My normal dealer got a shipment in, so I'm now a proud owner of a pronto (sans stand)! I immediately focused on the X10 problem and came up with a method to load the X10 dim/brite commands in a manner that works. I'm very happy my pronto can now do it all.
First, I'll tell you what to do, then I'll explain what I found.
PROCEDURE: (you need the pronto, the X10 remote, and an opaque object (like a small piece of cardboard or your hand).
1. Press LEARN on pronto 2. With the cardboard blocking the learn path, press and hold "dim" (or bright). 3. As fast as you can, raise and lower the cardboard over and over -- so that you create a "dashed" ir stream. Do this until the learn ends. 4. Try this several times if necessary, until a proper rythym is acheived that produces the desired result.
WHAT I LEARNED (also contains an alternative method, but with poorer results):
I play with IR's a lot. Not being a fan of special macro buttons, one trick I often pull is programming more than one command into a remote button by being very fast and accurate. You can usually get 2 commands, sometimes 3, into the remote before it thinks you're through and cuts you off. My usually trick with X10 is I like to program the device selector and the device command into the same button as fast as possible. That way, the one button selects the device and sends the command -- a one step process instead of pressing 2. When I did this on the pronto (sent a "2" then a "Dim", I ended up with a dimmer that works, but exhibited slight pauses during the dim process. Playing a bit more, what I suspected is going on is that the Pronto is sending the IR commands too fast for the X10 IR receiver to process. I then tried the cardboard method as a method of producing a learned command that sent out at a slower pace.
I guess I'll have to use a macro to do the device select, then use my "dim" command.
If the software allows you to edit IR commands -- especially by inserting pauses in the steam or slowing the pace, I suspect you'll get an even better result.
Keith
P.S. For X10 people -- I recommend the "2 commands" in one learn session for the on/off buttons -- it's great never having to deal with selecting the device first and not need a macro.
I also often did this to get a remote to store more functions. For example; you can make an uparrow do 2 uparrow commands for the same device (like channel up and menu selection up), as long as each does nothing to your device if in the wrong mode, and you don't mind the delays.
