Using Trigger Inputs

[ConnectingKY]

I own and operate a home systems integration company and we have been looking for ways to add smart enabled landscape and hardscape lighting to our current systems. After briefly trying to incorporate the use of Raspberry Pi and Python coding, I'm believing LOR may be the way to go as we want the ability to control RGB independently from a controller and have higher load capacity. The need is based on either the full system being one control or by having control of each diode in each light individually by home-running all 18/4 to wiring cans.

 

My question is with the InputPup and CMB24 modules. We are looking at needing anywhere from 3-8 separate scenes. My thought on this was to simply take relay outputs from our home automation system to each trigger input on the CMB24 and if we need more inputs, use the InputPUP as an accessory. It's been a while since I have used LOR (in fact, wireless links were just being introduced to the lineup) and wanted some input from those who have used these modules. This would be a standalone system where the CMB24 units would be located in storage rooms and garages inside wiring cans while the InputPUP would be located in the basement near the home automation system and linked via Cat6. We only do new construction so this would be a simple task for us as we would wire it during the rough-in stage of the home build process. An example of Pup placement is shown below. 

 

My main goal would be to have a button on iPad and iPhone interfaces as well as the wall-mounted touch screen controllers that would act as a scene controller which would have options such as:

• White
• Amber
• Christmas (Red/Green)
• Patriotic (Red/White/Blue)
• Slow Fade Full (RGB fade with 1.8 second delay between fades across full house)
• Slow Fade Alternating (RGB fade with 1.8 second delay between fades with fixtures fading in sequence)
• Fast Fade Full ((RGB fade with 1.0 second delay between fades across full house)
• Fast Fade Alternating (RGB fade with 1.0 second delay between fades with fixtures fading in sequence)

My goal, as always, is to offer our customers with something truly custom and this could also include water feature lighting, deck lighting, or even controlled under-cabinet lighting. It used to be done with systems such as Crestron and even basic Lutron RadioRA systems but I want to offer something that is much more flexible and can easily control any dimmable LED fixture inside or out of the house as well as business locations.

 

So all in all, am I looking in the right direction?

[Vic Fortenbach]

The scenario you have listed is certainly do-able. However the CMB24 only has 3 inputs, so the InputPup would have to be used if you wanted more than 3 "scenes".

As for the scenes themselves, they would be actual LOR sequences. These sequences could be very simple or highly detailed and could be changed easily (as you have mentioned for the holidays).

[Steven]

The big difference between LOR and home automation is that in a LOR network there is one "master", that sends lighting commands to the controllers in the network, and polls input triggers. Unlike most home automation, when a controller stops receiving from the master, either because the master is down or the network connection has failed, then the controller will turn off all the lights, within a couple of seconds. This means there is a single point of failure, which may not be a big problem, if you set up the network correctly.

 

While a CMD24D can act as a simple master (in standalone mode), it can't poll other devices for trigger inputs. Therefore, you'll need to use something like a mDM-MP3.

[garylipps]

I have an input pup and have figured out how to start a list of sequence with motion detector or button. 

What I like to do is have a sequence playing all the time over and over which acts like background sequence; however, when the motion detector is actived, the background sequence would stop while a list of sequences start to play.  Basicly my show would start when a car drives up.      After all the sequences play, the background show would return until the next car or motion was detected.   Does anyone know if this can be done within lightorama software?

 

The problem is my house is completely dark until the motion detector activates the sequence.  If I use background function, I have to have that sequence playing all the time with it's on unique set of channels.

 

Any help here would be greatly appreciated.

[Army Lights]

I'm curious about some of these same questions, but I see this thread has not been responded to in a bit. Basically, I want to have one sequence running off of my CMB24D continuously, but when a PIR Motion Detector is tripped, I'd like a second, shorter, sequence to play without interrupting the first sequence. Would I just use an LOR1602MP3 to accomplish this, and keep it completely separate from the other sequence? Both sequences need to be musical sequences, not animation.

 

If, in fact, I did want the first sequence to be interrupted, is that even possible given that I'd want to run a set of outputs/lights in another area from where the background sequence is running?

 

I know this is probably a very basic question, but if anyone can point me to a step-by-step with triggering, I'd appreciate it.  

[Steven]

Basically, I want to have one sequence running off of my CMB24D continuously,

The CMB24D can run a "stand-alone" sequence itself, but it can't play music, so I assume you really mean that your CMB24D is connected to a LOR network where a sequence is playing.

 

but when a PIR Motion Detector is tripped, I'd like a second, shorter, sequence to play without interrupting the first sequence.

Any LOR show player, including the LOR software running on a PC, a MP3 Director, or MP3 miniDirector can only play one audio file at once.

Also, the show player cannot stop and resume a sequence from the middle. (Only the Sequence Editor can do that.)

 

You could have multiple LOR networks, each controlled by a show player, such as an MP3 Director. One could be set up to run a sequence when triggered, and this could have a dedicated controller connected to it that would throw relays that would switch your main CMB24D from one LOR network to the other (which may cause a glitch, but you'll have to experiment to know for sure). It could also switch the audio, or insert a resistor to lower the volume from the other show player.