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[Retroguy]

I've use a cp290 at work to control billiard tables lights via a serial port connection to  a pc based cash register system.  It worked great for 8 years.  Last week I tried upgrading the pc and and the cp290 didn't work with the new pc.  I put back the old PC and now the cp290 doesn't work with it either!

Cp290 rocker switches work the lights fine and my x-10 maxi controller works fine too.   Only the computer on/off commands via the serial port don't work any more.  The serial ports will work other devices no problem and I have tried lowering the baud rate etc.  with no luck.   The cash resister system uses  a DLL program to send the signal to the serial port and getting this program rewritten for a new interface could be a nightmare.

It could be the cable but I don't have a spare; I tried making a new cable with info from the cp290 programming guide and by continuity testing the old cable but my homemade cable won't work. 

I appreciate any information on trouble shooting my problem or building a cp290 interface cable.  Or ... if you have a working cp290 with cable that you want to sell please let me know!

[Dan Lawrence]

The CP290 is long out of production. In fact, X10 never produced a Windows control program for the 290, to use it with Windows 3/311 or Win95/98, you used shareware control programs. A very few are still running a 290 under XP, but the 9X control programs loose some functions under XP

Active Home used the CM11A Serial interface, which worked fine under Win 9X, but some users found it woudn't work under XP due to com port problems.

When the PC you use was rebuilt, what O/S did it wiind up with?

[Charles Sullivan]

Have you changed the battery in the CP290 recently?  Try it without any battery.

You'll occasionally see a CP290 for sale on eBay.

Have you been using the CP290 only as a transmitter and not downloading timers and macros to its memory?  If so, and if your software needs to be reprogrammed for a different interface, the Smarthome 1132B PowerLinc interface accepts commands as ASCII strings and will probably be simpler to program.

[Retroguy]

Thanks for your quick replys!

The cash register program that I'm using uses a .DLL program to send a serial signal to the com port.  The cp290 that I'm using has never had a battery and no commands have ever been downloaded to it.  The cash register program just uses it to send the on/off signal.   

Also, the funny thing is that the PC was not rebuilt ... I connected a totally new XP pro PC to the controller and it did not work so I reconnected the old PC that had worked for 8 years.  The cp290  also stopped working with it too but it worked fine before we tried the switch over!

Maybe the 290 is dead or the cable is bad?  I found schematics for the CP290 at http://www.idobartana.com/hakb/index.htm and as a last resort I may need to see if an electronics repair place can test the resistors.  Alternatively, I may need to get a programmer to write a new DLL file for a new interface but neither of these options seem straightforward.  Thanks for the Smarthome 1132B PowerLinc suggestion because it looks like I may need to go this route if I can't repair or find another CP290 soon. 

[Charles Sullivan]

If you decide to go the 1132B PowerLinc route and get it working, I suggest you buy a second 1132B as a spare.  This is a serial device like the CP290 and serial devices are rapidly going out of fashion in favor of USB, since most newer PCs  don't come with a serial port.  Plus, Smarthome is now heavily promoting their new Insteon technology to replace X10.

BTW, the baud rate for the CP290 is fixed at 600 baud - no other rate will work.  The fact that you mentioned trying lower baud rates makes me wonder if there's some additional setup required that you've forgotten about.  (I'd normally assume the DLL would do whatever serial port configuration is required, like setting the baud rate,  all by itself.    Usually the  only parameter would be telling it what COM port to use.)

[bobmcl]

Oops I missed the second post  mentioning the lack of a program, so downloading is not an option.

If you lose the AC without the battery, the clock and data erases.
The battery will back up the interface for approx 100 hours. I still have the 290 book and interface, which I use. I beat my brains out trying to use it on my new XP machine to no avail. I use the old machine for old games and the 290.

Check out my posting in this part of the forum on page 3 or 7 August 2006 to see the results and ideas from others.

[Tuicemen]

 Retroguy: here is the link to the post  bobmcl  mentioned:

Topic: CP290 on XP Pro machine-Limitations Discovered  (Read 1548 times)

bobmcl : read my post Topic: How Did they do that?  to learn how to insert a link into your posts as well as some other useful tips!

[TakeTheActive]

You did not mention if you tried reloading with the old machine.

It sounds like the 290 needs the info loaded back into it...

Doesn't sound applicable here... 

...The cash register program that I'm using uses a .DLL program to send a serial signal to the com port.  The cp290 that I'm using has never had a battery and no commands have ever been downloaded to it.  The cash register program just uses it to send the on/off signal.

[bobmcl]

Retro,

Since I messed up my first attempt, this is my last shot.

Is there any chance that you are mixing the physical serial ports on the old PC?

Going back to the original PC should have revived the sytem if nothing else was changed. Has the software on the old PC been checked or has it been altered?

I am not sure about the bad cable theory, but if it was in an area where it was being stretched, stepped on, stapled thru, etc. it could be the trouble.

[HA Dave]

  Ya know of course, when installing old software (win 98,95,3.1) on an XP machine. Be sure to install it through the control panel / add - remove programs feature. XP will allow you to set the software to run AS-IF on an older OS. Often that can make a difference.