node ID: 17
Model: Portable Remote Controller
Model ID: 00020001
Manufacturer: Unknown
Manufacturer ID: 0165
Protocol Version: 4.05
Application Version: 2.03
Model Definition Version: 0
Library Type: 2
Class Name: Portable Remote Controller
Class Hierarchy: 01 : 01 : 01
Command Class Base: 00
Command Versions: 20v1 80v1 84v2 85v1 86v1 70v1 72v1 73v1 59v1 5Av1 5Bv1 5Ev1
Multi-Endpoint Types: - none -
Multi-Endpoint Classes: - none -
Multi-Instance Counts: - none -
Features: battery, beaming, waking
Neighbors: - none -
Associations: 1:[1] 2:[] 3:[] 4:[] 5:[] 6:[] 7:[]
Config Values: - none -

All I want is a simple wall button to turn lights on and off that doesn't look like it was made in the 80s :(

Posted on
Mon Sep 07, 2015 4:39 pm
howartp offline
Posts: 4559
Joined: Jan 09, 2014
Location: West Yorkshire, UK

Re: Recommended Scene Controller?

Are you sure that's fully synced? It looks like it's timed out getting neighbours, which makes me wonder if the rest of the Config hasn't fully synced.

Try keeping it awake whilst syncing?


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Posted on
Tue Sep 08, 2015 11:10 am
Chockymonster offline
Posts: 84
Joined: Jul 19, 2014
Location: Sandhurst, UK

Re: Recommended Scene Controller?

Yeah, pretty sure it got it all.

I did another define and sync then wrote the full description to the log.

This is what I get (along with some other random events)

Z-Wave received "Alex Duetto" power load to 514.7 W
Z-Wave Syncing - started for device "017 - Portable Remote Controller"
Z-Wave Syncing - retrieved module neighbors list: - none -
Z-Wave Syncing - retrieved manufacture and model names: Unknown - 0165, Portable Remote Controller - 00020001
Z-Wave Syncing - retrieved protocol version 4.05, app version 2.03
Z-Wave Syncing - retrieved class hierarchy: Controller : Portable Controller : Portable Remote Controller (01 : 01 : 01, base 00)
Z-Wave Syncing - retrieved command classes: 20v1 80v1 84v2 85v1 86v1 70v1 72v1 73v1 59v1 5Av1 5Bv1 5Ev1
Z-Wave Syncing - retrieved wake interval of 0 minutes
Z-Wave Syncing - device "017 - Portable Remote Controller" wake interval changed to 60 minutes
Z-Wave Syncing - retrieved group 1 associations: [1]
Z-Wave Syncing - retrieved group 2 associations: []
Z-Wave Syncing - retrieved group 3 associations: []
Z-Wave Syncing - retrieved group 4 associations: []
Z-Wave Syncing - retrieved group 5 associations: []
Z-Wave Syncing - retrieved group 6 associations: []
Z-Wave Syncing - retrieved group 7 associations: []
Z-Wave Syncing - group 1 association to interface already exists (skipping)
Z-Wave Syncing - retrieved battery level of 100%
Z-Wave Syncing - complete
Z-Wave received "017 - Portable Remote Controller" status update battery level 100%
Schedule Update Time
Schedule Update Timers
Schedule Update Coffee Machine timer
Z-Wave received "Alex Duetto" power load to 3.4 W

8 Sep 2015 18:08:27
Z-Wave received "Alex Duetto" power load to 3.5 W

8 Sep 2015 18:08:45
Z-Wave received "Alex Duetto" power load to 3.6 W

8 Sep 2015 18:09:00
Schedule Update Time
Schedule Update Timers
Schedule Update Coffee Machine timer

8 Sep 2015 18:09:16
Z-Wave received "Alex Duetto" power load to 3.5 W
Z-Wave Indigo Device "017 - Portable Remote Controller" Z-Wave Properties:
Indigo Z-Wave Version: 1.0.354
Node ID: 17
Model: Portable Remote Controller
Model ID: 00020001
Manufacturer: Unknown
Manufacturer ID: 0165
Protocol Version: 4.05
Application Version: 2.03
Model Definition Version: 0
Library Type: 2
Class Name: Portable Remote Controller
Class Hierarchy: 01 : 01 : 01
Command Class Base: 00
Command Versions: 20v1 80v1 84v2 85v1 86v1 70v1 72v1 73v1 59v1 5Av1 5Bv1 5Ev1
Multi-Endpoint Types: - none -
Multi-Endpoint Classes: - none -
Multi-Instance Counts: - none -
Features: battery, beaming, waking
Neighbors: - none -
Associations: 1:[1] 2:[] 3:[] 4:[] 5:[] 6:[] 7:[]
Config Values: - none -

Posted on
Tue Sep 08, 2015 5:01 pm
howartp offline
Posts: 4559
Joined: Jan 09, 2014
Location: West Yorkshire, UK

Re: Recommended Scene Controller?

Fair enough; I don't know anything about the tech side of syncing but I expected to see some neighbours regardless.


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