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[Knightrider]

Save yourself the trouble of all the other stuff and get a blowtorch repeater.  This whole mess wreaks or low PLC to switch the cams.  2 tm751s could be stepping on each other and corrupting the signals.

[dave w]

One other thing that I thought about is that I have the internet in my home being sent through the house wiring to a remote wireless sender to get around the bathroom and fridge that was causing wireless signal problems. 

Now you tell us...
Unplug all the "network over powerline" stuff and try the cameras again.

[Brian H]

If the wireless network sender is using the 2.4GHz band. Depending on the exact frequency in use. It could be stepping on the camera signals.
Since cameras when power up are on. Maybe try one at a time and see if the picture is clearer. Then with one on try to turn it on and off to test the power line signal to it. Test all four individually and this may help determining some of the issues.

[lhntx]

I have now figured out that part of the problem was that the Video receiver power was plugged into a power strip.  When I plugged it directly into the wall socket I started receiving video!   So, not only are the transceivers picky, the video power is also picky.  Now I have a separate problem... I have one camera that is overwhelming the others.  If I unplug the offending camera, two of the others start displaying correctly as I scan through the cameras one at a time.  If I plug that one camera back in, it will be the only one with a signal coming through.  I can move the video receiver pad around and one of the others trys to come in, but is very faint.

[Brian H]

Did you test them individually? Like unplug the other three camarea as a test. See if you can turn off the over powering one. If you can't control it. It is not getting a power line signal to turn it on and off or its power supply is defective and not going off.

Since the receivers power supply does not use any X10 signals over the power line. It should not matter if it was in a surge strip, but it is very possible one of the other devices in the same strip was causing problems.

[dave w]

I have now figured out that part of the problem was that the Video receiver power was plugged into a power strip.  When I plugged it directly into the wall socket I started receiving video!   So, not only are the transceivers picky, the video power is also picky.  Now I have a separate problem... I have one camera that is overwhelming the others.  If I unplug the offending camera, two of the others start displaying correctly as I scan through the cameras one at a time.  If I plug that one camera back in, it will be the only one with a signal coming through.  I can move the video receiver pad around and one of the others trys to come in, but is very faint.

Odd, the power strip should not effect the video receiver since it does not send signals over the powerline. So did you move-reposition the Video receiver when you plugged it directly in to the outlet? If you did, you found the "sweet spot" for the receiver position.

One camera "overwhelming the others"? ? ? You said in an earlier post you understood ONLY ONE CAMERA CAN BE ON AT A TIME...so how can one camera be overwhelming the others if only one camera can be ON at a time? Come on, think about this...THAT camera is still not being turned OFF.   

You only have one receiver so only one camera can be powered at a time. You still have a problem getting the powerline ON and OFF signals to the cameras.

[lhntx]

I prefer the Vanguard 4 camera display and switch from camera to camera. The active camera is displayed on one of each of 4 screens. If I hold the video receiver in my hand or hold the antennae paddle, the active camera that is supposed to be displayed will display in the correct screen but very ghosty and will flick in and out. I think that what this is telling me is that BOTH cameras are active at the same time.   If I unplug this one camera that is overpowering the others, then the 4 video display will display each camera correctly (except the unplugged one of course) as the software switches from panel 1 (cam 1), to 2 (cam 2) , to 3 (Cam 3) , to 4 (cam 4), then back again.  One VERY interesting thing that is now happening also is that the video display from the one camera that is overpowering the others will sometimes display on the entire laptop screen EVEN WHEN THE VANGUARD SOFTWARE IS NOT RUNNING!!!! 

[dave w]

 If I unplug this one camera that is overpowering the others, then the 4 video display will display each camera correctly (except the unplugged one of course) as the software switches from panel 1 (cam 1), to 2 (cam 2) , to 3 (Cam 3) , to 4 (cam 4), then back again. 

That camera is the one that is not being turned OFF properly.  The horse is now rotting.

[lhntx]

I haven't had time to work on this problem for a while....
I switched the power supply for the camera that doesn't turn off to different cameras and got the same results. That power supply never clicks off and that cameras video overwhelms any other camera that is turned on.  So I guess that I need have this power supply replaced?  I've been trying to get all of this working for so long that I had completely forgotten that when I first installed the system, all of the cameras switched on/off as they should and the four panel vanguard display was correct, but I started moving the laptop/video receiver/transceiver around because the motion detectors never seemed to work no matter where the receiver was and the email notifications has only worked once - and that was to tell me that there was a server issue.  So every attempt to fix one thing causes other issues. It's very frustrating.

[dave w]

I switched the power supply for the camera that doesn't turn off to different cameras and got the same results. That power supply never clicks off and that cameras video overwhelms any other camera that is turned on.  So I guess that I need have this power supply replaced? 

It could be defective. So when you put the questionable power supply on a different camera, that new camera now failed to turn off? If so, yes it sound like that power supply is bad.

[lhntx]

I've been busy, so sorry for the delay. 

I removed the offending camera, so the other three seem to turn on/off fairly well.  They don't always turn off and on as they are supposed, but overall it is OK. Now the issue is with the motion detectors and the emailing. I THINK that the motion detection is working - but it is difficult to tell sometimes. The other issue is that if they are working, then I cannot get the email feature to work at all.  I've tried different send emails and receive emails, but nothing seems to work.  Any suggestions??  I've received exactly one email in the months that I've been working on this and it was an error notification email.

