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Author Topic: X10 RF code format  (Read 7657 times)

soxfan1966

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X10 RF code format
« on: January 25, 2020, 12:07:18 PM »

Good morning all

I was looking into some things pertaining to x10 RF and noticed on a post pertaining to security modules it was stated that the format needs to be two characters followed by a space etc and not using dashes.

I have a bunch of programs in HG defined to transmit RF signals (one for On and another for Off) for each of my x10 devices.

I had done this because I have some on A and others on B (different parts of the power lines) and was using the RF programs as a way to broadcast the signal across both.

Since using these, my x10 devices have worked pretty much flawlessly (not counting the HA Bridge / Alexa issues, but that's not related to this).

In my programs, I took the RF codes from a file supplied by tuicemen and that has the codes like this:
20-70-8f-40-bf

I assumed that was correct and was working.  By now I'm wondering if they actually are and if the proper format should be:
20 70 8F 40 bF

This s the value for the Control.RfSend command in my program.
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petera

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Re: X10 RF code format
« Reply #1 on: January 25, 2020, 12:13:04 PM »

Good morning all

I was looking into some things pertaining to x10 RF and noticed on a post pertaining to security modules it was stated that the format needs to be two characters followed by a space etc and not using dashes.

I have a bunch of programs in HG defined to transmit RF signals (one for On and another for Off) for each of my x10 devices.

I had done this because I have some on A and others on B (different parts of the power lines) and was using the RF programs as a way to broadcast the signal across both.

Since using these, my x10 devices have worked pretty much flawlessly (not counting the HA Bridge / Alexa issues, but that's not related to this).

In my programs, I took the RF codes from a file supplied by tuicemen and that has the codes like this:
20-70-8f-40-bf

I assumed that was correct and was working.  By now I'm wondering if they actually are and if the proper format should be:
20 70 8F 40 bF

This s the value for the Control.RfSend command in my program.

I debunked this myth a while back. Unfortunately Tuicemen’s document has circulated widely and as a result it was decided that RF Send wasn’t working in HG. NO DASHES in the hex code in HG. Try all your codes WITHOUT dashes and you will see they now work.
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soxfan1966

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Re: X10 RF code format
« Reply #2 on: January 25, 2020, 12:30:24 PM »

Interesting.  That means the programs I thought were working are actually not doing anything.  I will update them to remove the dashes and use spaces and see what happens.
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soxfan1966

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Re: X10 RF code format
« Reply #3 on: January 25, 2020, 01:04:20 PM »

I updated all my Programs so the format of the RF command is now like this:

12 34 56 78 AB

no dashes, but spaces and capital letters.

I tested one by triggering the switch that made the program run (I can verify that the program actually did run) but I do not know if the RF signal was transmitted or not - I did not see anything in the HG window (where the activity usually appears in the upper right corner) other than telling me the x10 device status level.  I did not see any RF info.

I also have the X10 RF device on my HG Dashboard and that does not show the recent X10 RF code as I thought it would either (picture attached).

Am I missing something ?
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petera

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Re: X10 RF code format
« Reply #4 on: January 25, 2020, 01:46:20 PM »

I updated all my Programs so the format of the RF command is now like this:

12 34 56 78 AB

no dashes, but spaces and capital letters.

I tested one by triggering the switch that made the program run (I can verify that the program actually did run) but I do not know if the RF signal was transmitted or not - I did not see anything in the HG window (where the activity usually appears in the upper right corner) other than telling me the x10 device status level.  I did not see any RF info.

I also have the X10 RF device on my HG Dashboard and that does not show the recent X10 RF code as I thought it would either (picture attached).

Am I missing something ?

Do you know how to scan an RF code in HG. As a test add a new Module, say A10. In the settings section define the module as a Switch and select Remote Control and tick the little box to enable it. You'll see a little eye just below the Remote Control. Click on that eye and try pressing a button on your RF device until it reads in a hex code into the empty box. This will confirm if you have a working code for that device. Save that module and now send that RF hex code to HG via your CM15. If the new module turns on you have RF RX/TX working.
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soxfan1966

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Re: X10 RF code format
« Reply #5 on: January 25, 2020, 01:47:48 PM »

Ok, I will try that when I get a chance.   May not be till tomorrow.
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Tuicemen

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Re: X10 RF code format
« Reply #6 on: January 25, 2020, 01:56:13 PM »

I believe the raw data only supplies RF Seen not what was transmitted.
If you had setup a virtual module to toggle on a RF signal then send the RF from a remote it will switch. It will not switch back and forth  from the programas the Cm15 didn't receive that code it sent it. If I remember this was also a limitation of AHP.
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soxfan1966

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Re: X10 RF code format
« Reply #7 on: January 26, 2020, 12:10:37 PM »

OK, here is what I did this morning.  I enabled the Remote Control program under lights.  Then I went into my A12 device in HG, clicked the box to enable remote control, and then clicked the eye.  Then from the HG android app I turned on A12.  The light went on, and I can confirm that my program (A12 RF On) ran but there was no RF code captured - got a timeout.

