Compatible RF protocols/appliances with Home Easy

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  • fraser237
    Automated Home Lurker
    • Oct 2010
    • 1

    Compatible RF protocols/appliances with Home Easy

    I have wired HomeEasy Ultra sockets and switches throughout the house which I am controlling via the rather cumbersome HE100.

    I bought a Ebode TAKE10 remote, advertised as IR/RF Universal as I assumed I could pair this up with the switches, only to find out it is "X10 RF"

    I've also got some old BBSB sockets in my loft that I was going to use again (the ones with I-IV dial and A-D dials)

    Does anyone know what/if one of the combinations will pick up signals sent by the X10 remote? Device/address etc

    (I know this may seem like asking for saturdays lotto numbers but when I google...well...its all dutch to me )
  • Ad
    Automated Home Jr Member
    • Mar 2004
    • 34

    #2
    Sorry, but AFAIK none of those combinations work - HomeEasy does not talk to X10, not sure on byebye standby talking to homeeasy, but I know that X10 does not talk to BBSB.

    Comment

    • toscal
      Moderator
      • Oct 2005
      • 2061

      #3
      Have a look at RFXCOM. This can receive and transmit X10 and Home Easy signals. so this maybe what you need.
      You may need some extra software to make it all work.
      IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.
      Renovation Spain Blog

      Comment

      • martynwendon
        Automated Home Sr Member
        • Feb 2009
        • 57

        #4
        Hi,

        As long as the X10 remote is 434MHZ, you should be able to use this to control BBSB, Byron and HomeEasy devices that use the older X10 style protocol (the ones with the dials to set house code and device number).

        Alternatively, RFXCom transmitters / receivers could be combined with HA software such as xAP Floorplan, HouseBot, HomeSeer, etc and used to provide an even greater level of control.


        Martyn

        Originally posted by fraser237 View Post
        I have wired HomeEasy Ultra sockets and switches throughout the house which I am controlling via the rather cumbersome HE100.

        I bought a Ebode TAKE10 remote, advertised as IR/RF Universal as I assumed I could pair this up with the switches, only to find out it is "X10 RF"

        I've also got some old BBSB sockets in my loft that I was going to use again (the ones with I-IV dial and A-D dials)

        Does anyone know what/if one of the combinations will pick up signals sent by the X10 remote? Device/address etc

        (I know this may seem like asking for saturdays lotto numbers but when I google...well...its all dutch to me )
        My Blog

        Comment

        • toscal
          Moderator
          • Oct 2005
          • 2061

          #5
          don't know why but my post didn't get posted so here goes again.
          The frequency is 433.92MHz, its also referred to as 433.
          And BBSB, Byron, HomeEasy and Domia Lite are not compatible with X10. Never have been.
          BBSB is compatible with HomeEasy, Byron (who makes HomeEasy for B and Q), Domia Lite (which is not the same as Domia) and Klik on Klik off (Ikea has sold this in the past). There is another which I think is called Koopla or something, but this could just be part of the klik on klik off range.
          The confusion comes from Domia Lite and the Domia range. The Domia range is X10 compatible.
          Here is a review that Automated Home did on BBSB. This also explains that it is not compatible with X10.
          IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.
          Renovation Spain Blog

          Comment

          • martynwendon
            Automated Home Sr Member
            • Feb 2009
            • 57

            #6
            Maybe I am confused, but I have the following devices that all appear to utilise X10 RF protocol:

            HE302W (have half a dozen of these on X10 house code G)

            Byron RS3, RS18, RS61 (have various quantities of these on X10 house code B, C, K)

            Byron RS15 (have a load of these on X10 house code H)

            HomeEasy HE403 (have a fair few of these PIRs on X10 house code D)

            DomiaLite MS (have a fair few of these PIRs on X10 house code F)

            Also have a DomiaLite DPTS10-DL touch screen on X10 house code E)


            They all appear to take X10 style House Code / Device Code addressing via RFXCom.



            Martyn


            Originally posted by toscal View Post
            don't know why but my post didn't get posted so here goes again.
            The frequency is 433.92MHz, its also referred to as 433.
            And BBSB, Byron, HomeEasy and Domia Lite are not compatible with X10. Never have been.
            BBSB is compatible with HomeEasy, Byron (who makes HomeEasy for B and Q), Domia Lite (which is not the same as Domia) and Klik on Klik off (Ikea has sold this in the past). There is another which I think is called Koopla or something, but this could just be part of the klik on klik off range.
            The confusion comes from Domia Lite and the Domia range. The Domia range is X10 compatible.
            Here is a review that Automated Home did on BBSB. This also explains that it is not compatible with X10.
            My Blog

            Comment

            • toscal
              Moderator
              • Oct 2005
              • 2061

              #7
              Just because they have similar addressing wheels doesn't make the same as X10.
              The RFXCOM can communicate with over 14 different RF systems. Which is why it can talk to many different devices. I do know that the 868.95MHz RFXCOM which talks to Visonic sensors can map these to X10 codes.
              Most on line shops say somewhere when they are selling DomiaLite, BBSB etc, that they are not X10 compatible.
              IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.
              Renovation Spain Blog

              Comment

              • martynwendon
                Automated Home Sr Member
                • Feb 2009
                • 57

                #8
                I'm using xPLRFX - the RFXCom therefore doesn't know *which* particular RF device it is talking to when it is transmitting, I simply either send it a command using x10.basic or a command using homeeasy.basic depending on which devices I want to address.

