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[JimH]

Requires 1.0.26 or later.

Aeon Labs makes a small remote with hard buttons.  Here's how to set it up.

The process is:

1.  Add the Minimote to your Z-Wave network.
2.  Use Engen's setup to Add a Button.

Adding the Minimote
1.  Make sure the Minimote is charged.  It comes with a USB cable for charging.
2.  Aeon's instructions say to "Reset" the Minimote.  Open the cover and simultaneously press and hold the bottom two buttons for 10 seconds.  The lights will change.  Aeon says the blue light will remain on.  I saw it stay on for a second or two and then both lights went out.
3.  Put your Z Stick in its pairing mode and then press the Join (Learn on some remotes) button on the Minimote.  The Minimote should be added to your network.
4.  The Minimote will show up in Engen as the highest numbered device.  Change the name by clicking on it and selecting Edit.

Adding a Button
1.  In the Engen web app, select settings and then Add a Button.
2.  Select the Minimote from the list
3.  Select the button to configure.  The four buttons are currently 1, 3, 5, and 7.  These are single presses.  A press and hold is also available, and these are 2, 4, 6, and 8.  We may try to change this to make it less confusing.

[JimH]

I had some trouble last night getting buttons programmed, but was able to get it going today.  Here are my notes.

I was able to get the Minimote working.  Here's what was different this morning.

1.  I used a different Minimote.
2.  I used the Add Device button in the web app and the Join (or Learn) button on the Minimote.  Previously, I had removed the Z Stick and paired it manually.
3.  I did not rename the device this time.  I just used it as device 22.  Previously, with the other Minimote, I had renamed it before trying to add a button.

My guess is that #3 was the difference.

[At a later date, doing this again, I discovered that I had to press and hold the Learn button for 3 seconds to wake the remote, then do Add in Panel, then press the Learn button again.  That worked.]

Aeon Labs' instructions for Minimote

[JimH]

Also, restarting Engen may be necessary after adding the Minimote as a device.

[drmimosa]

Can Minimotes call JRiver functions, such as Stop or Next Track?

A one touch function that works anywhere in the house would be really useful!

[JimH]

Not at this time.  We're thinking about Engen/MC integration but that's as far as we've gotten.

[drmimosa]

Ok that makes sense. Still, it's a huge possible area of control for the software. If Engen could send Windows command line functions then the Minimote could potentially control any PC function.

[JimH]

Can you give me an example of something you can imagine doing?

[drmimosa]

Sorry for delay, real life took over. Command line functions can also send REST and call websites, so here are a few ideas:

-Control any MC function easily.

-Control any electronic devicesthat has a remote, with an IR blaster and Eventghost command line.

-Perhaps piggy back contro of Phillips Hue and other IOT protocols (Google pulls up a few example of REST control of Hue via command line)

-Control streaming services such as Pandora and Spotify

-Remote control of audio recording softwarelike audacity, Minimote could start stop recording without sitting by laptop.

An idea would be to build Music and Engen Scene s that could turn on lights, start music, turn on zone players, switch playback zone.

[JimH]

I think the Minimote is probably too limited to accomplish much integration.  It has four physical buttons and each one can do something when you click it and something else when you hold it, so that only gives you eight commands.

A phone app or a web app like Panel seem more suited to more complex tasks.  But maybe that's what you're talking about.

I'll probably move this to a new thread.

[drmimosa]

I've got a minimote stick now, but it won't work with scenes.

Engen adds the device to the network. It works with the all on and all off controls as listed in the manual. Also will manually pair with devices without using Engen.

Above instructions to pair buttons with zones don't seem to work for me. Any ideas what may be wrong?

Thanks!

[linutic]

It seems that we broke the minimote when we improved engen's performance.   The current build sends commands faster than the minimote can process them.   It was tough to find because the minimote gives no indication it is having a problem.  It returns success, but then ignores the commands.   As a result it gets incorrectly configured, and never sends us anything when you push a button.

