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[dwayne]

Does anyone have any idea how to get the IR
Commander to work? I could not get the
software to run, so I am playing with the
commands through the Active Home SDK to no
avail yet.

[roger1818]

To the best of my knowledge you can't use it from AHP or the SDK yet.  Hopefully this will change soon.  As far as I know, the only way to control the IR Commander is with the free software you download for it.  According to the product page, the software only supports the CM17A.  I am surprised that it doesn't also support the CM19A and CM15A since the firecracker software supports both of these interfaces.  Is this correct?

[billy]

dwayne,

The IR Commander (UX17A), VCR Commander(UX21A)  or VCR Commander II (UX23A)  have to be setup with X10 Commander software before you can use the RF codes..
roger1818 is correct,  you need a CM17A firecracker to run the X10 Commander software that will allow you set up the IR/VCR commander. I have the X10 Commander software on an old Win98se box, if I remember there are issues with X10 Commander and XP.
Once you have the IR/VCR Commander setup for the devices you want to control (TV, CD, VCR,DVD),  you can use the CM15A to send the RF commands.  You must use the "Old RF Remote Commands"  ie: 00TV, 03Power, 01MUTE....

ahcmd sendrf e1 00TV             (selects the TV device)
ahcmd sendrf e1 03POWER       
ahcmd sendrf e1 01MUTE

Make sure you include the 2 digits at the beginning of the command, that one bit me for awhile.

[roger1818]

Billy: Thanks for the information.  One question though.  What are the differences between the UX17A, UX21A and UX23A?

[X10 Pro]

UX17A has only the IR Commander features in it. UX21A and UX23A are VCR Commander & VCR Commander II, respectively. They have the features used by IR Commander, but are mainly used to start and stop recording on a VCR (or DVDR or DVR) based on input from X10 motion sensors.

[Tuicemen]

dwayne:
Inorder to get the Ir commander working you can't have any other X10 software installed on the PC.
I have it installed on an old windows 98 box as well as a XP box. It took some doing to get it installed and working in XP but I now have it running and sending commands.

[Tuicemen]

Billy: since you have the commander working using the Sdk are you running the sdk from win98 or XP? The old commands don't work for me with XP, Ahp reports a different code than what is documented in the help file! I've only tried controling the vcr, haven't tried the tv yet!

[billy]

Tuicemen,

I have X10 Commander running on my old "Win98 SE" box, normally with a Firecracker (CM17A)  & Mouse Remote Receiver(MR26A).  The CM19A USB Transceiver does work with X10 Commander on the Win98 box.  I have the SDK and AHP (no X10 Commander) on my "XP SP2" box.   I use the SDK (ahscript.dll, X10nets) for my applications using the CM19A.  My CM15A runs disconnected from the PC, and acts as a transceiver for the commands from the CM19A.

[Tuicemen]

humm I don't have  commander on the same machine as the SDK I didn't think the commander software needed to see the rf commands sent to the ircommander.
when I press TV power in the commander software my cm17a sends the command
RecieveRF E Power is seen with AHP Activity monitor  on my other pc
If i use the sdk and try to send the power command  the activity monitor in AHP sees
TransmitRF E Pause
TransmitRF E SkipNext
  Perhaps it is a cm15a issue !

[billy]

Tuicemen,

I'll check that out tonight when I get home, and let you know.

[billy]

Tuicemen,

Here's some of the commands and logs.

Send "TV Power" to VCR Commander UX21A (Toggles TV ON-OFF):
Note: must send the 63Release after each command.

Windows XP SP2 with CM19A:
C:AHP Projects>ahcmd sendrf e3 03Power
C:AHP Projects>ahcmd sendrf e3 63Release

Windows XP SP2 with CM15A:
C:AHP Projects>ahcmd sendrf e3 03Power
C:AHP Projects>ahcmd sendrf e3 63Release


NOTE: FIRST LINE IS LAST RECEIVED BY COMMAND LOGGER

Received on XP SP2 with CM15A:

From PERL app. MR House on Win98 SE Box:
recvrf e8 63Release -1 Tue May 16 02:03:29 CDT 2006
recvrf e8 63Release 0 Tue May 16 02:03:29 CDT 2006
recvrf e3 03Power -1 Tue May 16 02:03:29 CDT 2006
recvrf e3 03Power 0 Tue May 16 02:03:28 CDT 2006
recvrf e8 63Release -1 Tue May 16 02:03:28 CDT 2006
recvrf e8 63Release 0 Tue May 16 02:03:28 CDT 2006
recvrf e1 00TV -1 Tue May 16 02:03:27 CDT 2006
recvrf e1 00TV 0 Tue May 16 02:03:27 CDT 2006


From Commander on Win98 SE Box:
recvrf e8 63Release -1 Tue May 16 01:55:07 CDT 2006
recvrf e8 63Release 0 Tue May 16 01:55:06 CDT 2006
recvrf e3 03Power -1 Tue May 16 01:55:06 CDT 2006
recvrf e3 03Power 0 Tue May 16 01:55:05 CDT 2006
recvrf e8 63Release -1 Tue May 16 01:55:05 CDT 2006
recvrf e8 63Release 0 Tue May 16 01:55:05 CDT 2006
recvrf e1 00TV -1 Tue May 16 01:55:05 CDT 2006
recvrf e1 00TV 0 Tue May 16 01:55:04 CDT 2006
recvplc p16 On                     $ This is just part of Init of Commander, which I just ignore


'RecieveRF E Power is seen with AHP Activity monitor on my other pc
If i use the sdk and try to send the power command  the activity monitor in AHP sees
TransmitRF E Pause
TransmitRF E SkipNext'

Yes, I see the same thing, AHP does not handle the commands correctly.

[Tuicemen]

Hey thanks Billy!
Thought I was going of the deep end with the Activity monitor showing completly different commands!
So do I need the release command after the unit selection eg C:\AHP Projects>ahcmd sendrf e3 00TV?
or just after the action eg C:\AHP Projects>ahcmd sendrf e3 03Power?

Which command are you using for your vcr? 06VCRAux11, 11VCRAuxA, 47TVOrVCR or something else?

[billy]

Use ahcview.exe from the SDK page to monitor the commands using CM15A.

Yes,  the 63Release must be sent after each and every command.
Otherwise the VCR Commander will keep sending the IR command.
How do I know this?
I use an XCAM2 with a lens from a VC10A (old color indoor cam) which does not have an IR filter in it.
Now with modified IR cam I can see the flashing of the IR Emitters.

Removing the IR filter makes the XCAM2 an excellent low light cam, but it does screw up the colors!

[Tuicemen]

Use ahcview.exe from the SDK page to monitor the commands using CM15A.

I thought of this but since I'm using the cm15a to send the commands it only shows recieved thats why I used the Activity monitor!
I'll play more with this on the week end at least I know now not to rely on the activity monitor info! thanks again!

[steinie44]

I know that you can't program the IR Commander with AHP, but once it is programmed will it work with AHP?
I don't care if the activity monitor reports different commands.
I Just need Record and Stop to work.
ie; A1 on send Record, A1 off send Stop.