PC Companion (Voice Control, E-mail, Weather, Memos + more)

[Brian H]

I don't have any experience with the programs.
So if a power line receiver is needed I can not say.
You are correct. The CM19A has no way of seeing power line signals.

One thing I did forget. The CM19A can do all sixteen House Codes and sixteen Unit Codes but the transceivers can only do one House Code with its sixteen Unit Codes. So if you want to use more than one House Code. A separate transceiver is needed for each House Code or a WGL V572 all House Code Tranceiver is used.
The CM15A can do all 256 addresses {16 House Codes+16 Unit Codes}

[kenrad]

I use BVC and PCC sucessfully with the cm19 and the cm15a it dies seem to be far more reliable with the cm15a.  If you are using the cm19 a you must also have a tranciever installed to see power line siginals.  What is it that you are trying to accomplish with bvc and pcc.  That would also depend if ti can be accomplished withut the cm15a

>!KEnrad

[bfineman]

Thanks Kenrad. What I'm trying to accomplish right now is fairly basic - I want BVC or PCC to speak a phrase when it receives a specific X10 command. For a test I am using code "B1 ON". I have tried just having a dummy module in AHP that I turn on, as well as a macro that sends B1 ON commands (RF and powerline). So far, neither BVC or PCC respond.

The eventual goal is to have BVC or PCC say a phrase when a security sensor is triggered. For example, triggering the DS10A on my front door would result in the phrase "Front door open" being spoken. As I understand it, I will have to create an AHP macro that triggers on the door sensor and sends out an X10 command that BVC or PCC can respond to with the appropriate phrase. Am I misunderstanding anything here?

Thanks,
Ben

[kenrad]

Ok with bvc setup a listener to respond to the b1 on command and then make sure to click the check box respond to x10 commands.  Next you go to the line speak custom phrase and enter you phrase there and finally save it .  If you are running the cm15a or the cm91a with the tranciever added that should work for you.  If it doesnt try posting on the BVC forums or on tuicemens forumn they are both great resources to get help. 

>!Kenrad

[bfineman]

Thanks Kenrad for the step by step. The only piece I am missing is I do not have a transceiver - only the CM19A. Would this prevent BVC from working with the scenario you described?

[Brian H]

Your PS561 is transceiving all sixteen RF Unit Codes for the Security House Code set on the consloe, to the power line.
If you want to use an additional House Code. Then an added TM751 or RR501 would be needed for each additional House Code you want to use.
If you wanted to use many House Codes a WGL V572 can do all sixteen House Codes.

The CM19A will never be able to see power line X10 commands. As there is no way to get a power line commands back to a CM19A.

[bfineman]

Thanks Brian, that's what I though - since the CM19A cannot receive power line commands anyway, having or not having a transceiver should not affect functionality of third party software like BVC and PCC.

I'm sorry that I seem to be going around in circles here, I'm just confused why I'm stuck while so many others are able to use BVC/PCC successfully.

[Brian H]

No problem.
I go in circles myself at times.

If BVC or PCC need to see a power line trigger. I am not sure how a CM19A would work.

[HA Dave]

If BVC or PCC need to see a power line trigger. I am not sure how a CM19A would work.

I am not so sure that it's that BVC or PCC needs a PLC. I am sure they can see/hear a RF. I think... the problem might be with the CM19A hearing/seeing its own RF signal. If one was to send... say, B1 On using a RF remote... I think if the CM19A would receive the signal then AHP/BVC/PCC would hear/see it, and react. But I would think... guess... that using the OnAlert software with the DS10A's should work.

Even if a TM751 was added to the mix to create PLC.... there is no way that the AHP/BVC/PCC software will be able to recognize it without a CM15A.

[Noam]

... the problem might be with the CM19A hearing/seeing its own RF signal. ...

Perhaps it can't "talk" and "listen" at the same time? I guess that kind of makes sense. It might confuse itself if it was trying to send and receive at the same time.

[bfineman]

Maybe now we are getting to the meat of it. The CM19A is definitely not receiving a "B1 ON" command, only sending it, at least as reported by the AHP activity log. I was assuming that this communication between AHP and BVC happened internally on the computer...but maybe not!

So...what is the recommended way for AHP to communicate with BVC? Other folks must have AHP macros that trigger BVC to say/do things...how do you accomplish this?

[Brian H]

The CM19A will not receive an echoed back signal it sends. The CM15A doesn't either.
Do you have any X10 remotes or motion sensors you can set to B1 and test if a received B1 command can trigger BVC?

[Tuicemen]

Sorry for the slow reply bfineman I was with out internet for a few weeks.
The current SDK which both BVC and PCC use will not see a RF command sent.
However all isn't lost since PCC can be triggered via a windows command you can set AHP to run a macro witch sends the RF signal and triggers PCC to do what you wish.
As for PCC or BVC reacting to a recieved RF signal you need to be sure they are told to listen for it.

[bfineman]

Welcome back Tulcemen! I knew it was hunting season so I wasn't expecting to hear from you.  You said that "the current SDK which both BVC and PCC use will not see a RF command sent." Help me understand what this means...so if I have AHP send "B1 ON" via RF, BVC/PCC will not see it due to the issue with the SDK. What if I send "B1 ON" via powerline, would BVC/PCC see it then? If the answer is yes, would I need to have a CM15A to do this, or should it work with a CM19A to just communicate the signal through the SDK?

Great suggestion regarding the Windows command workaround. If I understand correctly, I want to make a batch file in PCC that AHP can execute, is this right? Unfortunately I am getting an error when I try to make a batch file - I'll post the error message when I get home.

Thanks for your help, and welcome back!

[Tuicemen]

The SDK will not report a RF signal sent from the PC.
Something that was maybe over looked initially and never fixed as it wasn't designed to work with the CM19 originally.
The SDK will report a sent PLC BVC and PCC will see this and act on it.
If you can find a CM15a I would recommend it over the CM19 mainly because of extra features and on
board memory.
However if your wishing to keep using the cm19 you'll need to use workarounds if you wish to have PCC or BVC react to a RF sent command.
As for windows commands with AHP.
I think this maybe a Smartmacro option and x10 has fixed issues with running batch files.
PCC actually runs faster executing a windows command than a batch file and faster if left open.
The syntax for a windows command is: PCC path as the command and  [Commandline name] as the argument.
Note: Commands are case sensitive
Hope that helps!

There is a thread I started on my forum which goes into detail on windows commands for PCC
PCC Commandline options