I put in a kludge to slow down the transmission of configuration commands, so it will work in the next build.  A better fix will go in after we have time to see if other devices have the same problem.

Thanks for reporting this.

[drmimosa]

I am on build 43 now, but I still can't seem to set the Minimote to control scenes. I am going to troubleshoot today and try different things (there are several firmware updates posted on the aeon website, for example).

Anyone having better luck?

[drmimosa]

I have the white minimote with the numbers on the buttons, and I'm on build 43. I haven't had success yet pairing buttons with scenes. It shows up in Engen as a device, and is fully charged.

Here a list of the things I have tried, following the above instructions and rebooting Engen each time.

1. Device hard reset, add fresh to network
2. Pairing scenes with buttons 1-12 in Engen webpage and then testing all press combinations
3. Firmware updates (https://aeotec.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/folders/6000148175)
4. Naming, or not naming the device with Engen
5. Changing parameter 250 to  1 or 0 based on info from this document (https://aeotec.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/folders/6000148175)

I would suspect a defective device, except the device's default "all off" and "all on" double press works when it is included in the network (pressing and holding 1 and 2 or 3 and 4).

My hunch is that parameter 250 is crucial. It doesn't return a value when you listen for data.

[linutic]

If you are still having trouble with the minimote, I suggest updating it with the download from the Aeon site.   I updated mine long ago, and I really don't know how well the older version of firmware works.

You should not have to set any additional configuration parameters.   I just removed and added my minimote 5 times in a row, and every time it just worked.

It might help to get into the terminal window, and then type "watch()".   That will allow you to watch the logfile as the system runs.   If your minimote is working well you should see something like the following when you add it to your network:

Code: [Select]

     ztree Mon 19:50:58.234 awake 0:35
     ztree Mon 19:50:58.234 report 0:35/node_info => {'controlclasses': ['association', 'scene_activation', 'switch_multilevel'], 'cmdclasses': ['version', 'manufacturer_specific', 'configuration', 'association_command_configuration']}
    znet.0 Mon 19:50:58.234 Added node: 0:35 => {'status': 'prot_done', 'node': 35, 'specific_type': 'portable_remote_controller', 'controlclasses': ['association', 'scene_activation', 'switch_multilevel'], 'basic_type': 'controller', 'generic_type': 'generic_controller', 'times': {'ack': 0, 'reply': 6247, 'wait': 0}, 'cmdclasses': ['version', 'manufacturer_specific', 'configuration', 'association_command_configuration'], 'path': 'node_info'}
     ztree Mon 19:50:58.287 get 0:35/protocol => {'specific_type': 'portable_remote_controller', 'cap': 18, 'basic_type': 'controller', 'generic_type': 'generic_controller', 'listening': False, 'sensor250': False, 'security': 22, 'sensor1000': False}
     ztree Mon 19:50:59.381 get 0:35/version_command/association_command_configuration => {'version': 1}
     ztree Mon 19:50:59.706 get 0:35/version_command/version => {'version': 1}
     ztree Mon 19:51:00.036 get 0:35/version_command/manufacturer_specific => {'version': 1}
     ztree Mon 19:51:00.361 get 0:35/version_command/configuration => {'version': 1}
     ztree Mon 19:51:00.688 get 0:35/version => {'application': 1, 'protocol_subversion': 78, 'protocol': 2, 'application_subversion': 19, 'library': 'controller'}
     ztree Mon 19:51:01.158 get 0:35/manufacturer_specific => {'manufacturer_id': 'aeon_labs', 'product_id': 3, 'product_type_id': 1}
     ztree Mon 19:51:01.161 SET 0:35/configuration/241 => {'value': 1, 'size': 1}
     ztree Mon 19:51:01.161 SET 0:35/configuration/242 => {'value': 1, 'size': 1}
     ztree Mon 19:51:01.161 SET 0:35/configuration/243 => {'value': 1, 'size': 1}
     ztree Mon 19:51:01.162 SET 0:35/configuration/244 => {'value': 1, 'size': 1}
     ztree Mon 19:51:01.162 SET 0:35/configuration/245 => {'value': 1, 'size': 1}
     ztree Mon 19:51:01.162 SET 0:35/configuration/246 => {'value': 1, 'size': 1}
     ztree Mon 19:51:01.163 SET 0:35/configuration/0 => {'value': 16842752, 'size': 4}
     ztree Mon 19:51:01.163 SET 0:35/configuration/20 => {'value': 16908288, 'size': 4}
     ztree Mon 19:51:01.164 SET 0:35/configuration/40 => {'value': 16973824, 'size': 4}
     ztree Mon 19:51:01.164 SET 0:35/configuration/60 => {'value': 17039360, 'size': 4}
     ztree Mon 19:51:01.164 SET 0:35/configuration/80 => {'value': 17104896, 'size': 4}
     ztree Mon 19:51:01.165 SET 0:35/configuration/100 => {'value': 17170432, 'size': 4}
     ztree Mon 19:51:01.165 SET 0:35/configuration/120 => {'value': 17235968, 'size': 4}
     ztree Mon 19:51:01.165 SET 0:35/configuration/140 => {'value': 17301504, 'size': 4}
     ztree Mon 19:51:01.166 SET 0:35/configuration/160 => {'value': 17367040, 'size': 4}
     ztree Mon 19:51:01.166 SET 0:35/configuration/180 => {'value': 17432576, 'size': 4}
     ztree Mon 19:51:01.166 SET 0:35/configuration/200 => {'value': 17498112, 'size': 4}
     ztree Mon 19:51:01.167 SET 0:35/configuration/220 => {'value': 17563648, 'size': 4}
      zdev Mon 19:51:01.167 configure((0, 35, 0)) => {'status': 'success'}


