CP290 Director X 1.9 review
DownloadCP290 Director X is MacOS X software that controls the original X10 home automation computer controlled interface, model number CP290.
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CP290 Director X is MacOS X software that controls the original X10 home automation computer controlled interface, model number CP290. It completely replaces the Macintosh software that comes with the CP290, and has unique features not found in other Macintosh-based CP290 controllers.
CP290 Director X has the same basic functionality as CP290 Director for Classic.
Here are some key features of "CP290 Director X":
Turning on and off modules immediately, including turning them on dimmed;
Defining "turn on" and "turn off" events to be stored in the CP290 and executed by the CP290 even if the Macintosh is shut down. Such events include:
Turning a module on or off once at the specified time today;
Turning a module on or off once at the specified time tomorrow;
Turning a module on or off every week at the specified time and day(s) of the week;
Turning a module on or off every week within an hour of the specified time and day(s) of the week; (security mode);
Displaying the events currently stored in the CP290;
Setting the base house code of the CP290, which is the house code it uses when its 8 on/off buttons are pressed;
Setting the clock in the CP290 to the clock in the Macintosh;
Displaying the clock in the CP290, and
Performing a self test function.
In addition to the above, the CP290 Director X supports the following additional features:
The ability to specify that an event is to occur at sunrise or sunset (plus or minus a specified time interval);
The ability to specify a specific date on which an event is to occur, and optionally the interval in days thereafter that the event should be repeated;
The ability to specify that the event should occur only on even days or on odd days.
X10 systems usually work reasonably reliably, turning on or off the selected module when the CP290 commands it. However, occasionally noise or interference in your wiring can cut reliability whereby a module is not turned on or off at the requested time. The best solution to this problem, if acute, is to install noise filters, signal bridges, or amplifiers. However, you may find that CP290 Director X solves the problem for you. CP290 Director X allows you to optionally specify that each "on" event should be sent more than once to the module, and/or that each "off" event should be sent more than once. Thus, if the first command to turn off doesn't work, the second or third one might. If you specify that an event should be sent more than once, it will be sent the specified number of times (two to four) at one minute intervals.
CP290 Director X has the same basic functionality as CP290 Director (a MacOS 9/Classic program), but has been rewritten for MacOS X. However, it is backwards-compatible with CP290 Director in that it reads and processes CP290 Director files.
To connect a CP290 to a modern Mac without a serial port, you can use one of many USB-To-Serial adaptors. Keyspan makes several. The one I use is the Keyspan PDA adaptor (USA-19). These were originally made to connect early Palms to Macs, and many are still available on ebay, though they are not made anymore. This has a DB 9 connector, so it will not connect to the cable that came with a Macintosh CP290, but you can buy a PC CP290 cable from PIGS Electronics. Alternatively, you can get a Keyspan USB Twin Serial Adaptor (USA-28X), which has two traditional Macintosh serial ports, though this is likely more expenseive than the PDA adaptor + cable.
Limitations:
You can try it out for 30 days, but if you still use it thereafter, you must register it.
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