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🖥️ActiveHome Pro => ActiveHome Pro General => Help & Troubleshooting => Topic started by: Helpful Hints on April 19, 2005, 01:01:52 PM

Title: Fix for RF on the CM15A immediately
Post by: Helpful Hints on April 19, 2005, 01:01:52 PM
Robert…, Carmine, George P, Tcassio, and
interested parties who will stay with the
subject:

GeorgeP  eliminated the high speed demand
(RF transferred to a V572AB manugfactured by
WGL & Associates) and kept the AHP/Power
line stuff.  The reliably of timed events
appears to be, per GerogeP:

“My timed events work without any problems.
I have the CM15A connected  to a laptop, but
it will soon run  disconnected.  I'll be
sure to report back as soon as I do that. I
do have quite a few macros, but don't do
much conditional processing yet.  Now that
my system is stable, I'll tackle that task.
As far as range for RF, I get at least 100’
or better with everything from motion
detectors to keypad remotes to stick-a-
switched.  The V572AB is the key to the RF
issue, it was one of the best moves I
made”.

Others have reported similar success with
V572AB RF under varying configurations under
thread “ATTENTION: Good batch of CM15A's!!”

The STRICT thesis of this string is
Immediate solution to CM15A RF and apparent
inability to handle nominal to heavy RF/PLC
loads currently.  Yes there is the clock etc
that require addressing befor a new robust
CM15A+ can come to be.  All we want to do
here is stay with the immediate fix of
shifting high speed (as opposed to PLC) RF
demand to V572AB and its viability.   PLEASE
:-]
Title: Re: Fix for RF on the CM15A immediately
Post by: Helpful Hints on April 19, 2005, 01:10:21 PM
X10 Pro:  How about addind the "V572A"
manufactured by WGL & Associates to the AHP
modules selection matrix under "Other"
Title: Re: Fix for RF on the CM15A immediately
Post by: carmine pacifico on April 19, 2005, 01:44:15 PM
Helpful Hints <BR> <BR>I no longer have a CM15a, mine is back at <BR>X10; <BR>I do believe based on my experience, if you <BR>turn off  RF features and use an external <BR>transceiver, Smart Macros, timers  and <BR>other features should work fine. <BR>Disconnected from the computer you may <BR>experience the clock gaining due to noise <BR>on power line; if clock is lost and require <BR>reconnect to computer, the only option is <BR>24/7 or wait for new hardware. <BR>


Re: Fix for RF on the CM15A Immediately [2 of 3] (http://www.x10community.com/forums/index.php?topic=12382.msg30964#msg30964)

Re: Fix for RF on the CM15A Immediately [3 of 3] (http://www.x10community.com/forums/index.php?topic=12383.msg31026#msg31026)


[TTA Edit: Experiment to determine whether or not SPLITTING 'Highly-Viewed' / 'Highly-Replied' but currently

INACTIVE threads from LONG, LONG AGO (I'm starting with ~2 years) into parts will allow current

ACTIVE threads to appear in the Top 10 Topics (by Replies) section of the

Statistics Center (aka More Stats) (http://www.x10community.com/forums/index.php?action=stats) Page.

NOTE: I *WILL* address the <BR> problem...]
Title: Re: Fix for RF on the CM15A immediately
Post by: tony on April 19, 2005, 03:14:13 PM
X10 Pro:
Sounds like “Helpful Hints” and GeorgeP may
have a viable interim solution.  It looks
good to me.  Just add a V572AB to the
modules templates in AHP and auto disable RF
on CM15A.

It is now April 19 more than 2/3 of a year
and no solution for the RF or even an
acknowledgement that it will be fixed.

We rally do need to move on.
Title: Re: Fix for RF on the CM15A immediately
Post by: andy d on April 19, 2005, 03:51:06 PM
I'm using a TM751 as my only RF interface.
I do that becasue I get better range and can
use my keychain remote to turn on the porch
light from the driveway. Simple macros,
timers, and timer triggred macros all work
ok with no clock shift.

The only anomaly I see with this config is
as follows:  My porch lights are on a 15
minute timer.  Keychain ON starts the macro
that turns on the lights, times 15 minutes,
turns off the lights. Keychain OFF triggers
another macro that turns off the lights
immediately.  The anomaly is that sending
OFF immediately after ON does not turn off
the lights.  I have to wait 1 or 2 seconds
before the OFF macro will respond.  The
TM751 relay clunks ON OFF each time.

