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This software sucks!

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David Mark:
Hardware too if you want to run it away from the PC.  I finally decided to get them to send me another CM15a as I have to believe mine is defective.  All you have to do to make it go into a deep sleep is remove the PC connection.  Timers and macros will stop responding within 48 hours.  What a joke.

I carefully explained this hardware problem to their "level 2" (read slightly less incompetent) support and you know what their final advice was?  Sure you do.  Uninstall the software, re-download it, etc.  I cut them off in mid-sentence and carefully explained to them with painful precision that this is not a SOFTWARE PROBLEM!  Yeah, the software has problems, but this ain't one of them!  They are telemarketers reading from a script.

Anyway, as for the software, it is pathetic.  They keep layering plugins on top of this shaky base and the results are very predictable.  Sounds like Misterhouse to me, but this is a commercial package. (!)  Stop writing plugins.  Fix the main program!

Where to start on this thing?  They broke every Windows convention there is to break.  I remember complaining in 2004 that you couldn't maximize/restore the window by double-clicking the titlebar.  I guess they weren't listening.  What is with the endlessly opening/closing door at the top?  The thing doesn't even support doors sensors (at least not without a $50 plugin.)

And best of all, the software can be counted on to go dead now if you use the video snapshot thing (for God's sake don't use that stuff!)  You can't even change the folder where it stores the snapshots (program goes completely nuts, forgets how or where to save the images, etc.)  How about when you click the right arrow to go to the next snapshot and the images vanish and the date picker reverts to the middle ages.  They are clearly outsourcing these plugins to amateur VBers in third world countries.

So forget this software and its plugins.  The odd thing is that I never had these kinds of problems with simple PERL scripts calling their SDK.  These morons can't even use their own toolkit!  Yes, you read that right: their SDK works reliably, their apps (including the stupid command line thing) do not.

Will see how the replacement CM15a affects this murky mixture.  If it loses touch away from its tether like the first one then it will disprove a lot of the claims that X10 makes about this controller.  I thought the whole point was to remove it from the PC, plug it in wherever is optimal and forget it.  Instead, from reading countless other complaints about this system, it looks like X10 has created an army of users to service its wall warts (instead of the other way around.)  Think about that next time you go to unplug it from the wall.  Are you maximizing utility or futility?

Stay tuned...

Billaban:
Greetings,

Well, the word on the SDK is encouraging.  I have just started to play with AHP and I am summarily unimpressed. 

Thanks for the info.

Tuicemen:
Dave: you must be trying to run this on 98 or ME. as I don't have any of these issues on XP.
I did have All these issues on my machines running 98 and even more with ME. I can't speak for 2000 (never tried it on that) ;)
Since microsoft stopped supporting those OSs I can't see X10 working on AHP to be stable on them! :(
If the door opening and closing bothers you so much disable it!

As you stated the SDK does work reliably but they still need to work on it more!
Maybe with the next update a SDK update will be included to be able to use the security devices! ;) :D ;D

After reading your many posts I have to ask:
Is there any Home Automation software you would recommend that You CAN'T say something bad about?
If not why don't you try to create one? And not just an add to an existing program! ;) :D ;D
I know you know how! ;) :D ;D

Billaban:
Interesting.  I'm running XP.  My expectations have just improved.  I presume I'll have my own opinion by next week sometime if I can get it downloaded soon.

ajleduc:
I will say after a month of working with AHP and reading this and other forums. I have finally got a day where every thing worked as I wanted.  It took some creative thinking (much of which was picked up reading posts here).  AHP doesn't suck its just really really really hard to make work correctly.  Who would have though moving my macros from the rooms with the sensors to there own room would fix everything.
Now the only problem, we live in the woods, today was really windy, got 6GB of 3 minute video clips.  O Well as least I got the video!  I wasn't able to do that just the other day.
And by the way the lights turned on correctly when I got home tonight.

BANNER DAY!.

I do have one question, I also find the door at the top of the page well... I can ignore it.

--- Quote --- If the door opening and closing bothers you so much disable it!
--- End quote ---
I looked around but couldn't find an option to disable it, is there an easy way?

Anyway - Thanks to everyone here that has contributed to the forums its been a great deal of help!
Especially thanks to Tuicemen, Puck and KDR - Please don't get to frustrated with us newbies!.

Half the fun is in getting there and beating the system!

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