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[tom j]

...........pointing a motion detector at a hot window is about the worst thing you can do they must have improved them.

I agree.... that the window test would generally be a guarantee fail. However... the angle of the sun may also effect the test results.... and the angle will change with the seasons. I think you had the right idea about the previous failures being related to an RF problem.

When using X10 and the setup works for a period of time... and then suddenly stops... we ask ourselves what has changed. I think the same trouble shooting question might apply with your setup now.

Thanks Dave for your input. Any thing else you think I could try for this torture test? Didn't want to over do it that's why the north window opposed to an east window. But if you can think of anything else let me know these are actually quite close to the window maybe 8 feet or so. Like I said so far I'm impressed!

Tom j.

[tom j]

After I told my friend how impressed I was with the MS10a's he bought a 5 for 1 pack and I'm adding them to the test. I've had them hooked up for about a 3 days now with the rest of them pointed at that same sunny window and no false alarms with any of them. Will let this test go until the end of the month and will report the results so far they are all 100%

Tom j.

[tom j]

Well they had to improve these things they gone from complete junk to well.... EXCELLENT! I've tried everything to trip these but NO FALSE ALARMS. If these motion detectors really pan out the Protector Plus would be unbeatable for the money! Still putting in a DSC hybrid system with smoke and CO but if you can get by without these for now this system would be hard to beat for the money. You could actually buy a whole X10 Protector Plus system for the cost of one of my Canadian made keypads!!

Tom j.

[tom j]

Couple of things first concerning my DSC keypads yes they are pricey but you get what you pay for this keypad is their top of the line and it responds to everything including programming in English so no cryptic codes, so if the back door is open it says Kitchen Door Open or Battery In Master Bedroom Motion Detector Is Low for example.

Also I'm now starting to think that x10 has also taken care of the "Zone Sticking" problem since I've been testing my friends setup I haven't had one zone stick! and I once again have tried to do this with no luck. This used to really be a problem that annoyed me to no end. The motion and window door sensors used to have have to report back to the console twice to complete it's communication.  I always thought the solution for this problem would be a small buffer so if two devices were trying to report in at the same time they could just be stored in the buffer until the unit had a chance to process them. x10 has obviously changed the design of the new console because you used to be able to see the zone that was violated blink on and off on the new console this has apparently been dropped and now it's just the window door sensors notify you when a zone is open, while in the run 2 mode.


Tom j.

[tom j]

Well I currently have 8 of the MS10a's hooked up and still no false alarms! I would still follow proper placement  and try to avoid windows and heating ducts /radiators  but they have really have done a good job on these, well there's still a few weeks left so check back for my final comments.   

Tom j.

[tom j]

Well all the new motion detectors are still going strong and 100% Thought I would try an older MS10a just to compare and it didn't make it 24 hours before it gave a false alarm so there definitely had to have been a design change in these! I think I'll try another older unit that is basically new in the box but about three years old well that's if I can find it, but the new 10a's are much improved and seem extremely stable and very reliable especially in the 1 movement mode!!


Tom j.


     x10!!!

[tom j]

Just to clarify the older MS10a that gave that false alarm was in the 1 movement mode this detectors works fine in the 2 movement but tripped right away when placed on 1. I really believe this is a RF problem. Maybe they added shielding that how most companies have resolved this.

Tom j.

[tom j]

Well I've decided to extent this test until the around the 10th of this month that way we can see how the 5 that were added on the 7th fair but so far NO FAILURES WITH ANY OF THEM!! Except for the limited life span of the console I'm giving the Protector Plus with all it's minor shortcomings a thumbs up.

Tom j.


 

[tom j]

Found two older MS10a's they both gave false alarms within 48 hours! one right after a EMS parked down the street the new ones are still all 100% and were totally unaffected.

Tom j.

[tom j]

Well I've gone this far so I'll just run it to the end of September so far no false alarms with any of the new MS10a's starting to think these are possibly some of the best dumb wireless motion detectors out there, when I say dumb I mean without any microprocessors. The more sophisticated units have some kind of microprocessor to analyse the signal before it generates an alarm. I'm pretty sure at this price point these don't have anything like that.

Tom j.

[tom j]

Well I officially ended the testing today and packed up my friends 5 motion detectors and returned them to him. During the test there were absolutely NO FALSE ALARMS. I will get back with my full assessment and observations.

Tom j.

[Jim Clark]

tom j,

Thanks for the time to do the testing and posting the results . I was thinking about getting a couple of these but was I waiting to see the results of you tests.    Looks like they will be the next addition to my ever expanding X10 system. 

  I am still looking for a good X10 outside motion sensor with adjustable sensitivity. All the ones I have tried are way too sensitive. They pick up things like birds, rabbits, chipmunks, and any other small creature.

[Alan V]

tom j,

Thanks for the time to do the testing and posting the results . I was thinking about getting a couple of these but was I waiting to see the results of you tests.    Looks like they will be the next addition to my ever expanding X10 system. 

  I am still looking for a good X10 outside motion sensor with adjustable sensitivity. All the ones I have tried are way too sensitive. They pick up things like birds, rabbits, chipmunks, and any other small creature.

Have you tried masking off a portion of the sensor's window.  Also, you can put a tube (e.g. a short peice of PVC pipe) around the sensor.  Both should decrease the sensitivity of the sensor by decreasing its viewing angle.  If you still need a wide viewing angle, then you need to use a non-X10 PIR sensor that counts hits in different zones, and then interface it to a Powerflash module.

[tom j]

tom j,

Thanks for the time to do the testing and posting the results . I was thinking about getting a couple of these but was I waiting to see the results of you tests.    Looks like they will be the next addition to my ever expanding X10 system. 

  I am still looking for a good X10 outside motion sensor with adjustable sensitivity. All the ones I have tried are way too sensitive. They pick up things like birds, rabbits, chipmunks, and any other small creature.

Hi!! Jim glad I could help, I actually tried this same test a few years back and couldn't even go a week without  false alarms so X10 has definitely made some improvements. I agree with Alan for outdoor senors like the Eagle eye you can put a narrow piece of tape along the bottom of the sensor this will prevent the sensor from seeing all the way to the ground I tried this for the first time a few years ago when I set up some Eagle eyes to keep a look out on my new car, after some minor adjustments I didn't get any false alarms from the little critters that roam the neighborhood. I plan on giving a detailed discussion of my findings when I get a chance but as for now I have to give the MS10a's a thumbs up!!




Tom j.