- Recent Updates
- Access Control
- Amplifier
- A/V Receiver
- Climate and Pool Control
- Disc Player / Changer
- Display
- DSP
- DVR
- Irrigation / Sprinklers
- Lighting Control
- Matrix Switch
- Media Server and Player
- Multi-Room A/V
- Power and Rack Management
- Security
- Surveillance
- Teleconferencing
- Training
- Tuner
- Utility
- Video Projector
- Voice Control
- Recent Updates
- Access Control
- Amplifier
- A/V Receiver
- Climate and Pool Control
- Disc Player / Changer
- Display
- DSP
- DVR
- Irrigation / Sprinklers
- Lighting Control
- Matrix Switch
- Media Server and Player
- Multi-Room A/V
- Power and Rack Management
- Security
- Surveillance
- Teleconferencing
- Training
- Tuner
- Utility
- Video Projector
- Voice Control
Description:
Controls the Clipsal lighting system via serial or ethernet connection.
Version History:
Version 1.1 adds HVAC control and changes polling method to significantly reduce bandwidth usage.
Clipsal C-Bus Lighting
XP-8 Driver
Connections
The driver supports both serial and ethernet connections to the network. The serial baud rate is fixed at 9600. A standard RTI RJS-232 adapter works fine, although I had to take the cover off the Clipsal Interface to get it to fit well.
Application ID's
The standard C-Bus lighting application number is 56, variables for this ID are listed first but variables for application ID's 48, 49 and 50 are included if you need more network variables.
Variables & commands supported
The driver can send on and off commands as well as timed fade commands to any of the addresses on the local network. It does not support bridging to other networks. Two separate variable set are available. Group xx is a boolean used for reverse states, Level xx can be used on sliders. The commands have the App ID as a parameter (defaulted to 56) that can be changed to control any App ID, but variables are only available for 56 (the standard lighting app ID) and 48, 49, 50.
System Events
The driver will send System Events when the level of any particular address goes from off (0) to on (>0) or back.
Troubleshooting
The driver includes two text variables specifically to aid in trouble shooting: 'Connection Status' and 'Last Message Received'.
'Connection Status' is set to 'Startup' as soon as the XP8 starts the driver. The driver will attempt to make contact with the C-Bus system every 10 seconds. Once it does it will change the variable to 'Initializing' and attempt to load the values of all the devices on the buss. Once it has all the levels it will change the variable to 'Connected' and you're good to go. It is still polling however and if it loses contact for 30 seconds it will switch to 'Not Connected' until it reestablishes contact. This text can be changed by clicking on the {var} text in the Edit Text dialog box.
'Last Message Received' is a short, cryptic dump of the last message received by the driver. It will either give the group number along with true (on) or false (off) for direct switching commands, and will give the group number, level and fade time (in completely arbitrary units).
Revision History
1.0 Initial release of the driver as lighting only. Thermostat (App 0xAC) control will be added in a later release of the driver
1.1 Uses significantly less bandwidth, adds HVAC App control.