Will ActiveHome work with USB?

ActiveHome does not work with USB.

How do I fix error 4180, "X10COMM.VXD has failed to load...?"

This error occurs when another application has already been assigned to the communication port ActiveHome is trying to use. Check your available communication ports in Windows Device Manager (START | SETTINGS | CONTROL PANEL | SYSTEM | DEVICE MANAGER). Click on the plus (+) sign next to PORTS COM & LPT. Make note of the ports listed here. (Note: If your COM port settings were changed from the defaults, they may have to be reset.)

Next, open ActiveHome. Under CONFIGURATION | PREFERENCES, the available comports are displayed. Take note of the ports shown here. Then, CUSTOM UNINSTALL ActiveHome using ADD/REMOVE PROGRAMS in CONTROL PANEL. Select all files for deletion.

Reinstall ActiveHome. When prompted, select the COM port that Device Manager and ActiveHome have both recognized as available.

Where can I get the pinout for the CM11A cable?

The pinout is available in the CM11A protocol file in MSWord format on the ActiveHome CDROM. If you do not have the CDROM available, you can acquire it from our manuals page.

My lights turn on and off randomly *or* My interface clock gains/loses time.

Below is an example of what can cause abnormal lighting events when line noise is present on your house wiring. X10 codes A1 and A2 will be used for illustration, however, any code would apply.

If random signals are present on the power line when the A1 signal is transmitted, they can be interpreted by X10 modules as a part of the X10 command string.

The binary sequence for House code A is 0110. Unit 1 is 0110 and unit 2 is 1110. With the House and Unit codes put together, we get:

A1 = 01100110
A2 = 01101110

As you can see, the two commands are different in only one position. It only takes a random signal at the right time to change A1 to A2. Actually, the sequence of signals is more complex than the description so far; however, the explanation here demonstrates the basic concept. If you would like to know more about X10 transmission theory, please click here.

The odds of random noise coinciding with a user-activated, X10 command is quite low. It is more likely that random signals on the power line will match a valid X10 command sequence. The result is ‘ghost lighting’.

Another source of ghost lighting can come from a neighbor who has X10 equipment and is sharing the same transformer or is within range of your transceiver. The solution to this problem may be as simple as changing house codes. If you disconnect the interface cable from the computer, but leave it connected to the interface, the cable acts as an antenna, which could pick up random signals that the interface interprets as a valid command.

The ActiveHome interface uses the 60Hz from your power line to regulate its clock. If you have line noise, the interface may "see" more or less than sixty cycles per second, therefore, the clock advances or slows when it shouldn't.

To help determine if you have line noise, go to TOOLS | FIND OTHER COMPUTERS. This will list all 256 house-unit codes. Red dots represent codes the interface has detected that are not used in your current ActiveHome file. These codes could be legitimate transmissions by other X10 equipment, as well as random noise on the power line that has matched an X10 code.

Reset the screen. Go to CONFIGURATION | SET INTERFACE CLOCK. If it is out of synch with your system's time, reset it. Check back every hour or so for any red dots under FIND OTHER COMPUTERS. Also, check the clock to see if it has wandered. If a large number of red dots have appeared, this is a good indication of line noise.

Next, you will need a surge protector. If the surge protector has other devices plugged into it, remove them. The surge protector will create a "quiet" test area. Plug your interface into the surge protector and then plug your transceiver into the interface. Using your remote, make the transceiver's relay click on and off. Verify that the status of the transceiver in ActiveHome changes state. This verifies that communication between the interface and your computer is active. Reset the FIND OTHER COMPUTERS screen and synchronize the interface's clock, if necessary.

Check every few hours for changes. If many red dots appear and/or the clock wanders when the interface is plugged directly into an outlet, but nothing changes when it is in the surge protector, you are most likely dealing with line noise. Keep in mind, there is a greater chance of line noise at night due to the increased use of lights and appliances.

