Eib
Charles Law
Posts: 72
Does anyone know about EIB for lighting control? Anything in AMX can communicate with EIB, converter needed?
Is it a standard in Europe?
Any information would be highly appreciated.
Thanks
Charles
Is it a standard in Europe?
Any information would be highly appreciated.
Thanks
Charles
0
Comments
EIB is a very common bus in Europe, but is also used all over the world.
We (Comm-Tec, Germany) have a gateway solution, which can be used with NetLinx and AXcess (with AXcess, an 232++ Box or Card is required).
Find attached the Manual to our CTG-EIB gateway.
For pricing and shipment details, please contact our Export manager Michael Kirsch:
Michael Kirsch
Export Manager
COMM-TEC GmbH
Phone: +49-7161-3000-490
Mobile: +49-173-341-1103
Fax: +49-7161-3000-333
Email: Mkirsch@Comm-Tec.de
WWW.COMM-TEC.DE
Kind regards,
Keep in mind however, that IEB bus is very picky on the load and the physical length of the cables. But this is a different story and nothing to do with the gateway itself.
Marc,
Any remark or advice about your gateway working with products from Merten in Germany?
Thanks
Charles
The module furnished by Comm-Tec is doing everything for you. The most complicated generally is to get from electricians guys the adress of the different equipments on the bus. Often you can get it easily by asking them to print the configuration of the EIB system from the software they use to configure it.
I would advice you also for better efficiency to use it with NetLinx Systems as sometimes you can get a lot of infos from EIB systems and Axcess are a little too slow sometimes to manage it perfectly.
Vinc
Charles,
EIB has a defined set of control types, most common are 1Bit, 4Bit and 1Byte. Every manufacturer who wants to be in the EIB association, must work with these standard types. So the brand of the EIB components doesn't matter.
Marc
EIB is pretty strongly standardized and interoperable, the protocol and data types are defined and implementation verified so there's really no problem whichever manufacturer (or combination) is used.
While EIB devices have a physical address used to configure them (kind of like a MAC address), the functionality happens over a logical layer of group addresses. Every group address represents a function (f.e. turn on/off bedroom light) and therefore a data type (in this case 1 bit). If the light can be dimmed, there would be another group adress to dim that light up or down (4 bits), a group address to set the dim value (8 bits), and maybe a group address to read the current dim value (8 bit as well).
The dimmer device waits for messages on all of these group adresses and dims the light accordingly. You could have 2 dimmer devices reacting on the same group adresses.
Hope this helps.
Fred
AXG-EIB has a limitation for using 256 group for each data type (I don't know, is this limitationa of Netlinx Module or AXG-EIB Firmware), so when you use a big EIB system (my system was about 135 switching relays and 6 dimmers) you can achieve limitations of used EIB group address.
Also, interchange between AMX and EIB is not so fast, so feedback works with delays. If you use macro to switch light off in many rooms (light zones) it can take about several seconds.
Of course, you need contact EIB engineer to program EIB groups for your need.
And I found a bug with using group 127 (AXG-EIB hangs).
Main feature of EIB system is independent (from AMX) buttons, which can operate light without AMX powered.
To Marc Scheibein:
Correct me, if I'm wrong.
Sergey.
The Limitation of 255 elements of each type is some kind of "historic". The AXB/AXC-232++ was limited im memory, and in the 255-element-limit of AXcess in general.
The feedback delay depends more on the slow EIB than of the Gateway performance. The NetLinx Module is visibly faster in processing than the 232++ solution.
About the GroupID-127 bug:
In the latest version of the module (v4.3), this bug is fixed. This version can be downloaded from our Website, and is shipped on a CD with every gateway.
http://infosys.comm-tec.de/files/db_files/produkte/hersteller/amx/sc_systemcalls/nx_cteib4.zip
(I hope the direct link works)
Of course, I wrote about delays in all system (EIB-AMX), because you must keep in mind this when you design AMX control and EIB systems.
I post above information for new users of AXG-EIB. I think, this is usefull to know about botlleneck places.
Sergey.
Marc,
Would you please clarify whether the module, at least v.4.3, is still limited to 255 addresses for each address type?
Is there any other workaround except an additional gateway?
Using the possibility to talk about EIB... I have an issue with EIB lighting feedback. I am not sure where the problem lies exactly - it might be EIB bus load issue, EIB-AMX gateway processing or even because of use of specific dimmers, whatever...
Here the situation. I use EIB gateway switch array (1bit) for providing feedback on the lighting (basically highlighting the areas on the touch panels according to the array values).
When I switch on EIB master (for the area) group address (1bit)or scene (1byte) - I can get feedback from the areas; with some delay but it is reliable: all the areas involved are eventually highlighted.
The problem starts with master off or scene disable: some of the areas left as on (that means the switch array element value is still 1). I have to press master off or scene disable button again (usually a few times - every time the curcuit feedback that left on finally goes off).
Need to say that couplers blink normally - no sign of overloading...
Any ideas..? Might be someone already faced anything similar..? Thank you in advance.
