Mac Home Automation

Different devices can have widely different dimming behavior. XTension supports all the different types by providing 3 kinds of dimming behavior, or in the case of some specific devices forcing the behavior to what works in order to avoid confusion. The three dimmable types were originally developed for the different kinds of X10 devices, but the logic holds and is helpful for all other device types as well. In the Unit Interface Dialog the dimmable type is selected from a popup menu opposite the “dimmable” checkbox. Units without the dimmable checkbox set can only be on or off, called “discrete”. When the checkbox is set you can select from 3 types of behavior: simple, simulated, and smart.

For X10 devices a simple device would be the original push button wall switch. A simple dimmable device can be dimmed, but responds to an ON command by going to full on (100%). Many ZWave devices also behave in this way. By selecting the unit dimmable type that corresponds to the actual behavior of the unit it makes sure that the value display in XTension properly corresponds to what the device is doing.

Most Zwave and Zigbee devices are Smart. When you set a dim level either at the switch manually or via a Dim or Brighten command the switch itself remembers that value and will return to that value the next time it receives an ON command. Unlike simple devices the switch will not return to 100% when you turn it back on. If this is the behavior you want for any given script or event you can simply send an ON command. If you wish to know for sure what the value is going to be use a dim or brighten command. There are many kids of X10 “smart” devices as well. These devices often are 2 way sending you updates for local changes and may respond to other commands for faster dimming and more features such as the Xpress command.

The simulated dimmable type was developed for “simple” X10 devices that suffered from the “Nova” effect, that once off they could not be brightened, upon receiving the first dim command they would jump to 100%. A simulated X10 device is never turned hard off, but dimmed to 0 when you send the off command. And an on command sends a brighten to the last known level for that device.

By using a simulated setting for any “simple” device you can simulate this behavior for any device that doesn’t support it if you wish. You can also change the preset that XTension will use to set the value of the lamp using the Simulated Preset Dim command. This sends nothing to the lamp itself, just changes the preset level in XTension that will be used when the lamp next turns on.

NOTE: Though Phillips hue bulbs are technically “smart” in XTension they ignore their dimmable setting and are always treated as simulated units. In my testing with them they would often get confused about color or level values, especially in the case of a power hit or other minor such problem. This led them to often being out of sync with XTension. When using Phillips Hue bulbs and sending an ON or a dim command the current color and level information as known by XTension is always sent along with the command.