X10 Community Forum

🔌General Home Automation => Original ActiveHome => Topic started by: TakeTheActive on September 07, 2006, 01:55:02 AM

Title: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: TakeTheActive on September 07, 2006, 01:55:02 AM
Yeah, I know that I'm the "Short-Timer " here [Date Registered: 2006-06-23, 00:44:18], the *NEWEST* Community Organizer, (aka the one with the BIGGEST MOUTH!  :o ), yet I'd *STILL* like to have the opportunity to turn this "X10 Community" around, from one of (mostly, IMO) NEGATIVITY (i.e. the majority of the posts COMPLAINING ABOUT X10, or asking for HELP ME! - for situations that have ALREADY been answered / addressed  :o ) into one of (at least some) POSITIVITY (is that a real word?) where there are *ALSO* posts of "Here's What *I* Did With X10!".

In other words, IMHO, Folks should come here to SHARE IDEAS :) as well as ASK FOR TECHNICAL HELP and/or COMPLAIN.  :(


So, here's my *FIRST* (of what I hope to be SEVERAL POLL(s) about X10...

Please participate, comment and VOTE!  :)

BTW, the various FONTS / COLORS / FORMATTING / ETC... that I use in my posts are intended to convey some sense of EMOTION / FEELING / URGENCY (or not) compared to regular FLAT text. 

Interpret them as you will...  :)


[TTA Edit: Correct spelling error - THANKS Jim! Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!? (http://www.x10community.com/forums/index.php?topic=10558.msg60319#msg60319) ]
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: ralex17 on October 13, 2006, 04:25:09 PM
Yes, I've used my CM11A for several years with few problems.  Although recent electrical problems in my area seem to have shorted out my controller.  But I plan to buy another one and avoid  the Activehome Pro due to problems I have heard about (low range, etc).
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: Oldtimer on October 13, 2006, 05:31:32 PM
"Here's What *I* Did With X10!".

In other words, IMHO, Folks should come here to SHARE IDEAS :) as well as ASK FOR TECHNICAL HELP and/or COMPLAIN.  :(

I agree with TakeTheActive.  I have a couple of X10 related write ups in the FAQ I've written for my wife and family about all the equipment I've installed in, and mods I've made to, our home.  I'd be happy to post these but please tell me the best topic area to put them in.
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: TakeTheActive on October 13, 2006, 08:02:30 PM
Yes, I've used my CM11A for several years with few problems.  Although recent electrical problems in my area seem to have shorted out my controller.  But I plan to buy another one and avoid  the Activehome Pro due to problems I have heard about (low range, etc).

Land Sakes Alive! Golly Gee Willikers!! WOW!!!  :o

The tumbleweeds were rolling through this thread (Posted: «  on: 2006-09-07, 01:55:02 » - ZERO REPLIES!  :'( ) and I was preparing to get estimates for a tombstone when you "rode through ".  ;D

ralex17: THANKS for bumping this thread back into view!

Oldtimer: THANKS for finding it and offering your support!
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: TakeTheActive on October 13, 2006, 08:09:18 PM
I agree with TakeTheActive.  I have a couple of X10 related write ups in the FAQ I've written for my wife and family about all the equipment I've installed in, and mods I've made to, our home. 

I'd be happy to post these but please tell me the best topic area to put them in.
[/size]

THANKS Oldtimer!  :)

Whereever you put them, any Community Organizer can move them if they feel it's really necessary. BUT, write them up and POST THEM - we can deal with the piddly details later!  ;D

How about we start here: Troubleshooting Automation Problems (http://www.x10community.com/forums/index.php?board=8.0) ?
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: Oldtimer on October 13, 2006, 08:37:11 PM
TakeTheActive: Okay, go ahead and delete both our pearls of wisdom!  ;D

