VeraPlus (GE 45600 & Minimote) - Nice Workaround

Please have a heart and understand I am not a “programmer” - just a guy trying to sit on my couch and turn things on/off with a remote. Used to be a lot simpler with x10 … If this is in the wrong place please be kind.

I have been using a VeraLite for about 4 years now and have kept it on U15 due to my GE45600’s not working on U17.
I know there are a few people like me who tried everything.

I finally decided to give the VeraPlus (U17) a chance and was disappointed to see the issues with the GE45600’s incompatibility remain.
I tried everything on this site and the net but just couldn’t get the GE’s to cooperate.

I knew the Minimotes worked with U17 but damn – only 4 buttons. I get they are scenes but I just wanted to turn crap on/off.
Got the Minimotes and was able to set each button for 2 scenes, one reflecting dimmer on and one dimmer off, etc.

I gave this some thought and decided to try something different.
I added a scene (kitchen_Off_On) with no device and just entered LUUP code to get the status of my kitchen dimmer(Device #24) and if it was 0, change to 100 and visa versa:
local lul_tmp = luup.variable_get(“urn:upnp-org:serviceId:Dimming1”, “LoadLevelTarget”, 24)
if (lul_tmp == “100”) then
luup.call_action(“urn:upnp-org:serviceId:Dimming1”, “SetLoadLevelTarget”, {newLoadlevelTarget = “0”}, 24)
end
if (lul_tmp == “0”) then
luup.call_action(“urn:upnp-org:serviceId:Dimming1”, “SetLoadLevelTarget”, {newLoadlevelTarget = “100”}, 24)
end

This worked and I assigned it to minimote button1 tap.

I then added another scene (Undercounter_On_Off) for my undercounter (Device #27) using similar concept:
local lul_tmp = luup.variable_get(“urn:upnp-org:serviceId:SwitchPower1”, “Status”, 27)
if (lul_tmp == “1”) then
luup.call_action(“urn:upnp-org:serviceId:SwitchPower1”, “SetTarget”, {newTargetValue = “0”}, 27)
end
if (lul_tmp == “0”) then
luup.call_action(“urn:upnp-org:serviceId:SwitchPower1”, “SetTarget”, {newTargetValue = “1”}, 27)
end

This also worked and I assigned it to minimote button1 hold.

So now, my minimote button #1 when tapped once toggles my kitchen dimmer up or down and when button #1 is held, toggles my undercounter lighting off/ or on.

This ain’t pretty but it works and I will now have 8 programmable “functional” light controls - which is all I ever wanted with the GE45600.

I am gonna probably change these to if >0 or <100 for the dimmer but for now this is something to try.
Sorry if I am stating the obvious - I just wanted to share with my brothers who have suffered with the GE45600 and no 9 button controller alternatives.

The GE45600 will be auctioned off. The minimote is now king. Much smaller, lasts 5 months on a charge and offers (now) 8 solutions.

Yes, MiniMotes are great (I have nine) and toggle actions are definitely a good way to go.

It turns out, though, that you have done it the hard way, since dimmers and switches generally support a built-in toggle action, described here http://wiki.micasaverde.com/index.php/Luup_UPnP_Variables_and_Actions#HaDevice1

So you should be able to do it with just one action call…

luup.call_action ("urn:micasaverde-com:serviceId:HaDevice1", "ToggleState", {}, 24)

Thanks for sharing, and Lighting and Load Control seems exactly the right place for this sort of stuff.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.

I knew there had to be an easier way - really appreciate it.

PK

I can confirm that the VeraPlus (UI7) still has troubles with the GE remote. For one, it sees it as 45602, not 45600. For two, it pairs just fine, but leaves an error that will not resolve (Waiting for wakeup to configure device…). Sometimes if you hold one of the buttons down and tell it to configure from the device’s advanced screen, it will move onto a different error about polling it. Regardless of this, button one (on) works on the remote to trigger the right scene, but two (on) doesn’t. This may be due to a partial pair between the remote and controller or something left over from the previous Vera controller it was associated to (UI5).