Multiple PC Interface

Hi friends!

One of my customer requires 2 wall mounted touchscreens(non Cbus) in a duplex. The CPU connected to the network has only one VGA port so it can take up only one monitor. I have to install another PC to control Cbus. Can I use 2 PCI on same network?

I have supplied Homegate 3.1 to the client. 2 PCs means there will be 2 CGate servers running on 2 PCs. Is it possible?

If not.., What is the best solution?

Thanks,
Manas

 

Yes, you can have 2 PCI's, but if you want you can just use 1 PCI with C-Gate connected and then have the second instance of HomeGate connect to that C-gate over the LAN.

 

I have two PCI's running fine.

You can add a second video card tot he first PC.

Running a program called betwin XP will allow it to appear as two separate computers to the end users, thus removing the cost of hardware and energy required for the second PC.

Not sure how C-gate/Homegate go in this scenario, but there is a trial version available to test it out. Basically you will run Homegate twice on the single PC, one for each screen.

Mick

 

Thanks for your prompt reply!

But I have already bought the hardware and I would avoid buying any more.

Today I tried to scan network from the two PCIs.

The first PCI(used first to scan the network) worked well. It showed the existence of second PCI. I started Homegate and Cbus control was tested.

But when I tried to scan network from second PCI, It just refused to do that. The error messages were.. "Port in use" "Network failed to scan".
When I stopped network running on 1st PCI, 2nd started working well!

Am I missing any procedure? Do I have to write any code?

I need to run Homegate on both PCs simoultaneously.

Fyi,
Homegate version: 3.1.0
CGate Version: 2.2.4 Built 2032
Toolkit: 1.1.7


Thanks,
Manas

 

Yeah, you are doing someting wrong. It should work fine. Unfortunately you haven't supplied enough information for me to provide anything more helpful.

 

Ohh..Ok.

The Cbus connections are..

Cbus Units <---------> PCI 1 <-----------------> PCI 2 -->B

Sorry for the odd painting... But The connections I followed were these.
The PCI's were connected next to each other. PCI 2 contains burden in empty slot. All other Cbus units are on other side.. Dimmers, Relay, Neo, DLT etc.

Do I have to change connections?

I will post CGate messages in some time.

Does this help?

Thanks,
Manas

 

I need to know the configuration of the PC's including serial port numbers and the configuration of the networks in the C-gate projects and what port the PCI's a physically wired to.

e.g.

PC A: two serial ports COM1 and COM2, PCI wired to COM1, C-gate project has single network set as serial to COM1.
PC B: one serial port COM2, PCI wired to COM2, C-gate project has sigle network set as serial to COM2

Using the diagnostic software might also help. http://www2.clipsal.com/cis/technical/downloads/commissioning_tools#Diagnosticutility

 

Are you physically disconnecting from PCI-1 then connecting to PCI-2 or do you have two serial connections to the two PCI's. ?

If it is the later then you need to point toolkit to the second (different) com port. Toolkit (C-Gate) will not support two simultaneous connections to a C-Bus network...

 

Yes.. I have two serial connections to two different PCIs. But is it necessary to point toolkit manually to 2nd PCI? I have two seperate Home Gate instances on two seperate PCs, connected seperately through 2 PCIs.

I haven't tried the diagnostic utility yet.