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[HA Dave]

I recently purchased some X10 stuff... I like the X10 deals... and often use them to acquire X10 extras that I may not have an immediate need for. So I picked up a CM19A.. the USB mouse-like firecracker device. I had heard in the Automation Chat Room (see link below) that the CM19A worked with AHP (and BVC).

While loading AHP onto my laptop for this test... I noticed that the AHP software even states that it is loading drivers for the CM19A.

Well I went ahead and loaded BVC on the same laptop... a Vista [OS].. and wow. It was quick, easy, and Vista's Anna's voice is very nice (and at NO extra cost). Initial tests seem to show that the CM19A's range compares to - or is at least as good - as a PalmPad remote.

Has anyone else done anything with BVC and the CM19A?

[Tuicemen]

Dave_x10_L you'll find that many thirdparty  software creations if not all will work with the CM19A if they use the AHP SDK!
The trick is they must see RF which BVC does very well!

[HA Dave]

Dave_x10_L you'll find that many thirdparty  software creations if not all will work with the CM19A if they use the AHP SDK!
The trick is they must see RF which BVC does very well!

Yeah... the AHP install says [in a pop-up] that it loads the CM19A drivers. But the install is completely new to me... and I am just now beginning to wrap my head around what this could.. or might mean to my HA setup.

I noticed the quickness 1st... not sure it is because I was running everything on my laptop [a much newer pc]... or partly because the CM15A was out of the loop. And of course... RF range... that seems noticeably improved compared to the CM15A.

Of course... the Firecracker (CM19A) isn't aware of PLC... so it isn't without a blemish. Like I said I am just now beginning to wrap my head around this.

[-Bill- (of wgjohns.com)]

Dave_x10_L you'll find that many thirdparty  software creations if not all will work with the CM19A if they use the AHP SDK!
The trick is they must see RF which BVC does very well!

Yeah... the AHP install says [in a pop-up] that it loads the CM19A drivers. But the install is completely new to me... and I am just now beginning to wrap my head around what this could.. or might mean to my HA setup.

I noticed the quickness 1st... not sure it is because I was running everything on my laptop [a much newer pc]... or partly because the CM15A was out of the loop. And of course... RF range... that seems noticeably improved compared to the CM15A.

Of course... the Firecracker (CM19A) isn't aware of PLC... so it isn't without a blemish. Like I said I am just now beginning to wrap my head around this.

That's very interesting!

I know several people have used the CM19A successfully with BVC, but in most cases that was because they already had one and some X10 software or other that supported it.

I wasn't aware that AHP actually installs a CM19A driver too.  Cool!   

[HA Dave]

That's very interesting!

Well my work on the CM19A/AHP/BVC interface may now be delayed. I've been scrambling to Voice Command (scan) a Security Camera since you gave BVC that ability.

I finally accomplished that with a simple CM15A internal antenna mod and can now... not only voice command cameras on and off... but also tell (at least one) camera where to look. And... you know me.... anything worth doing.. is also worth a YouTube Video. The Video shows me.. in my living room, voice commanding BVC, to operate the Ninja.

Of course... BVC [and AHP with the CM15A] are located in my basement office. I am using my Baby-monitor microphone setup to get my commands [voice] to the PC. The [now exposed RF antenna] CM15A transmits the signals to the Ninja out back. With my internal cable setup... security cameras are automatically displayed on TV's that are ON.

[-Bill- (of wgjohns.com)]

Dave_x10_L,

Nice video!   

Nice plug at the end too.   

Thank you!   

[Tuicemen]

There are a few of us users running Windows  7 beta.
But not much being said in the forum here about it and HA other then AHP works with it!
I've been running it a few days now rooting out some issues if any with the thirdparty software!
Firing up BVC I noticed 7 starts it's voice recognition I thought this was going to be and issue but results were surprising!
I was able to add devices in BVC via voice command how cool is that! 
Actually there is a lot you can do in BVC via 7's voice recognition (some improvement is need as always with MS)!
I fired up AHP expecting that maybe I could trigger devices from it via 7's voice recognition (no go) can't do a darn thing in it other then open/close and minimize it!
So I loaded BVC and PC Companion in FloorPlan mode. Wow what a combo with 7's voice recognition!
What BVC can't do 7 can! Of coarse again some improvement needed but I was impressed!
Notice 7's recognition bar at the top! It can be moved to the botton so it is out of the way or hidden all together via voice!

[HA Dave]

We are on the same Page Tuicemen!

[Tuicemen]

As Bill improves BVC  it fits nicer into everyones settups!
Just one BVC Option needed Bill!  Hope to see it in the next release then Companion and BVC truely will be the combo every one is looking for!
BVC already works better then even Windows 7's voice recognition! But combining the two is awsome!
Bill has done an awesome job at creating a program which works well with so many other programs not just PC Companion!
Thanks Bill, and Don't stop! 
 

[-Bill- (of wgjohns.com)]

Thanks Bill, and Don't stop! 
 

Stop?   

Not in my lifetime (however long that turns out to be)!   

As far as the  goes, I have had some success starting other programs and even passing command line options (arguments) without the need for batch files!

I still need to research a little so as to make sure that the started programs release all resources when closed.  Otherwise, the resources might never be released and eventually Windows would have none left to allocate to any program!  That's not "good eats".  Hmm...  maybe I shouldn't watch Food Network while replying.     

[aftermarket]

having a major problem with bvc. it will not reconise me at all. running windows vista 32 ahp 3.226 cm15. am i doing something wrong?

[Jsnlong]

What are you using for a mic? And have you ran through the Mic setup in BVC?

[aftermarket]

just using a thrust non amp'd mic. i have run the setup from within the bvc menu too. i'm using ahp 3.226 with vista 32. mic plugged into the mic in on the sound card. any help is appreciated i really want to get this working

[HA Dave]

just using a thrust non amp'd mic........ mic plugged into the mic in on the sound card.

Yeah the microhone plugged into the soundcard setup is fine for a little dictation in a word document. But the internal audio gain associated with the microphone input.. will distort the input with usage (input just keeps getting louder). A small little amp or pre-amp device plugged into the line-in jack on the soundcard is really what is required.

[HA Dave]

I've been automatically (and by Voice Command) displaying security camera views on my TV's for some time.

Last spring a lighting strike forced me to replace my old TV with a HD one. I got the new cable box but found the selection of HD content to be very limited. So I connected the new TV to my setup in pretty much the same configuration. I realized the other day that free HD content had swelled.. AND that watching HD channels also disabled the auto display function for my camera setup. I reorganized and reconfigured so as to keep the automatically displayed camera views.

Of course there are as many solutions as setups with these things. But it was important for me to find a solution based on what products I already owned.

I setup a [7 inch 16:9] LCD TV I already owned to view its A/V input and connected it to a Video receiver. I used BVC's USB-UIRT to turn the TV On when the cameras are triggered On... ether by the perimeter detection setup... or Voice Command. I hadn't really used BVC's USB-UIRT before this. This is really cool stuff!

My BVC Home Automation computer that has the USB-UIRT is in my basement office. The TV I wanted to remotely turn on... wasn't even on the same floor. So I used a IR resender to get BVC to turn On the TV. I posted a couple little YouTube Videos at my "channel" that shows better what I did. And I have decided to update my BVC Fan Site Page to better reflect what videos I have loaded on YouTube.

While your at my channel... you may want to take a minute or so to check out some of my favorite videos... some like The Jetsons "Alternate" Opening are really funny.