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[carmine pacifico]

Tcassio

I would not get to worked up over Jess
Bettis comments, He could have an older
version of the chip. The hardware bug on
the CY7C63723 affect rev A only of the
silicon, based on Cypress errata sheet if
GPIO interrupt are used, when an I/O pin
toggle( like receiving RF signal) a phantom
GPIO interrupt is triggered, mine was
crashing when to many RF signal were
received making me believe this is probably
the cause; clever programming may fix the
problem.
I would add another piece of information to
the puzzle: on the 18 pin chip (U1 on the
schematic) there is a paper label with a
number on it, it would be nice to know the
number of the label, and if you feel brave
remove the label and provide the number on
the chip.Very important to remember
electronic parts are static sensitive, DO
NOT OPEN the CM15 UNLESS YOU ARE SURE OF
PROPER HANDLING PROCEDURE.
I am no using the CM15a at the time, but
the ability to have al in one controller +
RF transceiver is very important to me, and
when X10 get the CM15a working I may
purchase it again.

[X10 Pro]

Please do not open your CM15A to read the
label on the chip. There's nothing inside you
can change or fix, and you can damage the CM15A.

Carmine: I spoke with our hardware designer
and we're not using the GPIO interrupt, so
that Cypress problem doesn't affect us.

[carmine pacifico]

X10 Pro

I new that would get a quick response.
Regarding GPIO that’s a relief,  about RF
range?
According to HiMARK data sheet for RX3310A
we should be able to get 100m( over 30ft )
open air; a better antenna could do the
trick? .

I hope you realize I am not bashing X10, I
have as much interest to have the CM15a
working as you and the rest of the user; if
you get RF range up, and reliably receive
RF commands, this can be a great product.
The alternative of using separate
transceiver, increase the response time and
collisions, and it’s going to cost me a lot
more.

It would be nice if the full pro line would
be available from you web site, buying from
a dealer here ( in Canada ) is very
expensive.

Ps. I do not encourage anyone to open any
electronic equipment, I am a professional,
and even at home I have proper antistatic
workstation and tools and I have 25+years
experience.

[carmine pacifico]

X10 Pro

Sorry , that sould have been "over 300ft"

[dave w]

Jess Battis said:  "How about quitting  your
whining and consider that YOU may be a
large part of the problem."

To which Tcassio blew a gasket.

However I think Jess has a valid point. Why
does some units seem to work satisfactory
but others do not. I had a unit which would
mysteriously quit running macros or timers.
It still does not run flawlessly, however
after receiving a new CM15A from X10 which
seemingly did not work much better than my
September 2004 unit, I began to wonder if I
wasn't part of the problem....and I was.

After taking the time to analyze my
conditional macros, I found several mistakes
in my macro schedule. Unfortunately AHP and
CM15A does not do a good job telling the
user/programmer that it is looping or hung
up.

After correcting a number of macros I was
trying trigger incorrectly, I find my macro
schedule is running more reliably. I am no
novice at X10 or X10 controllers (hint:
Circuit Research's Enerlogic 1400 - mid
1980's - was the best X10 controller ever
made, unfortunately Circuit Research is past
tense. Anybody remember when the Appliance
module was completely redesigned to
eliminate a solenoid holding a Cherry Micro
Switch closed during the modules "on"
period) anywho, my point is Jess Battis has
a good point, in that, the problems we whine
about…are not all  X10’s.

[carmine pacifico]

Dave W

You are right, as some of the problems are
user related.
When I was testing the CM15a I was only
controlling 1 light( stairs)  using 2
motion detectors( 1 on top and 1 at the
bottom) I else used flags
including ,dusk/down and timer , the macros
where fully tested with the CM15a connected
to the computer. The macros were working
fine with no problems connected to the
computer(and yes they were set to run from
the interface); with the CM15a
disconnected, if I triggered the motion
detectors within 5 seconds of each other it
would stop working(the clock was lost), of
course the moment the CM15a is plugged back
to the PC it work again(magically the clock
is reset).
I did numerous test using another computer
connected to an CM11a used for monitor
only, I concluded that if the controller
got busy (RF + timer) some how it would
clobber is software clock.
In my book if a user programmed macro can
make the CM15a fail, it’s not a user fault
but a device design flaw.
I am not a novice X10 user either, some of
my lamp module are brown with a “BSR” label
original purchased from a company called
Heat Kit ( ps I am only 29…).
In our shop we have dedicated people just
testing and abusing the device we make,
user error can not cause the instrument to
malfunction, it’s not acceptable.

[SteveRF]

Dave,
I agree with you completely !  I have made
those same mistakes myself.  Actually some
were probably a lot worse than yours !
Personally, I think all of the units are
flawed in some respects (even my diag unit).
You can bet X10 is fully aware of the
shortcommings of the unit and probably have
something in the mill already as a
replacement.  I am also sure they like this
forum as it gives them insight into some of
the more obscure "software" bugs but I bet
their hardware/software delvelopment teams
really get a kick out of the "wannabee's"
telling them what is wrong with the chips,
the timers, the antenna's, cases etc... You
can bet that they have known about the
hardware glitches for months or years.  One
day they will have the "new and improved"
units ready for distribution and hopefully we
will all have an upgrade path.
In the meantime we can all have fun with this
one and some can just "go elsewhere" if your
not happy.  X10 is having a ball keeping up
with orders...smile...
Regards,
SteveRF

[SteveRF]

Carmine,
Since you have 25+ years of experience X10
would be well advised to listen to you.
I'll use caution if I decide to add teh
antenna to the CM15A.
I see that you are only 29. You really
started early !
SteveRF

[carmine pacifico]

Steve RF
The 29 was just a joke,
I am 51 (the “BSR” should have given away)
I am a Sr. Hardware and firmware designer
using microcontrollers. I have currently 5
Jr. engineers working in my department.
I have an interface designed and populated
for X10 with hardware RTC, lot’s of memory,
Lantronix Xport Ethernet port with embedded
web server, 4 line by 20 characters LCD and
16 keys keypad; then only thing missing is
firmware, after a full day at work I rather
spend time with my 11 month old son, than
programming.
X10 should not have released this product
before fully testing, I still hope they
solve this problem soon, I need a good RF
all house code transceiver, the CM15a is a
bargain compared to other devices on the
market.