X10 and LOR controlers

[PaulXmas]

Does anyone have any experience using LOR controllers and and X10 hardware?

I am using 31 of 32 channels to control a bunch of my LEDs

I have 6000 lights I want to turn off and on only.

I was going to leave them on all the time but after watching a scaled down model of my house and yard, I want all light off at certain times.

I tried using X10 to animate my Xmas light a few years ago but they were too slow.

I want to either turn off my 6000 light off while the show is on or have them go off a few times on each song or have them go on between songs.

I bought an extra LOR controller card as a spare that I thought I could use but the 6000 light are about 45 AMPS means I need another controller just to turn off and on the lights.

I have a lot of X10 hardware.

Any tips or ideas?

[-klb-]

Get a few heavy duty relays. Use that 32nd channel to drive the relays. For each circuit you use to drive the static elements, get a 20 to 30 A relay, and wire it up so that all of these relays are controlled from that 32 LOR channel.

[Brian Mitchell]

You can certainly use X10 to turn items on and off. You will need the CMA11 and the x10 modules.

As you already know, x10 is slow and not 100% reliable but I use it to turn off some floods and a few other features during the shows and on between them.

In your channel configuration you just set the channel as an x10 channel and give it its code, then you treat it like any other LOR channel except no effects. On and Off only.

[Steven]

I use 4 X10 channels:

• 1 powers the FM transmitter;
• 1 powers the audio amp that drives the outside speakers;
• 1 turns the porch light off during the show;
• 1 turns the Malibu garden lights off during the show, then back on for 15 minutes after the show ends.

To get the porch light and the garden lights to turn on at the end of the show, I used a CM15A with a macro that triggers when it gets an "OFF" signal from the X10 channel. It then turns the porch and garden lights on, and sets a 15-minute timer to turn the garden lights back off.

I was worried that an X10 signal can be blocked by interference, but my transmitter and speakers have never failed to turn on and off at the correct times. This could be because they are plugged into the same power strip as the CM11A.

Yes, there are big delays, but you can adjust your sequence to take this into account.

[PaulXmas]

I think it will work if I shut off the X10 lights at the beginning of the show even if it takes a few seconds. And then between the show have the lights on.

In Feb I need to buy 2 more controllers and it will solve my problem ;=)

[PaulXmas]

Do I need to use the 32nd channel to run the X10 stuff?
I assumed that I could just add the X10 modules to the sequence editor

I have the 2 controllers = 32 channels
I could use channel 33, 34 35 and 36 to turn off and on the other lights via X10 modules?

[-klb-]

The X-10 channels will be totally separate from your LOR channel count. You add the channels, then define them as X-10, and the house and unit code that you want to control.

[bob]

One more thing to keep in mind: To control X10 devices, you need an "Advanced" license.

[Joe2000]

I got my start with x10 when IBM gave it away with a PC as the "IBM Home Director". Would anyone know if that interface is compatible with the CM11A, because I still have the IBM interface. However I have since also upgraded but got the CM15A USB version. Will either of these work or I specifically need the CM11A.

Thank you
Joe

[Steven]

In this post, Dan said that the CM15a would be supported sometime in S2. It still doesn't seems to be supported in 2.4.8.

[Steve Constantino]

Stay away from X10. Use an I/O device and relays

Steve

[PaulXmas]

I don't need the X10 to do anything fance, just shut off a bunch of lights at the beginning of the show then turn them back on at the end.

I have all the X10 modules and software.

[Calloween]

Steve Constantino wrote:

Stay away from X10. Use an I/O device and relays

Steve

and where would we get these

[Joe2000]

Support for the CM15A would be great because trying to get the CM11A on e-bay cost as much purchasing a new CM15A from x10 plus you get some extra modules. I know x10 is not the ideal device to use, but i already have them & figured why not control them with LOR if I can. Thank you Steven for posting that link. Good to know it may be on the horizon.

Joe

[Guest guest]

How Do these work? I went to the link, but don't understand the principle.

Steve Constantino wrote:

Stay away from X10. Use an I/O device and relays

Steve

[Frank A.]

Paul

use x10 to start and stop lasers

works great

You have the equipment, utilize it buy the extra channels for some other expansion

Configure an x10 channel in the sequencs editor the same as a lor channel

make a seperate show to turn on and one to turn off that you can schedule at your whim

Frank a.

[PaulXmas]

I have about 26 A that I need to shut off during my shows.
I bought a relay that will turn off 2 15 A circuits.
If I have time I will try some tests using the X10 for next year.
So they work fine for you? Is there a big delay turning your lasers off and on?

[Frank A.]

I have a 45 second song that is played here and there in my show.

There are three different sequences I use: green laser, red laser, and both lasers.

I just insert the sequence in the show editor when I think a quick lighting change is required. Strictly a preference thing.

The delay that is expected with x10 devices is not evident on my shows

One thing that I have noticed is I can tell when something is not right but no spectator has ever commented on music to light timings

I think we are so close to the sequence development we see it in our sleep but to the general observation of people watching there is to much going on to pick up on little programming glithches.

I meant to get the info last night on where I bought my cm11a. I think in texas. I will write myself a to do note to get the supplier info for you tonight.

My x10 outlets are powered from the same power strip as the cm11a. does this make a difference--I do not know. I do know I had to add a string of minis to each x10 outlet to provide a load in order for the lasers to turn on.

With you using a relay I do not think you will have a load problem with the x10 provided the relays are not solid state and actually have a wound coil. Just my opinion

the cm11a utilizes rs232 to communicate to the computer. This required a usb to serial conversion cable from radio shack for my installation. my show computer is an old laptop with one rs232 port that is used to communicate with LOR and the usb conversion cable to cmmunicate to the cm11a.

[PaulXmas]

I have a CM15A that runs some of my house lights.
It can be used stand alone or connected to a computer.
When the basement was wired they did not allow you to turn on the light on or off from the basement so you have to leave it on or off.
I have installed motion detectors which turn on the lights when it detects motion then turns them off after 5 min of no motion.
The back outside light goes on at a special time.
At Xmas they turn on and off 6 strings of light from 7 to 11 weekdays and 7 to 12 on weekends.
All this is done without the computer.
BUT there is a delay.
I need the lights to be OFF 100% during the show.
The relay with perform the job.
Next year I will have 1 or 2 controllers doing the job.
If there is a small delay then I may use some X10 modules next year.

Ummm wheels are turning...Thanks for the info!

[Frank A.]

As of now I do not believe LOR software controls a CM15A unit

Thats why a CM11A was mentioned

If you want LOR to control x10, at present you need to get a CM11A

Then it is a matter of addressing properly in sequence editor

Frank A;)