[IPS]

I read all the threads and found them interesting. Here is what my experience is:

First of all I too live in a stucco house and I too have cameras in all around the house both inside looking out and outside looking in. I use AHP with a CM15A and no other transreceivers for automation or cameras. I can control all modules from inside and from outside the house with remotes and BVC. So here is what I did:

Installed ACT234 phase coupler repeater.
Modified antenna of CM15A. Replaced the original with one from TM751.
Installed CM15A on a independent circuit near the main panel.
To get rid of static on display, I have to unplug internet router. I have tried changing channels but to no effect. This router happens to be in family room and video display on TV gets the static when router is on. However, I do get clear recordins on PC which is not near.

[lhntx]

 

thanks for the suggestions.  Now I just have to try and figure out what all of these things are. 
I hate the x10 website.  It's one huge mess to try and figure anything out and finding a particular item by NUMBER is almost impossible.  Whoever designed should be ashamed of themselves. It has a snake oil/carnival barker feel to it!  Searching the x10 site for these terms is an exercise in futility.  I'm typing this at my office so I don't currently have access to the physical units which are at my home so I can't look at the part numbers, so be patient with me while I show my ignorance.

AHP is???
BVC is???
TM751 is??? (I think that this is the transceiver that sends the signal through the wiring to turn on/off the cameras??) and has a metal expanding anntenae.
CM15A is?? (I think that this is the signal receiver that has a thin black vinyl covered wire antennae that sends a signal to the TM751 and receives the motion detector signals and plugs into my PC by USB.) How in the heck did you replace the thin wire anntenae with the expanding one?? (this assumes that I have the units numbers and function defined correctly)
BVC is???
ACT234 phase coupler repeater is ?? I'm assuming that this is some sort of signal booster, but I'm not sure.  Since searching on the x10 site by part number is almost useless I have no idea where to look or what it looks like or even if it is available via x10.

I'm computer tech savy, but I have no electrical engineering background at all so a lot of the helps that I been getting are greek to me.

[Brian H]

AHP Active Home Pro Software. Supplied with either the CM15A Interface or the CM19A Interface.
Many of the package deals include plug ins like the Smart Macros On Alert Etc.

The module with the black vinyl antenna is not a CM15A but sounds like the CM19A USB interface being offered in the Cheaper AHP packages. It can not use downloaded timers and macros. The CM19A has to be on a computer running 24/7 to work.

The CM15A can stand alone with the computer off.
The CM15A is a white cased module with a USB connection on the bottom and a hard white plastic antenna on the left side. It is the one many of us have changed the antenna on.

This is one of the kits thet has the CM15A in it. There are others.
http://www.x10.com/promotions/cm15a_ed_faf_special.html

The TM751 is a transceiver as you said and is required if the CM19A is in the kit as it is RF only.
The kits with the CM15A do not require a TM751 as it has both a power line and RF transmitter and receiver in it.

ACT234 is a coupler repeater but not a model from X10. It is made by ACT Incorporated and is available from many automation vendors. I replaced my ACT234 with the JV Engineering XTB-IIR.

BVC Bills Voice Commander. Third party AHP add on and you will find data on it in the Third Party Software Area.
http://forums.x10.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=ooqb95ir1qsgt7ng1gecqa87m5&board=36.0
http://wgjohns.com/forums/index.php?PHPSESSID=5841bea7d7b6937443b56d7c23dfe193&

[dbemowsk]

AHP is???

AHP is Active Home Pro.  The control software that is needed to use the CM15A.

BVC is???

BVC is Bills Voice Commander.  This is a piece of software written by Bill Johns, one of the community members of this forum.  It is for giving your X10 hardware voice control capability.  If you want to know anything about this software, ask bill himself or Dave_X10_L, the biggest fan of BVC.

TM751 is??? (I think that this is the transceiver that sends the signal through the wiring to turn on/off the cameras??) and has a metal expanding anntenae.

You are correct to a point.  The TM751 will take X10 RF signals and re-transmit them onto the power lines.  It will not however take power line signals and convert them to X10 RF signals.

CM15A is?? (I think that this is the signal receiver that has a thin black vinyl covered wire antennae that sends a signal to the TM751 and receives the motion detector signals and plugs into my PC by USB.) How in the heck did you replace the thin wire anntenae with the expanding one?? (this assumes that I have the units numbers and function defined correctly)

The CM15A does not necessarily send signals to the TM751, although it can, but there can be issues with that.  The CM15A is a programmable X10 controller that can do what the TM751 can and MUCH more.  This is mainly used with the Active Home Pro software to use timers and macros to control your modules.  The software can store the timers and macros directly in the CM15A and they can be run from the CM15A without the need for the computer to be on.

ACT234 phase coupler repeater is ?? I'm assuming that this is some sort of signal booster, but I'm not sure.  Since searching on the x10 site by part number is almost useless I have no idea where to look or what it looks like or even if it is available via x10.

You are correct, the ACT234 is a phase coupler repeater.  It is connected in your breaker panel to couple the X10 power line signals from one phase to the other.  If a device like this is not used and you plug a device into an outlet on one phase and you have your CM15A or TM751 in an outlet on the other phase, your device will typically not function.  The ACT234 on top of coupling the signal to the other phase, will repeat that signal  in order to boost it.

IF you have questions on any of the X10 equipment and how it works, come to the forum and ask.  DON'T rely on the X10 website.  But I'm sure by now you already know that.