Scott i am struggling to to get any help with a problem i have with a switch i am using to control my projection screen. SW10G
I want to have the screen come down to a point i want it to stop at and then fully retract. If i calibrate the switch the way the insturctions state i can get the drop i want, but it wont fully retract.
Is there now (or will be in the future) a way to send a command to the switch to say START now and after say a 10 second period have it send a command STOP. All as one command. So that it will drop to the point i want.
Then when you want it to retract have it say START for 13 secs, to insure it fully retracts.?
Scott Adivce please.
Scott Adivce please.
Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came
Ok i have just had this response from the maufact company:
Yes , the problem is to do with the overdrive when you tell the unit to go to the fully open or fully closed position .
In this situation the unit adds 25% of the window size drivetime to calculate the actual time it drives for . This is to ensure that the unit drives fully to the endstops of the Blind/Shutter mechanism to maintain long term positional accuracy , but it relies on the mechanism itself to decide when to stop moving the blind . For any other position the unit doesn't add the 25% .
In the case of the projection screen the fully down position that the customer prefers is not actually the fully down position of the screen . What is actually happening is as follows :
In setup the customer drives the screen down for 10 seconds , then switches the code out of the setup position . This locks 10 seconds into the window size memory . When the customer wants the projection screen down he presumably sends a ' Fully Open' message to the unit . The unit adds 2.5 seconds to the window size and drives down for that amount of time . So far so good . The screen is down 12.5 seconds , which is where he wanted it (very nearly).
The problem arises when he wants to raise the screen to the 'Fully Closed' position .
When he sends a 'Fully Closed' message the unit adds 25% to the 10 second window size held in memory and decides to drive up for 12.5 seconds . The trouble is that the screen is already 12.5 seconds down and so only just gets back to it's full closed position . Any inaccuracies in the system are not cancelled out and he ends up with a 4-5 inch inaccuracy . This probably represent less than a second's worth of drivetime and , since the resolution of the unit is 0.5 seconds of drivetime , it probably is as close as the unit can get .
What the customer should do is to set in the fully drop position as the window size during calibration . When he wants to drop the screen to use it he then has to send a message to open to X% , where X is the number that represents the nearest to 13 second of drivetime . Since this is not the fully open postion the unit won't add the 25% and it will probably have a 4-5 inch tolerance on the actual position reached for the reasons discussed above .
However , when he wants to put the screen up and sends the message to fully close the unit , it will add 25% to the full drivetime and rely on the screen mechanism to stopo the screen at the fully closed endstop .
I think you should be able to send the X% via your software - this is an "extended" X10 command. Our Harmony software allows you to do this, and I would be very surprised if yours doesn't. This feature is used to, for example, dim a light to 50% instantly.
Sorry its long winded. Ok so i am suppose to be able to do this with their software, but as i want to use MEEDIO HOUSEBOT can i do this within its current state Scottbot?
Thanks in advance.
Rob
Yes , the problem is to do with the overdrive when you tell the unit to go to the fully open or fully closed position .
In this situation the unit adds 25% of the window size drivetime to calculate the actual time it drives for . This is to ensure that the unit drives fully to the endstops of the Blind/Shutter mechanism to maintain long term positional accuracy , but it relies on the mechanism itself to decide when to stop moving the blind . For any other position the unit doesn't add the 25% .
In the case of the projection screen the fully down position that the customer prefers is not actually the fully down position of the screen . What is actually happening is as follows :
In setup the customer drives the screen down for 10 seconds , then switches the code out of the setup position . This locks 10 seconds into the window size memory . When the customer wants the projection screen down he presumably sends a ' Fully Open' message to the unit . The unit adds 2.5 seconds to the window size and drives down for that amount of time . So far so good . The screen is down 12.5 seconds , which is where he wanted it (very nearly).
The problem arises when he wants to raise the screen to the 'Fully Closed' position .
When he sends a 'Fully Closed' message the unit adds 25% to the 10 second window size held in memory and decides to drive up for 12.5 seconds . The trouble is that the screen is already 12.5 seconds down and so only just gets back to it's full closed position . Any inaccuracies in the system are not cancelled out and he ends up with a 4-5 inch inaccuracy . This probably represent less than a second's worth of drivetime and , since the resolution of the unit is 0.5 seconds of drivetime , it probably is as close as the unit can get .