Seriously though,  you may have acaccidentally touched on the problem.  What I am offering to post has nothing whatsoever to do with  Trouble Shooting Automation Problems.  What I've written up are articles about how I integrated X10 equipment into environmental control systems in our house that utilize waste heat and solar heat to reduce our oil bill.  We need a topic area to post successful applications like these so others can learn how powerful a tool X10 can be.  That's one way to counterbalance all the it doesn't work postings.
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: TakeTheActive on October 14, 2006, 12:20:05 AM
Seriously though,  you may have acaccidentally touched on the problem.  What I am offering to post has nothing whatsoever to do with  Trouble Shooting Automation Problems.  What I've written up are articles about how I integrated X10 equipment into environmental control systems in our house that utilize waste heat and solar heat to reduce our oil bill.  We need a topic area to post successful applications like these so others can learn how powerful a tool X10 can be.  That's one way to counterbalance all the it doesn't work postings.

Yes, I understand. BUT, *ALL* of our hands are tied (Community Organizers *AND* Administrators) by X10 Management - the Forums available are what there is.

My interpretation:


Where else would you suggest (out of *ONLY* the choices currently available?)  ???
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: Hemingray on May 11, 2007, 08:50:30 PM
Up until recently, my primary controller was a BSR X10-014311 plug-in base controller (Similar to X10's SC503). Now I rely on my Palmpad (HR12A) and my Transceiver (TM751). I'll likely keep the BSR around for the purpose of programming socket rockets (whenever I get to obtaining/using those). I do own a CM11A (Radioshack 61-2417), But it does not always work properly. I'll go on about my CM11A issues in the right forum  ;)
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: tom j on July 10, 2007, 01:24:47 AM
Yes, I've used my CM11A for several years with few problems.  Although recent electrical problems in my area seem to have shorted out my controller.  But I plan to buy another one and avoid  the Activehome Pro due to problems I have heard about (low range, etc).

Low Range OOOOO Yeah!!!!!!!!

Tom j
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: BentSk8r on November 01, 2007, 03:36:35 PM
Just got things running under Vista.  First install of Active Home 1.43 didn't work.  It seems that my system (Gateway GM5407E) only has COM 1 and the best way to specify that is during installation.  After the reboot everything worked perfectly.  My simple requirements are met just fine with the CM11A and I'm thrilled not to shell out the $50 for the CM15.
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: HA Dave on November 01, 2007, 04:44:53 PM
Just got things running under Vista.  First install of Active Home 1.43 didn't work.  It seems that my system (Gateway GM5407E) only has COM 1 and the best way to specify that is during installation.  After the reboot everything worked perfectly.  My simple requirements are met just fine with the CM11A and I'm thrilled not to shell out the $50 for the CM15.

Thanks for sharing BentSk8r! And Welcome to the forum! I think your right in your approach of keeping things [just] simple [enough]. However, be warned Home Automation has an addictive effect... and can take on a life of it's own... isn't that right Kate (http://www.x10community.com/forums/index.php?topic=13870.msg77165#msg77165).
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: ac7ss on October 12, 2008, 10:13:47 PM
I seem to be re-awakening this thread.

I use my CM11A with the Heyu software http://www.heyu.org/ on my Linux box.
I have also added a web page (private) to my personal web server that allows me to monitor the X11 activity and turn the lights on and off from work.
The Heyu software is a command line interface to the functionality of X10 via the CM11A that can be easily controlled by a CGI script.
You may also run macros on the computer side with it, and of course you can program the CM11A macros and timers with it.
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: HA Dave on October 13, 2008, 02:58:01 AM
I seem to be re-awakening this thread...  I use my CM11A with the Heyu software.... on my Linux box.

Welcome to the forum ac7ss!

Sure glad you Linux users have that option (with the CM11A). We have a great Linux/Heyu user/expert here at the forum too. Hopefully he will also post here.

I've read so many complaints from users that X10 isn't plug-N-play enough. I would say you Linux users earn your automation. Actually... it sounds like you have a setup most users would be envious of. I Hope you hang around the forum a bit and share your knowledge.
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: Charles Sullivan on October 13, 2008, 08:20:21 PM
Yes, welcome ac7ss!

If you haven't already done so, you may also want to join the heyu_users forum (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/heyu_users) and share experiences with a larger family of Heyu users.

Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: EricJay on December 31, 2008, 12:27:09 AM
Whew...  I'm so glad to see that I'm not the only CM11A user left!  I purchased the ActiveHome kit years ago when it first came out (and when talking about COM ports made me feel young, not old!).  I had abandoned my X10 projects a few years later, and nearly forgot about them entirely...  until my sister recently moved into a place with a light-switch arrangement that didn't fit her lamp-centric decorating style.  I remembered the old shoebox full of parts, and dug a few out.

I'll be setting her up sometime next week with some new lamp modules (that soft-start is a nice improvement), wireless transciever, and slim switch (also a nice looking improvement over the old "lumpy" wireless wall switches).

I figured while I had the parts out, though, I'd install ActiveHome on my PC and see if the CM11A still worked.  Sure enough, it did.  I even installed a few lamp modules in my living room, complete with macros and timers.

I know that at some point, I had the universal remote with X10 RF transmitter and a collection of motion sensors, but those may have been tossed years ago.  Still, it's nice to have the old system running again.  Ah, the memories!

Now, I need to look into some of the open-source software alternatives since this ActiveHome interface really was a clunker, huh?

Anyway, it was nice to find this site, and to see that this old ActiveHome forum still has users.
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: FixItPete on March 13, 2009, 08:25:14 AM
Whew...  I'm so glad to see that I'm not the only CM11A user left!  I purchased the ActiveHome kit years ago when it first came out (and when talking about COM ports made me feel young, not old!).  I had abandoned my X10 projects a few years later, and nearly forgot about them entirely...  until my sister recently moved into a place with a light-switch arrangement that didn't fit her lamp-centric decorating style.  I remembered the old shoebox full of parts, and dug a few out.

I'll be setting her up sometime next week with some new lamp modules (that soft-start is a nice improvement), wireless transciever, and slim switch (also a nice looking improvement over the old "lumpy" wireless wall switches).

I figured while I had the parts out, though, I'd install ActiveHome on my PC and see if the CM11A still worked.  Sure enough, it did.  I even installed a few lamp modules in my living room, complete with macros and timers.

I know that at some point, I had the universal remote with X10 RF transmitter and a collection of motion sensors, but those may have been tossed years ago.  Still, it's nice to have the old system running again.  Ah, the memories!

Now, I need to look into some of the open-source software alternatives since this ActiveHome interface really was a clunker, huh?

Anyway, it was nice to find this site, and to see that this old ActiveHome forum still has users.

Sounds like me!  I was out of the X10 game for about 20 years!!!!  I had gotten a CM11A with ActiveHome and NEVER used it. :(

Now I went to use it, finally and I'm having trouble with getting it to work on my XP Pro machine (I have it working on an old 98 machine) -- but that's another thread. ;)

Anyway.  Yes.  While I haven't fiddled with it much (yet) I like it. :)

Pete
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: Dan Lawrence on March 13, 2009, 08:30:45 PM
The biggest problem with the CM11A under XP (all flavors) is motherboard problems.  It's really hit or miss, but some (not all) motherboards will cause COM ports to appear and disappear at random so AH can't find it and then find it.  That may be why the XP Pro machine is giving you  fits, but the Win98 box is fine.
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: FixItPete on March 14, 2009, 03:42:47 PM
Once I changed the "properties" to run it as 98 it found the port in one second. :)

Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: bitman on March 14, 2009, 04:52:34 PM
NO - I've Upgraded To The CM15A And I'm Happy With It

But only after modding the antenna.

Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: wl on February 19, 2010, 01:20:30 PM
Me too !!! Glad to see others still using the cm11a
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: HA Dave on February 19, 2010, 03:28:08 PM
Me too !!! Glad to see others still using the cm11a

This thread was started on: September 07, 2006, 12:55:02 AM.

There isn't anything wrong with the CM11A. I have read about many of these X10 products functioning for decades. Many Linux users wouldn't have a Home Automation interface if it wasn't for the CM11A.

