Vortec4800 Posted May 27, 2008 Posted May 27, 2008 I see a few programs that check if an Insteon device is turned on as part of the condition, but I can't tell how to do this with an X10 switch. I tried the status = on X10 command but it didn't do anything. Basically I have a motion detector I'm hooking up to a light on X10 but if the light is already on I don't want the program to run.
d_l Posted May 28, 2008 Posted May 28, 2008 Most X10 devices aren't two-way as the Insteon devices are so they won't respond to a request for a status. So you have to write programs to keep track of the status of all your X10 devices if this is important to you. I have a whole series of "X10 status " programs. They all are simple like this example: If X10 'F11/On (3)' is Received Or X10 'F11/Off (11)' is not Received Then - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') If the device is on, the program will read True and if off, it will be False. BTW, because I have a lot of these type programs, I designated them with an asterisk at the start, e.g. "* Guestroom Fan", of the name. This enables the Program Summary tab to sort all of them to the top when I want to check the X10 programs.
Vortec4800 Posted May 28, 2008 Author Posted May 28, 2008 Interesting, so those programs basically act as Boolean variables for the X10 devices. Sounds good to me, thanks!
d_l Posted May 28, 2008 Posted May 28, 2008 I pretty much use those programs as the X10 equivalent of the Main tab. I believe that Universal Devices has plans for some firmware additions to the ISY that will help keep track of the X10 device status similar to the function of my programs.
johne Posted August 15, 2008 Posted August 15, 2008 hmm. I have set up status_scripts for all of my X10 devices, but they don't seem to be tracking the status very well. I turned the Event Viewer tracking to 0 and it's not showing any X10 traffic. The funny thing is I have Homeseer running on one of my computers and its interface is plugged INTO the ISY-99 PLM, and Homeseer is seeing lots and lots of X10 traffic. Here's a copy of one of my status_scripts: If X10 'M3/On (3)' is Received Or X10 'M/All Lights On (5)' is Received Or X10 'M3/Off (11)' is not Received Or X10 'M/All Units Off (13)' is not Received Then - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated. I haven't moved the ISY/PLM yet since Homeseer is seeing traffic, but I'm considering it. -John
Algorithm Posted August 15, 2008 Posted August 15, 2008 hmm. I have set up status_scripts for all of my X10 devices, but they don't seem to be tracking the status very well. I turned the Event Viewer tracking to 0 and it's not showing any X10 traffic. The funny thing is I have Homeseer running on one of my computers and its interface is plugged INTO the ISY-99 PLM, and Homeseer is seeing lots and lots of X10 traffic. Here's a copy of one of my status_scripts: If X10 'M3/On (3)' is Received Or X10 'M/All Lights On (5)' is Received Or X10 'M3/Off (11)' is not Received Or X10 'M/All Units Off (13)' is not Received Then - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated. I haven't moved the ISY/PLM yet since Homeseer is seeing traffic, but I'm considering it. -John Hello John, Please change your program to: If ( X10 'M3/On (3)' is Received Or X10 'M/All Lights On (5)' is Received ) And X10 'M3/Off (11)' is not Received And X10 'M/All Units Off (13)' is not Received Then - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') which should reflect the correct status. In the Event Viewer, please try changing the Level to 1 or 2, and you should see the X-10 traffic.
johne Posted August 16, 2008 Posted August 16, 2008 Beautiful! Both suggestions were spot on. Thanks Darrell!
Algorithm Posted August 17, 2008 Posted August 17, 2008 Beautiful! Both suggestions were spot on. Thanks Darrell! My pleasure! Thanks for the update; I'm so glad it is what you needed.
johne Posted August 17, 2008 Posted August 17, 2008 I have been fairly successful with the ISY-99 running 2.6.6 code, and I'm able to monitor X10 traffic using the Event Viewer set to level 2. HOWEVER, not all of the X10 traffic is getting logged at the ISY-99 and I'm not sure why. I'm trying to migrate to the ISY-99 from Homeseer, and right now I have the Homeseer communication module (CM11A) plugged into the back of the PLM that connects to the ISY-99. The funny thing is that Homeseer is seeing (and logging) X10 traffic that never appears in the ISY-99 Event Viewer, specifically traffic from my X10 wireless remote that I use to turn on/off the lights on my main floor. Given that the traffic has to flow through the ISY-99 PLM to get to Homeseer, I don't understand why the ISY-99 isn't logging it. Is there something else I can do on the PLM or ISY-99 to see more information about the X10 traffic that is flowing?
