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Thread: System Operation/Limitation Questions

  1. #1

    System Operation/Limitation Questions

    Hello:

    1) Is there a limit to the number of separate systems that can be added to the app?
    2) Are timeclock events stored locally within the bridge so that if the phone is shut off or internet is lost, or local computer network is down, the bridge will still send out the timeclock events?
    3) When you add a Pico to the bridge, does the Pico talk exclusively with the bridge, or still directly to the dimmer, or will it also attempt to talk to both? In other words, how far can we really communicate within spec? if the Pico talks to the bridge, then you should be able to provide this solution: DIMMER----30'----BRIDGE----30'----PICO. However if the Pico does not talk to the bridge, then you still need 30' between pico and dimmer.

  2. #2
    Authorized Lutron Contributor
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    Quote Originally Posted by ekimla View Post
    Hello:

    1) Is there a limit to the number of separate systems that can be added to the app?
    2) Are timeclock events stored locally within the bridge so that if the phone is shut off or internet is lost, or local computer network is down, the bridge will still send out the timeclock events?
    3) When you add a Pico to the bridge, does the Pico talk exclusively with the bridge, or still directly to the dimmer, or will it also attempt to talk to both? In other words, how far can we really communicate within spec? if the Pico talks to the bridge, then you should be able to provide this solution: DIMMER----30'----BRIDGE----30'----PICO. However if the Pico does not talk to the bridge, then you still need 30' between pico and dimmer.
    ekimla,

    1) Each system will have a separate login. You will need to logout of one system and login to another system. There is no limit because the Lutron App for Caseta Wireless only communicate to one system at a time.
    2) The Smart Bridge will still activate timeclocks if it loses internet connection and has not been power cycled. If the Smart Bridge loses internet connection and is power cycled then it will not activate timeclock events until it reconnects to the remote server.
    3) When the Pico is added to the Smart Bridge and programmed in the Lutron App for Caseta Wireless it will communicate to both the device and Smart Bridge. If the Smart Bridge were to lose power the the Pico will still communicate to the devices that are within range.

  3. #3
    Ok so the smart bridge will act as a sort of repeater to enhance the range of the pico. So that if the dimmer is in range of the bridge but not the pico, a press on the pico will still get the message delivered to the dimmer?

  4. #4
    Authorized Lutron Contributor
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    Quote Originally Posted by ekimla View Post
    Ok so the smart bridge will act as a sort of repeater to enhance the range of the pico. So that if the dimmer is in range of the bridge but not the pico, a press on the pico will still get the message delivered to the dimmer?
    ekimla,

    The Smart Bridge will enhance the range of the Pico. The Pico will talk to the Smart Bridge and then the Smart Bridge will talk to the dimmer.

  5. #5
    Ok great.
    so finally, will the bridge still repeat the signal if:
    1) Internet is down?
    2) bridge is power cycled in the middle of an internet outage? I.e does this repeater function depend at all on the cloud?

  6. #6
    Authorized Lutron Contributor
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    Quote Originally Posted by ekimla View Post
    Ok great.
    so finally, will the bridge still repeat the signal if:
    1) Internet is down?
    2) bridge is power cycled in the middle of an internet outage? I.e does this repeater function depend at all on the cloud?
    ekimla,

    1) Yes
    2) Yes

    The Internet access is only for use of the Lutron App for Caseta Wireless, firmware updates, 3rd party integration, and for the bridge to get time to execute of time clocks. Internet access does not affect the repeating function.

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  8. #7
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    Is there any consideration or product being considered to repeat/extend the range of the Smart Bridge? Many other whole home solutions out there utilize wifi, allowing whole home coverage. Thirty feet is an unreasonable limitation for home automation. I know you have the RA line but Caseta is more friendly and affordable.

  9. #8
    Lutron Technical Support
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    At this time, there are no immediate plans on expanding the RF range of the Caseta system.

  10. #9
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    Come on really 30 ft range and no repeaters allowed? Why the limitations?

    Quote Originally Posted by Brian W. View Post
    At this time, there are no immediate plans on expanding the RF range of the Caseta system.

    I always thought of Lutron as a progressive company and was excited when they partnered with all these companies like wink, amazon, apple, nest etc. to make these devices ready to rock n roll as opposed to going the old IBM way. Then we get hit with these unnecessary limitations. Folks we are willing to pay slightly more but for god's sake don't put these limitations. I presume these are not due to technical reasons but because you do not want these products to cannibalize the sales of your existing lines.

    Now think about this: would you rather sell 1000 systems at $300 bucks or a million systems at $100 bucks? You have a narrow window of opportunity. Thank you.

  11. #10
    Russmd,

    See the post on this section of the forum on "Multiple Smart Bridge Pros in a single Home", as well as several other places that discuss multiple bridges. I believe there may be a workaround for the limited range and / or 50 device limit. I will be testing, for my specific version and flavor of Home Automation, a dual SmartBridge Pro 2 config in the coming weeks.

    From my perspective, my Home Automation will have lighting and HVAC control at the heart of it, and Lutron Clear Connect technology appears to be one of the most robust out there. (Caseta is likely the most robust for your dollar, on the market today.) Given that, I plan to go well beyond lighting and HVAC, including pool pump and filter control, irrigation control, fan / fan speed control, integration of my security system and my Ring.com doorbells, Weather / Storm warning alerts, power monitoring, Sonos integration, etc etc. And to do that requires going beyond what the Caseta line and the Lutron Caseta App does. Therefore, I have no choice but to have some sort of third party App, or a relatively high end, DIY Home Automation Controller (like Homeseer for example) with third party apps running on it. Thus, I am going into this expecting to find a work around for the immediate future. In another 2 to 4 years, I believe there will be more elegant, user friendly and standardized control infrastructures that will allow seamless integration of Lutron Caseta devices in large configurations with the myriad of other devices.

    Sorry for the diatribe.......but the dynamics of the Home Automation market, i.e. new interfaces, new standards, new applications, and new entrants appearing with incredible regularity, means that for the next 5+ years or so, everything is pretty temporary...thus, I see work arounds as the order of the day.

    If someone knows of a reason that no reasonable work arounds can be found, please jump in.......

    Justin in Dallas

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