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[JeffO]

I've just purchased the Ninja system. I have lots of other parts, but I cannot get the Ninja to do anything. I plug in the base (without the camera even, yet), and it's plugged into the XM14A power supply. I can feel the base vibrate slightly as I plug it in. I have batteries in the CR14A remote. The remote and the Ninja are on A, the Ninja on Unit 1. When I press buttons on the remote, the red light lights up, but the Ninja does nothing. What am I missing?

[Brian H]

By default, I believe the XM14A starts as on, but if you have any transceiver [TM751] try plugging it in and sending a unit 1 on. There is a chance the Ninja centred and then the power supply went off. Sending an On to the Ninja power supplies address will make sure it is on.

[JeffO]

Thanks for the idea. I do have a transceiver, so I tried that. No luck there, either.

[HA Dave]

..I do have a transceiver, so I tried that. No luck there, either.

But the transceiver did click.... right? That way we know everything has power and the remote batteries are correct and all.

[JeffO]

The transceiver only clicks sometimes. I can press 10 buttons on the CR13A remote and it will only click about twice -- and not when I press the same buttons. I can get it to click when I press the two buttons next to number 1 on the remote, after pressing a bunch of other buttons. At no time do the blue buttons on the CR14A remote have any effect.

[JeffO]

Now I'm really confused. I have a second Ninja that I received, that I hadn't taken out of the package. Just for fun, I pulled that one out and plugged it in. It worked fine, without touching anything, the CR14A remote immediately started working -- and it stayed working for that Ninja, no matter what else I did!

I change the House code on the remote. The Ninja still moved.

I changed the Unit code on the Ninja. It still moved.

I pressed buttons to turn on other units on the CR13A remove. The Ninja still moved.

I put the two Ninjas on different unit codes. The Ninja still moved.

I pressed the button on the CR13A remote to activate the unit of the Ninja that didn't move. The other one still moved.

No matter what I do now, the CR14A remote moves the second Ninja -- no matter what settings are selected on either the CR14A remote, the CR13A remote, or either of the two Ninja bases. I'm not sure I understand why the second Ninja still moves when it is House Code A and the remote is House Code O -- or any other house code.

And if I swap the power cord, I get the same effect, so both Ninjas now seem to at least work, physically, but not logically.

[Brian H]

The TM751 only clicks on the House Code set on the dial and Unit Code 1.
Also it only passes RF commands to the House Code the dial is set to.

So to turn the Ninja Power Supply on and off. All the house codes have to be the same. The remote; the transceiver and the Ninja Power Supplies all have to be on the SAME House Code.

Also the unit codes on the Ninja Supplies have to be in a group of four. 1-4;5-8;9-12 or 13-16.
Since the remote defaults to units 1-4 I would go with that.

Also the Ninja base is directly controlled by the remote and not through the power line. So if more than one is active all of them will pan and tilt.
That is why the supplies are controlled. Turn one in the group on the other three go off.
I believe the CR13A can be programmed to do more than four cameras but each still has to be turned off before another one is turned on.

There are some videos and detailed instructions here.
http://www.x10.com/support/support.htm

The wiki may also have some helpful stuff there also.
http://kbase.x10.com/wiki/Main_Page

[HA Dave]

The transceiver only clicks sometimes.

Yes the transceiver only clicks (turns its relay 2 prong plug) on... when it hears the RF [correct house letter code] unit [number] 1.

[JeffO]

Thank you for all your help. I think I have found the problem -- it appears to actually be a bad power supply! When I use one power supply, the Ninja works, but when I replace the power supply and have the exact same settings, it does not work (and yes, I'm sure its the XM14A power supply).

[Brian H]

Good troubleshooting. It very well could be a bad supply.