You should see the leds at the top of the minimote flashing for a few seconds after text above comes out.

If you click on a button where you have no scene defined, you should see something like the following:

Code: [Select]

      zdev Mon 19:55:32.233 {'error': 'Pressed undefined button (0, 35, 0): 1'}
      zdev Mon 19:55:35.413 {'error': 'Pressed undefined button (0, 35, 0): 2'}
      zdev Mon 19:55:38.982 {'error': 'Pressed undefined button (0, 35, 0): 3'}
      zdev Mon 19:55:40.972 {'error': 'Pressed undefined button (0, 35, 0): 4'}
      zdev Mon 19:55:43.082 {'error': 'Pressed undefined button (0, 35, 0): 5'}
      zdev Mon 19:55:45.382 {'error': 'Pressed undefined button (0, 35, 0): 6'}
      zdev Mon 19:55:47.809 {'error': 'Pressed undefined button (0, 35, 0): 7'}
      zdev Mon 19:55:50.103 {'error': 'Pressed undefined button (0, 35, 0): 8'}
      zdev Mon 19:55:52.514 {'error': 'Pressed undefined button (0, 35, 0): 9'}
      zdev Mon 19:55:54.578 {'error': 'Pressed undefined button (0, 35, 0): 10'}
      zdev Mon 19:55:56.892 {'error': 'Pressed undefined button (0, 35, 0): 11'}
      zdev Mon 19:56:04.014 {'error': 'Pressed undefined button (0, 35, 0): 12'}

You get the odd numbers with a quick press, and the even numbers with a 2-second press.

According to the ZWave spec, the minimote should read back configuration values numbered 1-255, but like a lot of devices, it reads back none of them.   In the next release, we plan to show you all the parameters you set, whether the device reads them back or not.   We're working on making the display format intuitive.  Right now it is raw JSON.  :-(

[drmimosa]

linutic,

Thanks again for posting these instructions last month. I could never get the Minimote functioning properly on my Windows Engen server. The button presses never registered in the watch() log.

However, I set up a Id Pi Engen server last week and it works flawlessly. Thanks for your help here.