Can't take it anymore! How the heck do you set up X10!!???

[hjackson]

I tried XAP, and it was too complicated for me. My last questions about it were never answered. I used to be able to run my CM11a off command lines, but that mysteriously stopped working. I now have the USB CM15 Smarthome controller. I cannot get it to work. Its been almost 2 years. I've followed the examples in the default skin, and it still doesn't work. I don't know if you have to set up the Smarthome software suite first or not. I'm not even sure if the SH.exe is the proper command line utility. 6 years of fussing with Girder and it still makes me want to blow my head off. At this point, if someone can just tell me what the proper command line syntax would be for the above X10 device on an XP Pro PC, I would be very greatful.
Thanks in advance.

hjackson

[sharp_1]

I have a simple SDK from Activehome that is suppose to run the CM15A. Now I say that because I had it running for about 3 months then it stopped working and I have yet to get it to work again.

I set up batch files with xl using the free ahcmd.exe and it worked...for awhile. Maybe you'll have better luck then I.

Here is a post from analogroaming that gave me the direction. http://www.xlobby.com/forum/viewtopic.p ... ome#p27824

[P3rv3rt B3ar]

mayby try girder? thats how i did setup mine. Free girder has plugins for several interfaces.

[sharp_1]

6 years of fussing with Girder and it still makes me want to blow my head off.

Did the bear not see or is he hoping that we lose hjackson too???

Good luck with whatever you decide as a solution hjackson.

[P3rv3rt B3ar]

6 years of fussing with Girder and it still makes me want to blow my head off.

Did the bear not see or is he hoping that we lose hjackson too???

Oops totally missed that...
i guess sniffing too much honey lately...
just trying to help though...

[hjackson]

Thanks Sharp_1 but I was unable to get it to work. My next solution is to use an IR controlled X10 Command Console. I will use the USBUIRT to send the IR commands to it. My only concern is that the USBUIRT might not be able to learn or transmit the IR signal. I should be getting it in a couple of days and will post when I get to try it out.

hjackson

[fsamuelsson]

Try Eventghost if you haven´t tried that yet..

http://www.eventghost.org/wiki/EventGhost:About

[sharp_1]

Thanks Sharp_1 but I was unable to get it to work. My next solution is to use an IR controlled X10 Command Console. I will use the USBUIRT to send the IR commands to it. My only concern is that the USBUIRT might not be able to learn or transmit the IR signal. I should be getting it in a couple of days and will post when I get to try it out.

hjackson

Please let me know if your solution works with the X10 command console...I will have to try it if it does.

Did you see it available from Worthington Dist for $19.95 another on ebay for $13.99?

[jowaldo]

I remember askin Steven about this a few months ago, and he told me that the USB interface should work, but I have a serial port firecracker (CM-17A) and he said that wasn't supported at the moment.

I know this doesn't really help, but I figured it might for other people lookin at this.

[sharp_1]

I remember askin Steven about this a few months ago, and he told me that the USB interface should work

Are you saying that you think the CM15A USB interface should work with the last free version?

[jowaldo]

I remember askin Steven about this a few months ago, and he told me that the USB interface should work

Are you saying that you think the CM15A USB interface should work with the last free version?

I was told by Steven back in July that xlobby supported it. However, I can't say for certain if the last free version did or not.

[sharp_1]

I was told by Steven back in July that xlobby supported it. However, I can't say for certain if the last free version did or not.

The freeware version of xLobby does in fact support the CM15a x10 controller, I have verified and tested for about a week now.

[scottw]

I was told by Steven back in July that xlobby supported it. However, I can't say for certain if the last free version did or not.

The freeware version of xLobby does in fact support the CM15a x10 controller, I have verified and tested for about a week now.

I have been using this for months with the CM15a to turn my amp on and off. My amp is located right next to my xl server and everything else. I am disappointed in X10, if you try to put anything on a different "circuit" ( I think that's right) it does not work without added stuff to your electrical box. Like I said mine works fine as long as it's close to the CM15a which is all I need. I am also using the "free"version.

[jowaldo]

I was told by Steven back in July that xlobby supported it. However, I can't say for certain if the last free version did or not.

The freeware version of xLobby does in fact support the CM15a x10 controller, I have verified and tested for about a week now.

I have been using this for months with the CM15a to turn my amp on and off. My amp is located right next to my xl server and everything else. I am disappointed in X10, if you try to put anything on a different "circuit" ( I think that's right) it does not work without added stuff to your electrical box. Like I said mine works fine as long as it's close to the CM15a which is all I need. I am also using the "free"version.

yeah it gets tricky then... i think you need those "repeater" things when that happens... which is a pain and really kept me from doin more with x10 stuff

[samgreco]

X-10 is tricky at best. You do need a phase coupler. In a typical home, in the US anyway, electrical comes into the home as 240 volts, then is split into 2 phases, each leg 120 volts. If you have AC or Oven or Dryer that needs 240v, it uses one leg from each phase.

So what happens is, the X-10 signal on one phase doesn't cross over, since it is really seperate. Coupled with the weak signal of X-10, it can be very unreliable.

So Google X-10 phase-coupler. You'll find lots of info.

I still use some X-10, but switched to UPB for most lighting. VERY reliable technology. I got a phase-coupler for it, but haven't needed to install it yet.

Insteon is supposed to be backwards compatible with X-10, but they had some issues early on. I'm hearing that it is much better now.