I/O ports on SLESA-6

[MarkBertenshaw]

Hi -

I am trying to call scenes on the SLESA-6 via its 4 I/O ports. I have used a CAT5e cable to connect it to a relay box so that all the white striped cores return to the contact marked "ground", and the solid colour cores go to the contacts marked IO 1 to 4. I have managed so far to get the following scenes (I assume that the LED that winks gives me the scene number):

IO1 IO2 IO3 IO4 Scene
- X ------------------- 1
----- X --------------- 2
---------- X ---------- 4
--------------- X ----- 7

(where X indicates a closed relay)

[Note 1. I have set up scenes 1 to 15 to correspond to Address 1 to Address 15 in the Easy Stand Alone software.]
[Note 2. It seems that you have to make a contact and then immediately break a contact for any scene change to occur.]

Unfortunately, I can't seem to get all the intermediate scenes, implied by the documentation for SLESA-U5 i.e. I can't seem to close more than one I/O port at a time. Does this mean I am limited to 4 scenes only?

Regards,
--
Mark

P.S. Sunlite ought to update the brochure for the SLESA-U6. The picture incorrectly indicates that there are screw terminals.

[MarkBertenshaw]

I've read and re-read the documentation, and whilst there is no documentation that says that the SLESA-U6 has the "address" behaviour of the SLESA-U5 i.e. you can trigger (2^(IO ports)) - 1 = (2 ^ 8) - 1 = 255 scenes for SLESA U5 (15 for the SLESA U6?), there isn't any documentation saying you can't. Furthermore, the Easy Standalone software gives you 16 addresses in the Trigger screen for changing scenes, which supports my belief that you should be able to combine ports into addresses.

[MarkBertenshaw]

Well, in the absence of any official word, I have been doing some exhaustive reverse-engineering. It seems that you can't simply connect and disconnect a port from Vdd at will to trigger a scene change. The only way I have managed to get this to work is to first disconnect *all* ports from Vdd. Next, connect all the ports you want to be connected to Vdd together e.g. connect Port 1 to Port 3 to Port 4. Finally, connect one of those ports to Vdd.

I can't believe it can be this hard! I am using 4 relays currently. To make this work properly, I need to have an extra relay to simply switch Vdd, and then after a second, turn off.

[bruno.falip]

The SLESA-U6 has only 4 ports and the address mode is not available. So yes, you can only trigger 4 different scenes with the external ports.

[MarkBertenshaw]

[quote="bruno.falip"]The SLESA-U6 has only 4 ports and the address mode is not available. So yes, you can only trigger 4 different scenes with the external ports.[/quote]

It's a shame Nicolaudie didn't document this - I've spent hours reverse-engineering. Note that the software encourages the view that addresses are usable (see [attachment=2]Triggers.jpg[/attachment]). As a result, it is possible to create 16 addresses (see [attachment=1]Editor - Address.jpg[/attachment] ). However, if you save this data to the SLESA-U6, and then read it back, you get this: [attachment=0]Editor - Port + Address.jpg[/attachment].

On the other hand, I do seem to have managed to call 7 distinct scenes (if you go by counting the number of times the LED flashes) by combining three ports together, so maybe it's just the front-end software that is incorrect?

[bruno.falip]

It is clearly written on the product prochure www.nicolaudie.com/big/brochure_esa.pdf

4 ports to call 4 scenes + 2 ports (next and previous)

[MarkBertenshaw]

[quote="bruno.falip"]It is clearly written on the product prochure http://www.nicolaudie.com/big/brochure_esa.pdf

4 ports to call 4 scenes + 2 ports (next and previous)[/quote]

Hi Bruno -

Well, it doesn't actually mention "4 scenes" anywhere in the brochure. However, it does mention "255 scenes". In any case, this is all academic, because I have managed to successfully call 15 scenes on your SLESA-U6 interface using the "address" mechanism. The trick is that you must simultaneously pulse all the pins on and off in order for the scene to be called successfully.

Regards,
--
Mark Bertenshaw

[84germain]

Hello.
I'd like to buy the SLESA U6. And I would like few confirmations before buying it.

First: finally, is the address mode available or not on this product to program up to 15 scene with the external port? Bruno.falip said no, but Mark Bertenshaw seams to succeed with this.

Second: I've already a SL2048EC, and I can use the external port to command scenes. On this product, I should connect the port to GND. I would like to have the confirmation that on SLESA U6 it's different: I will have to connect the port to VDD. Because I'm actually using a microcontroller on my SL2048EC to connect the port to GND and if I should use VDD, this will change everythings for me.

Thanks for your help.

François