Andy D
Title: Re: Fix for RF on the CM15A immediately
Post by: carmine pacifico on April 19, 2005, 04:13:20 PM
By using an external transceiver the
command is transferred over the power line,
it takes at least ¾ of a second for a basic
command to transmit, assuming no collision;
that’s is why the CM15a concept is so
appealing.
Expect delay in response with any external
transceiver, regardless of the make, else
unless the transceiver has collision
detection and retransmit messages, messages
will be lost if send while the CM15a is
transmitting.
So in general expect 1 to 2 seconds delay
in response, else make provision in you
macros to account for possible message lost
via the external RF transceiver.
I have been looking for a transceiver with
collision detect, so far none of the
transceiver I have seen mention (including
V572AB) collision on the data sheet or
manual.
Title: Re: Fix for RF on the CM15A immediately
Post by: andy d on April 19, 2005, 05:12:26 PM
Carmine - not a delay but a failure to
respond.  Any OFF command is ignored until 1-
2 seconds after the ON command was issued.

This sounds similar to the problems people
have been reporting with motion detector
signals being transmitted close together.


Andy D
Title: Re: Fix for RF on the CM15A immediately
Post by: X10 Pro on April 19, 2005, 05:16:54 PM
Carmine: The CM15A and RR501 have collision
detection.
Title: Re: Fix for RF on the CM15A immediately
Post by: tony on April 19, 2005, 05:20:28 PM
Andy D:  I use 6 house codes so a TM751 in
every wall plug will certainly not
contribute to any endearment to my wife and
it certainly isn’t what I signed up for.
Besides then I have a dimming problem and
I’ll be damned if I’ll buy anymore X10 stuff
because they won’t solve current defects.  I
don’t think that they should be rewarded for
such do you?

Carmine:  You make an excellent point that
PLC is a slow media however the CM15A won’t
be doing it (RF to PLC) only the V572AB via
the PSC05 an X10 Pro, two-Way Powerline
Interface Module allows the developer to
interface with the powerline using standard
X-10 protocol. The Two-Way Interface has a
receive buffer allowing it to store
retrieved messages while waiting to be
polled by the OEM equipment. Contact X-10
PRO at 800-832-4003 for detailed technical
information.

So the configuration although not superior
in concept probably would out run and
certainly (with its external antenna) out
range the underpowered CM15A and certainly
out perform it as to reliability as it
currently stands.   With the highest
overhead gone the AHP/CM15A should do its
job.  That would buy some time for X10.
Title: Re: Fix for RF on the CM15A immediately
Post by: andy d on April 19, 2005, 05:30:16 PM
Tony - I must have misunderstood.  I thought
the intent of this thread was to find out if
people that did not use CM15A RF had any
problems with running macro and timers. My
intent was to contribute to that discussion,
not to condone any defects the CM15A may
have when used as an RF transceiver.

Andy D
Title: Re: Fix for RF on the CM15A immediately
Post by: carmine pacifico on April 19, 2005, 05:47:18 PM
X10 Pro

I new about the CM15a, but due to problems
I returned. When all problems are fixed I
will probably purchase it again. I already
have defective CM11a and I did not want to
take the risk of missing the return
deadline for the CM15a.
I have read the rr501 manual and it does
not mention anything about collision;
I have 2 of them, the only reason I am
using the TM750 it came the Fire Cracker
kit and is newest transceiver I have.
Well I guess I have 2 good transceiver I
better put them to good use.
Title: Re: Fix for RF on the CM15A immediately
Post by: tony on April 19, 2005, 05:50:24 PM
Andy D:  I reread your post, my error,
sorry.  I read it at first as a proposal to
solve the “All house code Transceiver”
function of the CM15A.  I agree that the
ability to service multiple RF commands per
second appears to be problematic for CM15A
so X10 has no alternate “all house code”
transceiver to offer.

I believe that George P. has created an
excellent interim solution to the CM15A
problems assuming that the AHP, and plug-
in’s don’t have design defects, only some
code bugs that are being fixed as we speak.
Title: Re: Fix for RF on the CM15A immediately
Post by: Helpful Hints on April 19, 2005, 06:36:37 PM
I believe that the PSC05 interface also has
collision detect and buffers commands from
and to the power line.
Title: Re: Fix for RF on the CM15A immediately
Post by: carmine pacifico on April 19, 2005, 11:23:36 PM
Helpful Hints

I am aware of  PSC05 has the ability to
detect collision .
My real question is : does the V572AB uses
this feature and retransmit data if detect
collision , or busy line ?
Title: Re: Fix for RF on the CM15A immediately
Post by: Helpful Hints on April 20, 2005, 01:28:41 AM
Carmine:  My understanding is that the
V572AB receives the RF and translates it to
an ASCII string to the PSC05 which in turn
takes that and when the PLC becomes
available it sends.  For more information
contact e-mail Warren Lohoff
[wgl@wgldesigns.com]  or web Home page
http://www.wgldesigns.com/ .

