eibpc English Version

[enertegus]

This is the support forum for the Enertex EibPC.

The English Version of EibStudio will be available in quartal I of 2010.

[enertegus]

First Beta-Release of EibStudio in English language.

The manual is still incomplete and partially in German.
EibStudio itself supports complete English.

Linux Version:
http://www.enertex.de/downloads/d-ei...udio-linux.zip
Windows Version:
http://www.enertex.de/downloads/d-ei...Studio-win.zip

[TopFly]

Hi

I'm very interested in the EibPC. But I still have a few questions before I purchase one.

Will the device be "forward" compatible with new firmware? And is there a new version planned of the device hardware?
What features are there in the pipeline?
And will there be any change to go to a custom template based design of the visualisation (with custom icons and layouts)?
When will the user manual be completely translated?

Thanks

[enertegus]

Hi
Will the device be "forward" compatible with new firmware?

Yes, of course.

And is there a new version planned of the device hardware?

No.

What features are there in the pipeline?

- better webserver (enertex bayern gmbh :: EibPC Webserver :: AUSSENANLAGE :: Garage)
- improvements to EibStudio
- tcp Communication

And will there be any change to go to a custom template based design of the visualisation (with custom icons and layouts)?

Not in the near future.

When will the user manual be completely translated?

1st April 2010.

[MarkusL]

1st April 2010.

And this is most probably NOT a joke. SCNR

[danielsp]

Any updated estimate for the fully translated manual? Thanks!

[enertegus]

Any updated estimate for the fully translated manual? Thanks!

This is been currently reviewed. On next Monday the full Manual will be released.

[danielsp]

This is been currently reviewed. On next Monday the full Manual will be released.

Excellent! Thanks!

[enertegus]

Excellent! Thanks!

See http://www.enertex.de/downloads/d-ei...hEibPC_USA.pdf

[Perry]

Few more questions...

Hello all,

I have asked a few questions in the German language in another thread, but I find it too difficult for the following questions and request for clarifications I still have regarding this very interesting product:

I have a KNX system (installed and programmed by external company; if needed, they will provide me with the ETS data export file) but I do not have ETS 3/4 yet (applied for the forum action today: thank you for organising the discount offer!!). The system works to my satisfaction, but I would like to fine-tune some things and increase control possibilities (e.g. control through browser, PDA, phone).

I am currently using Eventghost as an automation tool for many things, including infrared control of TV's and audio equipment, using a USB-UIRT device and an always-on low power consumption windows XP computer (Fit-PC2).

Now to my questions:

1. EIB-PC with NP has a 'WEB based visu'. I understand that this means 'visualisation', but does this also mean 'control', i.e. is it possible to switch lights from the web browser?

2. I read in the documentation support for UDP messages. Is TCP/IP now also supported?

3. In Eventghost (EventGhost) there are many possibilities to start Computer actions based on, for instance, network events or activation of hyperlinks on the webpage of Eventghost's Webserver. The latter also allows to send specific payload commands via http, for instance by submitting: http://IP address of host computer running Eventghost/?example.html via another browser on another computer, Eventghost receives the command HTTP.example, which can be used to trigger a specific action/macro. In this respect, are these commands that EIBPC could send (maybe via the Web interface)? If you know the Eventghost program (or similar program, such as Netremote/Girder), what do you see as the best way to interact between PC with Eventghost/LAN/EIB PC?

4. As for the infrared remote control: Eventghost has a plugin for the highly capable Keene IR Anywhere (Keene Retail Ltd), which is great for sending IR commands to remote, 'out of sight places' and upstairs.
Is it possible to control the Keene product from the EIB-PC? If not, see 5 below......

5. I have seen on this forum that IRTRANS provides the same kind of products, but I don't think that they are supported by Eventghost (they are by Girder, but I prefer to avoid the new learning curve of switching programs (and Eventghost is free ;-)). What do you see as the best (and easiest and preferably not too expensive) way to include IR control into the domotica solution?

6. Regarding the gateway/LAN connection for the EIB-PC: I have seen that there are huge price differences between single and 'multicast'/router devices. As I understand it, the latter allows multiple simultaneous connections to the KNX bus. I will be buying ETS-4 to connect to the bus for programming myself, but I could connect via the existing USB bus connector device that has been installed in my KNX installation. Now, I don't want to limit my future options by buying the cheapest product as a gateway now. Can you think of reasons why I should go for the more expensive LAN connection/gateway devices?

Well, those are enough questions for now, I think. I hope somebody will be able to reply to these questions in English (or in German, as I can read German, it's just that am uncomfortable in writing German).

Thanks in advance (and a happy newyear to all forum members!).

Best regards,
Perry van der Knaap

[bmx]

Hi Perry,

1. EIB-PC with NP has a 'WEB based visu'. I understand that this means 'visualisation', but does this also mean 'control', i.e. is it possible to switch lights from the web browser?

Yes. You can program your buttons to switch on or off the lights.

2. I read in the documentation support for UDP messages. Is TCP/IP now also supported?

TCP is supported and used. I can use TCP e.g. to send a message to my old DBox2 for display. I also could switch the running tv show. It's maybe the same as Eventghost offers. However eventghost needs a running windows pc whereas EibPC only has a closed system on board with the eibbasic programming language. It's got the favor of very low power consumption.

