[slinkelist] CM-17A (alias "X-10Firecracker")

Colby Boles cboles@nirvis.com
Mon, 24 Jan 2000 15:26:09 -0800


No hacking necessary. Here's the complete spec.

Colby


FireCracker (CM17A) Communications Specification

EscapeCommFunction

1. Communication Format.

The transmission of data to the FireCracker is not time critical
as the FireCracker interface will determine the data rate from the
speed at which the signals change. A minimum signal rate of 0.5ms
is recommended.

1.1 Power Supply.

The FireCracker derives its power supply from either the RTS or
DTR signals from the serial port. At least one of these signals
must be high at all times to ensure that power is not lost from
the FireCracker.

1.2 Bit Signaling.

The following table defines the states of the RTS and DTR signals
required to send a logical '1' and logical '0' to the interface:

	Signal		RTS	DTR
	Reset		0	0
	Logical '1'	1	0
	Logical '0'	0	1
	Standby		1	1

1.3 Transmission Format.

While transmitting data to the FireCracker, it is important to
ensure that at least one of the signals (RTS or DTR) is high
at all times to supply power to the device. Should both of the
signals drop to 0 at any time, the FireCracker will be reset and
will require the entire signal to be transmitted again. The
recommended signal stream is as follows:

	  Standby | '1' | Wait | '0' | Wait | '1' | Wait...
	  _____________________       _____________________
RTS	_|                     |_____|
	  ________       ___________________       ________
DTR	_|        |_____|                   |_____|

The recommended time for the '1', '0' and 'Wait' states is at
least 0.5ms.

Each transmission consists of 40 bits. This is made up of
the following:

	Header		16 bits
	Data		16 bits
	Footer		8 bits

The header and footer never change and are defined as follows:

	Header		11010101 10101010
	Footer		10101101

1.4 Bright and Dim transmissions.

To brighten or dim a lamp, it is necessary to send consecutive
signals (each equivalent to a 5% dim or brighten) until the desired
level is attained.


