Problem with setting up X-10 devices

[Uncle Michael]

It is very arbitrary as to which devices will work and which ones won't. For instance, L6 works fine. L7 does not. Switch the code on device L7 to L6 and it works. Its as if the HS3 CM11A plug-in isn't transmitting the code L7.

I have never seen a problem like that, thank goodness.

I assume you are using the same CM11 plugged into the same outlet in all cases (including HS2 vs. HS3). I have had numerous cases where a specific circuit - or even a specific outlet - was problematic. Have you tried using an extension cord to test the CM11 on different outlets?
Also, the CM11 output is not very strong. I moved to an XTB 232 several years ago and saw a significant improvement in performance.

Do you have access to an X10 meter? It might be helpful in tracking down the source of the problem.

The stumper is the difference between HS2 and HS3. I haven't noticed any difference between the two related to the power line signal itself. It was getting HS3 to send the signal I wanted (especially preset dim) that was the major problem for me. That, and figuring out how to create an X10 device properly.

[mfisher]

What is the trick? I can't seem to figure out how to get an X10 device to configure properly. Some of them work. Some don't. It's not the devices themselves, it is HS3. If I run HS2, they work. If I run HS3 the same devices and device codes don't work. It is very arbitrary as to which devices will work and which ones won't. For instance, L6 works fine. L7 does not. Switch the code on device L7 to L6 and it works. Its as if the HS3 CM11A plug-in isn't transmitting the code L7. I followed the post on how to create an X10 device, but that only worked arbitrarily.

Rob, this is very odd behavior! Can you please post what hardware & OS you're using, what version of HS3 and what version of the X10 plugin you are using? Also, when you are switching between HS2 & HS3 is this on the same machine, same ports and same interface to the CM11A? If not, please describe the differences.

As a test, delete the offending L7 device, recreate it according to the procedure here and try controlling it again. Also, on the Manage Plugins page enable 'Developer Mode' and let us know if you get any error messages when trying to control one of the devices that are not controllable.

[outbackrob]

The stumper is the difference between HS2 and HS3. I haven't noticed any difference between the two related to the power line signal itself. It was getting HS3 to send the signal I wanted (especially preset dim) that was the major problem for me. That, and figuring out how to create an X10 device properly.

The problem is definitely not with power line or with the devices. Running HS2 it works. Shut down HS2 and run HS3 and it doesn't work. ....well, sorta.

The problem seems to be solely with creation of the X10 device in HS3. Why would L6 work and L7 does not? Because L6 was somehow set up so that HS3 and the X10 plugin can communicate and work together. How? I have no idea. Following the posted method does not always work.

HOWEVER. If you have one that DOES work (for whatever reason) if you make a copy of it and then change the name and the address (through the X10 tab) then it will work.

So weird.

[outbackrob]

Rob, this is very odd behavior! Can you please post what hardware & OS you're using, what version of HS3 and what version of the X10 plugin you are using? Also, when you are switching between HS2 & HS3 is this on the same machine, same ports and same interface to the CM11A? If not, please describe the differences.

As a test, delete the offending L7 device, recreate it according to the procedure here and try controlling it again. Also, on the Manage Plugins page enable 'Developer Mode' and let us know if you get any error messages when trying to control one of the devices that are not controllable.

I am running W7Pro with all updates. I am running the latest HS3 and the latest X10 plug in. 30036. When switching, it is the same machine with the same hardware. NOTHING changes except that HS3 is running instead of HS2. It works with HS2. It does not work with HS3.

I have deleted and recreated L7 multiple times. The only thing I have found that worked (temporarily it seems. More later) is by copying the ones that work and renaming and re-addressing them. I will try the developer mode now and see what I get. THANKS!

[outbackrob]

I will try the developer mode now and see what I get. THANKS!

I clicked the developer box and stopped and started the plug in. I get a message, instead of disabled or OK, that says INFO: Starting...

Now no X10 powerline devices are working. Something must have gotten dorked up. I will reboot when I get back home in 20 mins.

[outbackrob]

J9 controls an event that is supposed to turn on L7. It does not.

