Print

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

[roger1818]

Donald:  For most applications you can let
Windows worry about the clock and
timezone.  Unfortunately, as far as I know
Windows does not calculate the “Dawn”
and “Dusk” times.  The “Dawn” and “Dusk”
times are dependent on not only latitude
and longitude, but also on the time zone
and if DST is being used.  As a result AHP
needs to get this information from Windows.

As far as the clock itself, the AHP
software on the PC does use the clock from
Windows.  However, the CM15a can run
disconnected from the PC thus needs to have
its own clock.  This clock should adjust
for DST (if needed) otherwise a light that
turns off at 10:00 in the winter will
suddenly start turning off at 11:00 in the
summer.

[donald mcmow]

The only thing though is that if you are
getting your time from the OS then you
don't need to worry about DST since this
has already been taken care of. I don't
know how Windows takes care of the time -
Does it adjust the hardware clock directly
or does the hardware clock get adjusted
only when a request is made? If the
hardware clock is already adjusted when the
time change comes into effect then you
don't need to make any adjustments within
your program. If Windows makes the
adjustments when a time request is made and
your program is setup to read the hardware
clock directly then you are going to run
into problems. That is why I made the
suggestion that you let Windows take care
of the grunt work and you just request the
time from it - no adjustments needed.

[roger1818]

Donald:  So you are suggesting that:

a) Forcing people who don’t keep their
CM15a connected to their computer connect
their CM15A to their computer after
switching to and from DST to reset the
clock, and

b) Not supporting Dawn and Dusk during DST?

[X10 Pro]

We're going to fix this bug, it's pretty
simple. The CM15A adjusts the clock for
daylight savings time on its own when not
connected to the computer, and we just need
to be sure to tell it not to do that when the
customer isn't in an area that uses DST.

[tucsonuser]

I know this topic is old but the whole inconvenience is getting old. I’ve contacted the technical support people somewhere like 4 times… that’s 2 years.  Each time I was told to go clear the unit’s memory and make sure that my PC is in the correct time zone. This morning while on HOLD, I looked at the Knowledgebase. It appears that it is a CM15A Software/Firmware problem.

It looks like people who live in areas that do not have daylight savings time are getting the runaround. We need a firm answer on what is being done to rectify this problem. We also need the name and contact information of the person who will be the focal point for getting this issue resolved. If the answer is a new hardware unit, I believe those of us who live in the non-daylight savings time regions, and are having problems running our units are entitled to either a new unit or a discount on the superseding unit.

There, I’ve said how I feel, now let's get this thing resolved. Two+ years is too long.

[tucsonuser]

[Oh BTW, I’m using ActiveHome Pro Ver 3.204. The software was updated on 7/2006. I checked this morning and there are any new software updates.

[tucsonuser]

I'm pretty sure the problem is that we're
storing DST change dates for Arizona when we
shouldn't be. We'll fix this soon. Too late
for the change, but at least it will be right
in October.

"SOON"?   It's been 2 years and approx 6 months.

[tucsonuser]

DST changes used to be beneficial, though
I'd vote to just stop changing or change to
DST then leave it there, lot of work with
little or no benefit.    Till this happens
though, X10 should clean up AHP, seems
silly that they did not catch this one.....

I think we should leave the clocks in standard time. When spring and fall come around just change the start and stop time of the employees. Well get up and hour early in the spring and reset in fall. This who daylight savings thing has caused many problem with program scheduling and other meetings.

That’s my 2 cents worth.

[tucsonuser]

The AHPro S/W shouldn’t need to have a
check box to select DST as there is one in
Windows that can be used.  I gather that
was their intent, but something isn’t
working properly.
 

Yep. That’s where it went wrong. Somebody didn’t COMPLETELY test the changes. I say put the DST check box back.[/b]

[Walt2]

If the answer is a new hardware unit, I believe those of us who live in the non-daylight savings time regions, and are having problems running our units are entitled to either a new unit or a discount on the superseding unit.

Well, to be fair, that is more the responsibility of your congressman/woman, and not X10.  Write to him/her and explain just how much trouble they caused you.

My old VCR changed time this past weekend, and  BTW, it sync's with my local PBS station (which apparently hasn't updated its own broadcast equipment yet).

[tucsonuser]

Here’s how the Smarthome people step up to the plate. This morning I received an email from   Eric Boyd prioritysupport@x10.com   that points to this article.     http://kbase.x10.com/wiki/DST_in_AHP

The article is as follows.
How is time kept on the computer interface? Will it lose time if it isn't connected to the PC?
How does ActiveHome Pro know when Daylight Savings Time is?
Answer
Since there are enough places in the US that do not use Daylight Savings Time anyhow, AHP copies the time, date, and Daylight Savings Time settings from your computer. ActiveHome Pro is designed to keep time when running by itself. If you have Windows Update turned on, that should keep your Daylight Savings Time information in sync with whatever changes are made. If your CM15A has been running by itself for a very long time, you may want to hook it back up to the PC and run Tools-Download Timers and Macros to make sure it has the correct dates for Daylight Savings Time.

Just for the record I’ve cleared and refreshed the memory numerous times, I run Windows update weekly and the problem remains. So now after approx 2.5 years after they said they had a problem, they are changing their tune. What a cop out.

[tucsonuser]

If the answer is a new hardware unit, I believe those of us who live in the non-daylight savings time regions, and are having problems running our units are entitled to either a new unit or a discount on the superseding unit.

Well, to be fair, that is more the responsibility of your congressman/woman, and not X10.  Write to him/her and explain just how much trouble they caused you.

My old VCR changed time this past weekend, and  BTW, it sync's with my local PBS station (which apparently hasn't updated its own broadcast equipment yet).

I agree with who's responsibility it is for the invocation of daylight savings time.

Frankly I'm not concerned with your VCR. I'm really only concerned with the CM15A attempting to adjust the clock when it should not.

[tucsonuser]

Okay, so here’s what I just did just to show that I’ll willing to work on this problem..... some more. I know it appeared that my old PC didn’t have the latest DST date as it changed this week. So maybe my old PC didn’t get that update or it came in after I reset the CM15A.

Even if my old PC did not have the latest Windows updates I see no reason for the DST flag to be activated, as I’m not in a DST region.

1.   Updated Windows on my newer machine.
2.   Reset my Windows XP region to Tucson.
3.   Pulled the batteries out of my CM15A.
4.   Reinstalled the batteries in the CM15A.
5.   Ran AHP and cleared the CM15A memory. I know, removing the batteries should have done this. Humor me.
6.   Set my preferences to another time zone, and then back to Tucson.
7.   Updated the interface.
8.   Downloaded Timers and Macros.
9.   Saved the file.
10.   Closed AHP.
11.   Removed the CM15A from the PC and plugged it in the wall.

I’ll now wait to see when the OFFICIAL daylight savings changes in the USA, if it affects my CM15A unit.

ONLY TIME WILL TELL. No pun.

[Charles Sullivan]

   <snip>
5.   Ran AHP and cleared the CM15A memory. I know, removing the batteries should have done this. Humor me.
   <snip>

FYI: The CM15A has non-volatile memory; unplugging and removing the batteries will not clear it.

[tucsonuser]

   <snip>
5.   Ran AHP and cleared the CM15A memory. I know, removing the batteries should have done this. Humor me.
   <snip>

FYI: The CM15A has non-volatile memory; unplugging and removing the batteries will not clear it.

WOW NVS who would have thought that? THANKS. Anyway, that's what technical support has told me NUMEROUS times in the past.