Supporting the ACT Solutions ZCU201 USB Z-wave Interface

[hari]

The Merten Connect range is one of the component products we will configure/install with our Dianemo professionally installed systems. In that market their quality and name means something... of course under the hood they are using the same z-wave chips and modules as everyone else. But Merten's products are engineered really well and their physical build quality is excellent.

of course they make great products. But I think the prices are held high to not cannibalize their KNX program

best regards,
Hari

btw: could you please try if the module works for you? Chances are high that you only have to load the module, add the usb man/dev id combination to the ZWave device template and plug that beast in.

[hkmod25]

We tested and delivered to customers Merten (Z-Wave) hardware from beg. of desember 2007.
Its look and feels OK but I will also agree - price to high. We dont make a test w/Linux MCE software
so long it was a support problems w/new ACT interface...

[hari]

did anybody try the module yet?

Hacking does not make fun if one can't see results...

Pleazzzze (with cherry and sugar on top) could somebody test the kernel module with a ACT Homepro ZCU101 or ZCU201 interface?

best regards,
Hari

[totallymaxed]

I did some munching to the spcp8x5 code and managed to compile and load the module on 0704. If somebody feels like sending me a ZCU201...

you can download the binary here: http://vt100.at/spcp8x5.ko

compile:

Code: [Select]

dcerouter_48407:/usr/src/spcp8x5# make
make -C /lib/modules/2.6.20-15-generic/build M=/usr/src/spcp8x5 modules
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.20-15-generic'
  CC [M]  /usr/src/spcp8x5/spcp8x5.o
  Building modules, stage 2.
  MODPOST 1 modules
  CC      /usr/src/spcp8x5/spcp8x5.mod.o
  LD [M]  /usr/src/spcp8x5/spcp8x5.ko
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.20-15-generic'
dcerouter_48407:/usr/src/spcp8x5#

dmesg:

Code: [Select]

[165370.468000] usbcore: registered new interface driver spcp8x5
[165370.468000] /usr/src/spcp8x5/spcp8x5.c: SPCP8x5 USB to serial adaptor driver v0.01

here is the patch:

Code: [Select]

diff -u spcp8x5.orig/spcp8x5.c spcp8x5/spcp8x5.c
--- spcp8x5.orig/spcp8x5.c      2006-09-11 08:26:50.000000000 +0200
+++ spcp8x5/spcp8x5.c   2008-01-21 23:17:37.000000000 +0100
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@
 };
 
 static struct usb_driver spcp8x5_driver = {
-       .owner                          = THIS_MODULE,
        .name                           = "spcp8x5",
        .probe                          = usb_serial_probe,
        .disconnect             = usb_serial_disconnect,
@@ -43,7 +42,6 @@
 
 // All of the device info needed for the spcp8x5 SIO serial converter
 static struct usb_serial_device_type spcp8x5_device = {
-       .owner                          = THIS_MODULE,
        .name                           = "SPCP8x5",
        .id_table                       = id_table,
        .num_interrupt_in       = 0,
@@ -379,20 +377,16 @@
                tty_flag = TTY_FRAME;
        trace("tty_flag = %d\n",tty_flag);
 
-       tty = port->tty;
-       if (tty && urb->actual_length) {
-               // overrun is special, not associated with a char
-               if (status & UART_OVERRUN_ERROR)
-                       tty_insert_flip_char(tty, 0, TTY_OVERRUN);
-
-               for (i = 0; i < urb->actual_length; ++i) {
-                       if (tty->flip.count >= TTY_FLIPBUF_SIZE) {
-                               tty_flip_buffer_push(tty);
-                       }
-                       tty_insert_flip_char (tty, data[i], tty_flag);
-               }
-               tty_flip_buffer_push (tty);
-       }
+        tty = port->tty;
+        if (tty && urb->actual_length) {
+                tty_buffer_request_room(tty, urb->actual_length + 1);
+                /* overrun is special, not associated with a char */
+                if (status & UART_OVERRUN_ERROR)
+                        tty_insert_flip_char(tty, 0, TTY_OVERRUN);
+                for (i = 0; i < urb->actual_length; ++i)
+                        tty_insert_flip_char(tty, data[i], tty_flag);
+                tty_flip_buffer_push(tty);
+        }
 