2. Data Table

A1 ON           01100000   00000000
A1 OFF          01100000   00100000
A2 ON           01100000   00010000
A2 OFF          01100000   00110000
A3 ON           01100000   00001000
A3 OFF          01100000   00101000
A4 ON           01100000   00011000
A4 OFF          01100000   00111000
A5 ON           01100000   01000000
A5 OFF          01100000   01100000
A6 ON           01100000   01010000
A6 OFF          01100000   01110000
A7 ON           01100000   01001000
A7 OFF          01100000   01101000
A8 ON           01100000   01011000
A8 OFF          01100000   01111000
A9 ON           01100100   00000000
A9 OFF          01100100   00100000
A10 ON          01100100   00010000
A10 OFF         01100100   00110000
A11 ON          01100100   00001000
A11 OFF         01100100   00101000
A12 ON          01100100   00011000
A12 OFF         01100100   00111000
A13 ON          01100100   01000000
A13 OFF         01100100   01100000
A14 ON          01100100   01010000
A14 OFF         01100100   01110000
A15 ON          01100100   01001000
A15 OFF         01100100   01101000
A16 ON          01100100   01011000
A16 OFF         01100100   01111000
A BRIGHT 005    01100000   10001000
A DIM 005       01100000   10011000
B1 ON           01110000   00000000
B1 OFF          01110000   00100000
B2 ON           01110000   00010000
B2 OFF          01110000   00110000
B3 ON           01110000   00001000
B3 OFF          01110000   00101000
B4 ON           01110000   00011000
B4 OFF          01110000   00111000
B5 ON           01110000   01000000
B5 OFF          01110000   01100000
B6 ON           01110000   01010000
B6 OFF          01110000   01110000
B7 ON           01110000   01001000
B7 OFF          01110000   01101000
B8 ON           01110000   01011000
B8 OFF          01110000   01111000
B9 ON           01110100   00000000
B9 OFF          01110100   00100000
B10 ON          01110100   00010000
B10 OFF         01110100   00110000
B11 ON          01110100   00001000
B11 OFF         01110100   00101000
B12 ON          01110100   00011000
B12 OFF         01110100   00111000
B13 ON          01110100   01000000
B13 OFF         01110100   01100000
B14 ON          01110100   01010000
B14 OFF         01110100   01110000
B15 ON          01110100   01001000
B15 OFF         01110100   01101000
B16 ON          01110100   01011000
B16 OFF         01110100   01111000
B BRIGHT 005    01110000   10001000
B DIM 005       01110000   10011000
C1 ON           01000000   00000000
C1 OFF          01000000   00100000
C2 ON           01000000   00010000
C2 OFF          01000000   00110000
C3 ON           01000000   00001000
C3 OFF          01000000   00101000
C4 ON           01000000   00011000
C4 OFF          01000000   00111000
C5 ON           01000000   01000000
C5 OFF          01000000   01100000
C6 ON           01000000   01010000
C6 OFF          01000000   01110000
C7 ON           01000000   01001000
C7 OFF          01000000   01101000
C8 ON           01000000   01011000
C8 OFF          01000000   01111000
C9 ON           01000100   00000000
C9 OFF          01000100   00100000
C10 ON          01000100   00010000
C10 OFF         01000100   00110000
C11 ON          01000100   00001000
C11 OFF         01000100   00101000
C12 ON          01000100   00011000
C12 OFF         01000100   00111000
C13 ON          01000100   01000000
C13 OFF         01000100   01100000
C14 ON          01000100   01010000
C14 OFF         01000100   01110000
C15 ON          01000100   01001000
C15 OFF         01000100   01101000
C16 ON          01000100   01011000
C16 OFF         01000100   01111000
C BRIGHT 005    01000000   10001000
C DIM 005       01000000   10011000
D1 ON           01010000   00000000
D1 OFF          01010000   00100000
D2 ON           01010000   00010000
D2 OFF          01010000   00110000
D3 ON           01010000   00001000
D3 OFF          01010000   00101000
D4 ON           01010000   00011000
D4 OFF          01010000   00111000
D5 ON           01010000   01000000
D5 OFF          01010000   01100000
D6 ON           01010000   01010000
D6 OFF          01010000   01110000
D7 ON           01010000   01001000
D7 OFF          01010000   01101000
D8 ON           01010000   01011000
D8 OFF          01010000   01111000
D9 ON           01010100   00000000
D9 OFF          01010100   00100000
D10 ON          01010100   00010000
D10 OFF         01010100   00110000
D11 ON          01010100   00001000
D11 OFF         01010100   00101000
D12 ON          01010100   00011000
D12 OFF         01010100   00111000
D13 ON          01010100   01000000
D13 OFF         01010100   01100000
D14 ON          01010100   01010000
D14 OFF         01010100   01110000
D15 ON          01010100   01001000
D15 OFF         01010100   01101000
D16 ON          01010100   01011000
D16 OFF         01010100   01111000
D BRIGHT 005    01010000   10001000
D DIM 005       01010000   10011000
