📝Reviews > Entertainment Product Reviews
video sender
x10dude:
The antennas on these things really suck. In fact, so far, all the antennas in every X10 device that I've bought (over $1000 - fool me!) don't have any real reach.
I started on this X10 stuff just about a month ago, and let me tell you, had I known what I know now, I would have never done it. I dove right in and bought all kinds of stuff (cameras, video sender/receiver, remote controls, LOLA, full house alarm, AHP, filters, repeaters, powerhorns, etc.) Now, I'm in debug mode - for just about everything I purchased - what a waste of time! Don't get me wrong, at first the idea of learning, digging, and playing with something new to me sounded great - little did I know.
Anyway, if the antenna on the CM15A is any indication on the "quality" of the antenna inside the case for the sender/receiver, I doubt you'd be able to get it two floors up. I tried and failed miserably - no matter what direction I pointed the sender & receiver's antennas to. Your best bet is to point both of them to the ceiling, play around with the channels, and hope to get something. Otherwise, you'll probably need a 2.4ghz signal repeater. Also, if you have a wi-fi network, be careful. These devices do interfere with it.
What's worse is if you have other X10 devices that use RF, even though they use a different frequency, they caused problems for me. The claim is 100ft reach for the sender/receiver, but that's actually if you have them in TOTALLY open space with no interference whatsoever (not even the wind).. Try to create that scenario in real life!
Keep in mind that if you do get them to work, anyone with a strong 2.4ghz video receiver (like the ones used for babycams) will be able to "share" what you're viewing on your TV. If that happens, it will definitely steal badwidth too.
My recommendation would be to find a way to replace the antenna in both the sender & receiver. It will probably void your warranty though. That's what I had to do with my home automation USB unit (CM15A). It came with about a 5 inch piece of wire as the antenna (enclosed in a small plastic tube for professional presentation)! PLEASE! I replaced it with a UHF/VHF (rabbit ear style) antenna and now, my reach is much better.
Frank
dave w:
--- Quote from: x10dude on February 20, 2009, 03:05:36 AM ---
My recommendation would be to find a way to replace the antenna in both the sender & receiver. It will probably void your warranty though. That's what I had to do with my home automation USB unit (CM15A). It came with about a 5 inch piece of wire as the antenna (enclosed in a small plastic tube for professional presentation)! PLEASE! I replaced it with a UHF/VHF (rabbit ear style) antenna and now, my reach is much better.
Frank
--- End quote ---
"Dude"
Read the thread beginning. mrtorto is connecting his video sender to the "red, yellow, and white holes" on his TV, (which may or may not be an actual OUTPUT, I am not sure if he knows) and VCR. Telling him to find a way to replace his antennas probably isn't the way to go. I'm still trying to get him to read his instructions, apparently without success.
nnixon:
Hi, everyone! My name is Nick Nixon. I'm new to the X10 user forum, but I've been an avid X10 fan and user for over 20 years.
Someone who posts a troubleshooting request in a 'Product Review' forum and refers to RCA-type a/v connections as "red, white and yellow holes" is someone who is already over their head with almost any consumer electronics issues. It seems that mritorto has discovered the outer limits of the X10 a/v sender's operating range, and no 'tweaking' will solve his problem.
-------------------
My advice to mritorto is to either reread the instructions for understanding, educate himself in a/v stuff, phone-a-friend, or hire a local X10 contractor. As someone has already said, 'this stuff isn't rocket science', but all consumer electronics devices have operating parameters and should be expected to perform at optimum only within stated limitations.
Penetration of three floors, walls, electrical wiring, plumbing, HVAC, furniture and who knows what else, would be a challenge for most home-type wireless devices. I would be among the first to acknowledge that the X10 a/v senders, both the old and new models, have limitations beyond which the equipment will just not function. The secret is to keep the xmtr and the rcvr within a range (physical proximity) that works in your specific situation.
