I was thinking about getting a two way zigbee remote for my media room in the basement. I have an XP-8 and ZRM-24 already in there and I am using a one way remote. I have another setup upstairs which has my media server. That system is one way. If I get a two way remote for the media room can I send an occasional macro to the room upstairs to turn on/off and control the media server? Basically need to know if a zigbee remote can talk to an RM-433 antenna...

Zigbee remote to Zigbee antenna and 433 remote to 433 antenna. You can have both 433 and zigbee antennas on the same processor. Are the systems off the same XP8? You can setup system macros where either remote talks to the processor and issues the same commands. Otherwise you could run IR out of the XP8 to the IR Signal on the other system (RP6 for example) and just allow IR passthru.

I have another XP-8 upstairs. So what do you think would be the best bet ? IR pass through? I have to run a wire up to th eother floor will be a pain...

Just add a Zigbee antenna to that system.

I was going to suggest the same but you cannot roam between two zigbee antennas.

Are you saying that the two way remote can only be dedicated to one ZRM-24 and will only speak to the processor that the ZRM-24 is connected to only?

That doesnt sound right - What if you have a control system with multiple processors?

All You need is a 2 conductor hard link between XP-8's its not ideal, but an old phone line, unused speaker wire even a piece of RG-6, may or may not have interference issues, but I have been able to do this successfully several times in the past.

I haven't tried it but based on what others are saying, you cannot have a system where a Zigbee remote will roam from one ZM-24 (correct model #, not ZRM-24) to another without rebooting the remote. This is a major issue if you want to use a controller for more than one room, particularly given that the ZM-24's have less range than an RM-433.

In your case where you have multiple processors, you need to link the two via a physical cable and use the one project file in Integration Designer for all devices on both floors.

edit: you might not need to use the one project file if you just use IR passthrough.

Have a read of this document on the RTI Dealer website as it provides quite a lot of helpful info.

[Link: rticorp.com]

One thing that surprised me is that it said this;

"When multiple Zigbee enabled RTI control processors will be utilized within the same Integration Designer system file, each processor must have a ZM-24 wired to the RTI COM port"

so based on that I'm not too sure if what you are wanting to do will work!

edit: you might not need to use an additional ZM-24 if you just use IR passthrough.

I would connect the two processors via a very long cable running through the house first as a test, then decide if you can run it in the walls if it all works.

I wonder if the control processors can talk to each other over zigbee. So the remote wouldn't talk to the second ZM24 but since they create a mesh network do they then "mesh" the control processors? I doubt it but could be possible.

This wont work because it is not written into the firmware that way, I don't even know if RTI could do this.

Your best bet is to try and use one zm 24 and find some kind of way to create a hard link between the two processors. so whats holding you up, why cant you fish a wire between processors?

Keep one processor 433 and the other zm 24 with a wire between the two

Never really used IR pas through and they didnt touch on it in training too much... Could someone shed some light? I know you have to check off enable IR pass through, but let's say I want I have two XP-8s in the control system - where do I wire the CAT5 from one to the other for IR pass through? Let's say I am trying to control my escient upstairs which is connected to port#4 via mono plug - how do I send a command to it via my processor in the theater room (where port#4 on that porocessor is something different....)

Thanks, any information is appreciated.

Have a look at this technical bulletin which describes the connection of multiple processors

[Link: rticorp.com]

In fact, scan through the technical bulletins available as there are some quite useful ones there.

[Link: rticorp.com]

All you have to do is connect the signals and grounds between the 2 XP8's .
Then include both XP8's and all remotes in one system file. Then select which XP8 you want to send the command to. This is really very very simple to do, all you need is that 2 conductor connection between units.

Both antenna formats do exactly the same thing within the processor, except you can get feed back on the zigby

Adding the two conductors between the two XP8s will only transfer trigger codes from an RM-433 or in-wall, not a ZM-24, which uses the COM port. You need a ZM-24 per XP8. Also, the ZM-24s will "cross communicate" to each other per these statements in the ZM-24 installation tech bulletin (please note I haven't done this myself yet). Also, note this tech bulletin was updated Feb. 2010 so this info may be new to most of us.

1) An RTI zigbee network has a main ZM-24 that selects the network channel. Any additional ZM-24 units in the system (both wireless “repeaters” and hard-wired ZM-24’s connected to other processors) will attempt to search for the network channel information provided by the main ZM-24 transceiver. Therefore, if multiple zigbee enabled RTI control processors (XP-8, MRP-64, ZRP-6) will be utilized within the same Integration Designer system file, it is critical that the ZM-24 transceiver modules are located in an orientation which allows zigbee network information to be transferred.

2) When multiple Zigbee enabled RTI control processors will be utilized within the same Integration Designer system file, each processor must have a ZM-24 wired to the RTI COM port. In this configuration, it is extremely important that all ZM-24’s are within communication range of each other. Please see the section on setting up a Zigbee network using multiple processors (page 4).

3) If there will be two or more Zigbee enabled RTI processors that are located remotely from each other, and don’t require any cross-communication between systems, it may be beneficial to program the processors in separate system files. This eliminates the need for the two systems to be connected to the same zigbee network.

To me this sounds like you can have two XP8s, each will its own ZM-24, and I can be in one room closer to XP8(a) and ZM-24(a). Remote sends command to ZM-24(a), ZM-24(a) repeats command to ZM-24(b). Then ZM-24(b), which is hard wired to the XP8(b), executes macro.

Dino