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Topic:
I managed to get X10 Brite/Dim working
This thread has 5 replies. Displaying all posts.
Post 1 made on Tuesday December 15, 1998 at 00:30
Keith Barrett
Historic Forum Post
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.
OP | Post 2 made on Tuesday December 15, 1998 at 00:53
Keith Barrett
Historic Forum Post
Improvement/correction:

If you have problems with the cardboard method. Try pressing "DIM" with the cardboard (so the pronto sees the command beginning), and THEN interrupt the stream repeatedly with the cardboard.
OP | Post 3 made on Tuesday December 15, 1998 at 00:54
jack schultz
Historic Forum Post
Keith,
Thanks for the info on X-10 dim/bright commands and the insite you have on learned codes.
In fact, in the software, you cannot "disect" IR codes specifically but you are able to move/copy commands around under buttons and add pauses as required. In case this is not clear, what I mean is any button can encompass a "macro" or string of commands.
You might just have the actual buttons in a separate CCF file, and when needed, merge it in, take the bits you need for the actual buttons you want, then purge it back out of the loadable file.
OP | Post 4 made on Tuesday December 15, 1998 at 01:36
Keith Barrett
Historic Forum Post
More on this method.

It appears that the most successful way of pulling this off is to press "dim" and IMMEDIATELY block the stream for a moment (very fast, but longer than it was active), then unblock, block, and unblock and keep unblocked. By interrupting the stream twice, well timed, I get good results. Blocking once gives you a dim that stutters, blocking 3 or 4 times gives desired results (but not always -- you need to make you "blocking" time more than a moment, but short enough that the pronto keeps recording).

It's very hard and took me 2 hours to get it to work, but you CAN end up with a working dim/bright.

When we all get software, I'll "trade" my setting for others to use.

OP | Post 5 made on Tuesday December 15, 1998 at 03:43
Andy
Historic Forum Post
Keith,

Could you clarify the euipment needed for
Pronto triggering X-10 commands? For example
in my situation, to control a couple X-10
lamp modules and assuming one starts with one of
those 'home director' type starter packages
(ie. with remote, software and a couple lamp
and appliance X-10 receivers), is it just a matter
of teaching the Pronto the included remotes signals? Or must some sort of 'IR to X-10'
convertor be purchased that can receive Pronto's
learned commands and re-tx them to X-10 devices?

Thx.
OP | Post 6 made on Friday December 18, 1998 at 18:50
Keith Barrett
Historic Forum Post
For the receiver, it's the common "IR to X10" settop device. For the transmitting remote, I believe it's the Radio Shack universal that includes their X10 codes.

As a followup to this thread, I have found it extremely difficult to get this to successfully work. I had to play for hours with various amounts of "stream" interruptions, timing, etc. For some reason, I lost all my pronto settings and now have to do this again.

I'll be glad when we all have the software so when one of us goes though this type of pain, the reat of us can download the fruits :-)



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