Two out-of-the-box(off-the-wall?) solutions I would offer mritorto are:
1. bring the sender and receiver closer together by repositioning them, in their respective rooms, through the use of longer RCA-type a/v cables at one or both devices. Don't buy longer cable at RS or BB -- go online to monoprice.com or bluejeanscables.com for much cheaper prices, especially on longer cables.
2. use an additional a/v sender-receiver pair as 'repeaters', back-to-back and set "pair 2" to a different frequency than "pair 1". Added expense, sure, but easier and cheaper than fishing wires through walls and floors.
Best of luck.
Regards, Nick
HA Dave:
--- Quote from: nnixon on June 08, 2009, 01:06:32 PM ---Hi, everyone! My name is Nick Nixon. I'm new to the X10 user forum
--- End quote ---
Welcome to the forum Nick!
--- Quote from: nnixon on June 08, 2009, 01:06:32 PM ---Someone who........ refers to RCA-type a/v connections as "red, white and yellow holes" is someone who is already over their head
--- End quote ---
Yes.... but so very few people come to the forum... because they have NO problems. But.. This is a community forum. We aren't on-line tech-support. We offer an understanding ear... and rarely does anyone leave without a working setup. Most posts by newbies are more about "how does the technology work" than anything else. Of course it can be tempting to say read the directions. But reading directions doesn't work well for many people. But this forum format [with all its faults].... has helped thousands.
If someone is over-thier-head in X10 trouble... and don't even know the proper names and terms... this is the place to read, post, and learn.
Ddbord:
--- Quote from: x10dude on February 20, 2009, 03:05:36 AM ---The antennas on these things really suck. In fact, so far, all the antennas in every X10 device that I've bought (over $1000 - fool me!) don't have any real reach.
I started on this X10 stuff just about a month ago, and let me tell you, had I known what I know now, I would have never done it. I dove right in and bought all kinds of stuff (cameras, video sender/receiver, remote controls, LOLA, full house alarm, AHP, filters, repeaters, powerhorns, etc.) Now, I'm in debug mode - for just about everything I purchased - what a waste of time! Don't get me wrong, at first the idea of learning, digging, and playing with something new to me sounded great - little did I know.
Anyway, if the antenna on the CM15A is any indication on the "quality" of the antenna inside the case for the sender/receiver, I doubt you'd be able to get it two floors up. I tried and failed miserably - no matter what direction I pointed the sender & receiver's antennas to. Your best bet is to point both of them to the ceiling, play around with the channels, and hope to get something. Otherwise, you'll probably need a 2.4ghz signal repeater. Also, if you have a wi-fi network, be careful. These devices do interfere with it.
What's worse is if you have other X10 devices that use RF, even though they use a different frequency, they caused problems for me. The claim is 100ft reach for the sender/receiver, but that's actually if you have them in TOTALLY open space with no interference whatsoever (not even the wind).. Try to create that scenario in real life!
Keep in mind that if you do get them to work, anyone with a strong 2.4ghz video receiver (like the ones used for babycams) will be able to "share" what you're viewing on your TV. If that happens, it will definitely steal badwidth too.
My recommendation would be to find a way to replace the antenna in both the sender & receiver. It will probably void your warranty though. That's what I had to do with my home automation USB unit (CM15A). It came with about a 5 inch piece of wire as the antenna (enclosed in a small plastic tube for professional presentation)! PLEASE! I replaced it with a UHF/VHF (rabbit ear style) antenna and now, my reach is much better.
Frank
--- End quote ---
Frank......
I just setup the Sender/Receiver with the Sender in a room on the second floor in the extreme SW portion of the room.
I then setup the Receiver in the BASEMENT in the extreme NE part of the room.
Perfect picture and sound! Just kinda aimed the upstairs antenna toward the basement room, and then wiggled the basement antenna to get a PERFECT picture and sound!
But..... The remote that came with the package DOES NOT SEND EVEN FROM THE NEXT ROOM!
Ddbord
PS Good Luck follow the directions to the letter!
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