Re: X10 programming from PC

[AZ Woody <reply@here>]

It's "Linux" and not "Finux", and Neil posts here quite often.

The CM11/12 is made by X10, but there are other things like it available
from other vendors....

Why join a google group, when the author is here on usenet?


frank.agee@xxxxxxxxx wrote:


> Who makes these CM11 and CM12 units?  Do other people make such?
>
> Have you read Finux Smart Homes for Dummies, by Neil Cherry?
>
> Come Join:
> http://groups.google.com/group/realtime_signal_and_control
>
> realtime_signal_and_control@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
>
> Geordie wrote:
>> "Staiger" <Staiger@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> news:g-adnYo8t_qaH43YRVny2g@xxxxxxxxx
>>> In my experience the CM11/12 is the most unreliable piece of junk you can
>>> buy.  I've been using ActiveHome recently, like Geordie, and have found
>>> that after a few downloads of "timers and macros" the CM11 just stops
>>> responding. There are clearly problems with the software in the CM11/12,
>>> and it's appalling that the manufacturers haven't fixed it after all these
>>> years.
>>>
>>> However, if you unplug it, remove the batteries and wait, refit the
>>> batteries, plug it in and start again it works again.  Obviously a
>>> software lockup.
>>>
>>> My suggestion to Geordie is to do that, rather than replacing the unit,
>>> when it goes wrong next time (which it surely will).
>>>
>>> Incidentally, I'm pretty unhappy with ActiveHome.  It's a 16-bit
>>> application which hasn't been updated in years, and has a very clunky look
>>> and feel to it.  I tried Harmony, but it looks like it's been put together
>>> by someone who's just learned Visual Basic so, like Geordie, I also will
>>> be writing my own control program.
>>>
>>> Geordie, what programming language/environment are you using?  I was gonna
>>> use Delphi, with which I'm reasonably familiar.
>>>
>>> Thack
>> One thing that convinced me my CM12 was beyond hope, was that it didn't get
>> warm in the right places (around the transformer).  I had effectively
>> already done a cold-start when I tried replacing the batteries without
>> effect.
>>
>> After I replaced the unit, I opened it up.  The build quality reminded me
>> 1960's transistor radios - the first ones, just after they stopped using
>> miniature valves.  Paper-based PCB, globs of solder and globs of rubber
>> cement (do I really want something like this connected to the househuld
>> wiring?).  This was a serial-port version - I don't know whether the
>> replacement USB versions are any better.
>>
>> My software is on the back burner now that the system is running again (and,
>> when the h/w is so flaky, do I really want to spend time writing s/w for
>> it?).  I'm using C++Builder - I like Borland's language products but prefer
>> C(++) to Pascal.
>>
>> Cheers,
>> Geordie
>