But the CM15A (the new replacement for the 11)... has been around for several years now. I have seen the interface offered with the complete software suite... for $39.99. There has never been a better time to upgrade. 
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: Brian H on February 19, 2010, 03:30:02 PM
You saw the AHP CM15A for $39.99 and it had all the plug ins?
Last time I saw that price it was just the interface and AHP no plug ins.
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: Dan Lawrence on February 19, 2010, 03:57:39 PM
I just checked the X10 site and the prices there are $49.99 for AHP and the CM15A and $99.99 for the "ultimate" system that does not include  the plug-ins.
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: Brian H on February 19, 2010, 04:38:41 PM
Yes Dan. I have not see the $39.99 deal in awhile. Though there are so many different combinations depending on which tab you pick on the sales site. Who knows?  ???
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: HA Dave on February 19, 2010, 06:06:23 PM
You saw the AHP CM15A for $39.99 and it had all the plug ins?  Last time I saw that price it was just the interface and AHP no plug ins.

Maybe your right... I can't find the link. But thought for sure I had. I bought my back-up CM15A from the scratch N dent sales for only $29.99.
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: Brian H on February 20, 2010, 12:44:19 PM
Look what I just found.
No plugins. Just the CM15A and AHP software.
http://www.x10.com/promotions/cm15a_ed_alltimelow.html

With Plugins and a Appliance Module thrown in.
http://www.x10.com/promotions/cm15a_am466_large_home.html
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: dave w on February 21, 2010, 06:17:15 PM
See? See?! I told you guys that Brian is an absolute information ferret! Why, the man can find anything!   ;)
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: Madness on April 06, 2011, 09:29:49 AM
Just came across this forum. I got mine as part of an IBM Home Director starter kit (modeled: HD11A), which I found NIB, @ the Goodwill, over 10 years ago. Presently still running (just replaced the batteries, in fact) w/ Activehome 1.42. Never misses a beat!
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: Brian H on April 06, 2011, 09:39:25 AM
There are still some new CM11As; made in 09/2010 on EBay . If anyone is needing a replacement or needs one for software that does not support the newer CM15A.
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: HA Dave on March 05, 2019, 10:22:04 PM
WOW……. This thread was started shortly after midnight... on: September 07, 2006

I still have my (hardly used) CM11A.... as I quickly moved to the CM15A when it was introduced. I still use a CM15A as an interface (X10 signal receiver/generator) with my Homeseer Hometroller. Which also integrates with Amazon Alexa and several other flavors/brand of WiFi controlled devices.   
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: James G on March 06, 2019, 12:02:58 AM
Does the Homeseer Hometroller work with X10? Where can I find it?

Thanks
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: fuzzmanks on March 06, 2019, 12:11:40 AM
And i am still using my CM11A full time and have been for years (decades).  I also have a spare.  But starting about a year ago I've been converting to WiFi smart plugs and bulbs. 

My house X10 thermostat is having issues and I haven't had my HVAC always-on fan setting all winter.  The last two winters that feature would start working about half way into the winter.  So I bought an Ecobee smart thermostat and will be converting to that once we get out of the single digit and lower temps.

My house is about 44 years old and the wiring will not support the replacement WiFi receptacles and switches. So I am going with the plug-in modules and smart bulbs.
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: James G on March 06, 2019, 12:59:02 AM
I recently bought the Ring doorbell camera and another wired camera to replace the failed X-10 motion sensor. It has indoor chimes and works with the Echo dot. Unfortunately, it does not communicate with X-10. I had to buy the Google mesh wireless network to reach the unit on the garage.

My main concern is that the Plato box will fail and I will lose my smarthome system.
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: James G on March 06, 2019, 01:25:41 AM
I just checked and my controller box connects to the power line with a PSC05
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: Brian H on March 06, 2019, 06:17:09 AM
I just checked and my controller box connects to the power line with a PSC05

If your PSC05 ever fails. The X10 TW523 and X10Pro PSC05 are now discontinued.
The XTB-523 is still being shown as available as a replacement from JV Digital Engineering.
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: JeffVolp on March 06, 2019, 10:00:25 AM
The XTB-523 is still being shown as available as a replacement from JV Digital Engineering.

