🔌General Home Automation > Powerline Control Reliability
Improvement to the XTB-ANR
JeffVolp:
I am working on a firmware upgrade to the XTB-ANR to operate in a "stealth" mode. Rather than always attenuating everything on the powerline, it monitors the background noise level, and only switches on its attenuation when the noise level rises to the point where it could begin to affect X10 operation. An added feature pulses the LED briefly every two seconds to give a crude monitor of the background noise level.
The reason for the upgrade is that I had been working with someone dealing with some serious signal suckers. He thought the problem was due to noise, and had added XTB-ANRs to his system. XTBM readings showed absolutely zero noise and very weak signal levels. The signal from one remote transmitter was too low for XTB-ANR to recognize to turn off the attenuation. We eventually isolated the worst signal suckers, and signal levels came up an order of magnitude. So did the noise levels, and now the XTB-ANRs are actually doing something.
A few beta units are available for evaluation. Please contact me directly if you are interested.
Jeff
JeffVolp:
The beta test is over. Everyone who responded was happy with the update, and especially the noise monitor. All new units are now shipping with version 1.10.
Jeff
JeffVolp:
The new batch of XTB-ANRs uses a new PIC microcontroller with a higher clock speed that allowed tightening the X10 pass window significantly. To allow for component tolerances, it will reject noise 5% outside the 120KHz passband.
This version also includes the "stealth" mode and crude noise level monitor. It is a plug-in replacement for the firmware in prior units.
Jeff
brobin:
Is this different from the ones shipped a few years ago? Should I upgrade mine?
JeffVolp:
--- Quote from: brobin on March 06, 2021, 12:51:15 PM ---Is this different from the ones shipped a few years ago? Should I upgrade mine?
--- End quote ---
The firmware is indeed different as it used a newer PIC microcontroller. But except for the significantly tighter pass-band, it works essentially the same as version 1.1 released in August 2016. If you don't have 1.1, I believe the upgrade is warranted because of the "stealth" mode and the noise level indicator.
Jeff
(corrected typo)
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