                Or are you saying that the RFXCom is simply broadcasting the command in every single RF Protocol possible - possible I guess but it seems unlikely....

                I also have some "proper" X10 PIRs (MS13) and Magnetic Switches (DS10) and I can "pair" these with the receive devices mentioned previously....to me, this would suggested that they are all talking the same protocol?


                Martyn

                Originally posted by toscal View Post
                Just because they have similar addressing wheels doesn't make the same as X10.
                The RFXCOM can communicate with over 14 different RF systems. Which is why it can talk to many different devices. I do know that the 868.95MHz RFXCOM which talks to Visonic sensors can map these to X10 codes.
                Most on line shops say somewhere when they are selling DomiaLite, BBSB etc, that they are not X10 compatible.
                My Blog

                Comment

                • toscal
                  Moderator
                  • Oct 2005
                  • 2061

                  #9
                  Originally posted by martynwendon View Post
                  I'm using xPLRFX - the RFXCom therefore doesn't know *which* particular RF device it is talking to when it is transmitting, I simply either send it a command using x10.basic or a command using homeeasy.basic depending on which devices I want to address.

                  Or are you saying that the RFXCom is simply broadcasting the command in every single RF Protocol possible - possible I guess but it seems unlikely....

                  I also have some "proper" X10 PIRs (MS13) and Magnetic Switches (DS10) and I can "pair" these with the receive devices mentioned previously....to me, this would suggested that they are all talking the same protocol?


                  Martyn
                  Actually it does know which device it is talking to since you send either a homeeasy.basic which must be for BBSB and x10.basic must be for X10 commands (see below about mapping virtual X10 devices to BBSB.
                  If you want I could email you the X10 rf protocol documents and the DomiaLite RF protocol documents and you will see they are not the same.

                  I also know that the RFXCOM Visonic 868.95 receiver can map Visonic sensors to an X10 address. It maybe that the RFXCOM 433.92 does something similar.
                  I also suggest you read this on the xpl monkey website. As it clearly states
                  Note - Standard X10 devices, including those that are mapped to X10 such as ELRO, NEXA, KlikOn-KlikOff and Domia Lite, do not require configuration and so do not appear here.
                  and then further down there is this
                  Unlike previous RFXCOM transmitters, when sending X10.basic commands to the RFXMitter, by default the message will only be sent as standard X10. To select a different protocol, add a line at the end of the xPL message body as shown in this example to send a Domia Lite command:

                  xpl-cmnd
                  x10.basic
                  {
                  command=on
                  device=B6
                  protocol=domialite
                  }
                  If it wasn't different then why would you need to do this.
                  Last edited by toscal; 2 November 2010, 01:11 PM.
                  IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.
                  Renovation Spain Blog

                  Comment

                  • martynwendon
                    Automated Home Sr Member
                    • Feb 2009
                    • 57

                    #10
                    I agree that in *receiving* the RFXCom receiver / xPLRFX software will determine which protocol is being received and can map it appropriately...

                    But in transmitting, that's the point I was making, when I send an xPL command, I send x10.basic and this then sends *just* the X10 RF protocol does it not? As far as I can see I don't specify any different protocol anywhere in the xPL message....

                    The devices I listed previously will all react to the commands that are sent so they must be recognizing X10 RF, unless xPLRFX / RFXCom is broadcasting in every possible RF protocol by default?

                    Additionally, I can pair these devices directly with MS13 and DS10 devices (i.e. with no involvement from RFXCom) so either the MS13 and DS10 are also transmitting every possible RF protocol, or these devices are able to recognise X10 RF?

                    I guess the bottom line for the OP is to try his X10 remote with the BBSB devices that he has in the loft and see if they work or not....since he owns both bits of kit already he has nothing to lose.....


                    Martyn

                    Originally posted by toscal View Post
                    Actually it does know which device it is talking to since you send either a homeeasy.basic which must be for BBSB and x10.basic must be for X10 commands (see below about mapping virtual X10 devices to BBSB.
                    If you want I could email you the X10 rf protocol documents and the DomiaLite RF protocol documents and you will see they are not the same.

