Print

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

[uh60james]

Yup, and that's not a good substitute at all.

Tried to see if Chat could do anything and nope.

ot questions? Ask a salesperson live!
( homepagechat )Chat right now with an X10 Expert and get the best possible deal!
( Evan ) Hello, Thank you for contacting X10.com. Have you seen the best tablet on the market for Under $200? Click here to check it out!

- May I have your order number so that I can assist you today?
( HomePageChat )37xxxx1
( Evan ) thank you how may i assist you
( HomePageChat )Part of my order is supposed to include a CM15A but I hear you no longer have CM15A's in stock is that correct?
( Evan ) this is correct the CM15A's are currently on back order
( HomePageChat )Do you expect to get anymore in?
( Evan ) Yes, i just don't have an exact day when we will get them back
( HomePageChat )Ok, so are the orders that have been placed with a CM15A being held, partially shipped, or something else?
( Evan ) the orders with the CM15A are being automatically substituted with CM15K which has a CM19A and TM751 in the kit
( HomePageChat )Is there any way I could get a refurbished or other returned CM15A? The problem with the CM15K is that I have to have a computer hooked up to the CM19A at all times for it to work and that
( HomePageChat )thats not a good option for me
( Evan ) unfortunately we don't have any refurbished ones
( HomePageChat )Ok, thanks.
( Evan ) your welcome was there anything else i can assist you with
( HomePageChat )nope

Looks like I'll have to search for a CM15A elsewhere or find an alternative, I notice the CM11A is supported by the ActiveHome Pro software now.  Is that a good alternative?

[dhouston]

Migrating over to a laptop-based (or very small PC-based) system, using something like Jeff's XTB-232 or Dave's RR5x5...

The RR5x5^TM will run standalone just like a CM11A or CM15A with the difference being it has 8-32 times the static memory for macros & timers (and is also faster since it uses SPI). i may add an option for 32KB of F-RAM. An extra $25 connects it to your LAN. You only need a PC or my roZetta^TM/Zarduino^TM system if you want to d/l to it or do things to extend its capabilities (e.g. it can add WiFi and tons of other capabilities for about the same cost as an external Serial-WiFi adapter). It will require my software because it's Windows/Linux/OSX capable and I've never been impressed by any X-10 software.

[Brian H]

CM11A was discontinued a fair amount of time back.
Though an EBay dealer got a recent date code batch somewhere.

The CM11A is not a real good replacement for a CM15A.
Much smaller download memory size.
Also it is a serial device not a USB device.

Some have used a USB to Serial adapter with varied results. That maybe related to the adapter model they chose.
I am not sure if AHP would work with a USB to serial adapter. As choosing CM11A in AHP requires you to specify the COM port.

You may want to do some web searching as there are dealers still  listing them, but at a higher price.

[Noam]

Migrating over to a laptop-based (or very small PC-based) system, using something like Jeff's XTB-232 or Dave's RR5x5...

The RR5x5^TM will run standalone just like a CM11A or CM15A with the difference being it has 8-32 times the static memory for macros & timers (and is also faster since it uses SPI). i may add an option for 32KB of F-RAM. An extra $25 connects it to your LAN. You only need a PC or my roZetta^TM/Zarduino^TM system if you want to d/l to it or do things to extend its capabilities (e.g. it can add WiFi and tons of other capabilities for about the same cost as an external Serial-WiFi adapter). It will require my software because it's Windows/Linux/OSX capable and I've never been impressed by any X-10 software.

That's something to consider, certainly. However, it looks like it will be an expensive solution.
Why go through the trouble of heavily modifying an RR501, as opposed to building the unit from the ground up? Given the reliability issues we have all experienced in some form or another at one time, I'd feel more confident with a device that was build using known components, as opposed to hacking into a module that X10 had built for them in a chinese factory for a few dollars (at most).

[JeffVolp]

I'd feel more confident with a device that was build using known components, as opposed to hacking into a module that X10 had built for them in a Chinese factory for a few dollars (at most).

Most components come from China or another low labor cost country today.  Even the last batch of Signal transformers had a China label even though they cost twice as much as the Tamrua or Zettler alternatives.

That said, I have been impressed by the quality of the components.  Tolerance on components I spot checked is tighter than it was years ago.

Jeff

[uh60james]

CM11A was discontinued a fair amount of time back.
Though an EBay dealer got a recent date code batch somewhere.
 

I'm seeing that now, found a few available from individual sellers though.

Dave is the RR5x5 available now or is it still in development?

