INSTEON scenes (also called groups) can be used to control multiple INSTEON modules, such as light switch modules, lamp or appliance plug-in modules, and thermostat modules, all in unison. For example, you could create a home theater lighting scene that turns off all lighting in your media room, except for a few sconce side lights which are set to 20% brightness. You can create lighting scenes for any activity you desire: dining, entertaining, sleeping, reading in bed, emergency, etc.

Indigo can remotely create scenes in the computer interface (PowerLinc) that control multiple remote modules. Indigo automatically creates the links to define the scene in both the PowerLinc and most remote modules. This means you do not have to press-and-hold the button on either the PowerLinc or most remote modules. Indigo will do it all remotely for you with a single press of the Sync Now button.

Once Indigo writes the links defining the scene to the PowerLinc and remote modules, you can execute the scene from any Trigger Action, Time/Date Action, or Action Group using a Send INSTEON Group / Scene Command action. In this respect, the PowerLinc is acting as a Controller with 250 buttons, and Indigo is actually performing the equivalent of pressing the PowerLinc's buttons.

This How-to level of difficulty is Moderate.

First, specify which PowerLinc Group/Scene number you want to use:

1. Choose Manage PowerLinc Links… from the Interface menu.
2. Select a PowerLinc Group/Scene number to use for the scene. Use 1 if this is your first scene.
3. Optionally enter a PowerLinc Group/Scene name in the edit field (ex: “reading in bed”).

Next, create a new link for every responder module in the scene:

1. If you want to add a new responder module to the scene, then press the New Link to Responder button. Or, if you want to change the settings (brightness, ramp rate duration, etc.) of an existing responder module in the scene, then select that module's link in the table in the top-half of the window.
2. Choose the responder module's device name from the responder popup control.
3. When responding to a scene command most modules will control the main load (light or appliance) connected to that module. For these modules (SwitchLinc, ToggleLinc, LampLinc, etc.) you can specify the exact brightness you want for that module as well as a duration for how quickly the module should go to that brightness. Some modules will have different options. For example, when a KeypadLinc is responding to a scene command it can turn one of the secondary button LEDs on instead of controlling the main load, or the thermostat module can respond to a scene command by changing both the thermostat operation mode and the current cool and heat setpoint temperatures.
4. Optionally turn on the Persistent checkbox to force this link to automatically be restored whenever the responder module is synced. If the responder module is ever reset, replaced, or has this link modified, then Indigo will automatically rewrite the original link into the device when it is next synced.
5. Repeat steps 1 through 4 for every new module you want to add to the scene.

Last, have Indigo write all of your link changes to both the PowerLinc and the remote modules:

• Press the Sync Now button to have Indigo immediately write all changed links to the PowerLinc and remote modules.

OR

• Press the Close (Sync Later) button to close the link editor window and write the changes to the modules at a later time. When you are ready to write the changes to the PowerLinc and remote modules select Start Sync Device Links… from the Interface menu, and then press the Sync Changes Only button.

You can test the scene after the links are written by using the Send On and Send Off buttons.

The Indigo scene can now be executed from any Trigger Action, Time/Date Action, or Action Group:

1. Create a Trigger Action, Time/Date Action, or an Action Group.
2. Select the Actions panel inside the edit window.
3. Select Send INSTEON Group / Scene Command from the action Type popup item.
4. Use the Send popup item to select which scene command to send:
   • Group On will command all the responder modules to their scene-specific brightness using their scene-specific ramp rate duration, if any.
   • Group On to 100% (instant / ignore rate) will set the brightness of dimmable modules to 100% immediately, ignoring any ramp rate duration.
   • Group Off will turn off all the responder modules using their scene-specific ramp rate duration, if any.
   • Group Off (instant / ignore rate) will turn off all the modules immediately, ignoring any ramp rate duration.
5. Select the scene number defined previously (see above) from the Group/Scene popup item.

Note you can press the Add/Edit Device to this Group/Scene button to add a new responder module to the currently selected scene, or you can double-click a device in the scene list to edit its settings (brightness, ramp rate duration, etc.).