X10 Community Forum
🖥️ActiveHome Pro => ActiveHome Pro General => Topic started by: the other steve on March 29, 2005, 01:16:09 AM
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It has been 4 months now since I sent my
stuff back for a refund; I have continued
lurking around the forum witnessing the
ongoing beta test. Last night my CM11a
went belly up - that after more than ten
years of predictable (if sometimes strange)
behavior. (I have been using several
macros, 25 modules and 10 timers - no
motion sensors or other "exotics." I was
unable to get timers to run reliably from
the CM15 with 3.164.)
I have again downloaded the latest
software, and it still doesn't translate my
old stuff accurately (timers in the pm are
translated as am, etc.) but that doesn't
matter if AHP and the CM15 actually work.
Is it reasonably safe to come back? Should
I request a diagnostic unit? Should I buy
another CM11a and continue to wait?
Steve
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Just a quick report that my diag unit has
been
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Steve - for me (and I suspect others), my
version of heavy lifting means that I
travel frequently away from home for a week
at a time and currently have no fear of a
wife phone call because the "house" does
something unexpected. Call me
conservative...but I'd still be nervous
catching a plane with CM15a being left "in
charge"....in another month or so, there
may well be enough evidence to change my
mind. But there are still some
pretty "mixed reviews" floating around.
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A thing IS as it does NOT AS IT SAYS.
The AHP/CM15A are Buggy and there is NO
RELIABLE PRODUCTION RELEASE.
Wake up and smell the coffee.
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If you are tired of fiddling and want some peace of mind,
buy a 1132CU from Smarthome. The CM15A spooked me
so bad that I've developed a tick where I check the
interface every couple of hours. : ) I've had the 1132CU
online for over two weeks now WITHOUT ONE INCIDENT. If
this continues, I'll be able to cancel the therapy.
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Randy, The smarthome 1132 does not have an
antenna to receive the motion detectors ?
Would I have to buy other plug in equipmentto
do the same thing the CM15A does now ?
Joe S.
Lots of us travel and would not leave a
smarthome 1132 or X10 CM15A "in charge" of
critical items such as my geothermal A/C,
sprinkler system or pool automation. BUT as
long as there was enough reliability
(i.e.CM15A Month online with nada prob) and
as long as we had a "wife backup" (can't
return from London for a pool pump) then I
suppose "heavy lifting" can be accomplished
from a CM15A timer. One could always plug it
into the lower "hot" receptacle which
shouldn't require an "emergency return" trip.
So bottom line for me now is 1132 requires
more equipment to do same thing. Of couse
some would also mention that the 1132
software was less easier to use and cost more
... I have no experience there .
and last..we are all having so much fun now
that the CM15A seems rather reliable.
(perfect functionality since 7 Mar for all
timers and macros.. to the minute)
So I am happy (at this point)
Regards,
SteveRF
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Hmmm - wasn't trying to start a big
discussion on this thread - just describing
my personal parameters for success. I was
stuck with CM15a anyways, so it's my
tranceiver - but YES, I would pay more
(extra equipment or whatever) for something
that I know works (and did). I'm not
trying to convince you or anyone else
whether my choices are right for you.
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I may be the worlds biggest optimist but
I've been battling problems with the CM15A
and buggy AHP softwarte revisions for many
months. Before getting the new diagnostic
CM15A I was able to get everything to run
reliably if I left the USB cable plugged
into my laptop (laptop power off or on,
either way works). On 3/9/5 I swapped the
CM15A out with the diagnostic CM15A, no
more need to leave the USB cable plugged
in. On 3/23 I updated the software to
3.183, did a cold load (loaded hardware /
software / configuration as if this were a
new installation - power off, batteries
out, AC power applied, batteries in,
reloaded hardware setup, cleared memory,
reloaded timers and macros, etc.). Have
had no problems since..... My
configuration has really been solid since
the CM15A was replaced with the diagnostic
unit. I'd hang tough for a bit before
jumping ship, X10 is on the cusp of having
the system they should have had when they
sold their first USB unit - A reliable
CM15A and stable software.
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Those of you that are having good luck with
it now, are you able to use more than 20% of
the memory before it takes a crap, or is
this still a problem?
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Yes....... I'm using aprox 23%
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Steve RF: It doesn't do any RF. I purchased a WR800RF32
whole house transceiver for that duty. You could also just
recycle your CM15A into a whole-house transceiver if you
can get sufficient range out of it. The advantage to the
1132CU is the electronics (including the clock) are a bit
more robust and the software is stable. The disadvantage
is it is more expensive and the software isn't as pretty. I
actually like the idea of the CM15A as a standalone
controller/transceiver better but it just hasn't delivered yet
and I wanted a working solution now. I bet six months
from now it will be a viable alternative.
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Steve RF: Ah. I reread your post and realize what you were
really saying. Nevermind the technical rehash. I've chosen
complexity, expense and reliability over cheap, self-
contained and sketchy. With the new equipment, I don't
have to move it around the house to find a sweet spot,
don't have to send it back twice to get one that works,
don't have to reset the unit every other day to maintain
the clock sync/USB connection, don't have to wait
breathlessly for the next software update to see if it fixes
my latest "issue", etc. Peace of mind is priceless. You get
what you pay for.
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Randy: You said “I bet six months from now
it will be a viable alternative.” Before
you do take a hard look at the abysmal track
record with Multiview.
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Randy, I can see you are a "smarthome" man.
