| Posted: Thursday Jan 19th, 2012 01:57 pm |
|
1st Post |
AdrianL
Member
| Joined: | Friday May 2nd, 2008 |
| Location: | West Sussex, UK |
| Posts: | 64 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
back to top
|
Back in 1999 I bought and installed a Comfort system. I added some wired movement detectors and light modules (both the external type MODLS42 and LSM01) and later on added a relay board. I also made use of the X10 interface module TW7223. I have CS-Xpress 2.05 but never used it - all programming was done from the keypad.
Some time ago I took advantage of a special offer to buy a new main board and other bits and pieces but have never got round to installing them. I also downloaded Comfigurator 3.2.4. Now I have some time and am keen to upgrade my system.
The new bits I have are:
Comfort (Ultra I think) PC01-050B/051B firmware ULT 5.045
UCM PC01-017E 5.92
LEM PC01-059A
RGR PC01-054A.
My questions are:
It looks as though from the hardware point of view the main boards are plug compatible - can I just remove one and replace it with the other?
Presumably I should buy a MPU01 so I can upgrade the firmware to latest?
Can I in some way extract the responses I have set up and transfer them to the new board using CS-Xpress or the UCM and Comfigurator?
The UCM has a 9 pin RS232 socket - can I connect this to a USB port on my computer in some way?
Clearly there are some exciting things that will become possible (ethernet, iPhone control etc) so any help in this first step greatly appreciated.
|
| Posted: Friday Jan 20th, 2012 01:28 am |
|
2nd Post |
ident
Administrator
| Joined: | Wednesday Aug 9th, 2006 |
| Location: | Singapore |
| Posts: | 3493 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
back to top
|
When you say you took advantage of an upgrade offer some time ago, do you remember which year that was?
ULT 5.054 firmware was released in June 2006 http://www.comfortforums.com/forum79/817.html
UCM 5.092 is not even Comfort 2 it is a UCM01 for Comfort I from 2005! It does not have the flash firmware and cannot be upgraded
The Comfort I to 2 upgrade package offer was posted in 2009 (although it may have been available earlier)
If you upgraded around 2008/2009 you should not have received the Comfort ULT or UCM that you have.
You can buy a MPU01 to upgrade you comfort to the latest firmware 6.xxx. After that your firmware can be upgraded by a new UCM and Comfigurator
Your UCM01 (Rs232)can stil be used with a serial to USB convertor but it will not have the new features like be able to support Bus firmware upgrade or use with the iPhone app or comfort Client
I recommend that you buy a UCM/Ethernet (or UCM/USB for local USB interface)
CS-Xpress has been phased out and replaced by Comfigurator 3 see http://www.comfortforums.com/forum20/2599.html
You can use Comfigurator to read an old cclf file created by csxpress and save in the new cclx format
|
| Posted: Friday Jan 20th, 2012 11:47 am |
|
3rd Post |
AdrianL
Member
| Joined: | Friday May 2nd, 2008 |
| Location: | West Sussex, UK |
| Posts: | 64 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
back to top
|
Thank you for your response. I have located the order and it is dated 25/05/2006 with Comfort Home Controls (UK). There are two items:
Comfort Gen.2 Ultra II Upgrade Bundle Offer
UCM01/A/CF RS232 interface (incl CF License)
Is the following the best course of action?
Install the UCM01 in current system and use Comfigurator (or CS-Xpress?) to upload the current configuration
Buy MPU01/ULT and UCM/Eth02
Install the new Comfort board plus MPU01 and UCM, update the firmware and download configuration.
Also, what advantages would there be in now upgrading to the latest Comfort II Ultra board?
Many thanks for your help.
|
| Posted: Friday Jan 20th, 2012 12:03 pm |
|
4th Post |
ident
Administrator
| Joined: | Wednesday Aug 9th, 2006 |
| Location: | Singapore |
| Posts: | 3493 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
back to top
|
Is the following the best course of action?
Install the UCM01 in current system and use Comfigurator (or CS-Xpress?) to upload the current configuration
If you do not have the original file, you can use CSXpress or comfigurator to read the configuration from the system
However you may or may not have better results by using Comfigurator and the new UCM to read the configuration Sometimes old systems may have incompatibitlies which cause exceptions with new Comfigurator. but Comfigurator is able to read and try to provide meaningful names to the Responses that are read. So I would try to read using CS-Xpress/old UCM and Comfiugrator/New UCM
Buy MPU01/ULT and UCM/Eth02 Install the new Comfort board plus MPU01 and UCM, update the firmware and download configuration.
Yes
Also, what advantages would there be in now upgrading to the latest Comfort II Ultra board?
