X10 Community Forum
🖥️ActiveHome Pro => ActiveHome Pro General => Topic started by: tommy on January 11, 2006, 10:31:22 PM
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I am using AHP with Smart(?) Macros driving
a CM15A interface. I have some lamp
modules and some wall switches controlling
the lighting on the ground floor. I use
palmpad remotes to activate individual
lights and/or macros.
I run AHP on a Windows XP Pro laptop. When
I connect a USB cable to my CM15A and
download timers and macros, everything
works great both from the laptop and from
the palmpads. Then, I shut down AHP and
disconnect the USB cable (so it won't run
across the kitchen floor and trip my wife
and make her fall and die).
After disconnecting the cable, I have a
50/50 chance of my macros working from the
palmpads!!!
Anyone have any ideas that do not invole
firearms?
tommy ho
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If you take your palmpad and put it within
a few inches of the antenna do your macros
allways work. If so you are having range
or distance problems. If not you are
having some sort of download or hardware
problem. If it works when you are within
inches of the antenna you could try
changing the position of the antenna to get
better range. I have used a cheap power
bar without any surge protection or
filtering so I could lay the unit flat on
the floor and positioned the antenna
straight up. This gave me better range.
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Mike C,
This does not seem to be a range or
distance problem. When I connect the USB
cable and download the interface, I can run
any macro from either the PC or from the
palm. Then, when I disconnect the USB
cable, sometimes everything works great,
other times none of the macros (or timers)
work until I download the interface again.
I have tried new batteries in the CM15A as
well as trying different outlets on both
phases. I have tried disconnecting the USB
cable while the CM15A was plugged in and
with it unplugged. I have tried closing
AHP and have tried shutting down the laptop
before disconnecting the USB cable.
Seems like the CM15A just wants to remain
connected to the computer.
Got any other ideas?
thanks,
TommyHo
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So, are you saying the minute you
disconnect the cable sometimes the macros
and timers stop working. Or does this take
a few hours or days to show up after you
disconnect the cable. Also are you
unpluging and moving the unit to another
location or just leaving it in the same
location. I did have a similar problem but
my solution was to take the unit apart and
add some decoupling capacitors to the
circuit board. This did void my warranty
but before I did this I could not get more
than a couple of days/weeks of stable
operation when disconnected and even
sometimes connected operation. Some users
sent their units back to be replaced when
they had problems like yours. Many months
ago on this forum there was a posting on
how to add the capacitors. If you feel you
want to try this I could see if I kept the
info.
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Mike,
Thanks for the input. I have the problem
as soon as the USB cable is unplugged. I
have gotten into the habit of downloading,
testing a macro from a palm, disconnecting,
then retesting. If the macros stop
working, reconnect, clear the interface
memory, download again. I seem to have
better luck if I shut down the PC before
unplugging the USB cable, but not 100%
success. I have even tried another PC with
the same results.
I have no qualms about opening the CM15A up
and soldering in some caps; in my youth I
probably would have been in there already.
Now that I am old and have a budget to work
from, I think that A QUALITY, 100%
FUNCTIONAL PRODUCT SHOULD BE SHIPPED WHEN
IT IS ORDERED. Sorry for the yelling, but
I am NOT a beta tester for X10.
If you don't mind looking for the info on
adding caps I would appreciate it.
thanks!!!
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Here is the info that I saved;
The caps I used were ceramic type
X7R. These are good high frequency
decoupling caps. The electrolytic caps C11
and C12 have too high a series inductance
and are ineffective at high frequencies.
The linear regulator U5 has a really poor
filter characteristic so without the
ceramic caps around it, it's garbage in,
garbage out. Unfortunately the
microcontroller's reset circuit can't
respond to noise and doesn't react. The
components I added are 0.1uF 50V
capacitors
across the following components:
U5: IN to COM
U5: OUT to COM
U2: pin 1 to pin 8
U1: pin 6 to pin 11
I checked the signal coming from U4 and it
needs no additional filtering. If you
need a schematic go to
http://makeashorterlink.com/?R1A4229AB
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Mike C. Thanks for posting this again. I had
seen basically the samething maybe a few
months ago and we know there is no "search"
function here.
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TommyHo
If particular macros always fail when not
connected to the PC, but always work when
connected, then it would seem either the
macros are not downloading correctly to the
interface or the macros are marked to run
from the PC. If the macros are marked
correctly to "store in interface", then use
the activity monitor to see if the signal
from the palmpad is received and the plc
signal is sent to the module in question. If
it is, begin looking for a powerline
interference/low signal type problem. If
not, determine whether the problem is RF
related or interface related. Good luck.
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WinS,
This problem does not seem to favor one
macro over another. I have checked to make
sure the macros are stored in the
interface. If I do get everyting
downloaded correctly, all of the macros
work without the USB cable connected.
Also, all of the timers work correctly.
