HomeVision® has always been my favourite Home Automation controller and it has been the workhorse of my own system for many years, however of late two new technologies have found their way into my affections. I have chosen to replace the majority of my X10 lighting and relay controls with Clipsal C-Bus®. Like HomeVision it works reliably, dependably and much faster than X10 and it has some great extra features. Moving home recently gave me some problems with X10 and hence the opportunity to make the jump - and I did.
I have also chosen to move most of my development work to use xAP.
xAPs a new emerging 'open' Home Automation protocol devised by members of the UKHA fraternity. It's aim is to allow many different types of devices found in a typical 'TechnoHome' to exchange information, status, and control each other. It is really if you like the 'glue' that interconnects all my devices.
Alongside my HomeVision® controller I also use HomeSeer ® as a PC based home automation application and MainLobby ® (and now XLobby ® ) as my graphic front end mainly for the audio/video control and my mp3 music library.
My next task was to get them all talking to each other......
Custom Lighting with HomeVision and C-Bus®
The latest version of the HomeVision controller (v3.42) has a new feature called 'Custom Lighting'. It can be added for existing users via a ROM upgrade from Custom Solutions Inc. This allows HomeVision to be used in much the same way as it has always been for X10 but applied to the many new alternative lighting systems now available. Indeed most lighting controllers that offer an RS232 or RS485 interface could probably be supported this way. The HomeVision implementation is the framework if you like, and as such doesn't specifically support any one system, it is necessary to customise this framework to support a specific system. There is both outline detail and full technical detail available on the HomeVision Custom Lighting implementation.
Essentially there are two approaches available, one of which is software only and hence a 'within the box' solution and one of which uses an external helper application/processor. CSI call these the "User-Created Macro and Variables Method" and the "HomeVision Default Method" respectively, snappy titles eh ! The latter solution will generally perform better as it can offload the C-Bus® management from HomeVision. I have implemented both methods for both HomeVision and HomeVision Pro so you can take your choice.
Both solutions provide for full control of C-Bus® groups in very similar ways to the way you have now with X10 - here is a snippet from the CSI description
C-Bus® scenes are supported via the 'trigger' Group/Level mechanism that C-Bus® utilises.
The Macro solution ( User-Created Macro and Variables Method)
I have written a series of macros that handle the C-Bus® protocol conversion, these are provided in a HomeVision schedule file and need to be copied from that into your own schedules. The custom lighting implementation requires 1 macro and 6 variables and in addition I use another 6 variables and another 4 macros. One of the macros I use provides an 'event' to notify you when C-Bus® groups change state as the custom lighting implementation does not offer this feature, you can then test and action accordingly. The macros provide complete control over C-Bus® and also tracking of changes that happen on C-Bus® so your state table remains truly synchronised with the real world. A spare serial port is required on HomeVision and this is connected to C-Bus® using the RS232 C-Bus® interface module. I have not finalised the pricing yet for these macros but they will be very low cost - around £30 / $50. They will be available (initially in beta form) coincident with the launch of the 3.42 ROM from CSI (update Nov05 - still awaiting Clispal licencing release) .Please note that the macros provided are protected. They are encrypted and will not be viewable or editable within your schedules - however they may be copied and pasted and will function as normal macros.
Advantages
Disadvantages
The Hardware solution (HomeVision Default Method)
"The bee's knee's" :-) This route offloads all the C-Bus® protocol complexity to an external application running on some other 'helper' PC and HomeVision basically issues 'instructions' and receives 'updates' . It therefore offers minimal loading and use of HomeVision resources. HomeVision is connected via a single serial port to the PC and the PC then connects to C-Bus® using a second serial port . Now typically this would be done using a Windows PC or similar but I have taken a slightly different approach. This approach offers all the HomeVision schedule integration features that the macro solution offers but adds power on state synchronisation with C-Bus® and constant re-synchronisation whilst running. even in the very unlikely event that HomeVision missed a C-Bus® state change message it would be corrected within seconds. It is also faster and leaves more space free within HomeVision.
I have designed and had manufactured a complete standalone embedded controller to perform this function, it is a small board about the same size as the HomeVision board, a cased version will be available too. The advantage of such a solution is you are now totally independent of your PC - the unit will run tirelessly similar to HomeVision and get on with its task. It instantly recovers after a power outage and immediately updates HomeVision. One of the main strengths of HomeVision is that it does run as a standalone controller so this approach embodies that model. The other advantage is that the C-Bus®® interface is inbuilt in the design so you can plug C-Bus® RJ45 or cable pairs directly into the board, no longer requiring you to dedicate a RS232 C-Bus® module which in itself costs more than this controller !
The board is actually a very capable piece of hardware with 512K RAM, 512k Flash and 1MB Serial Flash memory, a 22 Mhz processor and some extra serial/parallel interfaces (that are not currently used). It also has an Ethernet interface on board that is used for firmware updates. Later software might make use of these interfaces in interestingThis board design is actually the same hardware used in the xAP to C-Bus®® gateway which is already shipping in beta form - it is simply loaded with a different software personality. Depending on the final firmware sizing it may be possible to run xAP, C-Bus® and HomeVision altogether even but that's a way down the road yet. The hardware is finished and I am in beta test on the xAP personality firmware for C-Bus® - once that's complete I'll be focussing on the HomeVision firmware so this product is still a couple of months away still. (ie circa Dec 05). I estimate the cost at just under £200 / $300.
Advantages
Disadvantages
If you have any further questions or would like to become part of the beta program for any of these products please email me UKUSA.
I can accept payment by PayPal paypal@ukusa.co.uk (don't send anything just yet ), a cheque drawn on a UK bank or via direct transfer to my account here in the UK.
The macro software only solution will be delivered by email and a supporting link to a software update page.
email UKUSA
Consulting
phone 01484 480004
fax 01484 323494
Acknowledgments C-Bus and C-Bus 2 are registered trademarks of Clipsal Integrated Systems HomeVision is a registered trademark of Custom Solutions Inc.