CK11A ACTIVEHOME UTOMAT SYSTEM H OME A UTOMAT I O N S Y S T E M O WNER ' S M A N U A L READ FIRST IRST! R EAD T HIS F IRST ! ONSIDERATIONS CONSIDERA S AFETY C ONSIDERATIONS ~ READ THIS FIRST! ~ CAUTION FCC C AUTION Remember to exercise good common sense when using your ActiveHome home automation system - especially when scheduling unattended devices. There can be some unexpected consequences if not used with care. For example, an empty coffee pot can be remotely turned on. If that should happen, your coffee pot could be damaged from overheating. If an electric heater is turned on by remote control while clothing is draped over it, a fire could result. DO NOT USE the system for the control of high power heating appliances such as portable heaters. Caution: To reduce the risk of electric shock, do not disassemble any part of the Home Automation System. No user-serviceable parts are inside. If you spill liquid on a unit, disconnect the unit from the AC outlet to prevent possible fire or shock hazard and consult authorized service personnel. Powerline operated equipment or accessories connected to any of these units should bear the UL listing or CSA certification mark and should not have been modified in any way that might defeat their safety features. Warning: To prevent electric shock hazard, do not expose any part of the Home Automation System to rain or moisture. THIS DEVICE COMPLIES WITH PART 15 OF THE FCC RULES. OPERATION IS SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING TWO CONDITIONS: (1) THIS DEVICE MAY NOT CAUSE HARMFUL INTERFERENCE, AND (2) THIS DEVICE MUST ACCEPT ANY INTERFERENCE RECEIVED, INCLUDING INTERFERENCE THAT MAY CAUSE UNDESIRED OPERATION. This equipment generates and uses radio frequency energy, and if not installed and used properly, that is, in strict accordance with the manufacturers instructions, it may cause interference to radio and television reception. It has been type tested and found to comply with the limits for remote control devices in accordance with the specifications in Sub-Parts B and C of Part 15 of FCC Rules, which are designed to provide reasonable protection against such interference in a residential installation. However, there is no guarantee that interfer ence will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by unplugging the equipment, try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures. · · · · · Reorient the antenna of the radio/TV experiencing the interference. Relocate the inter face with respect to the radio/TV . Move the interface away from the radio/TV. Plug the interface into an outlet on a different electrical circuit from the radio/TV experiencing the interference. If necessar y, consult your local Dealer for additional suggestions. NOTE: Modifications to any of the components in this kit will void the user's authority to operate this equipment. 2 3 CONTENTS I N T R O D U C T I O N ..................................................................................................... 6 G ETTING S T AR T E D ................................................................................................. 8 CONTROLLERS AND MODULES .................................................................................... 8 HOUSE CODES AND UNIT CODES ............................................................................ 1 0 NSTALLING I NSTALLING THE C OMPONENTS .............................................................................. 1 1 TRANSCEIVER MODULE ........................................................................................... 1 1 LAMP MODULE .................................................................................................... 1 2 KEYCHAIN REMOTE ............................................................................................... 1 3 6-IN-1 SUPERREMOTE ............................................................................................ 1 4 COMPUTER INTERFACE ............................................................................................ 1 5 RR S ETTING U P YOUR S U P E RR E M O T E .......................................................................... 1 6 BUTTON DESCRIPTIONS .......................................................................................... 1 6 SETTING UP FOR TV, VCR, CABLE BOX AND SATELLITE RECEIVER ....................................... 1 8 USING AUX TO CONTROL A SECOND TV, VCR, CABLE BOX OR SATELLITE RECEIVER .............. 2 0 SEARCHING FOR CODES ........................................................................................ 2 2 IDENTIFYING CODES FOUND USING THE SEARCH PROCEDURE ............................................. 2 3 ~ C ONTENTS ~ SETTING THE SLEEP TIMER ....................................................................................... 2 4 CONTROLLING X10 MODULES................................................................................. 2 5 TO SET THE X10 SLEEP TIMER .................................................................................. 2 6 CHANGING THE X10 HOUSE CODE: ........................................................................ 2 7 CONTROLLING AN IR MINI CONTROLLER..................................................................... 2 8 A CTIVE H O M E S OFTW A R E ...................................................................................... 2 9 INSTALLING ACTIVEHOME SOFTWARE.......................................................................... 3 0 USING ACTIVEHOME TO CONTROL MODULES ............................................................... 3 1 SCHEDULES AND MACROS ...................................................................................... 3 3 OTHER INFORMATION ............................................................................................ 4 1 SAMPLE FILE ........................................................................................................ 4 2 ORGANIZING THE ACTIVEHOME DESKTOP ................................................................... 4 2 HELP AT YOUR FINGERTIPS ....................................................................................... 4 3 CONFIGURING THE SERIAL PORT ............................................................................... 4 3 PA E X PA N D I N G YOUR S Y S T E M ................................................................................. 