new homevision user

[supra59uk]

Hi everyone
Paul here
just bought the homevision does anyone have any good tips when i start to set it up, im totally new to automation so any good avice will be welcomed
im going to be using x10 stuff at first for lighting etc,i have a harmony 1000 remote which works my blu ray dvd ,skytv, av yamaha amp , and a spider box which is for euro tv , not sure if the homevision can make for a better settup to control my stuff ? i also have a standard burgular alam system again not to sure if i can hook that into the system ,and if so how does it control it ,hopefully thats give you guys, gals a bit of idea to start me off automating lol oh i am a spark by trade so hopefully that will help a little along the way, hope to here from all soon cant wait to get going as it should be here tomorrow
Thanks Paul

[toscal]

Do you have the XM10 interface. As you will need one of these, to control your X10 stuff.
The HV is very reliable. I use a Harmony 895 to control my HV. This remote came with the wireless IR sender. I stuck one of the remote IR eyes on to the front of the HV. I then used an old Sharp TV remote and taught the Harmony the IR codes and then labled the remote with lights on, lights off, Lounge bright lounge dim etc. Once I had done this I taught my HV these codes. Then assigned the relevant X10 commands to those codes.
You should also head on over to the HV forum/user group .
Programming the HV unit is quite straight forward.
I have set up certain timed operations. So that at a random time before sunset some of the lights in the lounge come on. I have a button set on my remote to bedtime. press this and the HV will gradually switch all lights off. The whole process takes about 15minutes, so plenty of time to get to bed etc. I did have a plug in module on my kettle so used to fill up the kettle plug it into the appliance module so when I woke up the kettle would have just boiled. I even have my pool pump controlled by my HV. It will detect when its summer an adjust the pump run times accordingly also I have a button on the screen to run the pump for 24 hours if I need it.
I suggest you have a look a Schelte's version of the HV software,as this will give you the control screen. Ideal if you have a touch screen on your PC. I even did a Star Trek inspired control screen for fun.
Need any more help just ask.

[supra59uk]

Hi Toscal

some great ideas reguarding the remote control should be able to do that with my 1000 ,will be using that one lol

My hv never arrived today so im gutted but theres always tomorrow, mind got my other stuff but still cant play with them till the hv arrives

when you mention control screen is this for a computer monitor or is it the conrol screen for the tv or both ? unfortunatley i have no touch screen but was thinking of buying a touch control panel if anyone knows of one which will work with this system there was one on simply automate but its disapeared off the site.

Im sure i will have loads more questions once my box arrives but is there anything i can do in the hv software while im waiting like setting up my devices,also can i setup devices which i know im going to use even if there not actually in the system as yet.

Been looking at the software and its all abit confusing to me not to sure where i start so any advise on that will be good.

Great treky screen by the way did it take long to do ?


thanks again Paul

[toscal]

If you let me know what you want to try and do then I can help.
The LCARS screen took a few hours to get right, then another hour or so to add the control buttons and staus updates.
I did it as a bit of fun. My usual HV screen is a plan of the house. You just touch or select the room and this brings up the control page for that room.
I use an Airpanel from viewsonic. This is a wireless remote monitor. It runs a version of windows CE and connect to the pc using RDP. Don't use it that often at the moment, but its good for showing off to friends and clients.

[supra59uk]

Hi Toscal
Your Hv normal Screen sound Very impressive like the sound of that lol

1. Firstly i would like to had my two devices into the software so it knows what i have which is 1x Ld11 and 1 x apliance module, im only asuming thats what i will have to do to make it work

2. i dont fully understand the different house codes , im thinking its for ,so you can set lots of different adresses example house code a will have 16 devices B 16 devices and so on please correct me if thats wrong.

3. once the hv is connected to the pc do you see alot more in the software or does the software pretty much stay as it is till i start adding things into it

4. does the hv come with any preset settings already built in or does it just rely on all the setting i have to enter into the software and then upload ?

5 you mentioned the LD11 are not very reliable do you have a good alternative to use, there will be 10 x dimmer mods all hard wired and 5x non dim mods i will be using im going to stick with the x10 till plcbus comes more popular in the uk

and finally the other thing i would like to do is set the box up ready for when i buy all my other stuff mainly lighting control.

Sorry if these seem daft questions
The reasons im asking some of the questions is im going to my caravan for the weekend and i thought it would be good to take the hv and my lappy with me and start entering stuff into it.

[toscal]

1. Firstly i would like to had my two devices into the software so it knows what i have which is 1x Ld11 and 1 x apliance module, im only asuming thats what i will have to do to make it work

All you do is go to the objects menu option and select X10 modules. Here you will see all X10house and unit codes. clicking on the name will allow you to call it something more meaningful.
Then in the objects menu you also have a macro option. This allows you to setup a sequence of events. For example you could have a macro that does the following: (this is my bedtime macro)
X-10: A 6 (Lounge Light) Transmit only house/unit code
X-10: Transmit House Code 'A' Off
X-10: A 2 (HiFi Lights) Force Dim Slow 2 Times
Load Timer #0 (Timer 0) With 0:00:00:00 And Start
Wait 0:15:00:00 with timer #0 (Timer 0), Then:
X-10: A 2 (HiFi Lights) Force Dim Slow 23 Times
X-10: A 16 (X10 A 16) Off
X-10: A 10 (Outside lights on /OFF) Force Off
End Wait

What this does is turns of lights A6 , then dim A2 lights a bit.Then 15 mins later dim A2 to zero. Turn Off A16 and A10.
The force off or on command means that even if HV thinks a unit is off or on it will still send the command.
To program a macro just select the macro action.
Now you can then assign this macro to either an X10 action or schedule. So you could have say A9 ON as the macro so when you send an A9 ON it will run the macro. or have the macro run when a certain time is reached. Or both.

