X10 Community Forum
📝Reviews => X10 Software Reviews => ActiveHome Pro Reviews => Topic started by: David Mark on December 21, 2006, 12:49:38 AM
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Solution is as I mentioned to close it after downloading timers and macros.
While waiting for my replacement CM15a, I wanted to see if it was even feasible to run macros and timers in the AHP software. Seemed reasonable as it was clearly impossible to run them reliably from the controller with my particular CM15a (came from one of the older batches and is clearly defective.)
The answer is a resounding no. Two weeks of stress-testing PERL scripts with their scripting library told me it was certainly possible. I never once saw an outage. Unlike with the stupid command line utility (which surely uses the same library), Windows never complained and shut down the window. VB tests were the same. Amazingly, X10's wonder app is another story. When the macros stopped responding (in software), I tried the command line, PERL and VB and they all sent commands. However, reception was silent and AHP was hung. As I sent commands from VB, AHP would occasionally sputter and send out a macro command. No way to close AHP at that point (not even Task Manager could do anything with it.)
This is a catalog masquerading as an automation tool. Leaving this app running as the nerve center of a home's automation system is just not feasible. Who in their right mind would go on vacation and assume this miserable program will behave for weeks at a time? It hardly behaves while setting up the modules. Unattended it is known to crash, hang, get confused, etc.
So if controller-based macros and timers won't work and the software won't work, what are you left with? Basically it is a faster CM11 with software that you can't use. And oh by the way, it sends the camera commands and can possibly interact with security devices, but that requires more money for half-assed plugins, which requires the software is left running, which is an impossible requirement.
All in all, it might be a decent controller if the downloaded macros would work. I'll see when my new one gets here. Certainly with the right software (read: not AHP), it could be relied on to log events and run scripts on a PC. My old CM11a/Misterhouse configuration was good for about a month at a time, then I would usually reboot just for good measure. Certainly the new CM15a/Misterhouse version is as good (or better considering the CM11a's propensity to lock up occasionally.) CM15a/AHP is an unmitigated disaster. I wouldn't bet on it lasting more than 24 hours based on recent experiences. It seemed a little better without the camera plugin. Anything that forces you to start and restart software repeatedly (or repeat an mundane task like opening dialogs for no reason, downloading macros when they don't really need updating, etc.) is not worthwhile. The software is automating you at that point.
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Were you ever able to have a stabile program situation? I would like to leave my computer on and take advantage of OnAlert, etc., but I can never make it past 24 hours with AHP program running before there is a program freeze (AHP not responding). Disk scan and defrag seemed to help a bit, but even with no activity on the computer AHP will eventually hang-up. Any ideas on this?
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Were you ever able to have a stabile program situation? I would like to leave my computer on and take advantage of OnAlert, etc., but I can never make it past 24 hours with AHP program running before there is a program freeze (AHP not responding). Disk scan and defrag seemed to help a bit, but even with no activity on the computer AHP will eventually hang-up. Any ideas on this?
I have had the same problem with AHP not responding and tried everything I could think of to fix the problem with no luck. JMac were you ever able to fix the problem, if so how???
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I think most of my problems had to do with trying to use the Vanguard program and MYHouse. It has been a long time since my earlier post and I started using RealVNC and (recently) Logmein to address the program remotely. I haven't had any problems (for the most part) for quite awhile.