E1 ON           10000000   00000000
E1 OFF          10000000   00100000
E2 ON           10000000   00010000
E2 OFF          10000000   00110000
E3 ON           10000000   00001000
E3 OFF          10000000   00101000
E4 ON           10000000   00011000
E4 OFF          10000000   00111000
E5 ON           10000000   01000000
E5 OFF          10000000   01100000
E6 ON           10000000   01010000
E6 OFF          10000000   01110000
E7 ON           10000000   01001000
E7 OFF          10000000   01101000
E8 ON           10000000   01011000
E8 OFF          10000000   01111000
E9 ON           10000100   00000000
E9 OFF          10000100   00100000
E10 ON          10000100   00010000
E10 OFF         10000100   00110000
E11 ON          10000100   00001000
E11 OFF         10000100   00101000
E12 ON          10000100   00011000
E12 OFF         10000100   00111000
E13 ON          10000100   01000000
E13 OFF         10000100   01100000
E14 ON          10000100   01010000
E14 OFF         10000100   01110000
E15 ON          10000100   01001000
E15 OFF         10000100   01101000
E16 ON          10000100   01011000
E16 OFF         10000100   01111000
E BRIGHT 005    10000000   10001000
E DIM 005       10000000   10011000
F1 ON           10010000   00000000
F1 OFF          10010000   00100000
F2 ON           10010000   00010000
F2 OFF          10010000   00110000
F3 ON           10010000   00001000
F3 OFF          10010000   00101000
F4 ON           10010000   00011000
F4 OFF          10010000   00111000
F5 ON           10010000   01000000
F5 OFF          10010000   01100000
F6 ON           10010000   01010000
F6 OFF          10010000   01110000
F7 ON           10010000   01001000
F7 OFF          10010000   01101000
F8 ON           10010000   01011000
F8 OFF          10010000   01111000
F9 ON           10010100   00000000
F9 OFF          10010100   00100000
F10 ON          10010100   00010000
F10 OFF         10010100   00110000
F11 ON          10010100   00001000
F11 OFF         10010100   00101000
F12 ON          10010100   00011000
F12 OFF         10010100   00111000
F13 ON          10010100   01000000
F13 OFF         10010100   01100000
F14 ON          10010100   01010000
F14 OFF         10010100   01110000
F15 ON          10010100   01001000
F15 OFF         10010100   01101000
F16 ON          10010100   01011000
F16 OFF         10010100   01111000
F BRIGHT 005    10010000   10001000
F DIM 005       10010000   10011000
G1 ON           10100000   00000000
G1 OFF          10100000   00100000
G2 ON           10100000   00010000
G2 OFF          10100000   00110000
G3 ON           10100000   00001000
G3 OFF          10100000   00101000
G4 ON           10100000   00011000
G4 OFF          10100000   00111000
G5 ON           10100000   01000000
G5 OFF          10100000   01100000
G6 ON           10100000   01010000
G6 OFF          10100000   01110000
G7 ON           10100000   01001000
G7 OFF          10100000   01101000
G8 ON           10100000   01011000
G8 OFF          10100000   01111000
G9 ON           10100100   00000000
G9 OFF          10100100   00100000
G10 ON          10100100   00010000
G10 OFF         10100100   00110000
G11 ON          10100100   00001000
G11 OFF         10100100   00101000
G12 ON          10100100   00011000
G12 OFF         10100100   00111000
G13 ON          10100100   01000000
G13 OFF         10100100   01100000
G14 ON          10100100   01010000
G14 OFF         10100100   01110000
G15 ON          10100100   01001000
G15 OFF         10100100   01101000
G16 ON          10100100   01011000
G16 OFF         10100100   01111000
G BRIGHT 005    10100000   10001000
G DIM 005       10100000   10011000
H1 ON           10110000   00000000
H1 OFF          10110000   00100000
H2 ON           10110000   00010000
H2 OFF          10110000   00110000
H3 ON           10110000   00001000
H3 OFF          10110000   00101000
H4 ON           10110000   00011000
H4 OFF          10110000   00111000
H5 ON           10110000   01000000
H5 OFF          10110000   01100000
H6 ON           10110000   01010000
H6 OFF          10110000   01110000
H7 ON           10110000   01001000
H7 OFF          10110000   01101000
H8 ON           10110000   01011000
H8 OFF          10110000   01111000
H9 ON           10110100   00000000
H9 OFF          10110100   00100000
H10 ON          10110100   00010000
H10 OFF         10110100   00110000
H11 ON          10110100   00001000
H11 OFF         10110100   00101000
H12 ON          10110100   00011000
H12 OFF         10110100   00111000
H13 ON          10110100   01000000
H13 OFF         10110100   01100000
H14 ON          10110100   01010000
H14 OFF         10110100   01110000
H15 ON          10110100   01001000
H15 OFF         10110100   01101000
H16 ON          10110100   01011000
H16 OFF         10110100   01111000
H BRIGHT 005    10110000   10001000
H DIM 005       10110000   10011000