However, as I sometimes want to change a
timer setting or add a new macro, I connect
the USB cable, fire up the AHP software,
make the changes, test them from the PC,
then save the xml file and download to the
interface. Then, test again from a palm
remote. Finally, disconnect the USB cable
and test. This is where is usually stops
working, but not consistently. Every once
in a while everything works on the first
attempt. Other times, the macros do not
work after the USB cable is disconnected;
if I leave the interface in this state,
none of my timers work either. Then, I
have to reconnect the USB cable, clear the
interface, download again. I have tried
unplugging the CM15A from the wall and
removing the batteries for a few minutes,
the plugging it back into the wall and
reinserting the batteries. I have tested
the batteries and have replaced the
batteries. I have tried disconnecting the
USB cable after unplugging the CM15A from
the wall. I have tried smiling while
unplugging the USB cable and thinking
positive thoughts. Still, to cop a line
from an old Dustin Hoffman movie "Little
Big Man": "Sometimes the magic works,
sometimes it does not..."
Anyway, thanks for the suggestions.
tommyHo
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TommyHo
Thanks for the thorough explaination of your
problem. X10 should be willing to exchange
the interface as it seems flakey - this may
be worth a try. Good to see you haven't lost
your sense of humor.
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TommyHo
In case you didn't already know, after
changing a timer and downloading to the
interface, you can check the ahpeeprom_w.txt
file (Documents and settings\all
users\application data\active home
professional\)to verify the file was changed
correctly.
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Mike C:
I finally got up the courage to open up a CM15A, and try the capacitor fix. (I had to admit, I am not seeing the same symptoms, but I was seeing a different USB problem, and I was hoping this might fix it.)
Wow, that board is cluttered. Do you have any pictures of the fix, before I attempt it myself?
Thanks
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FYI -
I am the guy who originally posted this message, could not log in after the new forums went online,
so I was a bit delayed in responding. Sorry...
I applied the caps fix to my CM15A, and it did indeed cure the USB problems. Unit is now rock solid.
tommy
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Tommy -
Do you have any pictures? I'd like to know what I'm dealing with before I start. It is a little hard to find the components on the board, and soldering to the backside is even trickier.
Thanks.
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No, I do not have pictures. The front of the board is marked if you have the patience to read what is under the components. I soldered to the back side
once I had located the right spots, keeping the leads on the caps as short as possible.
Hope this helps.
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I have a few timers and macros set up, yesterday nothing would work. The AHP interface would show that the signal was sent, yet no lights would turn on. I tried using my remotes and nothing would respond. I have my CM15A plugged into an outlet and connected via USB to the computer. Today, my computer started having issues with the CM15A usb connection and AHP is not showing the device as being connected, I changed batteries and the CM15A started showing up connected, yet I still cannot control any devices. Is there a way to find out if the device is actually connected to the powerlines, or if it is running on batteries. If the CM15A is running on battery power, then if it malfuctions their is no way to know why items are not opereating until the batteries die and AHP stops showing certain features. Even though the history will report that everything is working as it should.
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Did you add any electronic equipment reciently?
It sounds like a noise problem. Start unplugging any new electronic devices until AHP starts addressing modules correctly. Then buy plug-in noise filters and plug all electronic equipment into them.
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Also, make sure the CM15A isn't plugged into or even near a powerbar or UPS. They will suck up most of the signal.
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After dealing with tech support and jumping threw hoops, they determined that I do have a defective unit, and sent me an RMA on Monday. I will be shipping my unit tommorrow and will probably recive a replacement in another week or two. Thus, my system will not be working for 3-4 weeks. >:(
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Hi All,
I have read with interest the capacitor fix (four .1 uf capacitors at certain locations) and think this would fix my problems (macros stop working - I only have two macros). The original poster for the fix used X7R serires capacitors. I cannot find that series locally, only mail order (adds $10 to the small cost of the capacitors). Radio Shack carries the .01 uf 50 volt ceramic caps but they are a different series (series=tempature tolerance?). Can I use capacitors that are not X7R? I don't know that much about electornic theory but I feel very comfortable soldering.
Thanks.
GL
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I have read with interest the capacitor fix (four .1 uf capacitors at certain locations) and think this would fix my problems (macros stop working - I only have two macros). The original poster for the fix used X7R serires capacitors. I cannot find that series locally, only mail order (adds $10 to the small cost of the capacitors). Radio Shack carries the .01 uf 50 volt ceramic caps but they are a different series (series=tempature tolerance?). Can I use capacitors that are not X7R?
There are a bunch a factors that affect the capacitor's series (temperature tolerance is one, serise resitance is another). In general Radio Shack components are of poor quality, but if you don't have any other electronic component stores near by then you should be able to make do with them. They certainly won't make the problem worse as there currently aren't any decoupling capacitors on the chips.
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Thanks roger1818 for the info. I guess I will give the Radio Shack parts a try. Like you said, something is better than nothing.