Z-Wave reliability update...
I installed this active USB extension cable from Tripp Lite:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002D6QJO/ref=ohdetailso00s00i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
The Aeon Z-Stick USB controller is now located away from the home theater PC out into in my basement hallway (which has no ceiling), dangling in free air between two floor joists. I installed a J-hook eye into the flooring above for the USB cable to hang from.
This works! 100% of my bad polling alerts have disappeared.
The Tripp Lite cable is interesting. It has a small PCB in a housing on the remote female end. When you plug it in, a generic USB hub driver loads. Then you plug in the Z-Stick and it starts working just as if it was plugged into the PC directly.
Thanks for the help, Ryan and others!
Commentary on Z-Wave Reliability and App Ease of Use
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- Last Post 06 March 2014
Hello -
Earlier this week we released a new version of the Android app that should address the re-connection issue when the screen turns off and doesn't resume properly. Could you verify you have that app and then let us know if it addresses your issue?
As far as z-wave reliability. What's the situation with your USB stick and it's location related to the PC? We've seen problems when the USB stick was plugged directly into PC; the metal on the computer case can interfere with the signal and if it's located near any duct work in the wall, that will make it even worse. If you find yourself in this situation, you may get a drastic improvement in signal if you find a compatible extension cable to move your USB stick to a physically higher location away from any metal obstructions.
There's also an RC version of InControl that has a newer version of the z-wave protocol that may help out because it has smarter routing.
One other tip is to associate your devices with the USB stick if the device supports associations. That way, when someone operates the device manually, it'll send the change to InControl instead of relying on polling. Do this by selecting the device, clicking the Associations button and then checking the USB stick. Note: It's my experience that most GE devices do not support associations; however, Aeon Labs & Evolve do.
I'm running Android version 3.0.24. I uninstalled it and went to get the newer version, but now I only see the $4.99 paid version in the Play Store. I purchased InControl HA Pro so I should get the full-featured app free, correct? Not sure how to do that now...there used to be a free version listed.
The Z-Stick is plugged into the front of a home theater PC in a rack, sitting about 4 feet from the floor. The stick can be viewed from anywhere in the room...it is right there in the open air on front of the PC. I will try the USB extension cable idea and see if I can get any improvement. Hard to believe there's a problem with communication to the stick when there is open-air line-of-sight to an Aeon module a few feet away and line-of-sight through-wood/drywall proximity to three other devices, but I will try the suggestion.
RC version of InControl means release candidate? Like a beta?
I thought I was "associating" devices to the controller by walking around with the Aeon Z-Stick and adding them using the pushbutton method. You're saying I have to do something else in the software? Good to know about this association process...it's hard to find any documentation on the software's features/operation/troubleshooting so the user is often left wondering what these unexplained check boxes are for...thanks for the tips.
Question about Associating a Device with the Controller.
1. Device is Selected
2. Blue button in lower left corner of InControl labeled Associations is clicked
3. Popup window "Device Associations" appears after a delay "Getting details"
4. List of devices appears. Box next to Controller is then checked
5. Then what? How is the Association created? I don't see a "Send" or "Save" button. Just a blue button labeled "Load Associations" and a red X to close the popup window.
Any suggestions on a compatible USB extension cable? I'm using an Amazon Basics USB extension cable that I use for many other things, like color sensors for display calibration, but when the Aeon Z-Stick is plugged into I get a device malfunction notification in Windows. Plugging the stick directly into the PC restores the COM port back to normal operation.
If the associations window has delay the the device either doesn't support associations or the it isn't getting the message from the usb stick.
For your cable... is it usb 2 compatible? I had to use a power cable for mine to work.
Power cable? Interesting. This is the cable I'm using in the 3.0 meter/9.8 ft length.
http://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-A-Male-A-Female-Extension-Meters/dp/B001TH7GUU/ref=sr11?ie=UTF8&qid=1393802296&sr=8-1&keywords=amazon+basics+usb+extension+cable
I did find the free Android app. You have to search on "InControl Free". "InControl HA" only brings up the paid app.
