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[the other steve]

It has been 4 months now since I sent my
stuff back for a refund; I have continued
lurking around the forum witnessing the
ongoing beta test.  Last night my CM11a
went belly up - that after more than ten
years of predictable (if sometimes strange)
behavior.  (I have been using several
macros, 25 modules and 10 timers - no
motion sensors or other "exotics."  I was
unable to get timers to run reliably from
the CM15 with 3.164.)

I have again downloaded the latest
software, and it still doesn't translate my
old stuff accurately (timers in the pm are
translated as am, etc.) but that doesn't
matter if AHP and the CM15 actually work.

Is it reasonably safe to come back?  Should
I request a diagnostic unit?  Should I buy
another CM11a and continue to wait?

Steve

[SteveRF]

Just a quick report that my diag unit has
been

[joe s.]

Steve - for me (and I suspect others), my
version of heavy lifting means that I
travel frequently away from home for a week
at a time and currently have no fear of a
wife phone call because the "house" does
something unexpected.  Call me
conservative...but I'd still be nervous
catching a plane with CM15a being left "in
charge"....in another month or so, there
may well be enough evidence to change my
mind.  But there are still some
pretty "mixed reviews" floating around.

[Observer]

A thing IS as it does NOT AS IT SAYS.

The AHP/CM15A are Buggy and there is NO
RELIABLE PRODUCTION RELEASE.

Wake up and smell the coffee.

[randy]

If you are tired of fiddling and want some peace of mind,
buy a 1132CU from Smarthome. The CM15A spooked me
so bad that I've developed a tick where I check the
interface every couple of hours. : ) I've had the 1132CU
online for over two weeks now WITHOUT ONE INCIDENT. If
this continues, I'll be able to cancel the therapy.

[SteveRF]

Randy, The smarthome 1132 does not have an
antenna to receive the motion detectors ?
Would I have to buy other plug in equipmentto
do the same thing the CM15A does now ?

Joe S.
Lots of us travel and would not leave a
smarthome 1132 or X10 CM15A "in charge" of
critical items such as my geothermal A/C,
sprinkler system or pool automation.  BUT as
long as there was enough reliability
(i.e.CM15A Month online with nada prob) and
as long as we had a "wife backup" (can't
return from London for a pool pump) then I
suppose "heavy lifting" can be accomplished
from a CM15A timer. One could always plug it
into the lower "hot" receptacle which
shouldn't require an "emergency return" trip.
So bottom line for me now is 1132 requires
more equipment to do same thing. Of couse
some would also mention that the 1132
software was less easier to use and cost more
... I have no experience there .
and last..we are all having so much fun now
that the CM15A seems rather reliable.
(perfect functionality since 7 Mar for all
timers and macros.. to the minute)
So I am happy (at this point)
Regards,
SteveRF

[joe s.]

Hmmm - wasn't trying to start a big
discussion on this thread - just describing
my personal parameters for success.  I was
stuck with CM15a anyways, so it's my
tranceiver - but YES, I would pay more
(extra equipment or whatever) for something
that I know works (and did).  I'm not
trying to convince you or anyone else
whether my choices are right for you.

[Bob Taylor]

I may be the worlds biggest optimist but
I've been battling problems with the CM15A
and buggy AHP softwarte revisions for many
months.  Before getting the new diagnostic
CM15A I was able to get everything to run
reliably if I left the USB cable plugged
into my laptop (laptop power off or on,
either way works).  On 3/9/5 I swapped the
CM15A out with the diagnostic CM15A, no
more need to leave the USB cable plugged
in.  On 3/23 I updated the software to
3.183, did a cold load (loaded hardware /
software / configuration as if this were a
new installation - power off, batteries
out, AC power applied, batteries in,
reloaded hardware setup, cleared memory,
reloaded timers and macros, etc.).  Have
had no problems since.....  My
configuration has really been solid since
the CM15A was replaced with the diagnostic
unit.   I'd hang tough for a bit before
jumping ship, X10 is on the cusp of having
the system they should have had when they
sold their first USB unit - A reliable
CM15A and stable software.

[tommy]

Those of you that are having good luck with
it now, are you able to use more than 20% of
the memory before it takes a crap, or is
this still a problem?

[Bob Taylor]

Yes.......  I'm using aprox 23%

[randy]

Steve RF: It doesn't do any RF. I purchased a WR800RF32
whole house transceiver for that duty. You could also just
recycle your CM15A into a whole-house transceiver if you
can get sufficient range out of it. The advantage to the
1132CU is the electronics (including the clock) are a bit
more robust and the software is stable. The disadvantage
is it is more expensive and the software isn't as pretty. I
actually like the idea of the CM15A as a standalone
controller/transceiver better but it just hasn't delivered yet
and I wanted a working solution now. I bet six months
from now it will be a viable alternative.

[randy]

Steve RF: Ah. I reread your post and realize what you were
really saying. Nevermind the technical rehash. I've chosen
complexity, expense and reliability over cheap, self-
contained and sketchy. With the new equipment, I don't
have to move it around the house to find a sweet spot,
don't have to send it back twice to get one that works,
don't have to reset the unit every other day to maintain
the clock sync/USB connection, don't have to wait
breathlessly for the next software update to see if it fixes
my latest "issue", etc. Peace of mind is priceless. You get
what you pay for.

[Observer]

Randy:  You said “I bet six months  from now
it will be a viable alternative.”  Before
you do take a hard look at the abysmal track
record with Multiview.

[SteveRF]

Randy,  I can see  you are a "smarthome" man.
Glad yours is reliable too.  So far I am
extremely happy with the CM15A whole house
transceiver unit and I really like the Active
Home Professional software.  I agree that it
will mature as time goes on but I can see by
visiting smarthome.com that their software
had numerous "fixes" each month last year. I
suppose they all go through that phase of
growth.  My CM15A has kept perfect time since
7 Mar disconnected from the PC.  As for
searching for the "sweet spot" to install,
well it is still in the Utility room A/C
cubby right next to metal breaker boxes, A/C
electrical systems and works great.  Bottom
line is that I am now confident in the CM15's
reliability and the AHP software's ability to
do everything I need.  If things change I
will surely take a hard look at the 1132,
their software and the additional transceiver
needed to do the same as I have now.  Do they
have an open forum like this for the 1132
stuff ?  That may be interesting to join if
they do.
regards,
SteveRF

[bob kish]

               Gentleman,
I to have purchased CM15A ( 2 of them
one as a backup ) when it first came out
and also have been plagued with the same
problems as all of the forum members have.I
have used X10 products fron it's first
inception when they where BSR.
Before I switched controllers I
purchased a HomeBase controller and that
was in 1998 which was made by JDS. Now this
unit ran without a hick-up until replaced
by the CM15A,thats seven years ago. The
Homebase will do hundreds of macros, nested
if and then statememts, control HVAC, and
also relay boards and logic boards for
temperature sensing, etc. Just too may
thing to list what this Homebase will do.
The price was quite steep at $ 289.00. It
does not have any RF functions but that's
what I am using the CM15A for but before
that I used seperate transceivers. I am
running 40 modules, 4 wireless devices, 23
macros, and some scenes also.
Now I will wait and see what X10 will
come up with as I at least have a system
that is quite full proof and I do not
hesitate to go away for long lengths of
time knowing the system works.( Wife comes
with me no need to baby sit the system! )
I am quite sure X10 will work out the
bugs and until then I will stand on the
sodelines waiting.

Bob K.