The Comfort 2 board with MPU is functionally similar to a brand new Comfort II PCB, but the latest hardware would have improvements like a more accurate real time clock and better protection against surge
|
| Posted: Friday Jan 20th, 2012 02:04 pm |
|
5th Post |
AdrianL
Member
| Joined: | Friday May 2nd, 2008 |
| Location: | West Sussex, UK |
| Posts: | 64 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
back to top
|
ok. Many thanks for your help. One of the best things about Comfort is the superb support provided.
|
| Posted: Monday Feb 13th, 2012 04:46 pm |
|
6th Post |
AdrianL
Member
| Joined: | Friday May 2nd, 2008 |
| Location: | West Sussex, UK |
| Posts: | 64 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
back to top
|
Do I need some sort of mounting adaptor for the Comfort II board? One of the mounting holes appears to be in a different place.
|
| Posted: Monday Feb 13th, 2012 07:35 pm |
|
7th Post |
ident
Administrator
| Joined: | Wednesday Aug 9th, 2006 |
| Location: | Singapore |
| Posts: | 3493 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
back to top
|
Not sure what you mean. MPU plugs on top of Comfort II nonflash boards with version < 5.100
Sebd a photo
|
| Posted: Wednesday Feb 15th, 2012 12:08 am |
|
8th Post |
AdrianL
Member
| Joined: | Friday May 2nd, 2008 |
| Location: | West Sussex, UK |
| Posts: | 64 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
back to top
|
Sorry I meant the mounting of the Comfort 2 board in the original enclosure. One of the pillars is in the wrong place for the Comfort 2 board.
Scanning older posts It seems I need an ACC-PLATE01?
|
| Posted: Wednesday Feb 15th, 2012 08:09 am |
|
9th Post |
ident
Administrator
| Joined: | Wednesday Aug 9th, 2006 |
| Location: | Singapore |
| Posts: | 3493 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
back to top
|
yes you need ACC-PLATE01
ACC-PLATE02 allows UCM and LEM and RLY size modules to be mounted
Last edited on Wednesday Mar 14th, 2012 02:30 am by ident
|
| Posted: Friday Feb 17th, 2012 02:37 pm |
|
10th Post |
AdrianL
Member
| Joined: | Friday May 2nd, 2008 |
| Location: | West Sussex, UK |
| Posts: | 64 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
back to top
|
ok thankyou. Can the UCM/Eth02 be mounted using the provided short screws on convenient pads in the Comfort enclosure? 4 nylon pillars were provided and I don't understand how to use those if they are necessary.
Also, what are the 4 metal pillars on the Comfort II main board for?
|
| Posted: Saturday Feb 18th, 2012 01:02 am |
|
11th Post |
ident
Administrator
| Joined: | Wednesday Aug 9th, 2006 |
| Location: | Singapore |
| Posts: | 3493 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
back to top
|
Yes there are extra mounting positions in the enclsoure for UCM size modules which include LEms, RIOs and DM02
4 metal pillars on top of Comfort II PCB may be for an LEM
They are not there by default so someone must have screwed them in
|
| Posted: Saturday Feb 18th, 2012 09:54 am |
|
12th Post |
Home
Comfort Distributors
| Joined: | Wednesday Jul 12th, 2006 |
| Location: | United Kingdom |
| Posts: | 771 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
back to top
|
IF you do not have the original file then
- I personally would upload the old file for reference ONLY.
- Use a suitable blank template (I can provide one) and build a new file up from scratch.
In my experience the upload procedure is never 100% guaranteed to provide the results that you may desire.... this comment is based on years of experience..
Hope this helps
|
| Posted: Saturday Feb 18th, 2012 12:25 pm |
|
13th Post |
ident
Administrator
| Joined: | Wednesday Aug 9th, 2006 |
| Location: | Singapore |
| Posts: | 3493 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
back to top
|
In my experience the upload procedure is never 100% guaranteed to provide the results that you may desire.... this comment is based on years of experience..
Thats true
Hpwever, the Upload (now called "Read from Comfort") has been improving over the years and now is much better than before
Select the option "Autogenerate Names from Responses" instead of "Keep Names from Configuration" so that Response Names can be generated from Action codes to give the Responses from Comfort some meaning. Response names are not kept in Comfort
|
| Posted: Tuesday Mar 13th, 2012 12:00 pm |
|
14th Post |
AdrianL
Member
| Joined: | Friday May 2nd, 2008 |
| Location: | West Sussex, UK |
| Posts: | 64 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
back to top
|
I now have the ACC-PLATE01 but not sure how to mount the new comfort board on it. I presume the plate is screwed to the existing pillars in the enclosure but how does the board attach to the plate? Presumably I need some spacers or pillars. Last edited on Tuesday Mar 13th, 2012 12:01 pm by AdrianL
|
| Posted: Wednesday Mar 14th, 2012 02:27 am |
|
15th Post |
ident
Administrator
| Joined: | Wednesday Aug 9th, 2006 |
| Location: | Singapore |
| Posts: | 3493 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
back to top
|
The mounting of the Comfort II PCB onto the ACC-PLATE01 is shown below
The 8 plastic standoffs allow the PCB to mount onto the ACC-PLATE01. These standoffs are included in the AP01 pack which is part of the CM9000 or upgrade product
The outer mounting holes on the ACC-PLATE01 allow the whole plate to be mounted on the old metal enclosure. The screws used to secure the old Comfort I PCB onto the enclosure can be removed and used for AC-PLATE01
|
| Posted: Wednesday Mar 14th, 2012 02:08 pm |
|
16th Post |
AdrianL
Member
| Joined: | Friday May 2nd, 2008 |
| Location: | West Sussex, UK |
| Posts: | 64 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
back to top
|
Thank you - that makes it very clear. Perhaps these instructions could be included on the ACC-PLATE01 page of your website.
|
| Posted: Thursday Mar 15th, 2012 01:49 am |
|
17th Post |
|
