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Handman
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Joined: February 02 2009
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Posts: 229
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| Posted: June 01 2009 at 01:18 | IP Logged
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Lately I have had problems with powerhome running very slowly. That is, the software is slow. If I click on a menu it won't come up for 10 seconds; if I click the scroll bar, it won't scroll for ten seconds; if I use ph to turn on a light, it won't turn on for ten or more seconds. Other times it behaves normally and then will just slow down. This all seemed to start happening when I added an Elk M1G as a PH controller in addition to my PLM. I reduced the analog polling of PH to the Elk from once every 15 seconds to once every two minutes, but that hasn't made a difference. Also, the database size is only 6 MB, so I doubt that is an issue. Any ideas what may be causing the sudden slowdown? Database corruption? I have had some database critical errors lately.
On an unrelated note, I sometimes get fragmented X10 commands because of incomplete wireless signals or powerline traffic (I guess). So instead of "Incoming X10 D3, Incoming X10 D(on)" I will only get Incoming X10 D3" and the "on" command will be missing. Then, three minutes later I'll get a valid signal with a D housecode from another X10 unit (e.g., D9, D (off)). This will then falsely trigger the original D3 signal as OFF! I have mostly put all my X10 stuff on separate housecodes to avoid this, but I also use some RR501 transceivers to receive the wireless X10 housecodes, so this is not entirely possible. Is there a way to avoid a Powerhome macro trigger for an X10 code if the "two halves" of the signal are more than 20 seconds apart to avoid false triggers?
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dhoward
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| Posted: June 02 2009 at 23:16 | IP Logged
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Handman,
Concerning the slowdown. When this happens, could you open the PowerHome Status window and take a screenshot for me so I can see the execution queue and waiting macros? Also, at the same time if you could open the menu File|Debug Info and copy this data to the clipboard and paste it (or email it) to me for analysis, I may be able to determine what is going on.
Concerning the fragmented X10 commands...No way to really work around this. Per the X10 spec, you can send say "D5" without any "D" on or off command. You can then send multiple address commands on other house codes as well as control commands on other codes. Then 30 minutes later send "D4" followed by "D On" and both D5 and D4 will turn on. An X10 device will remain "addressed" until it hears another address command (on the same housecode) that FOLLOWS a control command on the same housecode. Then it will become unaddressed.
So, if PowerHome is getting out of sync with the actual device, then what should be happening is that the device is hearing the "command" but PH is missing it for some reason. The device responds to the command and eventually becomes unaddressed, but PH did not hear the command (or even a later address command) and thus becomes out of sync. Even if I added a timeout for the address followed by the command (this would not be per the X10 spec however it would probably work in most cases), I think you would still be out of sync due to the missing command. Out of curiosity, what controller are you using to receive the X10 commands? If its an Insteon PLC/PLM, these are notorious for their less than stellar X10 operation and it may be easier to see if the X10 receiving can be improved.
Dave.
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Handman
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Joined: February 02 2009
Location: United States
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Posts: 229
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| Posted: June 03 2009 at 00:55 | IP Logged
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I will try for the screenshot, but the problem is that PH doesn't respond very quickly when it bogs down. Usually I'll notice the slowdown when I am programming a trigger or looking at light status in Device Status. I really doubt there are macros waiting or commands waiting to be executed because I just don't have very much of those sorts of things. Nonetheless, I'll do my best to get a screenshot. I'll email you the debug file. Like I said in the original post, I suspect it might be related to having recently (finally after 2 years!!) added the ELK M1G as a controller. The Elk-PH connection is serial and is via a USB-RS232 DB9 converter. The alarm contacts opening/closing appear immediately in PH, but I wondered if maybe that connection is somehow periodically causing PH to pause.
The fragmented X10 commands are only occasionally frustrating, but I can live with it. Still, a "timeout" would solve my issue. A missing command that timeouts is most likely (98% of the time) just another motion sensor "ON" signal that produces no PH trigger. The false "OFF" signal, however, initiates a PH trigger all the time. The OFF signal is rare unless the house becomes unoccupied. I am using a SH PLM to receive the incoming X10 - however, the wireless X10 is mainly picked up by a WGL V572 32 bit receiver which sends the signal to a PSC05 piggybacked on top of my PLM. It seems pretty reliable, but maybe not ideal?
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PowerHome Messageboard : PowerHome General
Topic: Powerhome running very slowly
