ElkRP / Elk M1 and Russound control

icellama21

Active Member
Has anyone automated a Russound RNET controller from their M1? In theory the Elk-IP232 can initiate a connection to the M1XEP and the M1 can send ASCII strings to the RNET device.

I haven't figured out how to send the extended-ASCII characters mandated by the RNET protocol, the M1 documentation is a bit light in this area. I was hoping elkrp would allow 8-bit numbers to be sent directly as either a string of numbers or using the established screen representations for the values.

Wondering if anyone has had success with this.
 
The next release of the M1 and M1XEP supports control of whole house audio from the M1 Rules through the M1XEP.
 
I hope for a beta test starting early December with release in 3 to 4 weeks after that in a perfect world. ;)
 
No problem! As soon as I get the next release final feature compilation, I will post it.
 
Is it possible to control zones from Elk? I want to be able to select kid's room then select source and set volume either from ElkRM or keypad. I plan on having wi-fi enabled tablet with Elk software loaded so I can roam about the house with full control.

TIA!

mantis
 
You can control audio zones, sources and volume. Russound will give you alot more options also.
 
I hope for a beta test starting early December with release in 3 to 4 weeks after that in a perfect world. :hesaid:


Hi Spanky,

I know we don't live in a perfect world.....but when is the Russound > M1 under rules control likely to see light of day? :rockon:

Cheers,

Fleetz
 
I hope for a beta test starting early December with release in 3 to 4 weeks after that in a perfect world. :hesaid:


Hi Spanky,

I know we don't live in a perfect world.....but when is the Russound > M1 under rules control likely to see light of day? :rockon:

Cheers,

Fleetz

Friends

Pre-written interfaces for Russound or any other product make things nice, but much of this integration can be done without Elk's help. Of course code is saved when hardware exists, but we can move forward on almost any integration we want without waiting on anyone....

Consider this story below to get a look at how we interfaced an M1 with a Nuvo Grand Concerto without custom drivers or hardware (outside of a serial port)

Consider this..... The horsepower under the hood of the M1 has allowed me to make the following claim and as yet, no one can dispute it. "If you can think it up, the M1 can do it".

Automation, lighting, automated speech, Audio integration you name it.

A while back Elk really stepped up to the plate and assisted me on a project that went where no man had ever went before. It was related to designing and installaing a system that allowed a Lou Gehrig's patient to use the M1 to control his entire home. Lou Gehrig's victims suffer a slow (sometimes rapid) paralysis of their entire body leaving only their eyes that will move.

The power of the M1 and the hearts of the ELk staff allowed me to interface their product with numerous other 3rd party products (including the Grand Concerto audio system from Nuvo).

The big picture is this. The M1 has enough power to allow any integrator to brave new worlds. The limit has always been your creativity. With such power the door is always open to "work arounds" that allow integrators to accomplish anything they can imagine.

Since the story I linked to was published, I have visited Steve Smith several times. Today all he can move is his feet. But the last time I visited Steve he used his M1 to play tricks on his Nurse by turning out the lights in the rooms she would enter (X-10 lighting was provided by OnQ Legrand and works flawlessly). He can see the rooms via cameras that he switches using the M1. He carried on a meaningful (but automated) converstation with my wife and I, changed the channels on his satellite dish and played his favorite music in any room in the home.

He can also answer the door and telephone using automated voices Coordinated through the M1. And he has a series of screens on his PC that allows his Toe Mouse (and soon his eyes) to activate any event installed.

Steve's install has much more installed that you will learn about when you read the rather lengthy story. Note that the videos of our interviews with Steve was while he still had some movement and could talk somewhat.

Out of the box, the already written drivers and currently available hardware interfaces are a strong combination. But YOU can interface the M1 to any other product that has open architecture. The limit is in the integrator, not the M1 controller........

In summary, let's put the power of the M1 behind us and say that the limit to it's power is in the integrator not the product. And.... let's all agree that Elk is a partner any of us would be privaleged to have...

Lastly, Steve himself was in our business before ALS struck him silent and motionless. He was a Master Crestron programmer but now controls his LIFE by a much less expensive product - The M!.

God Bless
Tony Stewart
 
Consider this..... The horsepower under the hood of the M1 has allowed me to make the following claim and as yet, no one can dispute it. "If you can think it up, the M1 can do it".

Automation, lighting, automated speech, Audio integration you name it.

Well, this would be true if Elk had open firmware and I could tweak it as I wished. I think the real story is the other way around. A PC can do anything, the M1 makes it easier to control relays, lighting, etc with less code.

With a platform like the M1 you don't need to worry about the protocols for various lighting, HVAC, communication systems. You can issue a simple command to turn a light on, the Elk handles the protocol. Yes, it can do a lot of automation itself, but in the end it is just a bridge between a UI(keypad, telephone, touchscreen, PC automation software), and the hardware(light switches, speakers, sensors, etc). The M1 is a great technological facilitator, the true innovation comes from the creative products and ideas that are built around it.
 
Wow... if beta testing was in December of 08 something must have gone drastically wrong with this firmware update. I'm still patiently waiting for this integration as well. From the rumor mill I heard that Nuvo and Proficient support was being added as well. Here is hoping that another year doesn't pass us by without seeing this release come to fruition

Tony, I read Steve's story and was very moved. Thanks for sharing his heartfelt story with the community.
 
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