[uh60james]

Any thoughts on the PowerLinc USB interface?  At $70 its more than I'd like to spend right now but it may be my best option.  I see it's definitely x10 compatible but does it work with ActiveHome Pro?

[dhouston]

Dave is the RR5x5 available now or is it still in development?

I hope to have it ready by early next year. The same distributor who will handle the Zarduino^TM boards will also offer it. I had really planned on putting it off even longer (it was more of a pet project) but the apparent demise of the CM15A has caused me to work on it sooner. I'm finalizing the PCB layout now but a few components are still up in the air. I need an isolation transformer for the DIO but am not sure I can find one with the frequency range I would like.

Of course, new RR501s may also become hard to find. And, while I can quickly put together an Interface application, it may be somewhat fundamental, initially, as I have a rather full plate right now. The source code (both PC apps and firmware) will be open source and written in Basic dialects so others might want to play with it also.

[JeffVolp]

Some have used a USB to Serial adapter with varied results. That maybe related to the adapter model they chose.

One of the XTB-232 beta testers had been using a USB adapter with his CM11A, and then just swapped over to the XTB-232.  I recall he was using Home Control Assistant (HCA) running on the PC.

I've see USB adapters available on eBay for just a few bucks, but the highly regarded Digi Edgeport is over $50.  When I get the chance I'll check to see if that works with ActiveHome Pro.

Jeff

[uh60james]

Dave is the RR5x5 available now or is it still in development?

I hope to have it ready by early next year. The same distributor who will handle the Zarduino^TM boards will also offer it. I had really planned on putting it off even longer (it was more of a pet project) but the apparent demise of the CM15A has caused me to work on it sooner. I'm finalizing the PCB layout now but a few components are still up in the air. I need an isolation transformer for the DIO but am not sure I can find one with the frequency range I would like.

Of course, new RR501s may also become hard to find. And, while I can quickly put together an Interface application, it may be somewhat fundamental, initially, as I have a rather full plate right now. The source code (both PC apps and firmware) will be open source and written in Basic dialects so others might want to play with it also.

Sounds good, saw your site and you have done some great work!

There are still IBM Home Director Starter Kits on a website online N.I.B. I am researching to see if that is another viable option for now.

[dhouston]

There are still IBM Home Director Starter Kits on a website online N.I.B. I am researching to see if that is another viable option for now.

Do you have a link? Those were identical to the CM11A as I recall. I've dealt with Hopco , who lists them at an attractive price, (although about 7 times what you could get them for back when IBM dumped them  ) but it was some time ago.

[uh60james]

There are still IBM Home Director Starter Kits on a website online N.I.B. I am researching to see if that is another viable option for now.

Do you have a link? Those were identical to the CM11A as I recall. I've dealt with Hopco , who lists them at an attractive price, (although about 7 times what you could get them for back when IBM dumped them  ) but it was some time ago.

Hopco and http://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-HOME-DIRECTOR-STARTER-KIT-SECURITY-CONTROL-W-PC-/260884929404?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cbdf41b7c#ht_4901wt_1026

I saw another one used for $15 but cant find it anymore.

[JeffVolp]

I just checked ActiveHome Pro with the Digi Edgeport USB/RS232 adapter, and it works fine with both the CM11A and XTB-232.  It took a bit of trial and error to get the port assigned properly (the Edgeport showed up in Device Manager as COM5).

Bottom line - a good USB/RS232 adapter will allow you to use the CM11A on a newer computer that has no serial ports.

(I just wanted to add that I tested this on a computer running XP service pack 3.)

Jeff

[uh60james]

I just checked ActiveHome Pro with the Digi Edgeport USB/RS232 adapter, and it works fine with both the CM11A and XTB-232.  It took a bit of trial and error to get the port assigned properly (the Edgeport showed up in Device Manager as COM5).

Bottom line - a good USB/RS232 adapter will allow you to use the CM11A on a newer computer that has no serial ports.

(I just wanted to add that I tested this on a computer running XP service pack 3.)

Jeff

Thanks Jeff, good info there!  I went ahead and ordered the IBM version of the CM11A so hopefully I can get a working system yet.

[dhouston]

Bottom line - a good USB/RS232 adapter will allow you to use the CM11A on a newer computer that has no serial ports.

And I'll add that I've tested CM11As and the IBM clone using a $9 USB-Serial adapter...

• http://www.byterunner.com/byterunner/product_name=Y-105/user-id=/password=/exchange=/exact_match=exact

with no apparent problems. One caveat - I don't use X-10 software but I doubt there would be a problem. There are Virtual Com Port drivers for Windows/Linux/OSX and it will appear as a serial port on those systems.