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[J.B.]

Has anyone tried this yet?
If anyone has been able to use this, what are your thoughts on it and does it work well?
Also, does anyone know what port(s) this uses?

[X10 Dev]

Has anyone tried this yet?
If anyone has been able to use this, what are your thoughts on it and does it work well?
Also, does anyone know what port(s) this uses?

iWatchMobile uses the same port 8777 as ActivePhone.

[J.B.]

First impressions of iWatchMobile not so good...
After completely having to reinstall AHP because of issues installing ActivePhone, it appears I will have to do so again after installing iWatchMobile.
I can bring up my cameras on my iTouch but not my BlackBerry.
The icons for the app load on the BlackBerry but no image from the cams.
It also appears to have disabled ActivePhone on my iTouch.
When I attempt to pan, tilt, or zoom any of my Vanguard or Sentinel cameras they will not respond, but will if I try to control them directly from AHP or remotes.
The only camera I can get to respond to iWatchMobile is a Ninja base.
A Sentinel camera within 5' of the CM15A will not respond at all.
When I send commands from iWatchMobile, they are all on HC A. Eg: A zoomin, A Panright/left/up/down. (Not sure this matters)
I have tried reinstalling iWatchMobile, iWatchOut and then iWatchMobile, a new .ahx file, reinstalling AHP and no change.

Just contacted customer service and they informed me that the software is buggy and are hoping to have it fixed by weeks end. 

[hawk1]

The software is "Buggy".  Why didn't they test it thoroughly before selling it!!!   

[J.B.]

The software is "Buggy".  Why didn't they test it thoroughly before selling it!!! 

It's unfortunate that this is all too common with x10 software.
I have mobile software for my standalone DVR that allows me to access my cameras with no issues. This was FREE software.
The only reason I had hoped to use iWatchMobile was to control the pan/tilt and zoom of my Sentinel and Vanguard cameras from my BlackBerry or iTouch.

[Dan Lawrence]

Unfortunately, X10's software programmers are a fraction of what 10USA had 5 years ago.   There's apparently no pre-testing of new software which our European X10 cousins are light years above what X10 USA puts out.   The previous reports that AHP versions 3.236 and 3.271 were buggy seems to be that upgrades to your first version when you got AHP never totally overwrote the prior version.  If you install either as a "clean" install they both seem to work as AHP should.  

[J.B.]

A clean install of AHP does seem to make a difference.
I had recently done this with AHP 3.271 and had no major issues.
It's only since installing this new software that I've had any real headaches again.
Uninstalling and reinstalling multiple times, having to re-register and call x10 support due to max registration counts, this really gets aggravating and time consuming. 


I should add, I've been using x10 software and hardware for many years and have been quite happy with the majority of my hardware modules, but the software leaves a lot to be desired at times.
Most of what I do with x10 requires software and an x10 system is only as reliable as the weakest link.

[Dan Lawrence]

I stay away from add-ons.   If installing over a prior version seems to cause all kinds of problems. That's a sign of poor software development.

My X10 system dates from the middle 1980's and does not require any "bells and whistles" to add to it. No cameras, no I phones (my cell phone carrier doesn't sell them and my wife and I are happy with what we have.   She texes, I don't)

If I were you, I'd send the thing back. 

[X10 Dev]

Just contacted customer service and they informed me...

  Customer service in this case does not know what they're talking about.  Let's figure out what is not working...  If we can find a bug, we'll fix it for you.  If it ends up being a feature that's unclear (or if you can think of something cool to add), we'll do that too...

You have camera video on your iTouch.  Good.  With respect to your Blackberry, what model of Blackberry do you have?

From my understanding of your email, you can control your PTZ Ninja base, but not other cameras from iWatchMobile.  You can control all cameras from AHP.  All are on house code A.  Now, iWatchMobile relays Pan/Tilt/Zoom commands via AHP.  If you can control your cameras directly from AHP, and if you can get video of the cameras on your phone, then the commands should get through.  You can check the AHP history log (F2) to see if the pan/tilt commands are being relayed.  Is the camera on?  You can turn on the camera by opening the camera select tab in iWatchMobile and selecting the camera.  You can see commands sent from iWatchMobile in your AHP history.  If you turn on your Vanguard camera from AHP and then control it via iWatchMobile, does that work?

Hope this is helping...

[HA Dave]

I stay away from add-ons....... My X10 system dates from the middle 1980's and does not require any "bells and whistles" to add to it. No cameras, no I phones..... If I were you, I'd send the thing back. 

What are you thinking Dan?

I spent enough time in the Army to inform you with complete certaintee that: Central heat, running water [hot or cold], or any form of of plumbing more than a ditch... is an unneeded "bell and whistle". I've lived without the "bells and whistles" and I lived with LOTS of extra "bells and whistles". I like having all the "bells and whistles".

Electric seems to me to be more expensive than it was in decades past. I am not sure home automation can lower anyones electric bill. But automating things and adding extra features (or bells and whistles)... adds real value to my electrical use (and cost).

To the best of my knowledge.... no member at the forum is getting any younger. But we shouldn't allow our age to effect our common appreaction of Home Automation. Maybe... you just need a new automation project.

[Knightrider]

Maybe one should not post in a thread where one has no experience.

[J.B.]

