Z-Wave: Version 2 of ACT (HomePro) products released

Osler · Post by **Osler** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 5:09 pm

Scott:

These newer versions support "live status" now, meaning that polling Z-wave devices should be a thing of the past. I have not yet installed my Z-wave stuff (I have the USB controller and 1 switch for testing still sitting in boxes). Will the Z-wave plug-in support this new functionality as is?

Also, setting ramp-rate is now supported by the devices. Can this be done from within the plug-in as well?

Osler

Post by **ScottBot** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 6:44 pm

Can you send me some links/info on the new "live status" feature? I'm not sure if this is something in a firmware upgrade to the PowerLinc, or functionality of new switches (or both).

I will definitely add support for this once I get more info on it. This is the one huge missing piece of the perfect Z-Wave solution.

Also, setting ramp-rate is now supported by the devices. Can this be done from within the plug-in as well?

No. It's not that it is impossible. I just typically don't add functionality for things that seem like they are a one-time setup function.

Osler · Post by **Osler** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 7:20 pm

I looked for info on ACT's website but find none. However, Homeseer is touting this in a Sticky on the Z-wave forum and are also making the claim for the ZDW120s and ZRW153s they have for sale on their website.

http://board.homeseer.com/showthread.php?t=113607

This is all I know thus far.

Osler

Osler · Post by **Osler** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 11:28 pm

Scott:

Here is a link to the latest driver information for the Z-wave USB interface. The document discusses "2nd generation" features. Perhaps this is helpful in fleshing out the new features.

http://www.ftdichip.com/Documents/Progr ... XXPG33.pdf

Osler

Post by **ScottBot** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 8:32 am

Thanks for the link.

Osler · Post by **Osler** » Sat Sep 09, 2006 10:49 pm

Scott:

ControlThink also has a SDK available for the .NET framework that appears to be compatible with serial controllers as well as the USB controller from ACT and the new Intermatic USB "stick" controller. Perhaps their .dll would make your life a little easier?

http://forums.controlthink.com/122/ShowPost.aspx

Osler

Post by **ScottBot** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 9:40 pm

I've seen this too. Unfortunately, HouseBot doesn't use .net. I've talked to the developer about this and there may be a way to get it to work, but I'd rather have a native (non .net) solution.

Osler · Post by **Osler** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 11:21 pm

Scott:

I'm going to sample one of these "second generation" switches from the HS board. What you have already may catch the "status on change" from the switch....like polling does. I am just now getting to implementing my Z-wave stuff and as you can see I move in slow motion. Of course, once you have the TV remote done there is a lot of intertia to sit on the couch and use it as opposed to add all the other great features of HouseBot.

Osler

Post by **ScottBot** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 8:56 am

Osler wrote:Of course, once you have the TV remote done there is a lot of intertia to sit on the couch and use it as opposed to add all the other great features of HouseBot.Osler

Yea, it starts out with you controlling your TV with HouseBot. Then several years later you have HouseBot controlling you. Probably should have named it HAL, but someone beat me to that name

I'd be very interested in seeing the Z-Wave hardware interface trace with the new switches to see if anything is received. In my opinion, the status notification is the only thing that really keeps Z-Wave from being the clear leader of automation technology. If the current hardware interface can detect the status responses, I will definitely get it in the 3.0 release.

Post by **ScottBot** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 12:15 pm

Leviton has also introduced it's line of Vizia-rf devices that are supposed to be z-wave compatible (http://www.leviton-lin.com/viziarf/default.asp). Not sure if they send status or not.

Osler · Post by **Osler** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 10:11 pm

New switch arrived and was just installed. Here is the log after polling and then with polling turned off with me flipping the switch. I don't see anything in the log after polling was turned off:

Code: Select all

Sep 15 2006,09:03:15PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"--> Transmitting data [09 00 13 03 02 20 02 05 03]"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:15PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"--> Status = [1] - Received 0 bytes Data"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:15PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"ACK Received"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:15PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"--> Status = [0] - Received 4 bytes Data [04 01 13 01]"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:15PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"Status Frame Received"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:15PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"Response frame Received.  Putting data in receive buffer."
Sep 15 2006,09:03:15PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"+++ Looking for 1, 19 (0x13), buffer contains 1, 19"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:15PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"Received Response"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:15PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"--> Status = [0] - Received 5 bytes Data [05 00 13 03 00]"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:15PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"Status Frame Received"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:15PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"Request frame Received.  Putting data in command queue."
Sep 15 2006,09:03:15PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"+++ Dispatching Event data [05 00 13 03 00]"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:15PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"Transmit OK [Node ID = 3]."
Sep 15 2006,09:03:15PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"Sending Subscription Notification for list [Z-Wave Transmit Result]"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:16PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"--> Status = [0] - Received 9 bytes Data [09 00 04 00 03 03 20 03 00]"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:16PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"Status Frame Received"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:16PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"Request frame Received.  Putting data in command queue."
Sep 15 2006,09:03:16PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"+++ Dispatching Event data [09 00 04 00 03]"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:16PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"Sending Subscription Notification for list [Z-Wave Reception]"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:16PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"--> Sending Subscription Notification.  Filter=[Node=3], Level=[0]"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:16PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"Sending data [20 02] to Z-Wave Node ID [3]"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:18PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"--> Status = [3] - Received 0 bytes Data"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:18PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"--> Transmitting data [09 00 13 03 02 20 02 05 03]"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:18PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"--> Status = [1] - Received 0 bytes Data"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:18PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"ACK Received"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:18PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"--> Status = [0] - Received 4 bytes Data [04 01 13 01]"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:18PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"Status Frame Received"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:18PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"Response frame Received.  Putting data in receive buffer."
Sep 15 2006,09:03:18PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"+++ Looking for 1, 19 (0x13), buffer contains 1, 19"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:18PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"Received Response"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:18PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"--> Status = [0] - Received 5 bytes Data [05 00 13 03 00]"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:18PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"Status Frame Received"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:18PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"Request frame Received.  Putting data in command queue."
Sep 15 2006,09:03:18PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"+++ Dispatching Event data [05 00 13 03 00]"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:18PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"Transmit OK [Node ID = 3]."
Sep 15 2006,09:03:18PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"Sending Subscription Notification for list [Z-Wave Transmit Result]"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:18PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"--> Status = [0] - Received 9 bytes Data [09 00 04 00 03 03 20 03 00]"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:18PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"Status Frame Received"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:18PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"Request frame Received.  Putting data in command queue."
Sep 15 2006,09:03:18PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"+++ Dispatching Event data [09 00 04 00 03]"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:18PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"Sending Subscription Notification for list [Z-Wave Reception]"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:18PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"--> Sending Subscription Notification.  Filter=[Node=3], Level=[0]"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:19PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"--> Status = [0] - Received 9 bytes Data [09 00 04 00 03 03 20 03 00]"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:19PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"Status Frame Received"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:19PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"Request frame Received.  Putting data in command queue."
Sep 15 2006,09:03:19PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"+++ Dispatching Event data [09 00 04 00 03]"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:19PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"Sending Subscription Notification for list [Z-Wave Reception]"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:19PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"--> Sending Subscription Notification.  Filter=[Node=3], Level=[0]"
Sep 15 2006,09:03:21PM,Z-Wave,Debug,"--> Status = [3] - Received 0 bytes Data"

Osler

Osler · Post by **Osler** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 11:08 pm

This is the manual that came with the switch:

http://www.act-solutions.com/pdfs/HomeP ... _instr.pdf

It has information on the new functions of the switch and how to use them (i.e., bits settings).

My manual also has a discussion regarding how a Static Update Controller is required for status notification. The USB transmitter should be the SUC, but it appears this functionality needs to be enabled. A search of SUC and SIS and Z-wave should return some more information regarding this.

Osler

Osler · Post by **Osler** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 11:29 pm

Scott:

There appears to be two api's for controllers - regular and static. Which did you use for HouseBot?

http://www.zen-sys.com/media/381.pdf

Osler

Post by **ScottBot** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 3:57 pm

It's unfortunate to see that you didn't receive any trace data to indicate the status change data is being sent.

The USB controller is a 'static' controller, so it it uses the 'static' api. There mus be additional work that needs to be done to get this data (if the USB controller is even capable of it).

Thanks for the info. I'll see if I can dig up more info later, but if you uncover any more clues, let me know.

Osler · Post by **Osler** » Sun Oct 01, 2006 10:34 pm

Scott:

Got some more info on the ACT "instant status" feature. It appears to be a hack that skirts the edge of being Z-wave compliant. From what I can gather, the switches will send an all-on command to both group 1 and 4. It is up to the software to interpret these two signals as an "instant status" message. This is NOT "instant status" called out in the Z-wave protocol.

Read here for a little more detail:

http://www.cocoontech.com/index.php?showtopic=4534&st=0

Osler