As far as I know (4.+5.) there are network products of IR Trans available and thus they can be controlled by the EibPC.

6. For convenience I would simply buy a router. This allows multiple connections and you can use EibPC and ETSx in parallel.
Also the EibPC got an RS232 and you can attach a OneWire Interface, an RS232 IR Trans or some other device.

Regards,
Bernd

[enertegus]

Hello all,
1. EIB-PC with NP has a 'WEB based visu'. I understand that this means 'visualisation', but does this also mean 'control', i.e. is it possible to switch lights from the web browser?

Yes.

2. I read in the documentation support for UDP messages. Is TCP/IP now also supported?

Yes. Use the functions, sendtcp, readtcp and connecttcp (see manual or below)

In this respect, are these commands that EIBPC could send (maybe via the Web interface)?

Yes, see https://knx-user-forum.de/125792-post15.html for how to do so.

If you know the Eventghost program (or similar program, such as Netremote/Girder), what do you see as the best way to interact between PC with Eventghost/LAN/EIB PC?

I don't know this but we can support you, if you have a bit more specific questions.

4. As for the infrared remote control: Eventghost has a plugin for the highly capable Keene IR Anywhere (Keene Retail Ltd), which is great for sending IR commands to remote, 'out of sight places' and upstairs.
Is it possible to control the Keene product from the EIB-PC? If not, see 5 below......

it should be as simple as shown in
https://knx-user-forum.de/eibpc/1198...ueber-tcp.html

What do you see as the best (and easiest and preferably not too expensive) way to include IR control into the domotica solution?

Well, I leave this questions to the community.

6. Regarding the gateway/LAN connection for the EIB-PC: I have seen that there are huge price differences between single and 'multicast'/router devices.

The Siemens IP Interface allows to connect 4 devices simultanously. Routing means more: You can connect to KNX Systems directly with filters and routing tables. Also interesting if you want to use the VPN Feature for remote programming of your KNX System.

We will release an Enertex KNX Router 2011 significantly cheaper.

[Perry]

Hi Bernd and Enertegus,

Thank you both for your answers. It seems that the things I need are indeed possible with the EIB-PC.
Now it will be a matter of finding out what the learning curve is going to be for this.

I have been fiddling around with Eventghost for some time and, as an example, it has turned out very easy to have Eventghost watch a folder for changes.
I have a folder that my IP camera sends photos to (via FTP) when motion is detected. Now, every time Eventghost sees a new photo in the folder, it starts a macro which brings the live camera-viewing program into focus, as well as a program that shows the last picture with motion detection in it. Furthermore, Eventghost switches the monitor ON, leaves it on for 30 seconds, and then switches the monitor OFF again. This is unless I send a specific infrared command, in which case the macro is interrupted and the monitor stays on.

In the same manner it would be possible to start, e.g. a photo-viewer program and flip through the photos like a slide show.

The point is that all the above and much, much more is very easy to accomplish and requires no programming skills, i.e. the lurning curve is short and making it all work requires little time. Also, I understand that there is an Android server/client plugin available within Eventghost, which makes it possible to use a tablet PC or mobile phone with Android as an advanced remote with two-way communication (have not tried that myself).
On the other hand, making Eventghost work reliably all of the time has been a real challenge for me. What I have noticed in the Eventghost forum is that experienced users all use quite comprehensive Python scripts to make the program work the way they want. I guess what I am saying is that, if I really wanted to make use of Eventghost exclusively, I would have to learn programming skills/learn to think like a programmer.

I am interested to learn if features like the above (such as watching a windows folder for changes in files and triggering other actions based upon them) are also possible with EIB-PC?

I am also very interested and curious about the announced Router product by Enertex. Is there any chance of telling us around which time you are planning the release of the product?

Thanks again
Perry

[enertegus]

Hi Bernd and Enertegus,
I am interested to learn if features like the above (such as watching a windows folder for changes in files and triggering other actions based upon them) are also possible with EIB-PC?

This could be theoreticially done, but this would require some program skills (perhaps a candidate for
https://knx-user-forum.de/knx-eib-fo...ettbewerb.html)

I am also very interested and curious about the announced Router product by Enertex. Is there any chance of telling us around which time you are planning the release of the product?

Our aim is ready to sell in Q3/2011.

[bmx]

Dear Perry,

I am interested to learn if features like the above (such as watching a windows folder for changes in files and triggering other actions based upon them) are also possible with EIB-PC?

I am convinced that the EibPC is a very powerful logic machine. What it lacks is the support for filesystems on a programming level at all. Thus one would have to implement a whole filestack based on EibPC Basic. Since it is not a high level language with subroutines, loops and the like it is very difficult (if not to say impossible) at this moment to e.g. implement to watch a folder. For this it would be needed to create a demon checking the link, enumerating files and folder using smb, implementing security to access, etc. As long as the EibPC Basic does not present these basic functions it won't work.

Eventghost seems to be a good solution for your purposes. Thanks for given us a pointer to it!

Regards,
Bernd