    Customer service in this case does not know what they're talking about.  Let's figure out what is not working...  If we can find a bug, we'll fix it for you.  If it ends up being a feature that's unclear (or if you can think of something cool to add), we'll do that too...

You have camera video on your iTouch.  Good.  With respect to your Blackberry, what model of Blackberry do you have?

From my understanding of your email, you can control your PTZ Ninja base, but not other cameras from iWatchMobile.  You can control all cameras from AHP.  All are on house code A.  Now, iWatchMobile relays Pan/Tilt/Zoom commands via AHP.  If you can control your cameras directly from AHP, and if you can get video of the cameras on your phone, then the commands should get through.  You can check the AHP history log (F2) to see if the pan/tilt commands are being relayed.  Is the camera on?  You can turn on the camera by opening the camera select tab in iWatchMobile and selecting the camera.  You can see commands sent from iWatchMobile in your AHP history.  If you turn on your Vanguard camera from AHP and then control it via iWatchMobile, does that work?

Hope this is helping...

I'm not trying to seem rude at all, this is what Customer Service informed me of when I contacted them about the issues.
Another reason I had contacted them is because my software registration did not include a link to the iWatchMoblie download, but only to iWatchOut which comes with it.
Both reg codes were provided and when asked why this was, they informed me it was due to some bugs in the app they were wanting to work out before they provided the link.
Of course, SW45a is available on the download page and FTP, which is where I got mine.

Ok, let me try to clarify a few things.
I installed iWatchMobile and the interface comes up on both the iTouch and the BlackBerry.
No video feed shows on the BlackBerry, just the control buttons.
Video does show on the iTouch.
Both are being tested connected to my WiFi, not 3G.
I am familiar with how IP addresses work and enter this manually with no issue, but when I use the invite a cell phone function in AHP, it now only sends the address as http://0.0.0.0:8777/iwatch.
This is one thing I have noticed.
Another thing, since installing iWatchMobile, ActivePhone no longer functions at all on my iTouch, but does on the BlackBerry.
I get a 500 error on the iTouch.
When I uninstall AHP and reinstall without iWatchMobile, ActivePhone then works again on both devices.
Viewing the activity monitor in AHP, when attempting to control my cameras from iWatchMobile, shows that all commands other than camera selection are being sent on HC A. My cameras are NOT set to HC A.
The only cameras that respond when using the controls are ninja bases, my Vanguard and Sentinel cameras will not respond at all.
It shows the proper command to turn on, or select my other cameras, but they do not respond to any commands.
If I send commands directly from AHP the cameras will respond, but often erratically.
The cameras have no issues with commands from my CR15A or Icon/Nstinct remotes.
As I have said, I have no issues with these cameras receiving RF from the CM15A when I control them directly from AHP, but they do act erratically at times.

I'll start with this and see what can be figured out.
Any additional info you need, just let me know.

I would like find out what is causing this as I had been hoping for a mobile app to control my Vanguard and Sentinel cameras.

On the note of adding anything else that could be useful in the app:
It would be nice to have the same camera control that is available in AHP, as this connects to AHP to work.
Having the ability to go to camera presets, set presets, center the cameras, sweep the selected camera, iris up/down functions & focus for the Sentinel and Vanguards, start and stop snapshots and recording.
These functions would be nice to have available mobile as they are in AHP.

I've attached a screen shot of a few lines from my activity monitor when attempting to control the cameras via iWatchMobile.
Also, here is a screen shot of the about screen. When I first open AHP it will sometimes show iWatch as unregistered unless I click and hold the left mouse button down over the plug-in image.
The top one is showing OnAlert twice if I go to help/about in AHP once it is running.
Correct me if this does not appear to be a bug.


Sorry, forgot to add the BlackBerry is an 8530.

[J.B.]

Ok, testing things out a bit more.
I changed a Sentinel camera to A1.
It now responds to iWatchMobile.
I see no mention of the cameras having to be set to codes A1-A4, but all I see in the activity monitor are commands using HC A.
My cameras are on HC F as I have other modules using the A code.
Is it not possible to use cameras set to any code?
If this is the case, it is very limiting to a lot of customers, as I myself use 7 cams and also see no option to use more than 4 in iWatchMobile.

Update: Well, I've edited the xPhone html document to allow use of HC F and it is now working to a point.
I am still unable to view video on the BlackBerry.

[X10 Dev]

Ok, testing things out a bit more.
I changed a Sentinel camera to A1.
It now responds to iWatchMobile.
I see no mention of the cameras having to be set to codes A1-A4, but all I see in the activity monitor are commands using HC A.
My cameras are on HC F as I have other modules using the A code.
Is it not possible to use cameras set to any code?
If this is the case, it is very limiting to a lot of customers, as I myself use 7 cams and also see no option to use more than 4 in iWatchMobile.

Right now the client software is sending commands using house code A.  The PTZ ninja base will respond to pan/tilt commands on any house code.  The Vanguard and Sentinel cameras will only respond to PTZ commands issued on their own house codes.  I agree that is too limiting to force all Vanguard/Sentinel cameras to use house code A.  I'll update the software tommorrow to support all house codes and more cameras. 

As for iWatchMobile on your Blackberry 8530, I'll see if I can track down an 8530 to test on.

That's very curious that you're seeing a selective error for ActivePhone with iWatchout installed.  It works fine here.  We'll investigate further and try to see how this could happen.

[J.B.]

Thanks kindly.