Jun-05 2:55:43 PM X10 DEBUG CM11A Got ack of: 55
Jun-05 2:55:42 PM X10 DEBUG CM11A Checksum OK, sending 0 Jun-05 2:55:42 PM X10 DEBUG CM11A Got checksum: B8
Jun-05 2:55:42 PM X10 DEBUG CM11A Sending: 6 B2 Size: 2
Jun-05 2:55:42 PM X10 DEBUG CM11A Got ack of: 55
Jun-05 2:55:42 PM X10 DEBUG CM11A Checksum OK, sending 0 Jun-05 2:55:42 PM X10 DEBUG CM11A Got checksum: BB
Jun-05 2:55:42 PM X10 DEBUG CM11A Sending: 4 B7 Size: 2
Jun-05 2:55:42 PM Event Event Trigger "Remote Control Events - Office Amy Desk Light On - 9"
Jun-05 2:55:42 PM BLRF X10 J9 ON

J7 controls an event that is supposed to turn on L6. It works.


Jun-05 2:58:47 PM X10 DEBUG CM11A Got ack of: 55
Jun-05 2:58:46 PM X10 DEBUG CM11A Checksum OK, sending 0 Jun-05 2:58:46 PM X10 DEBUG CM11A Got checksum: B8
Jun-05 2:58:46 PM X10 DEBUG CM11A Sending: 6 B2 Size: 2
Jun-05 2:58:46 PM X10 DEBUG CM11A Got ack of: 55
Jun-05 2:58:46 PM X10 DEBUG CM11A Checksum OK, sending 0 Jun-05 2:58:46 PM X10 DEBUG CM11A Got checksum: BD
Jun-05 2:58:46 PM X10 DEBUG CM11A Sending: 4 B9 Size: 2
Jun-05 2:58:46 PM Event Event Trigger "Remote Control Events - Living Room Stars On - 7"
Jun-05 2:58:46 PM BLRF X10 J7 ON

Sorry, these are read bottom to top....

Rob

[Uncle Michael]

Rob,
If you click on the On or Off controls (on the device list page) for devices L6 and L7 is there any difference in the log entries compared to what you get when you use the remote?

[outbackrob]

Yes.

A press of L6 from the device page only shows this:

Jun-05 4:56:38 PM Device Control Device: Living Room X10 Living Room Stars to Off (0) by/from: CAPI Control Handler
Jun-05 4:56:33 PM Device Control Device: Living Room X10 Living Room Stars to On (100) by/from: CAPI Control Handler

A press of L7 from the device Page only shows this:

Jun-05 5:02:13 PM Device Control Device: Office X10 Amys Desk Lamp to Off (0) by/from: CAPI Control Handler
Jun-05 5:02:12 PM Device Control Device: Office X10 Amys Desk Lamp to On (100) by/from: CAPI Control Handler

Both remote events look similar to this:

IF BLRF: House Code: J, Device Code: 9 is ON
Then Set Device Office X10 Amys Desk Lamp to On


So again, the weird part is that I can change the device code from L7 to L6 on the same appliance module and it works. No matter where in the house I put an appliance module with L6 in the house, it works. If I change it to L7 it does not. I was able to copy L5 and change it to L4 (sofa lamp) and it worked. The difference between L4 and L7 is that L4 is a lamp module. It will dim perfectly fine. It is set up as Standard.

[Uncle Michael]

When you press L6 and L7 buttons from the device page, does L6 respond and L7 not?

[Uncle Michael]

FWIW, I created two X10 devices with Device Codes of 'L6' and 'L7'. When I attach a lamp to an appliance module it doesn't matter which code I set on the module. Both L6 and L7 control the lamp, at least from the device management page.

[outbackrob]

I believe that is because of the way your devices were created. I am doing something wrong that is causing them not to function. At some point I did it right, but I can no longer repeat it for some reason. HOWEVER, at least on lamp modules, I can copy a working version and then just change the name and address and it will usually work. A real PITA and horribly slow, but it works. It should help me get by until I can figure out what is causing the problem and either fix it or find a way around it.

