Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[captainjerky]

So, I have determined that my house is noisy.  I'm losing signals even though the software is sending them, and I'm not receiving triggers from motion sensors, macros aren't making it to my cameras, etc.  My test items worked when the equip was all next to the PC controlling it, but when mounted in place, it's working less than 25% of the time.
So, which should I try first?  Can I use the TM715 as a signal booster?  Do the CM-15A antenna mod?  Go to Radio Shack and buy phase couplers, noise filters, etc?  Please please please help, I'm at the end of the line- this stuff seems great, but if it's not working reliably, then what good is it?

[JeffVolp]

If you have not already done so, you may want to read some of the troubleshooting series I wrote:

http://jvde.us/x10_troubleshooting.htm

To answer your questions:

No, the TM751 transceiver will not work as a signal booster

No, the CM15A antenna mod will not help getting signals from your CM15A to X10 modules scattered through your home.

Jeff

[captainjerky]

Thanks for the reply, and yes, I'm actually in the process of looking through your website's tips as we speak!! :-)

[Brian H]

Radio Shack has discontinued all their X10 stuff and is now doing ZWave by GE.
So finding X10 filters, modules, controllers and couplers at the Shack no longer works.

[captainjerky]

Here's another brain bender 

Sometime, I receive (according to the activity log) the RF for motion sensor activated.  However, the PC fails to send out the corresponding macro at all.  Since the macros for running the cameras are stored on the PC, if the pc gets the RF signal from the motion sensor, why wouldn't it then run the macro?  I couldn't blame that on line noise, could I? 

[Brian H]

What version of AHP are you running?

[captainjerky]

I'm on the latest version 3.236 plus all the drivers downloaded from Activehome's website.  I'm just confounded- sometimes the macros run, sometime they don't.  Last night I was getting the RF received from my motion sensors, but the macros didn't trigger at all.  Earlier that afternoon, everything worked fine!  I also have version 3.168 in storage, but I'm told it won't work with my VA-12.  Any help or suggestions appreciated- I did the tape-on antenna mod and plan to try a phase coupler and filters next...

[captainjerky]

ps- Our house is pretty new and has just about a separate circuit breaker for each room.  Can all those breakers and extra wires make the run for the signal too long?

[Brian H]

Many problems have been resolved by going back to AHP 3.228.
I believe macro problems was one of them.

If you follow Dan's response. It will give you the directions to go back.
http://forums.x10.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=141k8cpm7fthq9irpil9o1nr33&topic=18893.0

Hard to say about the wiring.
Have you had a chance to digest Jeff's great tutorials?
I would think a signal sucker or noise maker could make problems. Only thing is did the macro run and the signal get missed or did it just not run correctly.

[captainjerky]

I've heard that, but I was under the impression the older version didn't support my VA-12 converter?

[Brian H]

It may not I am not sure.

[captainjerky]

I would think a signal sucker or noise maker could make problems. Only thing is did the macro run and the signal get missed or did it just not run correctly.

It seems like about half the time, the macro tries to run.  Of those times, about half the time it works as advertised.  The half of the time that nothing happens, it looks like the macro didn't ever try to run.  I'll try the version 'downgrade', since I really have nothing to lose by trying... I'll let you know what happens!

[Dan Lawrence]

It may not I am not sure.

3.228 DOES NOT support the VA12, only the VA11

[Brian H]

Thanks for the confirmation Dan.
Will keep that in mind for the future.

[Dan Lawrence]

That's Definite!!!  It's been posted here at the Forums already.   The VA12 is only for Vista and Windows 7.