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Author Topic: Unbelievable  (Read 4871 times)

Very Unhappy Person 47

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Unbelievable
« on: August 09, 2005, 12:19:26 AM »

If a software/hardware combination package I
purchase works well out of the box, with even
SOME minor issues, I will continue to support
the vendor and give my respect.  Good job on
the video, the X10 hardware guys seem to know
something.  Software developers? BAAAAH.
This is an "application" in the pre-beta
phase of testing, at least it should be. I
encountered an enormous number of bugs in the
first 10 minutes of attempted execution and
crashed repeatedly.  This is a poor, poor
interface and should be pulled until some
testing is done on various OS's.  X10 - I
look forward to getting my refund.
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X10 Pro

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Re: Unbelievable
« Reply #1 on: August 09, 2005, 02:49:25 PM »

I'm sorry that you that you had such problems
with the product and I understand your desire
for a refund. Can you tell us any more about
the problems you saw (and specifically which
product) so that we can improve or address them?
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mike

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Re: Unbelievable
« Reply #2 on: June 25, 2006, 08:33:12 AM »

I had hard time getting into why the video crashes but your post and others helped me come up with the following possible work around.  I am cc'ing it as post to many video crash posts to get the word around.....
---------------------------------

You do know that their install program often installs an IPB camera driver rather than x10 driver, right?  If this happens, I found that even simple snap shots every 30 seconds would crash AHP anywhere from 1-20 minutes! Getting this install right per their note:

----------------------------------------------
Greetings from X10,

It sounds like the VA11A is not being loaded correctly.  If you have not done so already, please download and install the x10drivers.exe file from the website below:

http://www.x10.com/software

After installing that reboot the computer and then check in the device manager for windows.  Once there look under the imaging devices catagory to and look for the x10 va11a.  If that is not listed but you see a device there called Intel PC camera pro then follow the next steps.

1.  Right click on intel pc camera pro.  Select update driver.
2.  If it askes you to connnect to microsoft say no not at this time.
3.  Next choose to install from a list or a specific location.
4.  Then the choice that says "Dont search, I will choose the driver to install.
5.  On the next screen select the X10 VA11A Video Capture adapter.
6.  It will then begin a found new hardware and begin to install the drivers. On the next windows just choose continue anyway.  And then it should come back up with some found new hardware.  Choose to install automatcially on both of the next screens.

Follow that procedure and the va11a should now work properly.  The procedure might look slightly different that how I have described it but it will be similar.  Try it and then get backto us if there are further problems.


Thanks
-Nathan
X10 Customer Support
1-800-675-3044 Ext 2754

------------------------------------------

So if your driver is ok, then you are victim of their bad coding in AVIdll thingy.  I found what seems so far to be a work around below.  Hope it helps....
---------------------------------

Seems the issue is the poorly written video dll in AHP crashes if you tell it to record AGAIN while still recording - OR MAKING THE AVI FILE AFTERWARDS - TAKES 40 SECONDS ON MY COMPUTER.   X10 could easily fix this by properly closing an open compile session beforer starting another one - this should not have to be taken care of by the user for crying out loud!

So you have to use some condition that stops a macro from trying to START RECORDING while one is in use, or for the time afterwards that it takes AHP to actual compile the Avi file - from what I can see. 

Since flags no longer work as conditions, I did the following and THINK I have a working recording multi camera system....  I sent this to tech support along with abouit 40 others and all they ever send back is canned reply that my driver is wrong, reinstall.....

Guys, I seem to have found a work around somewhat to flags not being useable for conditions.  I made a fake 2 way appliance module called B16 and am setting it when I trigger a macro for a camera that will include capturing 30 seconds of video.  I use it for the condition on the other macros so they do not start if one is already on.  Seems to work so far.

AHP takes  40 seconds - on my computer - to compile the captured video after recording stops and actually make an AVI file - it is 0 bytes long until this time is up at end of recording.  If I trigger another video capture before this time is up, it appears 50-50% chance that I will end up with the first one 0 bytes long and hence lead to the AHP crash.  Is this true?

So I've added a 40 second timer at end of each video recording macro just before I turn B16 flag back off.  So far so good....
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Mystyx

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Re: Unbelievable
« Reply #3 on: June 29, 2006, 01:29:15 AM »

Quote
Seems the issue is the poorly written video dll in AHP crashes if you tell it to record AGAIN while still recording - OR MAKING THE AVI FILE AFTERWARDS - TAKES 40 SECONDS ON MY COMPUTER.   X10 could easily fix this by properly closing an open compile session beforer starting another one

Ive asked about this too (mainly closing one before the other) but that isn't in the core software and would of course cost money to reprogram? so they are working other ways around this I guess. :)

Quote
AHP takes  40 seconds - on my computer - to compile the captured video after recording stops and actually make an AVI file - it is 0 bytes long until this time is up at end of recording.  If I trigger another video capture before this time is up, it appears 50-50% chance that I will end up with the first one 0 bytes long and hence lead to the AHP crash
seems so / possible :)

Quote
So I've added a 40 second timer at end of each video recording macro just before I turn B16 flag back off.  So far so good....
sounds like it would work ok...
But with this sort of setup...   if you are recording one session and something triggers on a different camera you would not get the second camera as long as the first is still recording? meaning if your front door triggered record... wait 30sec, then wait 40sec for it to capture...  while that happened, the thief walked around back broke into your house and still got out of the house before the first camera finished?

I once watched someone walk down my back alley, then walk around the front, I guess broke into a house and was again walking down the back alley with A napsack full and smokin a cig....   less then 5sec after she  passed me I heard the house alarm go off :)
30sec delay on most house alarms...  maybe this house has a 1min delay... either way We need fast responses!!! :)
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Anything is Possible, NOW!! But What can I afford?!
I Can't Afford Time, cause Money is so Important!!
 

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