The "best" Scene Controller to purchase for use with Vera 2

Other Devices & Integrations Lighting & Load Control
1

I’ve been reading numerous of the threads about scene controllers and all the issues.

Which one will will work the best with Vera 2 and keep its dimmer capability, scene ON and OFF etc? Also, which one has the most scene buttons (number of scenes) selectable.
I’m fine with making scenes etc, but it seems limiting to me.

2

I can tell you which one to NOT use. The “Monster IWC600” does not work very well, avoid, even though they are being given away for $20 each. I have an RMA # being issued on the 6 I bought :frowning:

3

I have the original RZCS4-1LX leviton 4 scene controller and I just set it up. It has been working perfectly for 2 weeks now and I love how it works with Vera instead of the original Leviton remote. It was very easy to set up and Vera recognized it properly.

4

Question, looking at the product spec it indicates that it needs Vizia RF Z-Wave Programmer/Controller ($134), is this true or does VERA facilitate this function?

5

Vera does the programming. You just define a set of scenes in Vera and it pushes the logic down (where it can). I use the VRCS4-MRX, which is essentially the same as the above (except it has a +1 Load circuit in it as well, which shows as another Z-Wave node)

6

@Michael_N_Blackwell,

Instead of the scene controllers (VRCS4-M0 / VRCS4-MR), you could consider the zone controllers (VRCZ4-M0 / VRCZ4-MR). They have an ‘on’ and an ‘off’ side to the button. This makes operation in conjunction with Vera a little easier, as there is no confusion about whether you’re requesting an on, or an off. With the scene controllers, it depends on what the controller thinks the current state of the scene is.

7

@oTi and @guess, thanxs for the come back. The only reason I raised the question is that documentation seems to be relative (and confusing) depending on whether or not your reviewing the mfgr perspective or from VERA’s. Mike

8

Yep. It appears that every manufacturer is kind of doing their own thing / has their own interpretation of ‘scene’. So even if it says ‘scene’ it may not mean an actual Z-Wave scene.

I think the way the scene controllers are programmed is not standard and we’re more or less lucky that some of these things (are made by MCV to) work with Vera. My guess is that theoretically the only thing you can expect to work is to be able to include a scene controller into Vera’s network, and then use whatever method the controller requires to program an actual scene, locally on the controller. Anything beyond that may not be based on standard Z-Wave stuff. I don’t think Z-Wave provides for controllers to talk to each other.

It would be nice if there were a fairly dumb push-button device and associated Z-Wave support that would just send messages to Vera (or any other controller) that says ‘button 1 on pushed’, ‘button 4 off pushed’, etc.

9

[quote=“mitch672, post:2, topic:168606”]I can tell you which one to NOT use. The “Monster IWC600” does not work very well, avoid, even though they are being given away for $20 each. I have an RMA # being issued on the 6 I bought :([/quote]Do you have the contact details to RMA these things? The one I bought is dead in the water.

10

I called their 800 number and had an RMA issued, was a real PITA to get to the correct department, their automated attendant is from the 1980’s. Cost me $10 to ship them back too, lesson learned.

Mitch

11

Well I’m not paying $10 for something I only paid $20 or so for!

Seems like they are not just content at ripping people off for HDMI cables etc… :slight_smile:

12

That would be nice! I’d like that capability for the RZCS4-1LX to not have on/off states, but just “pushed #x” so it always tries to do the same thing.

It seems like that is something MCV could probably implement via a checkbox (“Let Vera manage scenes”), which would associate the scene controller only with Vera and then let her do all the work. This would of course mean Vera must be up & running, but would be a nice option. Right now I think whatever can be associated directly is, and non-scene-capable devices get a command from Vera when she is available (at least that seems to be the behaviour to me).

13

I see. That would be changing the native behavior of the controller. Perhaps you could have the ‘activated’ and ‘de-activated’ events trigger the same scene, but the LED would toggle I suppose. In general, I prefer the new(er) zone controllers, VRCZ4-M0 / VRCZ4-MR, so On and Off are clear and Vera has LED control.

It seems like that is something MCV could probably implement via a checkbox ("Let Vera manage scenes"), which would associate the scene controller only with Vera and then let her do all the work. This would of course mean Vera must be up & running, but would be a nice option.
I agree; more control (or at least visibility) of how a device is controlled would be good.
Right now I think whatever can be associated directly is, and non-scene-capable devices get a command from Vera when she is available (at least that seems to be the behaviour to me).
Yep, the scene controller will kick of the scene for the scene-capable devices. Vera will do the additional stuff.
14

Coupon Code for VRCZ4-1LX Zone Controller: http://www.smarthome-products.com/p-751-leviton-vrcz4-1lx-vizia-rf-4-zone-controller-with-ir-remote-capability.aspx is [glow=red,2,300]VRCZ4-1LX [/glow] - limited quantities

15

[quote=“strangely, post:11, topic:168606”]Well I’m not paying $10 for something I only paid $20 or so for!

Seems like they are not just content at ripping people off for HDMI cables etc… :)[/quote]

strangely, I had 6 of them (6 times $20, or $120), so it was worth it to me to recover $110

I really wish they had worked better, it was a great deal…

Mitch

16

Hm. Does anyone know if there are decent battery powered wall-mount scene/zone controllers? Searching but not seeing anything.

Would be great to be able to put these in the wall wherever I’d like (next to the bed) without having to have wiring in the wall.

17

Here is a good solution for that: http://www.smarthome-products.com/p-2284-simply-automated-ztp2-b-tabletop-back-box-black.aspx in black or http://www.smarthome-products.com/p-2285-simply-automated-ztp2-w-tabletop-back-box-white.aspx in white - easy to wire and work well

18

thanks, but neither of those are wireless/battery powered.

I came across the GE 45631
http://www.amazon.com/45631-Z-Wave-Wireless-Lighting-Controller/dp/B003OUWABU

Anyone using one of these?

Y[quote=“kaldoon, post:17, topic:168606”]Here is a good solution for that: http://www.smarthome-products.com/p-2284-simply-automated-ztp2-b-tabletop-back-box-black.aspx in black or http://www.smarthome-products.com/p-2285-simply-automated-ztp2-w-tabletop-back-box-white.aspx in white - easy to wire and work well[/quote]

19

It think it’s an alternate approach, an enclosure for whatever wired controller that fits; presuming you have an outlet near your bed.

I came across the GE 45631 Anyone using one of these?
Well, my impression is that at least people have them, but they are only partially usable (locally programmed groups), or even not usable at all (nodeID limitation). There are some fairly recent threads on that topic.
20

The 45631 controller is not scene-capable device