I1 ON           11100000   00000000
I1 OFF          11100000   00100000
I2 ON           11100000   00010000
I2 OFF          11100000   00110000
I3 ON           11100000   00001000
I3 OFF          11100000   00101000
I4 ON           11100000   00011000
I4 OFF          11100000   00111000
I5 ON           11100000   01000000
I5 OFF          11100000   01100000
I6 ON           11100000   01010000
I6 OFF          11100000   01110000
I7 ON           11100000   01001000
I7 OFF          11100000   01101000
I8 ON           11100000   01011000
I8 OFF          11100000   01111000
I9 ON           11100100   00000000
I9 OFF          11100100   00100000
I10 ON          11100100   00010000
I10 OFF         11100100   00110000
I11 ON          11100100   00001000
I11 OFF         11100100   00101000
I12 ON          11100100   00011000
I12 OFF         11100100   00111000
I13 ON          11100100   01000000
I13 OFF         11100100   01100000
I14 ON          11100100   01010000
I14 OFF         11100100   01110000
I15 ON          11100100   01001000
I15 OFF         11100100   01101000
I16 ON          11100100   01011000
I16 OFF         11100100   01111000
I BRIGHT 005    11100000   10001000
I DIM 005       11100000   10011000
J1 ON           11110000   00000000
J1 OFF          11110000   00100000
J2 ON           11110000   00010000
J2 OFF          11110000   00110000
J3 ON           11110000   00001000
J3 OFF          11110000   00101000
J4 ON           11110000   00011000
J4 OFF          11110000   00111000
J5 ON           11110000   01000000
J5 OFF          11110000   01100000
J6 ON           11110000   01010000
J6 OFF          11110000   01110000
J7 ON           11110000   01001000
J7 OFF          11110000   01101000
J8 ON           11110000   01011000
J8 OFF          11110000   01111000
J9 ON           11110100   00000000
J9 OFF          11110100   00100000
J10 ON          11110100   00010000
J10 OFF         11110100   00110000
J11 ON          11110100   00001000
J11 OFF         11110100   00101000
J12 ON          11110100   00011000
J12 OFF         11110100   00111000
J13 ON          11110100   01000000
J13 OFF         11110100   01100000
J14 ON          11110100   01010000
J14 OFF         11110100   01110000
J15 ON          11110100   01001000
J15 OFF         11110100   01101000
J16 ON          11110100   01011000
J16 OFF         11110100   01111000
J BRIGHT 005    11110000   10001000
J DIM 005       11110000   10011000
K1 ON           11000000   00000000
K1 OFF          11000000   00100000
K2 ON           11000000   00010000
K2 OFF          11000000   00110000
K3 ON           11000000   00001000
K3 OFF          11000000   00101000
K4 ON           11000000   00011000
K4 OFF          11000000   00111000
K5 ON           11000000   01000000
K5 OFF          11000000   01100000
K6 ON           11000000   01010000
K6 OFF          11000000   01110000
K7 ON           11000000   01001000
K7 OFF          11000000   01101000
K8 ON           11000000   01011000
K8 OFF          11000000   01111000
K9 ON           11000100   00000000
K9 OFF          11000100   00100000
K10 ON          11000100   00010000
K10 OFF         11000100   00110000
K11 ON          11000100   00001000
K11 OFF         11000100   00101000
K12 ON          11000100   00011000
K12 OFF         11000100   00111000
K13 ON          11000100   01000000
K13 OFF         11000100   01100000
K14 ON          11000100   01010000
K14 OFF         11000100   01110000
K15 ON          11000100   01001000
K15 OFF         11000100   01101000
K16 ON          11000100   01011000
K16 OFF         11000100   01111000
K BRIGHT 005    11000000   10001000
K DIM 005       11000000   10011000
L1 ON           11010000   00000000
L1 OFF          11010000   00100000
L2 ON           11010000   00010000
L2 OFF          11010000   00110000
L3 ON           11010000   00001000
L3 OFF          11010000   00101000
L4 ON           11010000   00011000
L4 OFF          11010000   00111000
L5 ON           11010000   01000000
L5 OFF          11010000   01100000
L6 ON           11010000   01010000
L6 OFF          11010000   01110000
L7 ON           11010000   01001000
L7 OFF          11010000   01101000
L8 ON           11010000   01011000
L8 OFF          11010000   01111000
L9 ON           11010100   00000000
L9 OFF          11010100   00100000
L10 ON          11010100   00010000
L10 OFF         11010100   00110000
L11 ON          11010100   00001000
L11 OFF         11010100   00101000
L12 ON          11010100   00011000
L12 OFF         11010100   00111000
L13 ON          11010100   01000000
L13 OFF         11010100   01100000
L14 ON          11010100   01010000
L14 OFF         11010100   01110000
L15 ON          11010100   01001000
L15 OFF         11010100   01101000
L16 ON          11010100   01011000
L16 OFF         11010100   01111000
L BRIGHT 005    11010000   10001000
L DIM 005       11010000   10011000