I'm not sure that I clearly understand you, but, may be, this can help you:
EIB module deosn't update all values of arrays (1,bit, 4 bit, 1 byte etc.) when one of them changed, so you must pull status from EIB device on every group address, that act on this device.
For example, for dimmer you need to use 1byte value as status. And pool 1 byte value from dimmer for EVERY group address that can change dimmer state include scenes etc.
For clarify this watch in debug arrays values.
It's planned to release this new module in February '05.
Thanks, Sergey. Yes, we had problem with feedback from the dimmers, but we resolved it by providing 1 bit address solely for feedback for every circuit. This was a recommendation from Altenburger on specific dimmers.
As I understand usually the dimmers already have feedback object and what you need is to activate it. Basically, if one using 1 bit dimmer address for writing and reading, reading the address (just through the switch type array) will give 1bit=1 when 255>= 1byte >0 and 1bit=0 when 1byte=0. This is what we get either using dedicated address for feedack or dimmer's "internal" 1bit. Please correct me if smth is wrong.
BTW, you touched something what I do not understand. This is polling function from the gateway. From the manual I see it is used for getting actual value from the addresses. I am a bit confused when to use it. I have 1 bit addresses what are changed without polling from AMX, just being put in the switch array - can someone explain, why is it changed by itself?... Some other addresses are configurated to notify the bus within period of time but it is done by an EIB engineer...
Marc,
Perhaps it is related with my not so clear understanding on how the module works (I have already asked about polling function in previous post), but why not to automatically provide the changes with the arrays?
[TP,1] = EIB_SWITCH[1]
your button will be updated, but if you need a EIB feedback as a trigger (i.e. an EIB switch in the wall should send the "power on" string to a projector), you have to check from time to time the element of the array corresponding to the wall switch. You'll get no "Event" if the feedback array is changed.
With the new module, everytime the gateway gets an change, you'll get a string with the data of the change, like
"SET=SWITCH:4.1" -> Switch4 has changed to value 1
So you can do a
DATA_EVENT[vdvEIB]
{
STRING:
{
}
}
to use it for immediately operation.
The POLL command of the module will send a message to the assigned EIB actuator, to request its state. Normally the EIB actuators are set up to send their changes(!) automatically, but they send the change only ONCE. There are situations you need to request the CURRENT value of an actuator, and so you have to poll the actuator again.
Do you plan to increase dimensions of group address arrays (from 255 now) in new module or this is limited by gateway firmware?
On my opinion, this can be not so easy to parse feedback strings from module. May be you can else pulse chanels on virtual EIB device (for example 2 port on vdv_EIB - channels for Switch, 1 channel - 1-st switcher etc; 3-rd port - for 4bit; etc). Or you already have parser?
2 maxifox:
If you use 1bit as status you need to pool 1 bit value from dimmer. You need to have a dimmer with status - not all can have this. EIB engineer need program separate group address for status for your need. For example, you have status 1bit group address 1/0/10, and commands to dimmer - 1/0/1 as 1bit address and 1/0/2 as 1 byte address.
You need this code in "EIB_Table.axi":
DEFINE_PROGRAM
wait 2
{
IF(X)
{
SWITCH (x)
{
CASE 1 : { Feld = 'ADD SW 1 1/0/1' } // Switch dimmer ON/OFF*)
CASE 2 : { Feld = 'ADD SW 2 1/0/10} //dimmer 1bit status *)
CASE 3 : { Feld = 'ADD 1B 1 1/0/2' } // Set dimmer to level 0-255*)
(* Auto-Poll Dimmer 1 *)
CASE 4 : { Feld = 'WHEN SW 1 POLL SW 2' }
CASE 5 : { Feld = 'WHEN 1B 1 POLL SW 2' }
DEFAULT: { Feld = "" } // Abbruch
}
if(Feld <> "")
{
system_call 'EIB4_NX Send Command' (vdvEIB,Feld)
X = X + 1
}
else
X = 0
}
}
2 Marc:
Correct me if I'm wrong somewhere
Hmmm. What I have a bit different. For simplicity lets set 1byte address apart... First, I do not poll status address SW 2. From what I see it follows the curcuit status "automatically" (I mean without explicit polling WHEN SW 1 POLL SW 2).
Second, I have some dimmers which may provide on/off control and status within the same 1 bit (in our case it is SW 1). For such curcuits I do not use SW 2 and do not poll SW 1. Again I see it follows the curcuit status "itself"...
Unfortunately, I cann't understand how it can be - set dimmer value and request a status by one group address. I think, you need consult EIB specialist for it.
Also, read the manual to CTG-EIB gateway and ask Marc for details.
Hi Max,
Im attaching the codes here for your advise. Thanks!
My problem is I am trying to control it via the addresses on the print screen in the attached files but being unfamilier with it, I may have gotten the address wrong thus unable to control it.
The polling is able to show me the feedbacks so the cable should be working.
Attached is the source codes for your review so that you can point out my mistake. Thank you and have a great day ahead!
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elka gateway is problem.
I need v3.01 firmware