ThinkBox 4.1 and PCI Cbus interface.

[charlie crackle]

I did my First ThinkBoxx 4.1 using a PCI to talk to CBUS.

All worked well. No Issues or problems

I connected to the PCI via the RJ45 Connectors as easy to make up a cable.

It was also quite happy for me to unplug this cable to plug in a PC so I could program CBUS with toolkit and then replug in at thinkboxx took control.

It was a pain not being able to program CBUS through THINKBOX but even tool kit could do that either.


Charles

[chrism]

Toolkit 'lite' can program C-Bus through a Minder/ThinkBoxx (with the sim card) and then... Toolkit will also work! As soon as you connect Minder/Thinkboxx software again to the controller, you will need to go back to Lite to start a session. It must establish comms differently (although Clipsal say it doesn't). I beleive in future releases of Toolkit, it won't work at all!!

BTW, I programmed a DLT switch through a Minder which totally surprised Clipsal who said it wouldn't work. It wasn't the most stable connection, but then again, comms with C-Bus through Minder has always been a little unstable :eek:

[Tom Kecil]

Toolkit 'lite' can program C-Bus through a Minder/ThinkBoxx (with the sim card) and then... Toolkit will also work!
Hi Chris and others,

What is Toolkit 'lite' and where can I get it? I have a C-Bus/Minder setup but would like to play with Toolkit features not in v2 of the software.

Is there a list of features in Toolkit that aren't in V2? One thing I'd like to be able to do is control a Key Input's LED independently of the Key Input - there is something in the advanced tab in V2 but it appears to apply to all keys on a unit; I'd like to address them separately.

If my minder interface can't use toolkit (and I therefore have to fork out $hundreds for a new interface just because Clipsal appear to have software-knobbled this one), is the only advantage of the Network Interface over the PC interface the fact that it is ethernet instead of RS232?

One last one - do I have to use the toolkit to program a post-toolkit product such as the multi sensor or will the latest 'maintenance' version of V2 allow me to program it via the Minder interface?

Sorry that this is 3 questions in 1 - Any help on any of them greatly appreciated!

[chrism]

What is Toolkit 'lite' and where can I get it? I have a C-Bus/Minder setup but would like to play with Toolkit features not in v2 of the software. Is there a list of features in Toolkit that aren't in V2?

Hi Tom

Toolkit lite is a cut-down version of Toolkit. I'm fairly sure it is in the standard download and is installed as an option (I can't remember actually).

There are features in Toolkit that are not in V2, but nothing too interesting from a functionality perspective


One thing I'd like to be able to do is control a Key Input's LED independently of the Key Input - there is something in the advanced tab in V2 but it appears to apply to all keys on a unit; I'd like to address them separately.


I think this is a firmware limitation... From memory.


If my minder interface can't use toolkit (and I therefore have to fork out $hundreds for a new interface just because Clipsal appear to have software-knobbled this one), is the only advantage of the Network Interface over the PC interface the fact that it is ethernet instead of RS232?

My understanding is that Minder will at some point, no longer work with Toolkit. The sim on Minder isn't a true PC interface and can't do some of the fancy features like smart mode etc. The firmware version is quite old too. The Network Interface (CNI) is a PC Interface coupled to a Lantronix TCP/IP to RS232 converter (well, probably a little more than that, but not much). Personally, I would use the CNI so I could install it and link it to my data network. I can then connect using any PC (with C-Bus software), locally or remotely.

I have another reason in that we are developing a controller (the Beaver mentioned elsewhere on this usergroup) that will communicate with C-Bus and TCP/IP is preferred so i don't waste the RS232 port on our controller (I would use the RS232 port for music control, security or pool control).

[QUOTE=Tom Kecil]
One last one - do I have to use the toolkit to program a post-toolkit product such as the multi sensor or will the latest 'maintenance' version of V2 allow me to program it via the Minder interface?
[\QUOTE]

Hmmm, not sure. I don't think V2 has had any develpment work done at all... they are only fixing bugs (so they'll be supporting until 2021 :rolleyes: )



Cheers

Chris