M1 ON           00000000   00000000
M1 OFF          00000000   00100000
M2 ON           00000000   00010000
M2 OFF          00000000   00110000
M3 ON           00000000   00001000
M3 OFF          00000000   00101000
M4 ON           00000000   00011000
M4 OFF          00000000   00111000
M5 ON           00000000   01000000
M5 OFF          00000000   01100000
M6 ON           00000000   01010000
M6 OFF          00000000   01110000
M7 ON           00000000   01001000
M7 OFF          00000000   01101000
M8 ON           00000000   01011000
M8 OFF          00000000   01111000
M9 ON           00000100   00000000
M9 OFF          00000100   00100000
M10 ON          00000100   00010000
M10 OFF         00000100   00110000
M11 ON          00000100   00001000
M11 OFF         00000100   00101000
M12 ON          00000100   00011000
M12 OFF         00000100   00111000
M13 ON          00000100   01000000
M13 OFF         00000100   01100000
M14 ON          00000100   01010000
M14 OFF         00000100   01110000
M15 ON          00000100   01001000
M15 OFF         00000100   01101000
M16 ON          00000100   01011000
M16 OFF         00000100   01111000
M BRIGHT 005    00000000   10001000
M DIM 005       00000000   10011000
N1 ON           00010000   00000000
N1 OFF          00010000   00100000
N2 ON           00010000   00010000
N2 OFF          00010000   00110000
N3 ON           00010000   00001000
N3 OFF          00010000   00101000
N4 ON           00010000   00011000
N4 OFF          00010000   00111000
N5 ON           00010000   01000000
N5 OFF          00010000   01100000
N6 ON           00010000   01010000
N6 OFF          00010000   01110000
N7 ON           00010000   01001000
N7 OFF          00010000   01101000
N8 ON           00010000   01011000
N8 OFF          00010000   01111000
N9 ON           00010100   00000000
N9 OFF          00010100   00100000
N10 ON          00010100   00010000
N10 OFF         00010100   00110000
N11 ON          00010100   00001000
N11 OFF         00010100   00101000
N12 ON          00010100   00011000
N12 OFF         00010100   00111000
N13 ON          00010100   01000000
N13 OFF         00010100   01100000
N14 ON          00010100   01010000
N14 OFF         00010100   01110000
N15 ON          00010100   01001000
N15 OFF         00010100   01101000
N16 ON          00010100   01011000
N16 OFF         00010100   01111000
N BRIGHT 005    00010000   10001000
N DIM 005       00010000   10011000
O1 ON           00100000   00000000
O1 OFF          00100000   00100000
O2 ON           00100000   00010000
O2 OFF          00100000   00110000
O3 ON           00100000   00001000
O3 OFF          00100000   00101000
O4 ON           00100000   00011000
O4 OFF          00100000   00111000
O5 ON           00100000   01000000
O5 OFF          00100000   01100000
O6 ON           00100000   01010000
O6 OFF          00100000   01110000
O7 ON           00100000   01001000
O7 OFF          00100000   01101000
O8 ON           00100000   01011000
O8 OFF          00100000   01111000
O9 ON           00100100   00000000
O9 OFF          00100100   00100000
O10 ON          00100100   00010000
O10 OFF         00100100   00110000
O11 ON          00100100   00001000
O11 OFF         00100100   00101000
O12 ON          00100100   00011000
O12 OFF         00100100   00111000
O13 ON          00100100   01000000
O13 OFF         00100100   01100000
O14 ON          00100100   01010000
O14 OFF         00100100   01110000
O15 ON          00100100   01001000
O15 OFF         00100100   01101000
O16 ON          00100100   01011000
O16 OFF         00100100   01111000
O BRIGHT 005    00100000   10001000
O DIM 005       00100000   10011000
P1 ON           00110000   00000000
P1 OFF          00110000   00100000
P2 ON           00110000   00010000
P2 OFF          00110000   00110000
P3 ON           00110000   00001000
P3 OFF          00110000   00101000
P4 ON           00110000   00011000
P4 OFF          00110000   00111000
P5 ON           00110000   01000000
P5 OFF          00110000   01100000
P6 ON           00110000   01010000
P6 OFF          00110000   01110000
P7 ON           00110000   01001000
P7 OFF          00110000   01101000
P8 ON           00110000   01011000
P8 OFF          00110000   01111000
P9 ON           00110100   00000000
P9 OFF          00110100   00100000
P10 ON          00110100   00010000
P10 OFF         00110100   00110000
P11 ON          00110100   00001000
P11 OFF         00110100   00101000
P12 ON          00110100   00011000
P12 OFF         00110100   00111000
P13 ON          00110100   01000000
P13 OFF         00110100   01100000
P14 ON          00110100   01010000
P14 OFF         00110100   01110000
P15 ON          00110100   01001000
P15 OFF         00110100   01101000
P16 ON          00110100   01011000
P16 OFF         00110100   01111000
P BRIGHT 005    00110000   10001000
P DIM 005       00110000   10011000