2. i dont fully understand the different house codes , im thinking its for ,so you can set lots of different adresses example house code a will have 16 devices B 16 devices and so on please correct me if thats wrong.

Thats correct. Also you can zone your system. I have House Code A for the lounge and outside lights, B for Main Bedroom, C for Office etc.

3. once the hv is connected to the pc do you see alot more in the software or does the software pretty much stay as it is till i start adding things into it

software will stay the same, except for things like Macro,Schedule and various control options.

4. does the hv come with any preset settings already built in or does it just rely on all the setting i have to enter into the software and then upload ?

What do you mean ?.

5 you mentioned the LD11 are not very reliable do you have a good alternative to use, there will be 10 x dimmer mods all hard wired and 5x non dim mods i will be using im going to stick with the x10 till plcbus comes more popular in the uk

Micro modules. See the PM I sent you.

Its better to add as you go rather than do it all in one go. That way if things change its easier to spot where you need to make the changes, or debug. No use trying to get a macro or schedule trying to control a module you don't have. That way if it works and then it doesn't there must be a problem with either the new module or something in the programming.

Just have a play. You can always start a new file if it all goes wibbly wobbly.

I would definitely recommend using Schelte's HVXL version of the program. You will need to load some extra bits of software to get it to run, but its not that hard to do.

[supra59uk]

Hi Toscal

Thanks for answering all my questions,its making it a lot more clearer how things work . good you have sent your bedroom settings a i can understand by reading it how the macro works as well, will have a play with the macros later, mind with only two modules its not going to be difficult will get some more ordered now

Ive had a little play with the software added my modules that ive got, one thing im not to sure on is do i set them force on and off in the defined atcions boxes or just leave it emty
One other thing is when setting the remote up i asume i have one button on and 1 button off, do i have to have a button for 10%, 20%, 30% and so on for dimming levels ? once i start experimenting im sure i will start to get the grips of it but its alway great when someone is there to help.

Again thanks for your help, you sure know your stuff

Cheers Paul

[toscal]

One other thing is when setting the remote up i asume i have one button on and 1 button off, do i have to have a button for 10%, 20%, 30% and so on for dimming levels ? once i start experimenting im sure i will start to get the grips of it but its alway great when someone is there to help.

No you can use the toggle command. It will toggle the module so if its on it will turn it off.
For the dim and bright, just set up a button to say Bright 5 times. And the other for Dim 5 times.
That way you press the bright button once and the light will be 20% or so. Press again and it will increase the brightness again. Pressing the dim will do the reverse.

[supra59uk]

Hi Toscal
Just an Update to where im at with my new adventure

1.Ive managed to setup some simple macros and scedule
2.Ive setup my harmony remote to control the box and all my av equipment got it doing stuff like play dvd and it turns all euipment to the right av,s and lowers the lighting and when i press pause brings the lights up again then when i press play brings them back down.
3. ive setup my own little menu on the hv
so im quite pleased with my self and you for the guidance, but heres where im still not getting things right when i command a dim to say 50% in a macro it doesn't seem to react properly it sometime goes to far then not enough just abit all over the place really, funny seems better when i use homeseer, seems as if theres more control , it seems worse when like i have setup a bedtime macro like yours but only controlling my audio & visual and 2 x times modules when i send the command i have got my A1 lighting mod ld11 to force dim to 12 but it always goes to almost off, and then it does the time lapse same as yours only for less time, then after that same command force dim to 23 which its already at but shouldnt be, but then it dont turn off i have had to ad the force off command in there as well, hope you can shine some light on the matter its really having me pull my bit of hair ive got left out.


4. could you explain how i would set a scene up, i have tryed the commands but nothing happens,i know i will need more lighting mods to acheive a proper scene but there no reaction from my 1 module Ld11, im sure its me doing something wrong as the Ld11 is surposed to be good with scenes etc, or from what i have read they are !!.

5 i have ordered some more modules Lwm1 which im hoping may help with the dimming problems as these send back to the hv box there state or so i understand, is this correct

well thats enough for now hope you can understand what im trying to explain.

and Please if anyone one else as any input please do so im here to learn and then hopefully i can help others when i have, mind at this rate going to be some time lol!!!

Thanks Paul

[toscal]

I will start with scenes.
All scenes are, are just a sequence of commands. Quickest way is to go into the X10 modules menu and select an unused module then click on actions on then set up the commands or macro. So you can have for example A15 On as a scene. And just does, A1 ON, A2 Dim slow 10 times.Or just set up a macro and get the remote to trigger it.
Some modules can also store scenes, these are usually activated by sending a certain house code and unit code. from memory I think they are in the P house code range, but I could be wrong.
Unfortunately HV does have a few problems in tracking X10 modules with regards to dim levels.
Are you using the HV software or Schelte's HVXL version. The HVXL works better. One way to track the dimming levels is to use a variable then use this value to base subsequent dimming levels on. When you get the LWM1, set it to about 30% bright and then using the HV X10 control screen, custom commands send a Transmit status request for that module and see what you get back. As you may be able to use that value to base subsequent dimming on.
If you want to get techie, then these articles on X10 are very good.