So I tried it again (clicking the eye) and this time I clicked A12 on one of my X12 remote - this time it did capture a code:
20 64 9B 18 E3

So that confirms the formatting to be correct like that.  The X10 RF mofule (one I had pictured in my prior post) also reflected that.

However, the code for A12 On in the HG-RF.txt file is:  20-64-9b-18-e7
Even if I format that as 20 64 9B 18 E7
that does not match the code that was received by the X10 remote:  20 64 9B 18 E3

I tried A12 off and that code is also different:
HG-FR.txt = 20-64-9b-38-c7
From X120 Remote:  20 64 9B 38 C3

I assume the values in the HG-RF.txt file should match what the X10 remote is giving. not really sure why they are different.

So I updated my programs for A12 RF ON and A12 RF OFF to use the codes I got from the X10 remote.  Then tried to turn on the device - it didn't work.  Changed them back to the HG-RF.txt values (including the dashes) and it worked again.

Thinking maybe I made a mistake, I tried it again - and using the code from the X10 remote did not work but changing back to the value from HG-RF.txt did work.

And it seems using either 20 64 9B 18 E7 or 20-64-9b-18-e7 works the same.

In all those cases, it does not appear that the transmitted RF code get displayed in the X10 RF module.

So not sure why the values between the X10 Remote and the HG-RF.txt are different, but it seems using the ones from the HG-RF.txt in either format do work where as trying to use the one given by the remote does not.

Not sure why but wanted to share. - perhaps someone can confirm my findings.  Thanks

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petera

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Re: X10 RF code format
« Reply #8 on: January 26, 2020, 01:09:24 PM »

Without going down the same cul de sac again, the format for RF Hex codes in HG are entered WITHOUT dashes. For example the ARM code transmitted from the KR21E Security Keyfob is

29 98 97 06 F9 61 00

The RF Hex code transmitted from the KR22A Remote Keyfob is

20 70 8F 40 BF

As you can see from the format, no dashes and all letters are in capitals. I've no idea who produced that document you are referring to but those formats are NOT valid in HG.

Remember once you bind an RF Hex code to a module you will only see the name of that module flash across the top right hand corner of the screen and not it's corresponding RF Hex code. You may have somehow already binded those codes to modules you defined in HG previously.
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soxfan1966

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Re: X10 RF code format
« Reply #9 on: January 26, 2020, 01:22:21 PM »

I do not have any RF codes saved to / bound to any of my X10 devices.  And I also disabled the Remote Control program after testing what RF code was received from the x10 remote.

What I provided was the info on what works for me and what doesn't.  And that was in using the codes from HG-Rf.txt did work, in both formats.

It's possible that the program I have with those codes is doing nothing, but I do know that with my programs enabled to send the RF code as noted the device works and using the code from the x10 remote does not.

My programs are quite simple.  The trigger is the x10 device (i.e A12) and the code is to use the HG x10 send RF command with the codes noted.   One results in the device turning on or off and the other does not.

Idk why, perhaps someone else can validate my findings.
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petera

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Re: X10 RF code format
« Reply #10 on: January 26, 2020, 01:24:54 PM »

If you really want to examine all the traffic on HG do the following

Configure->User Interface->Events History->Enable

Now return to the Dashboard and you will see a Blue Button appear beside the X and the UNPnP circles on the top right corner of the screen. Click on the Blue Button and it will display the traffic. You can filter the traffic on a what you want to see basis.
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soxfan1966

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Re: X10 RF code format
« Reply #11 on: January 26, 2020, 01:29:42 PM »

Yup, did that.  RF codes transmitted do not appear for me but it does show it's running my program.
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petera

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Re: X10 RF code format
« Reply #12 on: January 26, 2020, 01:30:11 PM »

I do not have any RF codes saved to / bound to any of my X10 devices.  And I also disabled the Remote Control program after testing what RF code was received from the x10 remote.

What I provided was the info on what works for me and what doesn't.  And that was in using the codes from HG-Rf.txt did work, in both formats.

It's possible that the program I have with those codes is doing nothing, but I do know that with my programs enabled to send the RF code as noted the device works and using the code from the x10 remote does not.

My programs are quite simple.  The trigger is the x10 device (i.e A12) and the code is to use the HG x10 send RF command with the codes noted.   One results in the device turning on or off and the other does not.

Idk why, perhaps someone else can validate my findings.

What I can confirm is any RF Hex codes with dashes or lower case letters do not work in HG. Whatever you think your incorrectly formatted codes are doing they are not sending out valid RF codes. I've given you a way of examining that traffic so you'll see exactly what is working and what is not.
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petera

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Re: X10 RF code format
« Reply #13 on: January 26, 2020, 01:31:41 PM »

Yup, did that.  RF codes transmitted do not appear for me but it does show it's running my program.

Of course your program will run. Try running it with a blank field in the RF code box and it will run too.
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soxfan1966

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Re: X10 RF code format
« Reply #14 on: January 26, 2020, 01:41:58 PM »

All I provided was what worked - my light turns on and off - and what didn't.

I looked at the Events History - it does not show any transmitted RF codes for me.

If you do the same, will it show transmitted RF codes for you?
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