Bought a pronto as a gift for a friend. He ran into trouble programming it. I got hooked into helping.

Thats the short story of how we got to where we are. Although, I have to admit, I had no idea of just how sophisticated the Pronto was when I purchased it. This is the most impressive remote Ive seen (also programmed a "take Control")

After spending hours putting in codes and setting up screens to operate the "devices". We have hit "the wall" on trying to program macros.

This is what we would like to do;

1) go to macros hit "play movie" button
2) this brings up power buttons (for devices where "on" and "off" are same code) but turns on all devices with distinct "on" code (projector, recvr, DVD player)- also this button would set the receiver to DVD
and also bring up a "device" control page for the dvd player
3) now at the device control page ... pushing "play"
would slowly dimm the X-10 Pro overhead lights to "off" over a period of approx 20 seconds.

Now, while the lights are dimming it would be nice to be able to control the "volume" without interupting or stopping the dimming sequence.

Thanks for reading and thanks for this great resource. Please direct me to other resources that are helpful if you think this would help(I can use all the Help I can get!).
All help is greatly appreciated.

Phil L.

This would probably be best accomplished with an X-10 home controler to manage a dimming macro I'd have thought, or using switched that support pre-set dim possibly.

The simple answer would be to increase the volume then dim the lights, that's the way it happens at my local cinema.


Dom

It's not possible to send two IR signals at the same time. To do that, you'd need two sets of IR emitters within the remote, and then you'd probably have problems with "cross contamination" of the signals.

However,your problem is simply solved. I suspect that you are dimming the lights by sending a series of dim commands, which is tying up the Pronto, so it can't go on and control the volume. You need an x-10 switch that automatically slowly dims with just a single command. This is known as "fade off". Here's an example of such a switch. [Link: smarthome.com]

With this switch, you would send the x-10 off command, (one short IR signal), the lights would start to dim slowly, and your Pronto could be executing the next command of increasing the volume.

Remember though, unless you have a receiver with discreet volume levels, which is very uncommon,(some of the new Yamaha's have it), it will be difficult to automate the volume up sequence. The reason is you'll never know what the volume level is to start with. If it's already turned up, you're commands will just increase it louder.

Or how about something like
Dim
Vol up
Dim
Vol up
...

or

Dim
Dim
Vol up
Dim
Dim
Vol up
....


Do you have delays during the dims? why not replace part of the delay by vol up?

I think what Phil actually wants to do is to operate the volume up/down MANUALLY while the lights are being dimmed for 20 seconds. During the dimming, the Pronto is basically "dead".

Right, Phil?

/Allan

You need the replace the X10Pro module with one that supports scenes. I'd go with the PCS SmartSwitch for about $56 at www.homeautomationnet.com. You can also look at the Switchlinc's at www.smarthome.com but they tend to cost a bit more and unless you need one of their unique features it might not be worth the extra money.

Allan, I think you are right, I guess I should read the questions more carefully before I try and answer them :-)

Here's another possibility. Purchase the Home Director from SmartHome or X-10.com (check both they have specials on it), you should be able to get it for about $39.00. This is a computer interface for any X-10 module. Once programed with the computer, the computer is not needed. The program is downloaded into a module that now receives the X-10 command to start the pre-programed sequence. Even with the cheap, non-smart modules you can setup any dimming module you want to come on and then dim to a pre-defined level with one X-10 command. For example in my home theater room, I'm using all basic X-10 wall switches and I have one X-10 command that turns on the center light, track lights, indirect lights, recessed lights and two lamps. It then waits two minutes (just long enough to put a tape or DVD in) and then starts dimming each of the lights to preset levels. The center light and recessed to completely off, the indirects to 25%, the tracks to 20% and the lamps to about 15%.

If you have the 'smart' modules, you can set a pre-defined ON level, or ramp up (slowly brighten) to a predefined level
Q

FYI . . .
The IBM Home Director is available at Smarthome now for $29.00.
Q

Thank you all for your reponses. However you are all giving me way too much credit. I not only was looking for help sending 2 codes at once(which i see is not possible), But I was also looking for input to get any macros built.

Thanks for any and all the help you have all given.

Phil L

Whatever you have to do in a row -- powering on the system, changing inputs, playing a movie -- can be automated into a single button press. Just add commands to a button until it looks right. All buttons on the Pronto are already "macros", most just have one command.