Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[hs]

 
As a former CM15A user, I would like to
offer up the following advice for X10. These
are just my observations, take them or leave
them.

If in the future the software and hardware
issues have been addressed, I will gladly
take another look at the product.

1) Combined Active Home Pro and Smart
Macros. Having these two software packages
seperate is just plain silly. Review your
marketing strategy here. It is only serving
to alienate customers.

2) Allow any version of software to be
downloaded for free. There is nothing to
protect here. The software is useless
without the hardware. See Ken's comments
under Wish list forum-"I wish to regress
software version".

3) Remove all registration requirements. See
1 and 2.

4) Include release notes for all released
versions. Clearly document what bugs were
discovered and how they were addressed.

5) Maintain a master list of known bugs
posted by X10 software developers that is
visible for all to view. Users should not
have to hunt the forums for known problems.
List should also be prioritized based on
release schedules.

[hs]

6) Eliminate "Run from PC" completely.
Maintaining this completely seperate runtime
environment seperately from the embedded
system is probably a constant source of
errors and raises the debug complexity un-
necessarily.

7) Fix the software and or hardware such
that removing the batteries is not part of a
recovery scheme.

Either substainally improve the RF
interface or completely remove it. I have
two eagle eye sensors that could not be
detected beyond 20ft. CM15A label 05C10.

Finally I would like to suggest the
unthinkable, make this an open source
project. I am convinced there are many
experienced software developers out there
that would contribute time and effort free
of charge in order to make a better product.

Consider how much income is generated in
software sales versus the 10s of thousands
of hours software deveopers would spend
making a better product for you to sell.

Personally, I moving some type of 2-way X10
Interface with open source. If anyone has
some advice in this area, please let me know.

As a final note, I wish you all good luck
with CM15A, I believe it does have potential.

[Glendoo]

The ability to use all that is built into the
cm15a would be a wonderful thing. Open source
or a real SDK is the reason I bought one in
the first place. I feel the potential is
there, so why make people reverse engineer
the device to use it? Wasn't it promised in
the original advertising?

[Randall]

I agree with the previous comments. I would
as a consumer buy more hardware if I new the
software worked. I as a programmer would
enjoy contributing to the idea of smart
homes. Make the sotware open source and you
will see a flow of harware sales.

[John G.]

Here are additional suggestions:

1. Get rid of the PLC clock that bases its
timing on the power line signal (and I think
this is the source of most of your troubles
with macros), and just use a dc-powered
real-time clock processor to provide the
timing - something like X1205 or similar.
Adds a couple of bucks to your cost, and
saves all timing-related headaches.

2. Make provisions for an optional external
antenna that disables the internal one and
solves the range problems.

[Tigger]

 
As far as the antenna is concerned,
it would be pretty easy to install a
REVERSE SMA connector (the small antenna
connector used on wireless networking
equipment.)

It is small enough to incorporate into
the existing case design.

However, X10 MAY have their hands tied
by FCC regulations; perhaps they can't
make these modifications themselves. . .


T

[Tigger]

 
(The idea being that the unit could ship
with a "stock" antenna that screws onto
the reverse-sma connector, which the end-user
could remove, and replace with a larger
antenna if desired.)

[carmine pacifico]

Does anyone really believe that X10 is
listening?
As long as they keep providing some hope,
loyal customers keep on buying products.
Why fixt it, and admit this product is
flawed at the hardware and software level.

[SteveRF]

Carmine,
I thought (from your former posts) you had
moved on with "another product" that you were
very happy with and even got a refund for the
CM15A?  Are you still running your CM15A ?
Mine has been running very well for quite
some time now with 20 modules, 11 macros and
10 timers.  I still havent added the external
antenna (will get to it soon I hope) for
some extended range but my unit is turning
lights on and off on schedule, kicking on
chargers, dimming lights and making audible
event announcements right on time.
SteveRF    

[John G.]

Why is it that every time people bring up the
problems they are having with CM15a (and
sometimes even offer solutions), SteveRF
responds by saying his CM15a is working just
fine, thank you very much?  With 20 modules,
10 macros, 11 timers to boot.  Everybody
repeat after me now...   20 modules, 10
macros, 11 timers  Does this contribute to
the discussion?  Does it make the problems of
other people go away?  Does it mean yours
should work just as well as his, but of
course, being the idiot you are, you must be
doing something wrong?  Or are you guys all
just a bunch of liars fabricating stories of
bugs and defects in CM15a when in fact it is
working dilligently day and night?  I'm just
curious...

[SteveRF]

John G.,
Actually (if you read the post) I was asking
Carmine if he was still running a
CM15A..(since he was still posting). He
mentioned was so flawed..and I explained at
least from my point of view that it was still
running... and seems to be fairly stable...
I guess I missed a recommendation: Increased
Speed would be the results...That is needed
and X10 probably does not need to be told how
to do it.  and what was yours ?.. can't seem
to find it.
SteveRF

[carmine pacifico]

SteveRF

No Steve I am happily using my 1132CUP, I
am still monitoring these forums in case a
miracle happens, the Encore II chip is
available now,(current CM15a is using the
Encore I) If X10 upgrade the processor soon
it will a good product. I will need more
transceiver in the near future(I am using 2
old rr501 for now) a reliable Cm15a is
cheaper than the V572AB.
I am glad to hear yours is still working
for you

[tcassio]

I no longer use the CM15A, I use the
1132CU.  However I do still own the CM15A
and would like to do something with it when
it works.  Besides 80% of the expense of my
automation setup is in X10
modules/switches/remotes and sensors. So I
feel that I am entitled to voice an opinion
and monitor the progress of this product,
and so are others that have invested in X10
equipment.

I'm sure I am not alone in stating that I
don't like being taken advantage of through
smart marketing practices. Bundleing a
product that dosen't work with other
products so it is difficult to get a
refund.  Even thoes who are having success
with there CM15A probably have spent way to
much time to get it to work and keeping it
working.  Time is precious and to waste it
on a product that is flawed is a crime.
The system I am running now has been
running for over a month and has not needed
to be reset once.  When I make changes they
work properly the first time every time.
It is my opinion that the CM15A should work
this way but it does not.
T.

[martin]

Carmine said:

"...the Encore II chip is  available now,
(current CM15a is using the  Encore I) If
X10 upgrade the processor soon  it will a
good product..."

Carmine,

Can the processor be user changeable or is
the pin layout different?

[carmine pacifico]

Martin

No, the pin out is different; the Encore II
is based on PSOC (Programmable System On a
Chip); this is the only migration path for
the current part.
It has flash memory and boot loader
capability, firmware can be upgraded in the
field via the USB port.
I have been using the larger PSOC part,
these parts are so versatile I was able to
reduce parts count by over 80% versus my
old designs. You can build just about any
circuit (both analog and digital) under
firmware control.