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[jeff w]

Thought it might be useful to make a list of
what appear to be the most common problems.
(I understand not everyone has these so if
you don't please don't clutter this thread to
tell us).

In no particular order:

1) CM15a dies after power failure

2) CM15a performs less well if connected to
computer

3) CM15a doesn't work well with HCA02-10E

I know I missed a few - what's the main RF
problem for example?
/j

[Noam]

From what I understand, the RF problem is
with the range. some users have reported
little or no coverage more than a few
inches/feet from the CM15A.
Also, you left out the "lockup" problem -
where the unit appears to freeze or "lock
up" when disconnected from the PC, after a
certain period of time. That period of time
varies from user to user. I'm sure I missed
some others.

[joe s.]

And I think the "CM15a failure after xx
days when disconnected" is rated as the
biggie, by most.  I had to switch away from
CM15a because I travel - thus leaving my
wife to stub-her-toe in the dark for some
period of time prior to my return.  Brownie-
Points have no shelf life in that
particular scenario.

[steve]

I just tried mine again. I had rolled back
to 3.178. Updated to 3.179. Moved it from
upstairs to downstairs. I have 2 macros. G8
on turns the ceiling fan light on. G8 off
turns the light off, waits 4 seconds, then
back on, waits 5 minutes then turns it off.
I have 4 total lights being controlled. I
tried all the lights. No problem. I ran the
macro 4 times. Waited and sure enough it was
the whole deal stopped working.
Took it back upstairs to the computer.
Plugged it in to an outlet away from the PC.
Plugged the USB in. First problem, Win2k now
identifies it as USB Device. I unplug it.
Take out the batteries. Plug it back in and
low and behold it recognizes it. I just
download all the info to it again. Works
fine while plugged in. If I take it back
downstairs and leave the batteries out, I
have seen the macros not even work. G8 on
turns the light on. G8 off just turns the
light off. Its like the clock needs the
batteries to function.

[steve]

Unhooked it from the computer. Had no
batteries installed. Took it downstairs and
plugged it in. All the lights respond to the
PalmPad remote. G8 on turns the light on. G8
off turns it off, and doesn't finish the
macro. It's like the batteries are needed or
when the time is lost it gets fouled up.

[bob linca]

A few more (minor) problems:

1) A motion triggered macro that is set to
turn a light on, will make a dimmed light go
to full brightness. 'Bright 100%' is being
sent, instead of 'ON'.

2) Checking only the Macros option in
the 'Activity Monitor' results in macros
activity not being displayed at all.

3) Manually triggered macros are not
displayed in the 'Activity Monitor'. Their
output is though.

[roger1818]

Steve: If you unplug the CM15a without any
batteries in it, all memory will be erased
and the clock will be reset.  This is
normal.  You need batteries for it to stay
alive without power.

[steve]

Roger,
This is from the ActiveHome Pro help file.

The ActiveHome Pro interface stores your
timer and macro data in memory that works
even without power. The clock in the USB
interface, however, depends upon power from
an electrical outlet to keep time. If you
lose power in you house, or want to move
your ActiveHome Pro USB interface to another
outlet, make sure you have put 4 AAA
batteries into it. The 4 AAA batteries can
power the USB Interface a maximum of 2 days
before they run down.

Correct me if I am wrong, but the way I read
it is that Timer and Macro data are stored
in NOVRAM. The only thing the battery is
needed for is to keep time. I have nothing
that runs on Time. I only have stuff that
runs on a timer.
Am I reading this wrong or should the timer
work regardless os what the actual clock
time is?

[jeff w]

Here's another one - operates the same
(properly) regardless of whether it's
connected to computer or not.  (I.e.,
provides a logging function with no cost to
performance)

[okiejim]

I feel so stupid!! I've been watching this
forum trying to figure out what to do. I
finally gave in last week and ordered the
CM15A. I'm back on my CM11A and heyu2
software. I've been using X-10 since the
BSR10 days had it running on a radioshack
color computer back then and have been
successful until now. Wow what happened.

[bob linca]

Here's another one for the problem log:

After a time, (not sure how long yet), the
macro buttons in AHP stop triggering the
macros when clicked. The macros could still
be triggered by the RF remote and motion
sensors. Re-downloading the timers and
macros to the CM15A made the problem go away
for now.

Notes:
- The CM15A had not been unplugged from the
PC.
- AHP had not been shutdown.
- The activity log confirmed that the macro
was not sending out any signals.
- AHP was running correctly in all other
respects e.g. displaying correct module
status.

[bob linca]

More on the problem just posted:

When I run a macro containing a delay, all
other macro buttons have no immediate effect
when clicked. Their commands are queued up
until the delay expires and then they are
all output!

Notes:
- The macro containing the two-minute delay
is not related to any of the other macros,
or modules controlled by those macros.
- During the delay, macros triggered with an
RF remote are not affected by the delay.
- Only macros with a delay that are
triggered by clicking on the macro button in
AHP cause the above problem.

[jcanter]

Well since the update last week everyting
slowly quit working all together my macros
have started not working 1 by 1 now none
will work and the timers will not work
either. some of the lights will only turn
on or off will not dim or brighten from the
software. i have uninstalled the software
and reinstalled the original version and
nothing the updated the software and still
nothing.

[X10 Pro]

Bob Lin: The problems you're describing sound
like a bu or bugs in the software to me.
We'll take a look.

jcanter: I have your e-mail and will have
something for you to try soon.

[Bob Taylor]

There's a problem or set of problems
associated with updating the software.  You
can get varying installation results by
doing updates to the software.  I've played
with de-installation and re-installation on
a couple machines and the results are not
always the same, even on ths same machine.
Example: I de-installed then re-installed
and updated and whenever I started AHP
without CM15A USB plugged in to my computer
it would hang, had to make Windows XP shut
the program down to free it up.  Did the de-
install and re-install again and the
problem went away....  Nothing different
was done during the de/re-installation.
I've even done this with every memory
resident program shut down, got varying
results, fewer problems though....  My
conclusion: Version update process is not
always clean an/or it bumps into other
running software (it's not always very well
behaved).....