-----Original Message-----
From: slinkelist-admin@nirvis.com [mailto:slinkelist-admin@nirvis.com]On
Behalf Of Alan Freeman
Sent: Monday, January 24, 2000 1:58 PM
To: Slinkelist@nirvis.com
Subject: [slinkelist] CM-17A (alias "X-10Firecracker")


FYI, Regarding the Firecracker:  (This is FUNNY!)

I called X10.COM requesting to use the "Firecracker" protocol in our
software.  They were adamant about it; almost rude.  No, they were rude!
They said they didn't provide the protocol to 3rd parties.  I asked for a
supervisor, at which time my head got bit off.  The woman said, "he's going
tell you the same thing".  She then went on to say, that if I "wanted to
interface to it, I would have to hack it."  And she further said, "there are
many places on the web to find information about it, as it had been hacked
already.  You can use that source."

I told her we'd rather work with them.  She said in a not too
round-about-way, they'd rather we didn't.

So... taking her lead, I went searching.

The CM-17A (aka. Firecracker) uses (as Colby suggested), a hack to the
serial lines.  It doesn't use a standard RS232 serial protocol method at
all, nor does it receive data from the power line, of course.  The
communications is achieved by toggling a serial line much like an IR signal,
using a single data bit stream on a single serial port line.

Having said that, and knowing that Colby or my company can hack it, I'm not
sure I'd want to, just because of their attitude.  I can't speak for Colby.
I can only guess that the CM17A will be short lived if they won't cooperate
with other vendors to get some halfway decent software for it.  Isn't that
how SONY killed the BETA machine, and how SONY 'almost' killed the
Mini-Disc!?!  (rhetorical)

Haven't we seen this movie before!?!  X-10's biggest problem to date has
been their "proprietary" hold on their X-10 power-line protocol.  Other
companies could have made it SCREAM, but X-10 USA has forced it to ''crawl".

Sorry to editorialize.  I'm off the soap box now.  Next...

 >(©¿©)<
Best regards, Alan Freeman
E-Mail: alan@cdcontrol.com
Web-URL: www.cdcontrol.com
Genealogy: www.ifreeman.com



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