X10 Community Forum

🔌General Home Automation => Automating Your House => Topic started by: coolshare on October 14, 2012, 04:32:54 PM

Title: Relay from power line to rf
Post by: coolshare on October 14, 2012, 04:32:54 PM
Is there a X10 device that receives X10 signal from house power line and then transmit the signal through air so that device like RR501 and receive it?

thanks

Title: Re: Relay from power line to rf
Post by: Brian H on October 14, 2012, 05:47:40 PM
No
Title: Re: Relay from power line to rf
Post by: Tuicemen on October 15, 2012, 11:16:38 AM
Actually a Cm15a will do it if configured correctly and the info downloaded to it.
A macro would need to be created in Active Home Pro and saved to the CM15A or the computer left on and the Cm15a connected to it if the info wasn't downloaded to the Cm15a interface
Title: Re: Relay from power line to rf
Post by: dave w on October 15, 2012, 11:34:43 AM
Quote from: Tuicemen on October 15, 2012, 11:16:38 AM
Actually a Cm15a will do it if configured correctly and the info downloaded to it.
A macro would need to be created in Active Home Pro and saved to the CM15A or the computer left on and the Cm15a connected to it if the info wasn't downloaded to the Cm15a interface
So you can make the CM15A act as a PLC to RF pass-through, and any PLC command will get transcieved to RF? Is this done with the SDK? I think I have an application but did not know I could do it! :)%
Title: Re: Relay from power line to rf
Post by: Tuicemen on October 15, 2012, 07:14:20 PM
The Cm15a will send rf to a rf reciever if it is configured in AHP as such.
I do this with a tm751 for some of my stuborn cameras
I don't think for example a A1 PLC signal will send an A1 RF as looping would occure.
However you could have an A1 PLC signal trip a macro that sends a B1 RF
Not a true pass threw but close.
 >!
Title: Re: Relay from power line to rf
Post by: dhouston on October 15, 2012, 07:56:23 PM
I haven't kept up with the SDK (I don't think much of X-10's programmers.) but, initially, I think it would only send Ninja camera pan/tilt commands which is a different protocol from PLC. You seem to indicate it now can send PLC type RF. Am I correct in how I read this?
Title: Re: Relay from power line to rf
Post by: Noam on October 16, 2012, 07:06:40 AM
Quote from: dave w on October 15, 2012, 11:34:43 AM
So you can make the CM15A act as a PLC to RF pass-through, and any PLC command will get transcieved to RF?
Not exactly.
You can create macros, that when treiggered by a command on the powerline, will re-send that command over RF. You would need to create one for each command you want to relay, though.
Title: Re: Relay from power line to rf
Post by: Tuicemen on October 16, 2012, 08:48:01 AM
Quote from: dhouston on October 15, 2012, 07:56:23 PM
I haven't kept up with the SDK (I don't think much of X-10's programmers.) but, initially, I think it would only send Ninja camera pan/tilt commands which is a different protocol from PLC. You seem to indicate it now can send PLC type RF. Am I correct in how I read this?
The SDK allows one to specify how to send commands PLC or RF or both.
The only difference in sending a plc command from a RF one is the first part of the command
SendPLC for PLC or SendRF for a RF command
True camera commands are different as are the multimedia commands and these can't be sent PLC
As far I know it has always been this way.
X10 programmers have added some extra RF sending abilities but simple on/off dim/bright commands were there when I first started using it.
I believe I started using the SDK about a year or two after it was first released.

Initially AHP would send RF not PLC to any device that was set up as a transceiver module(RF)found under the appliance modules in AHP.
Title: Re: Relay from power line to rf
Post by: dhouston on October 16, 2012, 10:26:27 AM
Quote from: Tuicemen on October 16, 2012, 08:48:01 AM
I believe I started using the SDK about a year or two after it was first released.

I replaced the Cypress microcontroller in the CM15A a few weeks after the CM15A was introduced.
Title: Re: Relay from power line to rf
Post by: Dan Lawrence on October 16, 2012, 05:24:16 PM
interesting!!!  Could you post what to did here, perchance X10 might possibly want to to use it too if it makes the CM15A work better.
Title: Re: Relay from power line to rf
Post by: dhouston on October 16, 2012, 07:50:17 PM
I designed four daughterboards that fit the Cypress socket - two used PICs - one was RS232 and one was USB. I did the same using Atmel AVR chips.

But, X10 only used the socket in the first few CM15As. I decided it wasn't worthwhile since users would have to desolder the original chip and X10's boards won't take much heat. I also decided I didn't want the support burden (I had cardiac problems and lung cancer afterwards.) so I'm the only one who ever used it. I'm not sure I still have the code - I lost a network hard disk a couple of years back that had most of this type work on it. The second link above has oscilloscope screenshots showing the various signals (and relations between them) in/out of the microcontroller.  

If anyone would like to take a whack at it, the ZBasic ZX-328n has all of the needed timing and signal capture/generation  built in. It has more pins than needed so a daughterboard using it would overhang the socket. If you want to use SMD, their ZX-32n would work. You would need to invert the RS232 signals (or you could use an SMD RS232-USB chip).