There should be enough PCBs left to last through most of 2019.  Since this is critical to certain X10 controllers and transceivers, I may revise the PCB for SMDs and robotic assembly to keep it available if economically feasible.

Jeff
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: James G on March 06, 2019, 10:15:53 AM
Hi Jeff,

Is the PCB the same as the PSC05? Where can I buy a few?

Thanks!
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: JeffVolp on March 06, 2019, 10:30:03 AM
Is the PCB the same as the PSC05? Where can I buy a few?

Not at all.  The XTB-523 is a high power transmitter that emulates the TW523/PSC05 protocol:

    http://jvde.us/xtb-523.htm

Sorry, the PCB is not available separately.

Jeff
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: brobin on March 06, 2019, 11:47:49 AM
Does the Homeseer Hometroller work with X10? Where can I find it?

Thanks
Homeseer.com
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: HA Dave on March 06, 2019, 11:55:47 AM
Homeseer.com

Yep and with the new(er) Raspberry Pi based unit (from Homeseer).... you can run BOTH X10 (with the CM15A as an interface) and run ZWave (with the Zwave stick) as well. OR... just use the Homeseer to control your X10... and integrate the newer tech stuff (like AI and voice control over WiFi)… using the popular Samsung "Smartthings" Hub. The opinions are nearly limitless. And... the best I can tell... there is no wrong way to do this stuff.
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: James G on March 06, 2019, 01:16:06 PM
Hi HA Dave! Electricity and Electronics has been a hobby of mine since I was a kid. Once I had the Plato installed to my satisfaction, I dropped out of the home automation scene for decades except for minor modifications. At the time, few knew more than me. I see now that my knowledge is decades old. I really appreciate the help I have been receiving here. I find WiFi unreliable in much of my home despite recently installing Google's wireless mesh system. I do have a wired Echo Dot with Alexa.

Please tell me more about AI.

Thanks!
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: HA Dave on March 06, 2019, 03:46:08 PM
Hi HA Dave!...…... I dropped out of the home automation scene for decades except for minor modifications. At the time, few knew more than me. I see now that my knowledge is decades old.....

Don't tell the electrons.... they don't know things have changed  :'  Some of the guys here have great electrical-technical, and/or programming knowledge. I' am just an old wire-twister from years back.... who has a real love for Home Automation. I see myself as proof... that anybody can make this stuff work.

I find WiFi unreliable in much of my home despite recently installing Google's wireless mesh system. I do have a wired Echo Dot with Alexa.


I too have a few receptions areas that could be better. A mesh can be a fix.... sometimes just changing your router setting to a higher power will work. I had ran some CAT5 before we had WiFi that was reliable (or fast). Now.... G5 is on the horizon... and who knows what else will happen. Meanwhile.... I am using a CAT5-6 connection with the Home Theaters Samsung BlueRay player with build-in streaming. BUT the Roku device (in the same place)… works fine with the available WiFi. Go figure.

Please tell me more about AI.

Tell you more about AI?!?!?!? That's like asking me if I have grandkid pic on my phone ( rofl ).

Before Amazon marketed their Echo dots (and I discovered it on-line). I was running a couple window XP laptops.... one ran X10 Active Home Pro CM15A and a small software product (BVC) that exploited Microsoft's SAPI5 Voice Recognition. So I had complete voice control over lighting and one of my TV's.... as well as several computer control macros (little programmed actions). The other little laptop ran a software server product called Melloware that communicated with a matching app on my iPhone.... which gave me global phone remote control.

Now... with AI at the heart of my setup... I feel like the old system would compare to a Zenith Space Command Remote (https://www.wired.com/2010/10/the-real-original-remote-control-zenith-space-command/).