To determine the source of the line noise involves unplugging all of your appliances until the problem disappears. One by one, plug your appliances back in until the problem reappears. The source of the line noise may be a single appliance or a combination of appliances. Common sources are computers, TVs, refrigerators, intercoms, baby monitors, and malfunctioning outlets. If isolating the source is not determined by unplugging lights and appliances, try turning off various circuits using your breaker box. The source can also be from your utility provider or your neighbor's appliances.

If you are able to determine the source, and it is a plug-in device, you can acquire a filter to isolate the device from the rest of your home. If you are able to determine the source is from a specific circuit, a line noise reducer may help. Filters and noise reducers may be purchased through a local X10 dealer listed here.

My daylight savings setting doesn't seem to be working. What should I do?

Try the following:

1.   Verify that your daylight savings setting and system time is correct in Windows. Double click on the clock located on the task bar to access the daylight savings option.

2.   In ActiveHome, go to CONFIGURATION | GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION. Select the nearest city and the correct time zone.

3.   Uncheck the DST box.

4.   Go to CONFIGURATION | SET INTERFACE CLOCK and select Set Clock.

5.   Go back to the Geographic Location screen and reselect the DST box.

6.   Go back to the Set Interface Clock screen and set it once more.

7.   Test a timer to make sure daylight savings is working.

8.   If it works, save the file.

9.   If it doesn't work, go to FILE | NEW. Create a test module and a timer to go with it.

10. Go to step 2. If the new file works, save it and continue to use it. The other file may have been corrupted.

I have a TM751 transceiver from another X10 kit. Why does it not respond to my ActiveHome commands?

The TM751 does not have the necessary circuitry to respond to power line commands. It will respond to RF signals only.

Unlocking the CM11A Interface.

1. Unplug the CM11A Computer Interface and remove its batteries.

2. Plug the Interface back into the outlet, without battery power.

3. Plug your Transceiver (the module with the silver antenna) into the pass-through outlet of the CM11A.

4. Push the physical ON/OFF button on the Transceiver a couple times to hear the click of the relay. This will ensure you have power to the Interface.

5. Using any standard X10 remote control, turn the transceiver On and Off several times. Again, you should hear the unit audibly “clicking”.

6. Return to the TOOLS | TEST COMMUNICATIONS menu, and select TEST to verify successful communication to the CM11A has been restored.

What do the batteries in the CM11A Interface do?

The batteries maintain the CM11A clock when power fails in your home.

Can ActiveHome control the CP290?

No.

Can I connect ActiveHome to my PC's 25-pin port using an adapter?

Yes, the CM11A will function through a 9-pin to 25-pin (DB9 to DB25) serial adapter.

After I have downloaded my timers and/or macros to the CM11A Interface, do I have to keep the Interface connected to my computer?

No, the interface can be disconnected from the computer. However, if you disconnect the CM11A's cable from the computer, you should also disconnect it from the CM11A. Failing to do this may result in sporadic control of automation modules and inconsistent timer execution.

General

Do I have to plug my PC into the electrical outlet on the serial interface?
Can I use ActiveHome and still keep my computer on my Uninterruptible Power Supply?
How can I protect my computer from power surges and still use ActiveHome?
It is not necessary to plug the computer into the AC outlet on the front of the ActiveHome serial interface module (CM11A). The outlet is provided for convenience only, and does not affect operation of ActiveHome. If you wish to use an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) or surge protector on your computer, you should plug the computer into it, then plug the UPS or surge protector into an AC outlet. Plugging the CM11A into a UPS or surge protected power strip can distort X10 powerline signals, making control of lights difficult or impossible. You should plug the CM11A into a separate outlet.

How can I improve the range of my remotes?
Make sure that the transceiver [RR501] is not plugged in near a TV or other electronic device that can cause interference. It should be plugged in at least 12 feet from the computer. Check that the batteries in the remotes are working at full power. You can also purchase additional RR501s or an RF repeater [SR731] for better coverage.