        // Schedule the next read _if_ we are still open
        if (port->open_count) {
diff -u spcp8x5.orig/spcp8x5.h spcp8x5/spcp8x5.h
--- spcp8x5.orig/spcp8x5.h      2006-09-25 08:11:35.000000000 +0200
+++ spcp8x5/spcp8x5.h   2008-01-21 23:02:49.000000000 +0100
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
 #define SPCP8x5_835_VID                0x04fc
 #define SPCP8x5_835_PID                0x0231
 
-#include <linux/config.h>
 #include <linux/kernel.h>
 #include <linux/errno.h>
 #include <linux/init.h>
diff -u spcp8x5.orig/usb-serial.h spcp8x5/usb-serial.h
--- spcp8x5.orig/usb-serial.h   2004-12-24 22:35:50.000000000 +0100
+++ spcp8x5/usb-serial.h        2008-01-21 23:03:02.000000000 +0100
@@ -54,7 +54,6 @@
 #ifndef __LINUX_USB_SERIAL_H
 #define __LINUX_USB_SERIAL_H
 
-#include <linux/config.h>
 #include <linux/kref.h>
 
 #define SERIAL_TTY_MAJOR       188     /* Nice legal number now */


Hari... I am really sorry! I missed your post above... I have been really busy for last several days. So big apology to you.

I am away from the office until late Friday... but I will try to test your code then.

Thanks for working on this... and sorry for missing that you'd posted this!

Andrew

[hari]

Hari... I am really sorry! I missed your post above... I have been really busy for last several days. So big apology to you.

no problem! Hope your business is going fine

I am away from the office until late Friday... but I will try to test your code then.

great!

thank you very much and best regards,
Hari

[hkmod25]

First answer on your imp. question. No. It is not possible to make a backup with Merten Configuration Hardware/Software of one existing Z-Wave network. One must start from the ground and create a "new project".
About hardware compatibility. Yes it is a some problems her. Its look that many manufacturers dont know that a "Z-Wave Logo Program" is.
Merten still dont have Remote Control. But the "Merten Configuration Hardware/Software" dont support ZTH200 from ACT.
Only supportet Remote right now are one from Innovus (but you need a spesial configuration addons that are not delivered with original
Configurator software. Also all new wall modules from ACT will be recognized only with a Basic features. I talking in long time with Merten Support about possibility to get from them a spesial "Configuration files creation Tool" software, but answer was - NO. After all they said OK it will be available for downloading (end of 2007). But nothing happens yet.
Another thing - Z-Wave standard for battery powered devices are different in Europe vs USA. So long we had problems w/HomeSeer software and Merten wall (battery) controllers, probably the same problems can came in LinuxMCE.......................

[coley]

did anybody try the module yet?

Hacking does not make fun if one can't see results...

Pleazzzze (with cherry and sugar on top) could somebody test the kernel module with a ACT Homepro ZCU101 or ZCU201 interface?

best regards,
Hari

I should get a chance to check it out later.
hopefully will let you know how I get on.
I don't have a primary remote to download a config yet, but I should still be able to get it detected right?

-Coley.

[hari]

I don't have a primary remote to download a config yet, but I should still be able to get it detected right?

it should get detected as usb serial port. After that we can add the usb id's to the ZWave device template to allow pluto auto detect it when plugged in. We will then send a "download configuration" command to it and see if it behaves correctly.

best regards,
Hari

[1audio]

The US ZWave and the EU ZWave run on different frequencies. They will not communicate. I will have access to one of the Homepro USB modules later this week. I will need to assemble a seperate machine to test it. Changing interfaces will screw up my system and with 20+ devices its a pain to reconstruct everything.
The ZWave stuff is not expensive but it does cost between $5-$10 us per device still. The rest of the cost is in dimming circuitry and reliability. The Leviton and Cooper stuff is much better made than the Homepro, and it shows. But the Homepro still works.

