Re: Siemens Instabus

[Rick Hughes <richardh@xxxxxxx>]

Mark McCall wrote:
>
>  Tomorrows World also featured the Siemens system on a program
>  about a German voice controlled house last year.  I spoke to
>  Siemens UK and they said they were still a good few months away
>  from officially supplying and supporting Instabus in the UK.
>
>  I'd be interested to hear latest info if anyone has it.


Well they are supplying and supporting, after contacting Siemens via the
link on their WEB site, they called me ( very quickly I might add) and
provided a name of the local distributor.

Their comments were that I would probably like to handle the install
myself, but the commissioning (i.e. programming up ) would have to be
done by recognised dealer.  This I am informed is due to the software
package needed which 'it seems' is not available to the end user.

My local guy has 2 people who have been on the week long commissioning
course.

The system as I understand it (so far) is a DIN rail mounted number of
modules, all switches and control points are connected in series by a 2
wire bus back to the control module.
Each 'point' has a programmable unique address.

There are then a large number of different modules - the switch module
would for example then provide the AC out to a ceiling light, it is
activated on/off.dim via the necessary control code on the bus.  There
is a control pack that can handle up to 64 devices on the bus - if
greater you just keep adding the packs - device limit is 64,000  (now
doesn't that number crop up a lot !)

The wall switches are available in 1/2/4/6 gang etc.  Each 'addressable'
and can be programmed for any effect, i.e. button1= scene 2, button 2=
all off, button 3=lower blinds+scene  etc.

I saw yesterday various wall switches, dimmers, thermostats, radiator
valve actuators etc.


The local guy I met I have to be honest was floored a bit by my
questions, so I guess it is pretty new - he did say they only did the
course last month.
No prices from him, but he stated it is much cheaper than any of the
US systems.


The bit I like was that it is a standard and several manufacturers make
the interfaces and actuators - Siemens being just one of them, and any
EIB device can work with any other EIB device.

They did advise that a touch sensitive LCD panel about to be released
that may or may not allow extra configuration options for end user.

Anybody out there enlighten us further.


Rick

Mark McCall wrote:
>
>  Tomorrows World also featured the Siemens system on a program
>  about a German voice controlled house last year.  I spoke to
>  Siemens UK and they said they were still a good few months away
>  from officially supplying and supporting Instabus in the UK.
>
>  I'd be interested to hear latest info if anyone has it.
>
>  Mark
>
>  > Anybody out there any experience or comments about the Siemens
Instabus
>  > automation system ? http://www.siemens-industry.co.uk/instabus/
Logically
>  > it makes sense as it uses the EIBA standard, and makers such as
MK have
>  > started releasing EIB compatible switches.
>  >
>  > Contacted a local distributor and they advised that
commissioning and
>  > programming has to be done by them (or other such distributor) -
>  > installation can be diy, but they will not provide programming
software.
>  >
>  > It was used as the system for the recent Dream House project on
BBC.
>  >
>  > Rick
>  >
>  >
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