Device to IP Control Anything - uSwitch Relay

By: Brian Rhodes, Published on Jan 13, 2014

A common challenge integrators face is controlling non-networked equipment. Once systems 'go IP', there is typically a desire to stick everything on the network too. Unfortunately, even turning equipment on or off can be a chore requiring manual operation or clunky expensive machine controllers. The uSwitch Relay aims to change all that for less than $150. In this note, we look at the relay, potential security applications, and explore the limits of its usefulness.

* ****** ********* *********** face ** *********** ***-********* equipment. **** ******* '** IP', ***** *********** * ****** ** stick ********** ** *** network ***. *************, **** turning ********* ** ** off *** ** * chore ********* ****** ********* or ****** ********* ******* controllers. ********** ********* ** ****** *** that *** **** **** $150. ** **** ****, we **** ** *** relay, ********* ******** ************, and ******* *** ****** of *** **********.

[***************]

Potential ************

*** ***** ** ******* ** ******* by *** ******* ** is ********* **. *** device's ******** ******* ***** in *** ******* ****:

*** *******: **** ** ***** ** controlling *********** ******* ** machinery, *** ******* *** ** ********* ** the ***** ********* ** operator ** ***** ******** accessible *******. **** *******, **** a ******** **** ********. The ***** *** ** installed ** **** *** operator ****** **** ** closed ** ****** ** the ********** *** ********** remotely ********* ** ***. 

** *** **** ***, high ******* ******** ***** circuits, ** **** ********* like ******** ***** *** be ****** ** ******** as ******. ***** ************ or ****** ******* ******* can ** **** ** verify **********, *** ********* can **** *** *** access ** ******** *** attached ******* **** * ***** distance.

****** *********: ******* *** ** *** relay ***** **** ***** cycling ******** *********. ** a ********, ****** ** camera ******* ************ *** ******* ******* the ***** *************** **** (power ******* *** *********) from *** ********.

Product ********

**** **** ********* **** surveillance *** ****** ******* increasingly ***** ********* ** 'pure **' *******, ****** designers *** ************* ***** **** ********** with ***** ** **** networked *** ***-********* *******.**********'* ******* ** ** ** ********** relay **** ***** * simple ******* ******* ********* to ***-********* *******. 

*** ~*" * *" X *.*" ****** ***** is ***** ******** *** essentially ******** *** ****** with ******* ***** ** to ******/***:

***** ******* *******:

  • ****** ******* *********: ***** *** ****** ******** a ********* ********** ** *** major ********, *** ********* is *******, ********** **** of * ******* ** buttons *** *********.  **** of *** ******* ** labels *** ** ********** nor **** ** ** repositioned. ******** *** ****** to *****, *** *****. A ********** ** ***** in *** ***** *****:

 

  • ******** *****:**** ******* ******** ****** actions, *** ******* *** two ******** ****** (*****/*******/*******) that ***** *** ********* state ** ************* ****** when *** ******** ** reached.
  • ******** *********:*** ***** ******* ********* screen ** ********* ** username *** ********.
  • **/** *** ******** *****:* ***** ********** ** that *** ** *** an ******. ** ******** inline ***** ****** ** either ** ** ** VDC **** ** **** via ********* ******** *****
  • ***********:*** ******* ***  ****** ******* of **** **** ~$***. This ** * ****** ********* compared ***** ***** ************ ********** *** ~$***, **** likely ******* ******** ******* and ******* ******** ** program.

************

******* ******** ** ******* are *********:

**** *****: ******* ***** ******** overlooked ** ** '***** Interface ******', *** ***** contains ***** *****/****** ******** useful ** * ******* fashion *********'* ******. *** **** module **** *** *** marked ********* ** ***** compatible **** **** *****, so ********* ******* *** be ******** ******** **** screens ***** ******* ******. However, *** *****'* ******** are **** ***** ** 40VDC (*** ****-******* **) and *** * ********** higher ****** **** ** ~$330.

************ ******:** ***** ** ********* ***** ******* ****************, **** ***** ***** of ** ********* ****** are ****** ** *** machine/systems ****** *****. *******, those ********* *** ********* more ******* ** ******* and ***** **** ******* special ******** ****** ********. In *********, ***** ***** of ****** ***** * higher ****** ** ********** control *** ******** ***********, but **** *** **** more ********* ******* ******* $200 - $*** ****.

