X10 Community Forum
🖥️ActiveHome Pro => ActiveHome Pro General => Software Problems & Bugs => Topic started by: SkipWill on October 19, 2005, 10:01:52 PM
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Received another cm15a via RMA. Timer
problem still there.
Timers work:
1. if pc is connected to cm15a AND store in
interface is NOT checked AND ahp software is
running.
--- or ---
2. Timer stored in interface AND cm15a is
NOT connected to PC USB
Timers dont work if:
Timer stored in interface AND interface
Connected to PC USB (dosent matter if ahp
software is running or not)
Problem is, I need to leave the pc connected
to the cm15a (I use the sdk to control some
modules) but i dont necessarily leave ahp
pro running.
Its like...cm15a says that since the pc is
connected it is the pcs job to do the
timers, PC says that, since stored in
interface is checked, it is cm15a job to do
the timers. Thus, neither does the timer...
Any thoughts?
Skip
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Is it just me....or can anyone else
duplicate this problem??
Thanks
Skip
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I have never tried it, but it souds more like
a software bug than a hardware problem.
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Roger,
The symptoms were that the cm15a was not
executing the timers. After receiving the
new unit, i did some additional testing with
the results as posted in the orig. message.
I now agree it is a software problem. I
would hope someone at x10 would jump in with
a yea or nay on the problem (and possible
solution)
Skip
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I have had timer and Macro problems on two
CM15A units. I traced the problem to
ahardware bug assiciatred with the battery
life and the reset function. My timers and
macros will run fine for several weeks and
then stop. The timers stop and the macros
go haywire. I have the units plugged in to
outlets away from my PC and unplug them and
carry them to the PC and insert in an
outlet near the PC. Each occurrence when
the timers stopped or the macros went
haywire, I noticed that the battery life
timer was either at zero or stopped at some
arbitray value. When I reset the battery
life timer, clear the memeory and reload
the progream all is fine for several weeks
and the process starts again. I have
reurned both CM15A untis and am waiting for
replacements, but I doubt if this hardware
bug is fixed.
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Skip: I have never seen the connection to the
interface interfere with timers running from
its memory. If the data is stored in the
CM15A, the CM15A runs it.
It sounds like maybe there's a problem with
the software recognizing what needs to be
downloaded at certain times. Can you maybe
send your AHP data file (set to store in the
interface) to ahpsupport@x10.com so I can
take a look.
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that sounds like my problems..
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that sounds like my problems..
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Thanks X10.
I will try and get you the file in the next
several days.
Skip
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it is so inconsistant.. i count on this POS
to run my lighting on my 500gal aquarium
system, and on the out side lights on the
house, stuff sometimes works and sometimes
it doesent, i have lights that will turn on
every day at a set time, but wont shut off,
unless i tell it to shut off from the
remote or the AHP software, i never had any
of these problems with my old unit, im
sorry i upgraded, its too bad some one wont
fix the problem , can any one help?
its like we are the BETA testers at our own
expense...
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Yznhmr: It sounds to me more like a signal
strength problem. Some have reported that
the CM15A doesn’t transmit as strong a
powerline signal as the CM11A. If this is
the case, you were probably on the edge of
reliability with the CM11A anyway. Do you
have some type of phase coupler? Do you use
X10 noise filters on your electronic equipment?
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Do you have some type of phase coupler?
yes
Do you use X10 noise filters on your
electronic equipment
no
also when one macro fires, lets say turn
on d15, the turn on macro and the turn off
macro both fire, you can see them both
flashing in the AHP software, sometimes
lights will turn on and of a couple times
when just supposed to turn off. I made
macros to send a ON command or an OFF
command by RF multiple time , in order to
make sure something turned on or off.
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ok the last post was from me..
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Yznhmr: You might want to get some X10 noise
filters, especially if you have any UPSes or
good quality powerbars. These have a noise
trap that will suck up the X10 signal even if
there aren’t any X10 devices plugged into
them. An X10 noise filter will block the X10
signal and prevent the trap from sucking it
up. For more information, see a tutorial I
wrote at:
http://www.x10.webhop.org/Powerline_Noise_and_Noise_Filters.htm
With regards to the macro problem you are
describing, although both macros will flash
in the AHP software, only the appropriate
macro will actually run.
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i read your article, can you direct me to a
place where i can buy the inline devices?
i installed a capisitor between phases (
the one reccomended on the x10 site)which
doesnt seam to have helped anything
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Certainly! I highly recommend Automated
Outlet. They have excellent prices and
provide great service. You can find their
noise filters at:
http://www.automatedoutlet.com/home.php?cat=43
If you order more than $100 worth of stuff on
your first order from AO and you put
“palmpad” (all lowercase) in the coupon code
section, they will send you a free PalmPad
remote.
A capacitor across the phases works very well
(I used one for several years), but there are
some disadvantages. I also have a tutorial
on phase coupling at:
http://www.x10.webhop.org/Phase_Coupling.htm
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today i came home and NONE of my
timers/macros had activated.. my whole reef
system is in the dark..
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ok so where can i get the Coupler-Repeater?
i only have one device that i am dimming by
timer, so hopefully it wont cause a
problem, if it does i will skip the dimming
thing
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I reccomend the ACT CR-234 (http://www.automatedoutlet.com/product.php?productid=210&cat=42&page=1). It is expensive at $129.99, but the Levition (made by X10) and SmartHome coupler/repeaters are know to cause a "firestorm" of X10 status-request commands when combined with a CM15A. With other controllers they are apperently OK.
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great i have to buy a $150 item to make up
for the new devices poor quality, i cant
believe it works worse than the old one..
i appreciate the help but what a rip off..
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LOL. I think a couple $15 noise filters
should solve your problem, but do what you
think is best.
You could do what many others have done and
scrap AHP in favour of SmartHome 1132CUP. I
haven't done this since AHP works well for
me, so I can't comment on it.
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would it help if i put the cm15a plugged
into an outlet right next to my electrical
panel?
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As long as you aren’t using a
coupler/repeater, plugging your CM15A into an
outlet close to your electrical panel should
help your powerline signal. This may not be
an optimal place for RF reception though.
BTW. Is your CM15A plugged into the same
outlet as your CM11A was plugged into?
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ok i figured out one problem when AHP is
closed butthe CM15A is still plugged into
the computer and the timers dont work at
all or very weird, is because
the "Service "is still running in the
background, so it is trying to control the
timers but it has none, cause they are all
on the CM15A, so if you unplug it it works
like its supposed to( well as good as these
things work) LEAVE IT PLUGGED IN AND GO IN
AND STOP THE SERVICE CALLED ...X10 ITS NEAR
THE BOTTOM, IT WILL FIX THAT PROBLEM
sorry about the caps
so anyways i also plugged in my CM15A into
a Keyspan USB server, which you can put it
anywhere you want, pluged into your home
network(cat 5/ RJ45) and presto you can put
your CM15A next to your breaker panel, plug
it into a outlet coming off your panel, and
give you a better transmit. www.keyspan.com