It just sucks that it PERFECTLY works in HS2 and does not in HS3.

It REALLY sucks that HST has allegedly given up on X10. ....and I am going to stop right there before I get ugly.

[WfromL]

I can only confirm that there are serious problems with X10/X15 in HS3. My setup worked 99.9 % reliably in HS2 (and still does so when I occasionally fire up HS2) so "faulty" hardware is certainly not the cause.
I have been complaining about X10 ever since the first beta release of HS3, but as my remarks were ignored I simply stopped complaining. CM15A is worse than CM11A, problems are often not clearly reproducible but definitely depend on the way the device is created. Only yesterday I copied a simple ON/OFF device, the copy worked with CM11A, not with CM15A!.
I also can confirm that my setup works perfectly with HS3 running under Linux, so one more proof hardware is not to blame.
Still, my solution is now:

• I use RFXCOM for my X15 devices for which I have a number of the very handy SS13 remote controls
• I use the X10 emulation of Insteon for simple X10. I also replaced some X10 devices with Insteon hardware. Insteon works great but I see no point in spending money on replacing perfectly good X10 devices.

[TeleFragger]

[QUOTE=outbackrob;1249025]

X10 in HS3 is definitely an exercise plan for your patience. Once I got it configured, though....../QUOTE]

UNCLE!!!! (No wait. That was not directed at you, Uncle Michael. That was me about 3AM this morning when I had had enough of HS3's X10 capabilities...or lack there of...)

What is the trick? I can't seem to figure out how to get an X10 device to configure properly. Some of them work. Some don't. It's not the devices themselves, it is HS3. If I run HS2, they work. If I run HS3 the same devices and device codes don't work. It is very arbitrary as to which devices will work and which ones won't. For instance, L6 works fine. L7 does not. Switch the code on device L7 to L6 and it works. Its as if the HS3 CM11A plug-in isn't transmitting the code L7. I followed the post on how to create an X10 device, but that only worked arbitrarily.

FYI I have the same problem. Always have with HS3... I dont get it and I have so many X10 devices that I cant afford to replace them all and also juggling x10 codes around could work BUT I have a standard I use..

10 is for lights
15/16 is for MS13a's


I have 10 x 23890w togglelinc 2 way switches and 19 ms13a motion sensors. For me to go zwave with it all would not be cheap nor approved by the wife...


some will work and others wont. I will then set a code I know works in my house for one of those and it works... frustrating...

hence why right now I do not have time and have nothing setup other than concord 4 plugin but even that I am going to remove from my alarm panel so I can shut the HS pc down. Going to remove everything in my rack to clean it all up and start over....but that isnt until server 2016 essentials is released in November-ish...

to which I will be using Server 2016 Essentials and possibly try and do Hyper-v for HS2 and HS3. We will see from there...

[langenet]

I didn't think that any issues with X-10 are related to RF X-10 like the MS13a.
I handle RF X-10 with the RFXCOM plugin without issue.

I too had issues with X-10 when I started, but have since resolved by adding them correctly. I also use a TI103 so I'm not sure if they behave better or I'm just lucky..

Robert

[Uncle Michael]

I believe that is because of the way your devices were created. I am doing something wrong that is causing them not to function. At some point I did it right, but I can no longer repeat it for some reason.

I too had issues with X-10 when I started, but have since resolved by adding them correctly.

I agree. Creating a new X10 device correctly is A) tricky, B) a hassle, C) frustrating, and D) critical.

In my experience - repeated yesterday as I was trying to create some test devices - the first and most frustrating obstacle is that when first adding a new device, the device often does not display for further editing. Instead, it is buried in the device list with floor/room of Unknown/Unknown.

While that is a needless extra step for most devices, for an X10 device it is a terminal failure because the X10 tab is gone (forever) and the device cannot be used for X10. The only option is to delete it and try again... and again... and again... until the new device opens for editing.

At that point, if I give it a name and then immediately go to the X10 tab and assign it a code and press done, the device seems to work reliably and can be edited further without affecting its performance.

Have any of you seen other problems creating a new X10 device?