If the MyQ garage door gets left open.... the app lets me know. I can double check using my phone to access the home cameras. And if the security system was forgot I can control that via my phone too. A call from the step-daughter.... and I can dis-arm the alarm... and open the garage door for her while I am out. And while the wife and I are away... the NEST thermostat automatically readjusts to a preset temp.... and knows when were close to home and RE-sets in time so we never arrive to a too cold or too hot home.

When I do get home I disarm the alarm with a voice command (a password must also be spoken). And although (the Amazon) Alexa (I have 4)…. can and does control lights, alarm, thermostat, TV, Theater, and more. Mostly Alexa is digital voice assistance... telling me what's on TV, setting up reminders and timers, checking my on-line calendar, reciting needed facts and trivia. And the echo software.... still limited as it is.... integrates a hodgepodge of different brands of X10 and Wifi Products.   
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: James G on March 06, 2019, 04:08:43 PM
Thanks Dave! Perhaps we can get into the AI another time. I am currently overloaded with this and other stuff.
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: Tuicemen on March 06, 2019, 04:26:16 PM
True AI HA needs no human interaction to tell it if a door should be closed or if someone is home to turn on/off a light or appliance, arm/disarm a security system ….
We aren't there Yet but getting close. ;)
Sadly cloud integration is required which many don't have reliable enough internet for. :(
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: HA Dave on March 06, 2019, 11:37:55 PM
True AI HA needs no human interaction to tell it if a door should be closed or if someone is home to turn on/off a light or appliance, arm/disarm a security system ….
We aren't there Yet but getting close. ;)

Don't forget.... a large number of the forum members are Americans. Here in America we actually have a free and fully democratic language. We don't even have an English portal, bureau, or agency.

We define AI a little differently here. And Alexa is truly AI.

Sadly cloud integration is required which many don't have reliable enough internet for. :(

I love the cloud...
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: tarzan_nojane on March 16, 2022, 03:50:43 PM
Not my primary controller, but my X10 universe is still alive and kicking thanks to the HABridge, Heyu software, and the CM11A.  Five years ago I implemented these on a Raspberry Pi per instructions on coreyswrite.com and easily enabled Alexa voice control for my existing setup. 
 
Nearly a year ago I started on the journey into the world of Home Assistant.  Thanks to a fellow by the name of Mark Motley, who had just posted his "X10 MQTT Gateway" Home Assistant add-on, I was able to incorporate my X10 ecosystem into Home Assistant.  Alexa voice control, automations, and scenes, together with state-of-the-art UI interfaces are integrated with 

My X10 system dates back more than 20 years when I used the IBM Home Director software to program the CM11A with macros and scenes that would "soft-start" the entry-level lamp modules and wall dimmers, with OFF commands that would then dim them to 1% (essentially off for an incandescent bulb). One side benefit was that many of the incandescent bulbs have never needed to be replaced. The integration with newer systems has been almost seamless, as the newer technologies only need to transmit RF commands (as I was used to performing via PalmPads) to the X10 system.  I am also able to use existing XPT and Leviton wall-mounted transmitters to trigger non-X10 devices and automations.
Title: Re: Do You (?Still?) Use The CM11A As Your PRIMARY Home Controller?!?
Post by: fuzzmanks on March 17, 2022, 09:53:36 PM
And i am still using my CM11A full time and have been for years (decades).  I also have a spare.  But starting about a year ago I've been converting to WiFi smart plugs and bulbs. 

My house X10 thermostat is having issues and I haven't had my HVAC always-on fan setting all winter.  The last two winters that feature would start working about half way into the winter.  So I bought an Ecobee smart thermostat and will be converting to that once we get out of the single digit and lower temps.

My house is about 44 years old and the wiring will not support the replacement WiFi receptacles and switches. So I am going with the plug-in modules and smart bulbs.

I've changed my YES vote from 2019 to NO.  I'm still working on adding to my WiFi based system.  I have 3 light switches to revert back to standard so that I can used WiFi bulbs, as well as the thermostat.  I do now have a mesh wifi router that will do Zigbee or one of those other controllers.  Just this week I unplugged 2 desktop transmitters and put them in my excess inventory X10 box of new and used devices.