What the customer should do is to set in the fully drop position as the window size during calibration . When he wants to drop the screen to use it he then has to send a message to open to X% , where X is the number that represents the nearest to 13 second of drivetime . Since this is not the fully open postion the unit won't add the 25% and it will probably have a 4-5 inch tolerance on the actual position reached for the reasons discussed above .
However , when he wants to put the screen up and sends the message to fully close the unit , it will add 25% to the full drivetime and rely on the screen mechanism to stopo the screen at the fully closed endstop .
I think you should be able to send the X% via your software - this is an "extended" X10 command. Our Harmony software allows you to do this, and I would be very surprised if yours doesn't. This feature is used to, for example, dim a light to 50% instantly.
Sorry its long winded. Ok so i am suppose to be able to do this with their software, but as i want to use MEEDIO HOUSEBOT can i do this within its current state Scottbot?
Thanks in advance.
Rob
Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came
Rob,
To answer your first question, if it's still valid, you could create a Script Device that manages the sending of the X10 commands. The script would be able to delay the appropriate times using the Sleep() function. You could also use the Sleep Timer Device and a Task to manage this, but the configuration is a little more tricky. With the inherent latency of X10 commands, it might be difficult to get things timed so precisely.
For your second question..., depending on the Hardware Interface you are using, HouseBot may be able to send extended X10 commands to the equipment. So assuming that you have a SW10G X10 Device setup in HouseBot, you could try setting the Direct X10 Command property of that device to something like Extended Data;25%, and see what happens. I've done absolutely NO testing with the Extended Data command, so.... good luck. You may need to play with the format of the data.
The response from the mfg mentioned using the extended X10 to also be able to dim a light. If so, maybe they are referring to using a Dim command. You may also be able to send a Dim;20 or something like that instead of the extended data command. Or maybe he was referring to using the preset dim or Leviton dim type of extended data. You may just be able to set the Leviton Dim Level or X10 Preset Dim level properties to the X% and find that it works too. I'd start with just setting the existing Dim Properties of the HouseBot Device and then trying the Dim and Extended Data commands if that doesn't work.
To answer your first question, if it's still valid, you could create a Script Device that manages the sending of the X10 commands. The script would be able to delay the appropriate times using the Sleep() function. You could also use the Sleep Timer Device and a Task to manage this, but the configuration is a little more tricky. With the inherent latency of X10 commands, it might be difficult to get things timed so precisely.
For your second question..., depending on the Hardware Interface you are using, HouseBot may be able to send extended X10 commands to the equipment. So assuming that you have a SW10G X10 Device setup in HouseBot, you could try setting the Direct X10 Command property of that device to something like Extended Data;25%, and see what happens. I've done absolutely NO testing with the Extended Data command, so.... good luck. You may need to play with the format of the data.
The response from the mfg mentioned using the extended X10 to also be able to dim a light. If so, maybe they are referring to using a Dim command. You may also be able to send a Dim;20 or something like that instead of the extended data command. Or maybe he was referring to using the preset dim or Leviton dim type of extended data. You may just be able to set the Leviton Dim Level or X10 Preset Dim level properties to the X% and find that it works too. I'd start with just setting the existing Dim Properties of the HouseBot Device and then trying the Dim and Extended Data commands if that doesn't work.
Scott
Scott thanks for your mega quick response. Suggestions sound good, but im a complete automation noob,
Setting extended X10 Command, is that an obvious option in HB cant say i have seen that in the Device Menu for My SW10G (by the way im using CM11 interface).
Or are you saying i have to go into the Properties of a device and alter something in there.?
Ill have a look when i get home see if i see anything obvious.
Setting extended X10 Command, is that an obvious option in HB cant say i have seen that in the Device Menu for My SW10G (by the way im using CM11 interface).
Or are you saying i have to go into the Properties of a device and alter something in there.?
Ill have a look when i get home see if i see anything obvious.
Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came
In HouseBot, if you navigate to the Device that you created to control the SW10G from the left tree view panel, you should be able to see the properties I spoke of in the list. These properties are just like any other properties of the device (like Power State to turn a light on/off).talisman wrote:Setting extended X10 Command, is that an obvious option in HB cant say i have seen that in the Device Menu for My SW10G (by the way im using CM11 interface).
Or are you saying i have to go into the Properties of a device and alter something in there.?
If you haven't setup a Device in HouseBot to control the SW10G, you will need to create the Device using the new Device Wizard (File / New / Device...). I'm not sure what you have setup now to really give you any specific advice.
The CM11 should support this.
Scott
hi scot, i do have it setup in devices, as my projectin screen.
so left colum projection screen. under properties on right colum for it i have
direct x10 command - on/off/dim etc in drop down
power state on/off
x10 house code o
x10 unit code 1
if i try to add a property in left colum i cannot find extended x10 command anywhere.?
or if i try to change anything under current direct x10 command i cant see or add extended data:25%
am i being blind?
so left colum projection screen. under properties on right colum for it i have
direct x10 command - on/off/dim etc in drop down
power state on/off
x10 house code o
x10 unit code 1
if i try to add a property in left colum i cannot find extended x10 command anywhere.?
or if i try to change anything under current direct x10 command i cant see or add extended data:25%
am i being blind?
Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came
You're looking in the right place. Only the most common commands appear in the Direct X10 Command list, so you will need to enter it without the help of the drop-down box.
So just enter Extended Data;25% in the Direct X10 Command Property and press the Enter key to send the command. You can also try Dim;25, or other variations on that.
So just enter Extended Data;25% in the Direct X10 Command Property and press the Enter key to send the command. You can also try Dim;25, or other variations on that.
Scott
Ah right so i double click on Direct X10 Command in the right hand colum (just under properties) with takes you into general settings and type Extended Data;25% in the Value bit, hit enter which puts it in Initial Value: as well...(tried Extended Data;25 as well)
hmmmm nothing at all happens
Dim;25% brings it down a foot. so does ;25 or ;75% or ;75
man ill never get this to work my screen boo hoo
not havin a go scott, i apreciate the help. just this was the main thing i need to get working, kights work a treat...
hmmmm nothing at all happens
Dim;25% brings it down a foot. so does ;25 or ;75% or ;75
man ill never get this to work my screen boo hoo
not havin a go scott, i apreciate the help. just this was the main thing i need to get working, kights work a treat...
Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came
What happens when you put in a command of
Dim;25%, Dim;25%, Dim;25%
I would hope that each one would bring it down another foot. If that is true, just add as many is needed to bring the screen where you need it. You should be able to create a task that has as many change properties as needed:
Change 'screen.Direct X10 Command' to 'Dim;25%'
Change 'screen.Direct X10 Command' to 'Dim;25%'
Dim;25%, Dim;25%, Dim;25%
I would hope that each one would bring it down another foot. If that is true, just add as many is needed to bring the screen where you need it. You should be able to create a task that has as many change properties as needed:
Change 'screen.Direct X10 Command' to 'Dim;25%'
Change 'screen.Direct X10 Command' to 'Dim;25%'
Thanks,
Scott J
aka spike5884
Scott J
aka spike5884
Since we can't seem to figure out the extended X10 method, you may just want to go the Task/Script route. A Task should be simple to setup. Just create a new task and:
- Add Item, then Add Action.
- Select the Devices Power State Property in the list and enter On for the value.
- Add Item, then Add Action again.
- Select the Delay radio button and enter the number of milliseconds (1000 ms = 1 sec) to wait.
- Add Item, then Add Action again.
- Select the Devices Power State Property in the list and enter Off for the value.
Scott
ok Scot i have done this task... had to change on / off the otherway round though.
My x10 command and power state are both on ON when the screen is fully up.
So to get it down the first is OFF then delay 10000 (10secs) then ON
This works as it sound though.
Screen now comes down 10 secs, then immedietly goes back up? any more theries??
My x10 command and power state are both on ON when the screen is fully up.
So to get it down the first is OFF then delay 10000 (10secs) then ON
This works as it sound though.
Screen now comes down 10 secs, then immedietly goes back up? any more theries??
Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came