Drawbacks & **********

***** ******* *** ******* ***** value ** ******** ******* calls ** ****** ** remote *********, ** **** not **** ******* *********, namely:

  • *** ********* ****:*** *****'************ ***** *** ** not ********** **** *** platforms. **** ***** **** controlling *** ****** ** is ********* ** ***** place ** * ********** webpage, ********* ******** *********** and *** **** ******* operating **********.
  • *****:*** ***** ** ******** connected, *** ** ********** from *** *** **** unless ********** ************* ** switches, *******, ** **** forwarding ** ****.
  • ********* *******:**** ******** ******** ********** are *** ********, *******, *** ******** to ****** *** ***-******* electrical *******. ***** *** uSwitch ***** **** ************** an *********** ** ********** Engineer *** ****, ****** application.
  • **/*** ****:***** ******* ** ******, typically ******** ***** ** taking ** ****.  **** means ************* ****** **** *** basic ******* ** *******, and ** *** * comparable *********** *** ******** integration ** **** ******* PLC ***** ************.

Comments (16)

Josh Snow

01/13/14 08:30pm

Network attached relay devices have been widely available for some time-- is there something unique I am missing ?

Avatar

Brian Rhodes

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Josh Snow | 01/13/14 08:53pm

Hello Josh:

Which makes/models are you most familiar with?

As a whole, there is not much distinction among any type of addressable relay, aside from price and difficulty in configuring - both items that we point out in this update as 'pros'.

We have not tested the uSwitch, so if you have field experience with any particular type I am interested in hearing feedback.

Amos Wipf

01/13/14 08:37pm

Been using the CBW devices for several years with good succes.

Equivilent model ~$110 or POE version ~$135.

I haven't used that particular CBW device but the ones that I have used have quite a bit of functionality, scheduled events, emailing, counters and a BASIC script interpreter for anything else.

These types of devices are a very good tool to have and can make the seemingly impossible a reality.

Avatar

Brian Rhodes

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Amos Wipf | 01/13/14 08:55pm

BASIC language will never die! Must you know BASIC to program Control-By-Web devices?

Amos Wipf

In reply to Brian Rhodes | 01/13/14 09:01pm

No you do not need to know BASIC to program CBW devices.

BASIC scripting is a feature within the web GUI to give more flexibility to the units. It is a very basic (no pun intended) interpreter and doesn't support many of the standard commands but I have used it successfully when I needed more functuinality.

Avatar

Michael Votaw

01/13/14 10:29pm

I'm using control by web as well. Very happy with them and you can add temperature, humidity and other types of sensors. Very powerful product and cost effective.

Alex K

01/14/14 04:22am

CBW is good. Their mobile app is very useful and gives you full control of all the devices.

DLI is another great option.

Plus they have GREAT commercial!

Undisclosed Integrator #1

In reply to Alex K | 01/14/14 10:15pm

That commercial should win an award for the most sexist, ethnic, geographic stereotypes and sexual double entendres in a 2-minute ad, with an honorable mention for best cleavage by a police impersonator.

nidal gharzeddine

01/14/14 05:44am

We have used the Axis P8221, to connect door sensors and fire alarm panels to the VMS, receive on screen alerts and pop up the relevant camera”s”, works great.

Connecting more devices to the network is good, but the challenge is when the client ends up with multiple independent applications controlling different devices.

Mike Ridgley

01/14/14 04:38pm

If you are a little “technical” and want a superior interface with more bells and whistles, check out the BeagleBone Black.

Alex K

In reply to Mike Ridgley | 01/14/14 04:51pm

Mike,

How would you compare BeagleBoard against Arduino ?

Mike Ridgley

01/14/14 07:23pm

BeagleBoard is new and has fewer resources. Arduino has ton’s of online resources and projects. Arduino has an interface and is better for the “weekend warrior” vs. Beagle being more language intensive. This wouldn’t be a huge deal if there were more online resources and projects to work from.

I suppose it comes down to the project that you are trying to build as well.

There are plenty of YouTube videos out there comparing the two.

I bought a BeagleBone to build a temp-controller / monitor for my Green Egg. I eventually gave up on the BeagleBone and went to the Arduino because there are several projects in full production. So for me, it came down to the limited resources and my limited unix knowledge.

However, the BeagleBone comes with a faster processor and has the built in ethernet capabilities. It can also communicate with far more interfaces / protocols. I had to buy the ethernet cape for the Arduino.

nidal gharzeddine

In reply to Mike Ridgley | 01/16/14 01:53pm

thanks , very enlightening

Avatar

Brian Rhodes

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Mike Ridgley | 01/18/14 09:55pm

Is this the Green Egg you mention? I seriously bow down to you. Building an arduino temp monitor for a smoker would win you first place at the Radio Shack Grill Fest.

Undisclosed Integrator #2

01/18/14 12:51pm

We integrate some i/o interfaces with modbus and OPC protocols.

I/O devices with modbus were like the Lantronix IntelliBox-I/O 2100.

In the other hand, OPC is wide use in the automation industry.

Brad Dangerfield

01/24/14 05:53am

Moxa Makes an excellent line of industrial I/O boxes, that are compatible with common VMS' And we use them when integration or control of other devices/sensors are required.

But this is an interesting offering with an inexpensive price.

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