Re: x10 Help

["Robert Green" <ROBERT_GREEN1963@xxxxxxxxx>]

"Frank Mc Alinden" <Frank.Mc.Alinden.2xlj5j@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote in message news:Frank.Mc.Alinden.2xlj5j@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> Hi Guys
>
> Bobby would you believe not only had i a bent pin on my test Homevision
> unit but also on my installed hv unit..;-)

Damn.  That's unusual.  I wonder if there's something wrong with one of the
plugs that you're using.  I've run into similar issues, but that's because I
was clipping a 4 pin unit into a 6 or 8 pin jack.

> Anyway  i now have Jeffs xtb11 up and running great in Booster mode it
> reach,s no matter where i locate a plugin module ;-)......I couldnt get
> it to work though connected directly to Homevision ..

That's odd.  Do you know what version of the board and PROM that's in the HV
unit?  Did you check for a bent pin in the XTB?  Maybe whatever's bending
pins in the HV units has done the same to Jeff's device.

>..didnt have enough
> time to do a thorough investigation as i also had to get another
> hardware device up and running which connects between Homevision and my
> CBUS lighting......

> Yes the 240v x10 prices are a bit high compared to the U.S. prices but
> then Oz prices for CBUS is much better (presently) than U.S.
> prices..;-)

Not suprising since CBUS seems to be more popular outside the US.

> Now that the Oz dollar is up around 88 US cents i think i will order a
> esm1 and see if i can mod it....I just assumed that the U.S. version
> may have used the mains frequency  as a reference for its 120khz signal
> ???

Apparently not.  But it's not an unreasonable assumption.

> Have ordered a 240v version maxi controller from Laser in the U.K. will
> i be able to use this to calibrate the ems1...???

If you're going to continue with the XTB, you'll need to recalibrate the
unit to match its much higher than normal output.  I would just set it so
that the signal at an outlet farthest away from the XTB shows a few bars.
What you really want to know is relative, rather than absolute signal
strength.  If it shows a few bars at the very end of a circuit, it should
still be able to register a drop if you put a new device on the line that
turns out to be a signal sucker.

Jeff's suggested putting it behind an X-10 filter to attenuate the XTB's
strong signal enough for it to register normally.  This might be a better
approach since it will retain its sensitivity to noise and would allow non
boosted devices to register normally with the filter removed.  Now that the
XTB is working, this might all be moot anyway, since you're probably not
going to experience low signal levels anywhere in a moderately sized house.
Still, I think it's a good thing to have.

--
Bobby G.