RE: was: Re: Idratek - Serious Contender? Now: Alternative to clipsal switches in C-Bus Install

["Nigel Giddings" <nigel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Kevin,

Keep us posted on how you are doing with this...

I can see me using it later, after I've moved in, to tweak the install.

Thanks for the feedback

Nigel

-----Original Message-----
From: Kevin Hawkins [mailto:lists@xxxxxxx]=20
Sent: 01 February 2006 15:15
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [ukha_d] was: Re: Idratek - Serious Contender? Now:
Alternativ=
e to clipsal switches in C-Bus Install

Absolutely :-)  - a lighting system must work 100% - and anything that=20
impacts that has to be an issue.  Hence why I've tried to stay embedded=20
for all but the very 'nice to have' features, usually ones that involve=20
rich data content (and hence a PC) or don't have any significant impact=20
if they were to fail due to a PC crash.   I was even asked to implement=20
a 'dim/restore the lights' in the kitchen for a couple of secs the other=20
day whenever one of a defined list of TV soaps was due to start....   =
=20
(wouldn't mind if that failed !)  .

Now if the xAP C-Bus gateway had an input/output mapping function=20
inbuilt and embedded ....;-)


Kevin


> Regards
>
> Nigel
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Kevin Hawkins [mailto:lists@xxxxxxx]=20
> Sent: 01 February 2006 14:08
> To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: [ukha_d] was: Re: Idratek - Serious Contender? Now:
Alternat=
ive to clipsal switches in C-Bus Install
>
>
> Nigel Giddings wrote:
>=20=20=20
>> The main driver for this is cost, secondly, as much as I like the
clipsa=
l C-Bus switches they are only switches ...
>>=20=20=20=20=20
> Actually they are quite a bit more in practice. Aside from simple
ONOFF=
=20
> they can easily be set up for many actions including dimming,
ramps,=20
> timers, scene triggers etc, and they have multi state feedback=20
> indicators.  Some switches have IR receivers too.  Most importantly=20
> depending on the model of switch they can also store and manage
scenes=20
> on C-Bus.   C-Bus is also very intelligent with regard to any=20
> discrepancies it comes across (for example 2 switches think a light
is=20
> ON but another switch and a dimmer thinks it's OFF, perhaps caused by
a=20
> glitch, or a network interruption).  There is an involved
arbitration=20
> system that will resolve such inconsistencies that C-Bus switches=20
> participate in.  Also although it is fairly simple to send a
"Group XX=20
> to Level YY" onto C-Bus say via the PCI - something on C-Bus has
to=20
> maintain the group level and report it periodically , you can't
create=20
> 'phantom' groups on C-Bus that are maintained like true C-Bus
groups=20
> (arbitration/reporting/status etc) .  This means that some C-Bus=20
> hardware device has to have the group defined.
>
> One of the things I am doing is using xAP to control C-Bus - hence
any=20
> switch that can generate a xAP command can control a C-Bus load. 
The=20
> xAP Netiom for example has 16 inputs (which are debounced) and thus
can=20
> attach to 16 switches - for =A370+VAT - also you get 16 outputs as
well. =
-=20
> usable for relays with C-Bus control.=20
> http://www.phaedrusltd.com/pages/html/netiom-xap.html
> What I don't know just yet is how immune these are to long distance
runs=
=20
> for the switches. If you can run the wires not alongside any mains
that=20
> would help of course.   For say 4 x 4 way switches in one room this=20
> might be worth considering. There are a couple of other things like
how=20
> to get dimming working based on momentary actions and how to map xAP
to=20
> C-Bus groups but all achievable (currently needs a PC application
helper)=
.
>
> Kevin
>
>
>
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> Yahoo! Groups Links
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> 1/2/2006
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> Yahoo! Groups Links
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