If you find a ZWave device that doesn't meet the minimum compatibility and has a ZWave logo complain loudly to the Zen-sys guys. They are supposed to be pretty aggressive on this. I know the current Harmony devices with ZWave are not compliant and they don't have logos any more.

There is software from both Homeseer and Controlthink that will do some tricks for backing up ZWave systems and restoring them. They should work with EU ZWave stuff. I like the Homeseer solution. You don't need a portable controller, just the software and your USB device. You set up your system with the USB and a laptop. Then transfer the stick to LMCE and it imports the devices from the stick. If you named the devices with the homeseer app it should be possible with a revised ZWave stack for LMCE to import those names and "autoconfigure" most of the setup.

[caiman]

On the same note, since it is possible to send some custom commands with LMCE, is there any way to get info - even manually or the hard way - on the state of the network, routes in place etc ?

Homeseer has a great software that allows you to poll that information, but because it will work only with their own USB controller which uses the US frequencies, no luck to get it here in Europe.

If that's not possible at all with LMCE, is there any chance to have some functionality added to the driver of the ZCU010 ?

If not, are there any other troubleshooting tools or network mapping tools available in europe ?

many questions here, but my z-wave network doesn't work well, and I'd like to dive into it to fix it

Caiman

[hkmod25]

Merten Configuration software is very good and give a nice possibilities to configure and troublesh. your network.
It is also possible to transfer your upset when work is done to HomeSeer.
But:
1. You need Merten Conf. Tool HARDWARE to use this software.
2. New wall (dimmer/appliance) modules from ACT recognises only with basic functionality.
3. New wall (transmitter) modules from ACT not recognises at all.
4. Merten still not make available Configuration Files Creation Software.

[1audio]

The Homeseer setup software Z-Tool on their site ftp://homeseer.com/pub/setupztool1_0_0_0.exe works with a number of ZWave modules and is independent of frequency.

The issues about features comes from two aspects of ZWave. first there are standard features, something that increases with each new rev. Those unfortunately can be retrofitted into modules. All ZWave approved devices need to support those features (as of manufacture approval). Second are proprietary features that are unique to a vendor. Some of the things mentioned about Merten are proprietary.

The latest generation of controllers have a system rebuild function that tests the linking between modules and recreates the routing tables. Its not a true mesh like the Internet. It has fixed routing options. And sometimes they aren't ideal(!) The update tests all of the links and recreates the routing. the routing is only stored in controllers. And the user or manufacturer doesn't have access to muck with the algorithms, those are locked down by Zen-Sys in the chip libraries.

Updating the LMCE Zwave module could add a lot of functions and make it better. Better (newer) controllers also help.

[totallymaxed]

1Audio,

So the ZWave-computer interface (e.g. the ZCS201) has the configuration stored? That would explain why lmce knew I have three devices after a re-install.

All SUC's like the ZCS201/ZCU201 store the config you send from the Master Controller... you can move the SUC to another LinuxMCE system and the new Core will interrogate it and sense the existing z-wave config and ask if you want to use it or create a new one.

[totallymaxed]

Hari... I am really sorry! I missed your post above... I have been really busy for last several days. So big apology to you.

no problem! Hope your business is going fine

I am away from the office until late Friday... but I will try to test your code then.

great!

thank you very much and best regards,
Hari

Hari i got back very late from my trip so i did not have any time to test the drive... I will look at it on Monday.

[totallymaxed]

Andrew,
Do you have any experience with Merten/LMCE implementations, in particular how their software, touch panels and their central units?
Their stuff is real nice for retrofitting older houses with home automation, which is my situation. Prices are a bit steep, but if I include wiring etc with the purchase of cheaper stuff, it doesn't look just as bad...
Anyway. I'm not even considering it if it doesn't work properly with LMCE, so I'm real curious what you think.
Mark

Yes we do have some experience with Merten's Connect system... and we like it very much. However its early days in terms of the technical side and there also maybe some restrictions on what we can make openly available here. Its too early to say yet on this however.