Glad yours is reliable too. So far I am
extremely happy with the CM15A whole house
transceiver unit and I really like the Active
Home Professional software. I agree that it
will mature as time goes on but I can see by
visiting smarthome.com that their software
had numerous "fixes" each month last year. I
suppose they all go through that phase of
growth. My CM15A has kept perfect time since
7 Mar disconnected from the PC. As for
searching for the "sweet spot" to install,
well it is still in the Utility room A/C
cubby right next to metal breaker boxes, A/C
electrical systems and works great. Bottom
line is that I am now confident in the CM15's
reliability and the AHP software's ability to
do everything I need. If things change I
will surely take a hard look at the 1132,
their software and the additional transceiver
needed to do the same as I have now. Do they
have an open forum like this for the 1132
stuff ? That may be interesting to join if
they do.
regards,
SteveRF
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Gentleman,
I to have purchased CM15A ( 2 of them
one as a backup ) when it first came out
and also have been plagued with the same
problems as all of the forum members have.I
have used X10 products fron it's first
inception when they where BSR.
Before I switched controllers I
purchased a HomeBase controller and that
was in 1998 which was made by JDS. Now this
unit ran without a hick-up until replaced
by the CM15A,thats seven years ago. The
Homebase will do hundreds of macros, nested
if and then statememts, control HVAC, and
also relay boards and logic boards for
temperature sensing, etc. Just too may
thing to list what this Homebase will do.
The price was quite steep at $ 289.00. It
does not have any RF functions but that's
what I am using the CM15A for but before
that I used seperate transceivers. I am
running 40 modules, 4 wireless devices, 23
macros, and some scenes also.
Now I will wait and see what X10 will
come up with as I at least have a system
that is quite full proof and I do not
hesitate to go away for long lengths of
time knowing the system works.( Wife comes
with me no need to baby sit the system! )
I am quite sure X10 will work out the
bugs and until then I will stand on the
sodelines waiting.
Bob K.
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SteveRF: Actually, I bought from Automated Outlet but I
do own a number of Smarthome products and they have
all performed perfectly. I also own quite a bit of X10 gear
and it has mostly served me well. The CM15A has been
the first real disappointment. I expected it to work as well
as my CM11A had and I got nothing but grief for almost
six months. I bounce around between this forum, Access
X10 and the Indigo forum. Indigo is a Mac home
automation server that supports the CM11A, the CM15A,
the 1132CU and the Lynx. It is rock solid at version 1.6.
Before I bought the 1132CU, I tested my (third) CM15A on
Indigo to rule out the AHP software as a problem. I know
that isn't totally scientific but I also had odd results with
that setup. I finally got fed up and dropped the cash on a
new interface and RF transceiver. I'm glad you're having
great results with the CM15A. I had hoped that I would
also but it wasn't meant to be this time around.
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Randy - get X10 to swap your CM15A with the
diagnostic unit.
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Randy,
many thanks for the info...something I will
be looking at in the near future.
Many Thanks !
SteveRF
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All: Thanks for all the great input!
I dug out a second CM11A and it worked -
for a day - then heated up. Resetting it
made it work again, but it is a different
temperature every time I touch it. I guess
the mods are in order; that seems easier
than isolating the noise source.
I guess I'll also wait a while for AHP (I
am using XP-Pro SP2). As long as 1.42
works, I can hold on a few months longer.
Thanks again.
Steve
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How can you tell if your CM15A is a
diagnostic unit? What is the difference from
the other one? I just received my CM15A last
week, so far it's working except for one
light that is not being controlled
consistenly mostly with the macro.
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Bob: I think I already have a "diagnostic" unit. They never
called it that but they sent it to me back in January after a
software update rendered my second unit useless. When I
hook it up to Indigo, the program reports that it is
firmware v. 2. It worked better than the others but it still
had intermittent issues and I had just grown weary of the
experience. I like the software, I like the price, heck, I even
like the support. X10 Pro has been very pleasant and
helpful. I just wish I could make the thing work.
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Randy - X10 Techs gave me a program
file "ahp_diagnostic.exe" to run, it adds
some items to the AHP program pull down
menue to dump the contents of the CM15A to
a file they could recieve then review. Did
they send you the link for this file when
they sent your unit to you ?
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They didn't send me the software. I'm guessing that it is
the new unit because Indigo reports firmware v. 2. On the
Access X10 forum we've been comparing notes and the
concensus is that firmware v. 2 means "diagnostic" unit.
My CM15A has a handwritten sticker on the back that says
Jan 27 2005. Some of the other guys on Access X10
report that their diagnostic units don't have polarized
plugs. Mine does. Maybe I have an early production
diagnostic unit that doesn't have the final configuration.
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Randy, mine has a polarized plug and has a
handwritten label with "Mar 4" on it. The
software updates AHP on your PC, adds the
diagnostic menue item. X10 needs to
confirm your hardware and send you the
software or I can send it to you via email,
it's in a zip file...
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Randy, mine has a polarized plug and has a
handwritten label with "Mar 4" on it. The
software updates AHP on your PC, adds the
diagnostic menue item. X10 needs to
confirm your hardware and send you the
software or I can send it to you via email,
it's in a zip file...
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Mine has a nice round dot on it marked 05C10
and reports to be Version 2 in Indigo. No
polorized plug on mine and I bought it not
an exchange or offered and refused
Diagnostics unit from X10.