Why can’t I turn any of my lamp(s) on and off?
There are several things that may cause this problem. Always make sure the module you are using is appropriate for the way you are trying to use it – use lights of 300 watts or less on a lamp module, for example. Make sure that PC communication with ActiveHome itself is working properly.

Can you control the lamp with a remote control? …from ActiveHome? Check to make sure the House and Unit codes set in ActiveHome are set the same as the physical modules. If using the 6-in1 Remote [UR47A], make sure the you have set it to the correct House Code:Press and release the X10 button on the remote.

Press and hold Setup until theUse the number buttons to enter the number equivalent to the chosen House Code (1=A, 2=B, …16=P)

Press the Enter button to confirm the selected House Code. The LED turns off.If you can control only some modules, but not all, then see below.

In most cases the signals transmitted by ActiveHome will control any Module plugged in anywhere in the house. The signal level transmitted is usually 4 to 5 volts but varies with line impedance and loading. However, the amplitude of signal required to operate a module is only 50 millivolts (0.05 volts) so there is enough tolerance in the transmit/receive ratio to allow for considerable signal attenuation. Most signal attenuation occurs when the signal has to "jump the phases."

Most houses are wired such that 220v (240V) is brought into the breaker panel and then split into 2 phases of 110v (120V) each. The signals from the Controller are transmitted onto one phase and have to travel all the way out to the pole transformer to couple across to the other phase. The amplitude of signal on the "other" phase can therefore be greatly reduced.

Signals can be "coupled" to the other phase by having an electrician install a 0.1 microfarad (0.1µF), 600VDC capacitor across the two phases in the panel, i.e., by connecting the capacitor across any 220V breaker.

Why did my CM11A clock stop working on New Year's day?
The CM11A does not handle the year change-over correctly, and may not
work properly unless it is connected to the PC and the clock is updated. You
can do this from ActiveHome under Configuration | Set Interface Clock.

Software

What is the code to install from the CD-ROM?
Some releases of version 1.1 of the CD-ROM require the user to enter a code to run the installation program. The code is: 9999-aaaa-bbbb-cccc (case sensitive).

Will ActiveHome work on Windows NT?
Yes, with version 4.0 as well as earlier versions of NT. User of Windows NT may need to work with the NT port configuration utility to get the COM and serial port settings to work with ActiveHome.

How do I install a new version of ActiveHome?
First, download the new version from the X10 software download page. Uninstall ActiveHome from your computer by selecting your Start button, then Program Files, HomeControl and Uninstall ActiveHome. Windows 3.x users can run Uninstall ActiveHome from the HomeControl Program Group in Program Manager.

Run ‘setup.exe’ (the first file downloaded) either from floppy disk or from the hard drive. If installing from floppy, follow instructions for inserting subsequent disks.

Allow ActiveHome to restart the computer. The new version of ActiveHome is now installed.

How many timers or macros can I store in the interface?
You should be able to store up to 100 timers in the interface, but the amount of memory used depends on the size of macros and the kinds of timers used. Dusk and Dawn timers use the most memory.

Why does it say the interface memory is full? I only have a few timers.
How do I get rid of Warning 100, "Insufficient memory to compile the EEPROM data?" 
The interface memory Warning 100 comes up if you attempt to download more data than the CM11A has room for. The most common source of this problem is multiple Dusk or Dawn based timers. Each Dusk/Dawn timer can use as many as 50 individual time slots in the CM11A memory. To make these timers use less memory, go to the Tools menu, then Statistics. Click on the Resolution button and change the number of yearly time changes from 50 (about every week) to 24 (about twice a month). This should cut the memory used in half. You can also consolidate multiple Dusk/Dawn timers into a single Fast Macro, then schedule the Macro to trigger at Dusk or Dawn.

Why didn’t my lights turn on at the times I set?  
How come my timers aren’t working? 
There are several possible reasons for this. Check to make sure that you have set the timers correctly. Can you control the lights in question from the screen directly? If you cannot, the timers are probably working, but general control of the modules is not. See above for help with this problem.