4 4 T R O U B L E S H O O T I N G ............................................................................................. 4 6 W A R R A N T Y ....................................................................................................... 4 7 4 5 INTRODUCTION Congratulations on your purchase of the ActiveHome PC based home automation system! Make your lights and appliances go to work for you... ActiveHome brings added security, convenience and energy savings to your home by managing your lights and appliances with personalized Macros defined by you. ActiveHome's easy-to-use software and hardware can automate almost any light or appliance in your home. And it's easy to install. Within minutes, ActiveHome can make your lights and appliances go to work for you! Here are just some of the things you can do with your ActiveHome Home Automation System... · · · · Make your house look "lived-in" by having certain lights or appliances "learn" your normal living pattern Program your lights to come on at dusk (not at a preset time) -- so you don't have to come home to a dark house. Control individual (or groups) of lights or appliances by remote control from any room in the home. Create personalized groups of commands ("Macros") for certain times of the day, like when you wake-up or go to bed. ~ INTRODUCTION ~ Use this manual to become familiar with ActiveHome... This manual will briefly explain how your ActiveHome system works and how to set it up. Next, it will teach you how to control a simple lamp from your PC. Finally, once you've mastered the basics, the manual will show you different automation Macros you can setup using your ActiveHome software. 6 7 GETTING GE T T I N G RT S TA RT E D ~ G E T T I N G S T AR T E D ~ The remotes use radio frequency (RF) signals to send commands to the Transceiver module. RF signals can go right through walls, so you can use the remotes to control lights or appliances from anywhere in the home. With your ActiveHome Home Automation Interface and software, your PC becomes a very intelligent Controller for all of your home automation tasks. The ActiveHome Interface connects to your computer's serial port and then plugs into a wall outlet. The ActiveHome software tells the Interface what to do. The Interface then sends digital signals over your existing house wiring to a Module which receives the signals and executes the command sent by the PC. Because we know that you are eager to get started, we've kept this introduction as short as possible, but it contains very valuable information, so you should read through it very carefully. C ONTROLLERS A N D M ODULES MODULES The first thing you need to understand is that there are two different devices you need to control your house; Controllers and Modules. Any light or appliance that you want to control is plugged into a Module and that Module is then plugged into a standard AC outlet. Modules receive commands from Controllers. Examples include the Lamp Module that came with this kit. The Transceiver Module also in this kit is another example (although it also doubles as a controller as described later). Controllers are also plugged into standard wall outlets and send commands to Modules over your existing electrical wiring in your house without affecting your electricity in any way. The Transceiver Module that came with this kit works as a controller when it is used with a remote control such as the ones included with this kit. When the Transceiver Module receives a command from a remote it sends digital signals over your existing house wiring to a Module which receives the signals and executes the command. 8 9 GETTING ST ~ GE T T I N G ST AR T E D ~ NSTALLING I NSTALLING MODULE T RANSCEIVER M O D U L E UNIT CODE DIAL THE C OMPONENTS CODES H OUSE C ODES UNIT CODES AND U NIT C ODES Each Module has a specific address made up of a House Code (red dial on the face of the Module) and a Unit Code (black dial on the face of the Module). The Controller first sends an address and then a command on the AC power lines. Only the Module with a matching address will execute the command. If more than one Module has the same address, both Modules will execute the command. The Transceiver Module receives radio frequency (RF) commands from remotes to operate a lamp or appliance plugged into it. The Transceiver Module also passes on commands over your house wiring to control other X10 modules. Note that unlike the Lamp Module you cannot dim and brighten a lamp connected to the Transceiver Module. You should locate the Transceiver Module centrally in the home for maximum range when controlled by a remote. HOUSE CODE DIAL Addresses are set on the Module by turning the two dials on the front of the Module to the desired letter and number (using a small screwdriver or a coin). The House Code is selected from the letters A through P, and the Unit Code is selected from the numbers 1 through 16. 1 . Set the House Code to `A' and the Unit Code slide switch to 1. 2 . Plug a lamp or appliance into the Transceiver Module. 3 . Plug the Transceiver Module into a convenient AC outlet. Fully extend the antenna. 10 Note: The slide switch sets the Unit Code for the Transceiver Module's built-in receptacle when controlled from a remote or a controller such as the Computer Interface. Set to Unit Code 1, or Unit Code 9. 11 ~ I NST ALLING THE COMPONENTS ~ NSTALLING ~ I NSTALLING THE COMPONENTS ~ MODULE LA M P M O D U L E The Lamp Module may be used to control any incandescent lamp rated up to 300W. It is not suitable for other types of lamp such as fluorescent or energy saving lamps, or lamps which include a dimmer control. Caution: Do not connect an appliance such as a coffee pot or heater to the Lamp Module. It may damage the module and the appliance and could cause a fire hazard. REMOTE KE Y C H A I N R E M O T E Use the Keychain Remote to control the Transceiver Module to turn lights on and off. You can control up to two lights and appliances. The Keychain Remote is very convenient for switching on entrance lights from your car when you return home in the evening. After setting up the Keychain Remote as described below, you will be able to use the left key to control the Transceiver Module and the right key to control the Lamp Module. 1 . Set the House Code to `A' and the Unit Code to `2'. 2 . Plug a lamp into the Lamp Module. 3 . Plug the Lamp Module into a convenient AC outlet. 1 . Slide off the battery c ...