Title: Re: Fix for RF on the CM15A immediately
Post by: Observer on April 20, 2005, 01:32:37 PM
Automation outlet:  What say you about
V572AB communications capabilities?
Title: Re: Fix for RF on the CM15A immediately
Post by: carmine pacifico on April 20, 2005, 01:56:10 PM
Observer
Great news, this is the answer from
Automation outlet:

Yes it does.  Before any X10 signals are
sent out the unit check for
activity on the power line and waits unit
it is available.  I does have a random
delay feature before it tries again.
Title: Re: Fix for RF on the CM15A immediately
Post by: tony on April 20, 2005, 02:31:29 PM
Carmine:   On the RF coincidence resolution
side the V572AB has no means of separating
two RF signals arriving at the same time
however the built in error checking verifies
that the data fits the X10 data format.  In
most cases this would catch corrupt RF.
Looking good so far!
Title: Re: Fix for RF on the CM15A immediately
Post by: Helpful Hints on April 20, 2005, 02:38:19 PM
Carmine:   On the RF coincidence resolution
side the V572AB has no means of separating
two RF signals arriving at the same time
however the built in error checking verifies
that the data fits the X10 data format.  In
most cases this would catch corrupt RF.
Looking good so far!

My!  What a terrific solution for the CM15A
RF dilemma.   The  V572AB is a WGL &
Associates RF receiver packaged with a X10
PSC05 power line interface.  So the customer
gets great RF and X10 still gets to sell one
more X10 product!

This should make everyone happy.

What say you X10 Pro?
Title: Re: Fix for RF on the CM15A immediately
Post by: carmine pacifico on April 20, 2005, 02:50:27 PM
Tony

V572AB and any other transceiver need to
comply to the very simplistic RF link used
by X10, with X10 RF protocol is impossible
to receive overlapping messages.
I think this is the best possible solution.
The changes that I will have 2 motion
triggered at the same time are almost zero.
Title: Re: Fix for RF on the CM15A immediately
Post by: georgep on April 20, 2005, 03:36:32 PM
Helpful Hints: This is from the WGL DEsigns
description of the V572A:
"The enabled signals are sent to a TW523,
PSC05 or Powerlinc power line interface
module".
You have your choice about the PSC05. You
can but the unit without it.
Title: Re: Fix for RF on the CM15A immediately
Post by: Helpful Hints on April 20, 2005, 03:55:26 PM
The V572A is external antenna without a
Power Line interface.
The V572AB is external antenna with a power
line interface.
The PSC05 and TW523 are X10 2-way power line
interface products.  You only have to buy
what you need.  If you alredy have one you
can get the V572A.
Title: Re: Fix for RF on the CM15A immediately
Post by: martin on April 20, 2005, 06:10:21 PM
This is what I did and my CM15A is mostly
reliable with still a couple of quirks that
are all related to my motion sensors.

I have 3 Motion Sensors:

1 on House Code E  transceived by a TM751.
1 on House Code O transceived by another
TM751.
1 on House Code G transceived by the CM15A
(this is the one I wanted the quickest RF
response, with the use of TM751 receivers,
it adds about 1 second).

In my case, I double the use of my TM751 as
appliance modules by adding them to my AHP
set-up. I think that for the CM15A to be
able to send RF commands (acting as a
PalmPad) is a really neat feature.
Title: Re: Fix for RF on the CM15A immediately
Post by: carmine pacifico on April 20, 2005, 06:34:24 PM
This my set up and solved all my problems.

Thanks to X10 pro , to remind me that RR501
transceiver have collision detection  I
retired the 751 and replaced with RR501, I
have 2 of them , that is good for 32
motions detector( I remove the photocell).
My 1132CUP is working flawless, so no more
problems and do not need to spend extra
money, hopefully X10 refund my money for
the CM15a + smart macros and I will be a
very happy camper.
I was caught in all the excitement that I
did not realize that the 1132CU has all the
features I want (no battery to
replace,hardware clock, large external non
volatile memory, etc) , the only thing
missing is RF transceiver , well here is
the math:
CM15a + smart macros = $100, if you want
reliable RF range add external transceiver

1132CUP ( controller with smart macros) =
$99.99, add external transceiver and you
have the perfect low cost system.
Title: Re: Fix for RF on the CM15A immediately
Post by: tony on April 21, 2005, 11:43:07 AM
X10 Pro:
Sounds like “helpful Hints” and GeorgeP may
have a viable interim solution.  It looks
good to me.  Just add a V572AB to the
modules templates in AHP and auto disable RF
on CM15A.

It is now April 19 more than 2/3 of a year
and no solution for the RF or even an
acknowledgement that it will be fixed.

We really do need to move on.

So how about adding the V572AB (includes the
PSC05 or TW523) in Modules under Other with
Receive RF disabled at the CM15A?
Title: Re: Fix for RF on the CM15A immediately
Post by: Dan K. on April 21, 2005, 11:00:45 PM
I agree.  How about it X10 Pro?