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Author Topic: Interference (2.4GHz Camera) causes AHP (iWitness) to stop recieving RF (X10)  (Read 9372 times)

grrrmen

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I know this sounds crazy (then again after reading a few posts, maybe not), but I have tested it again and again. Here is what is happening:

If AHP is running and the camera receiver is on and plugged into the VA11A, everything seems to works fine, except that I receive interference from my 802.11b/g/n wireless access point. However, the interference is tolerable.

The problem is that any X10 remotes cease to function, even when used 1 inch from the AHP antenna.

I did hours of testing and found out that the X10 remotes work perfectly if: a) turn of the 802.11 access point (also clears up interference), b) turn off the camera receiver (not the camera), or c) shutdown AHP software or disable the VA11A driver.

Since the X10 RF and the 2.4GHz shouldn't interfere at all with each other, and clearly they don't since the remotes work fine with both the camera and access point on, there is only one reasonable conclusion here. Somehow, the AHP and iWitness software stops processing RF commands because of the interference in the video. The only thing I can think of is that the interference is strong enough to make the video signal behave outside of the limits that the VA11A, driver, codec or Windows itself can handle, in turn causing AHP to simply disregard RF.

Again the points to stress:

1. Everything can be on with only the software off and RF works fine.
2. Add the software and RF stops, unless you clear up the interference.

People may suggest simply working on ways to clear up interference and that is what I am doing today. Antenna work, moving things around, yada, yada. This post is to address the software/hardware problem that is the ROOT CAUSE. Please don't post suggestions on clearing up the interference, I think that post has been beat to death.

Has anyone experienced this problem? Perhaps this red herring has caused people to work on other things they needn't fix? I know at first I thought the range or receiver on my AHP was broke but it works fine.

Basically this is making me crazy and my alternatives are, try to find the perfect reception scenario for the cameras or simply abandon iWitness and go with something else. I have to say if that happens I might ditch the whole X10 system and go with Insteon and Indigo software.
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PajamaGuy

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What are you running it on? My laptop's USB system will not handle the streaming video AND the CM15A traffic.  Unplugging the VA11A clears up the CM15a traffic everytime.

(A system meter indicates my VA11A is using 80% of the USB bandwidth.)
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PajamaGuy
Win-7 - Dell XPS -Automation
VA12a on a dedicated desktop - Video
XTB-IIR & V572RF32

Remote via LogMeIn (FREE) and Ignition

grrrmen

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I have been reading about a possible USB bandwidth problem as well and I guess that could be it. It only affects the RF however, everything else in AHP seems to work perfectly. PLC signals are strong, macros run, etc.

So if this is the problem, what is my solution? Run AHP on two systems? USB Card?

Thanks,

-grr

What are you running it on? My laptop's USB system will not handle the streaming video AND the CM15A traffic.  Unplugging the VA11A clears up the CM15a traffic everytime.

(A system meter indicates my VA11A is using 80% of the USB bandwidth.)
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PajamaGuy

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Well, I wasn't getting RF signals sent by sensors to my CM15a and down to the PC.  The CM15a was getting them, but the PC wasn't.  PC signals were going out o.k.

I've tried a powered USB hub, and a powered USB PCMCIA card. - No joy.  You need 2 USB channels (not 2 daisy-chained ports), or, as in my case, I use a laptop (XP)  for video (Vanguard), and a desktop (Vista) for AHP.
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PajamaGuy
Win-7 - Dell XPS -Automation
VA12a on a dedicated desktop - Video
XTB-IIR & V572RF32

Remote via LogMeIn (FREE) and Ignition

immyfish

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Great to see I am not alone in this issue!
Every time I try to get my video going through my va11a, the RF signals stop getting processed! Am I correct in reading that the solution being suggested here is using two seperate computers?
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HA Dave

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......... Am I correct in reading that the solution being suggested here is using two seperate computers?

No... I wouldn't go that far. What OS are you using... what do you have as a PC.. what else you doing with the PC... what version of AHP... that sorta stuff.

It sounds to me like your PC is a bit overwhelmed.
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