It has been a while but we have been using IBM's version of the CM11A and software. I use XP PRO SP3 and a serial to USB adapter. It has been a pain but it mostly works.

For the first time ever, the lights started to come on at strange times. I found the clock in the CM11A to be wrong...a problem others mentioned if there was noise on the power line, but one I never had. I plugged in a new CM11A I had and changed out an outside halogen lamp. However, I wonder if there are any newer controllers and software that now uses USB without all of the issues with ActiveHome software?

TIA

Yes, there is a new usb controller and new software. I think it's a CM15 and the new software is ActiveHome. The main reason I moved to it is that I was out of memory on the cm11 controller. Anyway, search and you'll get a bunch of info.

OK, but I had heard that the CM15 has time clock issues. Were they ever fixed?

I would use the 1132 CU. Works with most software packages and it also support other platforms besides x10.

It will not work with Windows Vista

It will with the software I inquired about in my post below!

What is an 1132 CU?

USB to power line interface for computer access to x10 and insteon devices. It can also run alone without a computer once programmed.

OK...will look.

I've never had any time issues and it's been running for several years now.

Daylight savings time issues, never fixed.

Well, for some reason I reprogrammed the CM11A after removing/reinstalling the battery and all is OK.

I still see the DST issues but also found something strange. I have two lamps turning on 15 minutes before dusk. They seemed to turn on a little early, but not by much, and always at the same time. I noticed when I hooked up the cable that dusk is 6:03 now and that the lamps should go on at 5:48...15 minutes sooner. However they go on at 5:43...about 20 minutes before dusk. I find that the clock IS correct...but I think that if I remove the battery and then reinstall them and do a clear module and then set the time and upload the program all seems OK.

Why would keeping the batteries in cause this? It is a nit, but seems strange.

I guess we will see how DST does this Sunday, but it is always an adventure!

First of all, X10 modules seem to have a problem with Halogen lighting - because the resistance change is larger for Halogen than for Tungsten lights and also because of issues with electrical noise (for some reason) any time I have ever used Halogen lighting I got random light operation.

Also, the CM11a does not like to be plugged into an unterminated RS-232 cable - lots of noise picked up on the cable which seems to load the CPU in the device - keeping the cable plugged into the computer OR removing the CM11a end of the cable resolves the problems.

DST issues? Not with Activehome 1.42 running on my XP/SP2 machine.

Note though that you cannot set the start and end dates in different years. It would have made more sense if they'd used a 'month/week' specifier rather than hard dates, because you have to go in every year and adjust the settings.

I DO have issues where the computer seems to 'forget' that it is connected to a CM11a . . I have to exit and restart the program - but ten I only need to load Activehome in order to make changes or manually control a light when I'm sitting at my computer.

Well, I do not keep the cable plugged in to my CM11a. Also, I still see the Dusk time as within 5 minutes.

What I mean is that if I tell a light to go on/off at a specific time it is always correct.

However, if I tell it to go on 15 minutes before Dusk, it can be 5 minutes too early. For example, it says dusk is at 7:05 PM, so 15 minutes before dusk should be 6:50PM, but it goes on at 6:44 PM. I have cleared the CM11A and removed the battery backup, and the software confirms the dusk time of 7:05 but it comes on at 6:44. My off time is 1:00 AM and it goes off at that time so the clock is good...and I do not have security set. This is a nit, but strange. I wonder just where the 6:44 comes from and it will do this for several days. OH DST seemed OK, except 1 light that was supposed to go off at 12:15 AM did not. I wonder if DST triggers at midnight instead of correcting at 2 AM?