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Total Members Voted: 4

Voting closed: April 23, 2009, 08:23:54 PM

[Brian H]

I had an LM14A report it was on but bulb burned out. That was with an old CM11A and AH software. I believe by default it will not. It looked like AH and the CM11A sent some commends to change its response at initialization.

[Charles Sullivan]

I had an LM14A report it was on but bulb burned out. That was with an old CM11A and AH software. I believe by default it will not. It looked like AH and the CM11A sent some commends to change its response at initialization.

Once the LM14A and AM14A are sent an Extended  Configure command, they will reply with an Extended Status Ack when they receive an X10 On or Off or Extended Preset command.  However they do not return an Ack if the load changes, e.g., if an attached lamp is manually switched.
 
ActiveHome Pro (and the old ActiveHome) send the Extended Configure at startup, or when you drag one of these modules into a room.  (You can see it in the Activity Monitor).

ActiveHome Pro's Activity Monitor unfortunately doesn't interpret the Extended Status response properly and  provides no useful information about load status, even with the LM14A which sends the correct load status.

[Brian H]

Thank you for the added data Charles.

[Walt2]

I had an LM14A report it was on but bulb burned out. That was with an old CM11A and AH software. I believe by default it will not. It looked like AH and the CM11A sent some commends to change its response at initialization.

Once the LM14A and AM14A are sent an Extended  Configure command, they will reply with an Extended Status Ack when they receive an X10 On or Off or Extended Preset command.  However they do not return an Ack if the load changes, e.g., if an attached lamp is manually switched.

Like I said, I know that AH2/CM14A will do a popup window if the load changes (ie, a bulb burns out or the lamp is manually turned 'off').   I remember testing that during the beta test for the AH2/CM14A.   It took X10 a few tries to get it right.  However, there is no way that could happen at all unless the LM14A could return an asynchronous, unsolicited, status.
 
Possibly, there are different firmware versions in LM14A's?? ??  

Honestly, I played very little with my AM14A since then, having never really found a practical need for it.  I would have never found a practical use for the LM14A either, if not for its extended dim commands.

However, the real problem with any of this, is that there doesn't seem to be any available macro conditional in AHP, which allows one to "test" the load status.  In other words, it seems that AHP just throws that info away, whenever any status is returned.

[Charles Sullivan]

I had an LM14A report it was on but bulb burned out. That was with an old CM11A and AH software. I believe by default it will not. It looked like AH and the CM11A sent some commends to change its response at initialization.

Once the LM14A and AM14A are sent an Extended  Configure command, they will reply with an Extended Status Ack when they receive an X10 On or Off or Extended Preset command.  However they do not return an Ack if the load changes, e.g., if an attached lamp is manually switched.

Like I said, I know that AH2/CM14A will do a popup window if the load changes (ie, a bulb burns out or the lamp is manually turned 'off').   I remember testing that during the beta test for the AH2/CM14A.   It took X10 a few tries to get it right.  However, there is no way that could happen at all unless the LM14A could return an asynchronous, unsolicited, status.
 
Possibly, there are different firmware versions in LM14A's?? ??  

With X-10, that's almost a given.

Honestly, I played very little with my AM14A since then, having never really found a practical need for it.  I would have never found a practical use for the LM14A either, if not for its extended dim commands.

However, the real problem with any of this, is that there doesn't seem to be any available macro conditional in AHP, which allows one to "test" the load status.  In other words, it seems that AHP just throws that info away, whenever any status is returned.

If you look at the LM14A returned extended status in the AHP Activity Monitor you'll see that instead of displaying the actual data byte, they've filtered out the load status bit and converted the extended preset level (0x00-0x2E) to the 0-210 (0x00-0xD2) brightness scale of a standard dimmer module.

[Walt2]

Just to add some more here, the LM14A and AM14A will also send a status request command out when first powered up. 

That could be used two ways. 

First, it could be used to support an automatic new module "add".  Basically, software could be triggered to allow a "new module found" wizard, if indeed it is a new module (a previously unused  unit/house code).

Second, it could be used to restore the module's expected status after a power outage (blackout).  Basically, software could respond by telling the module that it is suppose to be 'on', or 'off' right now, and even at what dim level.

However, I don't think that AHP supports either.   

[Walt2]

If you look at the LM14A returned extended status in the AHP Activity Monitor you'll see that instead of displaying the actual data byte, they've filtered out the load status bit and converted the extended preset level (0x00-0x2E) to the 0-210 (0x00-0xD2) brightness scale of a standard dimmer module.

So, you think it isn't just the Activity Monitor showing the wrong data, but that AHP itself is using the wrong data?

BTW, I am pretty disappointed with the Activity Monitor doing this.  For me, the Activity Monitor is a debugging tool, and if it doesn't faithfully report the actual powerline/RF activity, without corruption, it isn't a very good debug tool.  Reminds me of a HAL 9000. 

[Boiler]

One of the features X-10 Appliance or end device module needs to have is to tell the Active Pro software if the appliance is in on condition or off condition. Right now you assume that your device may be on or off depending upon what you are seeing in the Active pro but in reality this may not be the case becuase someone may have turned on the device manually.

If someone turns on an appliance manually, there is no way you can tell the current status of the appliance. That really kills the home automation concept because I want to develop macros that would trigger based upon current on and off condition of the appliance as well.

For example, my kids never turn off the lights in the play room, basemet etc. I want to see from my office if the kids room lights are on or off remotely. This way I can turn them off remotely and save a ton of money in electricity bills. By teh same token Active pro appliance module status should get updated basd upon the current condition of the appliance attached to it.

FunLover,

The Smarthome ICON Appliance Module 2856SB will send a X10 On/Off notification when the local load is activated/de-activated.  I use this in my family room as a 3-way for my lamps.  If one lamp is activated 2856D (I'm using dimmers) it sends out an X10 On and the 2856D across the room turns it's lamp on as well.  Also plays well with AHP. 

At $29 it's still not cheap...I think most people wait for the 20% off sales.

In regard to your second question - a device that will detect and communicate current draw by the load.  I don't know of any single device that can do both.  I suppose you could use a Hall effect sensor or switch and a PSC01 to communicate the current draw status.  Seems like a lot of hardware.

Boiler

[Charles Sullivan]

If you look at the LM14A returned extended status in the AHP Activity Monitor you'll see that instead of displaying the actual data byte, they've filtered out the load status bit and converted the extended preset level (0x00-0x2E) to the 0-210 (0x00-0xD2) brightness scale of a standard dimmer module.

So, you think it isn't just the Activity Monitor showing the wrong data, but that AHP itself is using the wrong data?

I assume AHP converts all dimmer data to a common scale for storing it, and then can use a common function to display the brightness bar on the icon.  The Activity Monitor is just displaying the data after the conversion.

BTW, I am pretty disappointed with the Activity Monitor doing this.  For me, the Activity Monitor is a debugging tool, and if it doesn't faithfully report the actual powerline/RF activity, without corruption, it isn't a very good debug tool.  Reminds me of a HAL 9000. 

I've been pretty disappointed with the ActiveHome Pro project as a whole, both hardware and software.