                    I also know that the RFXCOM Visonic 868.95 receiver can map Visonic sensors to an X10 address. It maybe that the RFXCOM 433.92 does something similar.
                    I also suggest you read this on the xpl monkey website. As it clearly states


                    and then further down there is this If it wasn't different then why would you need to do this.
                    My Blog

                    Comment

                    • toscal
                      Moderator
                      • Oct 2005
                      • 2061

                      #11
                      Originally posted by martynwendon View Post

                      But in transmitting, that's the point I was making, when I send an xPL command, I send x10.basic and this then sends *just* the X10 RF protocol does it not? As far as I can see I don't specify any different protocol anywhere in the xPL message.

                      Martyn

                      You didn't read my last post.
                      So here is the important bit. From the link I gave you
                      Some devices are compatible with the Domia Lite protocol. Commands for these devices are mapped to standard X10 house and unit codes, and so appear as X10 devices in xPL. Other devices use a proprietary HomeEasy protocol, translated to homeeasy.basic in xPL.

                      Note the word Mapped. This means that they are not the same.
                      IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.
                      Renovation Spain Blog

                      Comment

                      • b_weijenberg
                        Automated Home Sr Member
                        • Sep 2006
                        • 54

                        #12
                        Sorry if we have made it confusing.

                        The HomeEasy, BBSB and Domia Lite are different from X10.

                        RFXCOM transmitter:
                        The application sends X10 commands to the RFXCOM transmitter. The RFXCOM transmitter translates the X10 into other protocols depending on the protocols enabled in the transmitter.

                        RFXCOM RFXmitter:
                        The application sends commands to the RFXmitter in the native format.

                        RFXCOM 433.92MHz receiver:
                        The received packets of Domia Lite, BBSB remotes and sensors are translated in the receiver to X10 lighting format. This is also true for HomeEasy devices and remotes having address wheels. The HomeEasy packets from devices with program button have a different format and are not translated.

                        RFXCOM 868.95 Visonic receiver:
                        The Visonic packets are translated to X10 security format.

                        Translation in the RFXCOM receivers and transmitter has been made available to make all the RF products available to Home Automation applications so that almost nothing has to be changed in the applications.

                        So to answer to the subject of this thread:
                        Yes, RFXCOM is fully compatible with all HomeEasy RF modules, remotes and sensors.
                        Home Automation applications that can be used to operate with HomeEasy are:
                        • DomotiGa (Linux) http://www.domotiga.nl/
                        • HomeAutom8 (iPhone) http://www.homeautom8.com/
                        • HomeSeer (Windows) http://store.homeseer.com/store/RFXC...n-P529C94.aspx
                        • Housebot (Windows) http://www.housebot.com/
                        • xPLRFX (Windows) http://www.xplmonkey.com/rf.html
                        • XTension (Mac) http://www.shed.com/

                        Comment

                        • toscal
                          Moderator
                          • Oct 2005
                          • 2061

                          #13
                          Thanks Burt.
                          It wasn't that confusing for me. But I can see where the confusion can occur.

                          As a side note any chance of getting RFXCOM to work with the HouseTech/House Heat heating system.
                          IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.
                          Renovation Spain Blog

                          Comment

                          • martynwendon
                            Automated Home Sr Member
                            • Feb 2009
                            • 57

                            #14
                            Thanks Bert, that clears up the xPLRFX / RFXCom confusion - I'm using RFXCom Transmitters so I guess that I have other protocols enabled and it therefore is transmitting in all available protocols.....

                            .....but that doesn't explain why I can take a HomeEasy HE302W (plug socket) or a Byron RS18 (4-way), put it into program mode, activate an X10 MS13 PIR so that it transmits an on command, and the HomeEasy HE302W or RS18 will happily turn on / off in response to the on / off from the MS13.....

                            There is no software / RFXCom / xPLRFX involved here, so either the MS13 is transmitting a HomeEasy / DomiaLite protocol (unlikely?) or certain HomeEasy / Byron / DomiaLite devices do indeed understand X10 RF? Maybe I just have a few oddball units in amongst the many I have here.....I first noticed this as a side effect of attempting to program certain units since if I don't "get in quick" then inevitably a PIR will activate and inadvertently become paired with the device I'm attempting to pair with....

                            My point to the original poster is still that he has nothing to lose by trying other than a few minutes of his time if it doesn't work....

                            Martyn

                            Originally posted by toscal View Post
                            You didn't read my last post.
                            So here is the important bit. From the link I gave you
                            Some devices are compatible with the Domia Lite protocol. Commands for these devices are mapped to standard X10 house and unit codes, and so appear as X10 devices in xPL. Other devices use a proprietary HomeEasy protocol, translated to homeeasy.basic in xPL.

                            Note the word Mapped. This means that they are not the same.
                            My Blog

                            Comment

                            • toscal
                              Moderator
                              • Oct 2005
                              • 2061

                              #15
                              Can you, change the code on the MS13 and try that again but with all your the RFXCOM stuff unplugged. And see what happens.
                              I now understand why you are convinced that they are similar.
                              IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.
                              Renovation Spain Blog

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