I Associated the Devices that appear to support it. It seems to be true that GE devices will not associate; neither will my Evolve dimmer. Here are my results:
GE outdoor module - No
Aeon plug-in dimmer module - Yes
GE duplex receptacle - No
GE plug-in appliance switching module - No
Aeon plug-in light switch module - Yes
Aeon wired-in micro dimmer/switch module - Yes
Aeon signal booster - Yes
Evolve in-wall dimmer switch - No
Power cable? Interesting. This is the cable I'm using in the 3.0 meter/9.8 ft length.
http://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-A-Male-A-Female-Extension-Meters/dp/B001TH7GUU/ref=sr11?ie=UTF8&qid=1393802296&sr=8-1&keywords=amazon+basics+usb+extension+cable
I did find the free Android app. You have to search on "InControl Free". "InControl HA" only brings up the paid app.
I Associated the Devices that appear to support it. It seems to be true that GE devices will not associate; neither will my Evolve dimmer. Here are my results:
GE outdoor module - No
Aeon plug-in dimmer module - Yes
GE duplex receptacle - No
GE plug-in appliance switching module - No
Aeon plug-in light switch module - Yes
Aeon wired-in micro dimmer/switch module - Yes
Aeon signal booster - Yes
Evolve in-wall dimmer switch - No
I think he meant to say "powered" cable - as in a powered USB hub.
Strange, Evolve should allow the association to go through. I haven't seen one that doesn't support it -- though maybe they've got some older firmware or something.
I use this to get the controller away from the computer. Works very well.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004WKRU7U/ref=wmsohsproduct?ie=UTF8&psc=1
While phone and tablet apps are great, sometimes it's just easier to have a dedicated remote for some situations(logitech Link I'm looking at you). Whether for guests to use or family members that are OK with you hanging sensors all over the place but don't want to be inconvenienced by the system in anyway(wife). For example the room with the lamp that you manual turn on some times. I would buy the Aeon Labs MiniMote 4-Button Control. I use one for my guest room. Controls the fan speed and lights for visitors.
Cool USB cable! I'm going to give this one a try and see how it goes:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002D6QJO/ref=ohdetailso00s00i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Hoping the fact that it is powered means that I get full signal strength. I'm planning on extended the Z-Stick out into the ceiling of my basement hallway where I hope it will radiate more effectively than from inside my home theater.
The MiniMote is a great suggestion for non-enthusiast users! I will first wait to see if I can improve overall system responsiveness with the extension cable. If so, the MiniMote will be next on the shopping list.
Thanks for the tip!
The parent company of Evolve referred me to Tech Support at Worthington Distribution for product information.
The Tech Support guy at Worthington told me that a royalty must be paid to a company that holds a patent for the "association" feature, and that "the only two companies that pay the royalty" are Leviton Vizia RF+ and Cooper ASPIRE RF.
http://www.leviton.com/OAHTML/SectionDisplay.jsp?section=41549&minisite=10251
http://www.cooperindustries.com/content/public/en/wiringdevices/solutions/wholehomesolutions/aspirerfwireless.html
Obviously Aeon must be paying the royalty as well, if there is such a patent for association of devices. He said other companies do not pay the royalty as a way to keep costs down.
Z-Wave reliability update...
I installed this active USB extension cable from Tripp Lite:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002D6QJO/ref=ohdetailso00s00i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
The Aeon Z-Stick USB controller is now located away from the home theater PC out into in my basement hallway (which has no ceiling), dangling in free air between two floor joists. I installed a J-hook eye into the flooring above for the USB cable to hang from.
This works! 100% of my bad polling alerts have disappeared.
The Tripp Lite cable is interesting. It has a small PCB in a housing on the remote female end. When you plug it in, a generic USB hub driver loads. Then you plug in the Z-Stick and it starts working just as if it was plugged into the PC directly.
Thanks for the help, Ryan and others!
I forgot to mention: after I moved the stick, I did a network heal. I was shocked how fast it went: probably took 20% of the time it has been taking before. That really made me think that the communication is vastly improved.