Do the timers work when you leave the computer on? Set a timer to turn something on while you watch. If the light does not turn on, make sure that ActiveHome is communicating with the interface.

If the timers work correctly when ActiveHome is running, you may not be storing the timers in the interface, or the download to the interface may not be working properly. Bring up the Timer Settings screen, and check to see if the Store In Interface box has a check in it. If it doesn’t, check that box. If you are using a Macro, make sure that it is set as a Fast Macro (Fast Macros are stored in the interface memory, Standard Macros reside only on your PC). You can find this out by opening the Macro Editor – the button in front of the title will be shaded green if it is a fast Macro.

If all of the timers and Macros are set correctly for operation when the PC is off and they still don’t work, download the new version of ActiveHome from the web site. On some PCs, older versions (1.2c or earlier) of ActiveHome did not store timers correctly in the interface; this may be the source of the problem. See instructions for downloading and installing a new version of the software.

UR19A - SuperREMOTE

How do I get the super remote to work with my TV | VCR | stereo | satellite receiver | cable box?
Make sure you are entering the codes for this device correctly: Turn on the device you wish to control.Press and hold Setup until the LED indicator lights steadily. Release Setup. Press and release the mode button that matches the device you want to control. Enter the 3 digit code from the Library Code Tables. The LED turns off after the last digit entered. Point the remote at your device and press the Power button. Your device should turn off. If this code does not work, repeat steps 1-5 for all the codes listed in the manual for that type and brand of device.

If the above steps fail, try a code search:Turn on the device you wish to control. Press and hold Setup until the LED indicator lights steadily. Release Setup. Press and release the mode button that matches the device you want to control. Press Channel+ (use the Power button if the device you are controlling doesn’t have channel up or down) repeatedly until the device to be controlled changes channel. If you go past the code accidentally, just press Last repeatedly until the channel changes again. Press and release the Enter button to complete the setup. If the code search yields no usable codes, the device is not supported by the codes in the UR19A.

If no codes work, X10 does not have operating information for your device. We are always adding new codes, however. Please fill out the online technical support form. Be sure to include the brand and model number of the product you are using. X10 may contact you for help in obtaining correct codes for your remote.

Communications

Why can’t I select my COM1 | COM2 | COM3 | COM4 from ActiveHome?
Either that port is not usable on your computer, or the part of Windows that tells ActiveHome what ports are available has incorrect information. Check your serial configuration to make sure that the port you are trying to use is really part of the PC.

Why do I keep getting Warning 73, "The interface is busy . . ."?
Test Communications always fails, what do I do?
For this problem, the first step is always to determine if your computer is configured correctly to use ActiveHome. Check the COM port configuration of your PC.

Windows 95

Click on the Start button, then choose Settings and then Control Panel.

Select the System option. This will bring up the System Properties window. Select the Device Manager tab.

Check the mouse type – a PS/2 or Bus mouse does not use a COM Port.

Bring up the modem’s properties and select the Modem tab. This will show what port the modem is using.

Look under the Ports (COM and LPT) section. Note which ports are available for use. Bring up the properties for each COM port, and note the Input/Output Range and Interrupt Request (IRQ) used.

If your computer is not configured to use ActiveHome, you should contact your PC maker for information on changing the configuration.

If there is no obvious conflict, check to make sure ActiveHome is set up correctly. Is the CM11A plugged into the correct physical port on the back of the computer? Which port is selected under Tools | Test Communications? Which ports are available (in black)? If ActiveHome shows different ports than Windows has listed, you will need to manually set the ports in ActiveHome (see above).

If the both the ActiveHome and PC configurations are set to allow ActiveHome to work, plug the RR501 transceiver into the AC outlet on the CM11A (or into another nearby outlet if you PC is plugged into the CM11A). While ActiveHome is running, use the 6-in1 or key chain remote to turn the RR501 on and off. Try Test Communications again.