What controls camera switching? AHP or individual xm13a?

[peg-leg]

What controls camera switching?  AHP or individual xm13a's?

I know xm13a's keep constant power to the camera and only switches on the video sender when that's particular xm13a's address is selected in OnAlert.  Also, when one camera is selected, the other camera receivers are powered off to prevent interference. 

So, what's sending the off command to the other cameras?  Is there circuitry built into the xm13a to do so, or is OnAlert doing it through AHP?

[Brian H]

The xm13a camera supplies are controlled by a power line signal.

Technically a TM751 and a HR12A Palm Pad could switch cameras.

So AHP is sending a power line signal to turn one On.

They work in groups of four addresses. Same House Code and Unit Codes 1-4,5-8,9-12 and 13-16. Turn any one On the other three xm13a's go Off automatically. If you have more than four cameras. The software has to send extra power line commands for the added camera power supplies in a different group.

If you had xm13a's on C1, C2, C3 and C4. Sending a power line On signal to C2 would automatically turn Off C1,C3 and C4. No added Off commands needed.

X10 has one camera remote that can do more than four cameras. The CR13A.

[peg-leg]

So it sounds like AHP is telling the other cameras to switch off when one of the other 4 is selected.

I did a little test last night to try and verify this.  I coded a lamp module to the same code as one of my cameras, let's say B1.  I made sure the lamp was on.  I then selected camera B2 in hopes that as the B1 camera turned off, so would the B1 lamp module.  Unfortunately no luck.  The lamp stayed on. 

Maybe AHP sends a different type off signal to xm13a's?

[troll334]

Since AHP is not required to manage cams, i.e., you can use an X10 remote to switch cams, I'm betting the logic
is built right into the power supplies. So, if you send an On signal to B1, the other power supplies set to B2, B3, B4 will
hear the B1 On and they will turn themselves off.
Someone correct me if I'm off. This is probably why your lamp module did not turn off.
whaadaya think about that?

[peg-leg]

I know others have set up macros with appliance modules for switching non-x10 cameras, so what your saying is probably the case. 

Maybe someone can give more input on this. 

[Brian H]

The other three cameras in the group need no Off command.
The On to the one in the group automatically switches the other three off. It is a feature built into the xm13A.

You can take a TM751 on C and use a HR12A palm pad. Send a C2 On and C1; C3 and C4 will go Off. With no Off command needed.

[peg-leg]

I did some more testing on this.  Here's the setup:

Camera B9 in Iwatchmobile and AHP.

Test Appliance Module in AHP also set to B9

Chosing  camera B9 using the IWM app on my Iphone not only turns on the camera but also turns on the B9 appliance module.

Selecting one of my other cameras turns off camera B9, but does not turn off Appliance module B9.

AHP's activity monitor shows ON commands for both the camera and appliance, but does not show a B9 off command.  However it seems that around the 3rd camera change, I see a "B Off" command issued by AHP. 

I wish we had more data on the exact operation of the XM13A power supplies.  I'm planning on using some aftermarket cameras and want to make  sure I can continue using Iwatchmobile on my iphone.  I have an idea for some marcros that shadow commands sent throught Iwatchmobile, but simpler would be much better.

[Brian H]

Correct. Only the camera power supplies have the group feature. Same House Code. Unit code groups 1-4;5-8;9-12 and 13-16.

The Appliance Module and camera on B9 would turn On with a B9 On. Any camera on B10,B11 or B12 would turn off.
Sending camera B10; B11 or B12 an On would turn off the B9 camera automatically. No specific B9 Off needed.
The appliance module does not have the group feature so it would stay On. As it only responds to B9 On and Off along with B All Units Off.

[peg-leg]

Product features of Iwatchpro:

View as many cameras you have - there's no limit

Wonder how this works with more than 4 cameras?  I'm haven't tried more than 4 yet.

[Brian H]

I would think the software knows about the Unit Group requirements and sends extra Off commands to cameras in separate groups.
That is how the CR13A that can do up to sixteen cameras does it.
http://kbase.x10.com/wiki/CR13A