d_l Posted August 17, 2008 Posted August 17, 2008 John, is it missing X10 traffic from specific modules or are the missing commands randomly distributed across all your units?
johne Posted August 17, 2008 Posted August 17, 2008 hmm. so far it's just that one remote/module which I find completely odd... I figured that since Homeseer was seeing it, then it's clearly on the "wire" and the PLM should be catching it too. I'll break out my old (ugly) x10 remote as well as a different X10 transceiver to see if that makes a difference.
johne Posted August 18, 2008 Posted August 18, 2008 Son of a gun. I found an extra X10 receiving module, and set it to the same house code as the other one, and now the PLM/ISY-99 is seeing the X10 commands from the remote control. I guess this is one of the reasons why SmartLabs came up with Insteon, eh?
d_l Posted August 18, 2008 Posted August 18, 2008 Yeah, X10 (and Insteon too sometimes) can give quirky results.
IndyMike Posted August 19, 2008 Posted August 19, 2008 Johne, I'm curious what model transceiver you replaced (TM751?) and what you replaced it with. It's possible that your "old" device was not allowing a 3-cycle gap between X10 transmissions. My Smarthome "Testerlinc" regularly flags X10 brand devices for not providing the correct gap between successive X10 commands while my Switchlinc devices (X10 mode) do not generate this error. I have read that certain Elk devices will completely ignore "X10 brand" communications for the same reason. IM Son of a gun. I found an extra X10 receiving module, and set it to the same house code as the other one, and now the PLM/ISY-99 is seeing the X10 commands from the remote control. I guess this is one of the reasons why SmartLabs came up with Insteon, eh?
johne Posted August 20, 2008 Posted August 20, 2008 Hi IM, The old unit was the X10-branded "Transceiver Module RR501" and the unit that ended up working is the "IBM Home Director HD501 02K1040". I actually have both plugged in right now, using the same house code; I figured it wouldn't hurt to have them both working at the same time, however the ISY picks up the signals just fine if I only use the IBM module. It doesn't pick up the signals if I just use the X10-branded module. -John
Brian H Posted August 20, 2008 Posted August 20, 2008 I believe the HD501 is the OEM module made by X10 that is like the RR501. I have had an RR501s power supply fail and do strange things. I rebuilt mine and again it is fine.
IndyMike Posted August 21, 2008 Posted August 21, 2008 johne, As Brian indicated, I believe your transceivers are both manufactured by X10. That being the case, my theory of the "3 cycle gap" protocol doesn't hold water. It is possible that your "old" RR501 is in fact dying, as Brian has suggested. You mentioned that you had "both devices" installed and that things were functioning. Could you possibly plug your "old" unit into the "new" unit location? If your system works with this configuration, I'd suggest that you have a new signal absorber in your home. In my experience, the PLM does a pretty good job receiving X10 signals (sensitivity). The CM11a may, however, have better X10 sensitivity (or AGC) that allows it to receive when the PLM cannot. IM
Algorithm Posted September 2, 2008 Posted September 2, 2008 Most X10 devices aren't two-way as the Insteon devices are so they won't respond to a request for a status. So you have to write programs to keep track of the status of all your X10 devices if this is important to you. I have a whole series of "X10 status " programs. They all are simple like this example: If X10 'F11/On (3)' is Received Or X10 'F11/Off (11)' is not Received Then - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') If the device is on, the program will read True and if off, it will be False. BTW, because I have a lot of these type programs, I designated them with an asterisk at the start, e.g. "* Guestroom Fan", of the name. This enables the Program Summary tab to sort all of them to the top when I want to check the X10 programs. Dave, Thanks so much for this. I have written it up for the wiki: Tracking X-10 Device Status.
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