GE Homeminder System Repair
charles_feldman
Several years ago I purchased a GE TV with a built in homeminder controller..
It has since failed to operate and GE nor Thompson will repair it. It provided
a nice graphical interface for programming my lights and appliances. It is
much more sophisticated than the digital alarm clock devices sold by
Sears and Radio Shack.
Who knows how to fix an old Homeminder Unit?
What is available today ,for little money to replace it as a PC interfaced
unit that can be programmed and than removed from the PC to do its thing?
Thanks for you replies to:
Charles Feldman
feld...@juno.com
vent...@iconn.net
Charles Feldman wrote:
There is a 'PowerHouse Computer Interface' (aka CP290) which does just
what you are looking for. It's programmed via a serial connection,
then stays active when the computer is turned off. It comes with some
software which provides basic functionality, but I would suggest that
you look at some of the shareware that improves on that interface.
I bought my interface at Radio Shack, but I don't know if they stock
them anymore. Get a copy of the x-10 FAQ and look at the list of
venodrs, many of them have the CP 290 controller.
Stan Eker
vent...@iconn.net wrote:
: Charles Feldman wrote:
: >Several years ago I purchased a GE TV with a built in homeminder controller..
: >It has since failed to operate and GE nor Thompson will repair it. It provided
: >a nice graphical interface for programming my lights and appliances. It is
: >much more sophisticated than the digital alarm clock devices sold by
: >Sears and Radio Shack.
: >Who knows how to fix an old Homeminder Unit?
Rat Shack used to sell them, and still DOES sell the whole service manual
for it. Run down to the local Radio Shaft and tell the clerk you want to
order the service manual for 61-2673 (it costs around $6 or so). It'll
arrive in the mail several days later. The specific HomeMinder model that
RS used to sell is 2HC5301X, and that's the one they have the manual for.
The schematics are almost totally unreadable, but it's worth the $$. Do NOT
let the occasionally useless clerks at RS blow you off; if they don't want
to mess with you just at the moment (it's a low-dollar sale) they'll act
like they don't know what you're describing; it's happened to me more than
once. They have a book that clearly lists all the stuff they can get from
the Fort Worth distribution and repair depot. I've seen it at several
stores, so it's obviously a common item.
BTW, the repair manual will be *useless* unless you have some technical
skills. Don't expect TV repair techs to be able to fix the HomeMinder with
the Rat Shack service manual. Some of the better computer repair centers
might be able to do the work, but it'll cost a lot of cash. Like so many
other consumer electronics items, it's usually cheaper to trash it (sigh).
Brian Abernathy
There was a thread about that unit here several months ago. Many of the
people who had the unit said that the most common failure was the TI
chip that did the TV signal generation; at least, that is what I seem to
remember.
Les Reeves
I can't find this thing in my archive of RS catalogs. Perhaps I should
go back and look in the TV section.
What exactly did this thing do? The extended code table in the
Universal Remote manuals I have indicate it had very few features.
However this could be because Universal supports the Homemider's
functions on the main keys.
Was this a TV add-on, a TV with it built-in, or both? Does
anybody know when the Homeminder was real product? I'm guessing
84-86.
-- Les Reeves lre...@crl.com --or-- lre...@america.net --
Brian Abernathy
Les Reeves (lre...@crl.com) wrote:
: I can't find this thing in my archive of RS catalogs. Perhaps I should
: go back and look in the TV section.
: What exactly did this thing do? The extended code table in the
: Universal Remote manuals I have indicate it had very few features.
: However this could be because Universal supports the Homemider's
: functions on the main keys.
I actually had one - for about 1 hour. Bought it when Radio Shack was
hawking them, and took it home, reviewed the manual, and decided that it
was not much more than a CP-290 with an interface to your TV. If it
had more functions, and I am speaking out of turn, please, no flames!
We decided that it was just not what we wanted to control the house, so
I took it back.
I don't think I ever saw it listed in a catalog. It was one of those
'in store only' kind of items.
Alex Gibson
I thought I had the record with 2 hours. Glad to see I wasn't alone.
charles_feldman
>
>Brian Abernathy (c...@hpuerci.atl.hp.com) wrote:
>>There was a thread about that unit here several months ago. Many of the
>>people who had the unit said that the most common failure was the TI
>>chip that did the TV signal generation; at least, that is what I seem to
>>remember.
>
>go back and look in the TV section.
>
>What exactly did this thing do? The extended code table in the
>Universal Remote manuals I have indicate it had very few features.
>However this could be because Universal supports the Homemider's
>functions on the main keys.
Yes indeed, this thing came attached to my GE TV that I purchased in 1987.
There was a red button on my remote control that activated it and displayed
a picture of a house. Then I would set up rooms that had X-10 remote switches
or plug-ins. I was able to program on/off, dimmer levels and a nice security
function to provide a lived in look when I was not home.
The day I turned on the TV the thing did not work. After a hassle with GE
a service rep. replaced it in my home. A few years later the video would no
work, but I remembered the codes to manually turn on/off lamps and worked
in the dark. Then it failed completly.
Ther is noe a jumper bypass plug in its place on my TV.
It looks like everyone agrees that the CP290 should replace this.
Is it true that they are available for as little as $39.00?
Charles Feldman
fel...@juno.com
Mike Burgess
Charles, Feldman wrote:
>
> In article <4qld1c$m...@crl2.crl.com>, lre...@crl.com says...
> >
> >Brian Abernathy (c...@hpuerci.atl.hp.com) wrote:
> >>There was a thread about that unit here several months ago. Many of the
> >>people who had the unit said that the most common failure was the TI
> >What exactly did this thing do? The extended code table in the
> >Universal Remote manuals I have indicate it had very few features.
> >However this could be because Universal supports the Homemider's
> >functions on the main keys.
>
> Yes indeed, this thing came attached to my GE TV that I purchased in 1987.
> It looks like everyone agrees that the CP290 should replace this.
> Is it true that they are available for as little as $39.00?
>
> Charles Feldman
> fel...@juno.com
> >
> >Was this a TV add-on, a TV with it built-in, or both? Does
> >anybody know when the Homeminder was real product? I'm guessing
> >84-86.
> >
> >-- Les Reeves lre...@crl.com --or-- lre...@america.net --
> >
Well It seems to me that it was more than a CP290, I had one for many
years, and due to interference from a neighbors ill behaved alarm
system, had to replace it with a Time Commander.
It had a GOOD clock, a battery backup, flaky video chip (I replaced it
easily, once I found the part in stock), Telephone interface, message
system (inconvient to turn all the stuff on to get the note "dinner
in the oven), IR remote with a red LED on front panel that was slaved to
input signal (was I pointing it right?) I left mine parked in the garage,
except for thetimes I brought it in to change daylight savings time on
it. I still have the GE factory service manual on it somewhere at home.
--
My opinions are my own and in no way reflect TRW
Mike.B...@TRW.com
Mark Porter
c...@hpuerci.atl.hp.com (Brian Abernathy) wrote:
>Les Reeves (lre...@crl.com) wrote:
>: I can't find this thing in my archive of RS catalogs. Perhaps I should
>: go back and look in the TV section.
>: What exactly did this thing do? The extended code table in the
>: Universal Remote manuals I have indicate it had very few features.
>: However this could be because Universal supports the Homemider's
>: functions on the main keys.
>I actually had one - for about 1 hour. Bought it when Radio Shack was
>hawking them, and took it home, reviewed the manual, and decided that it
>was not much more than a CP-290 with an interface to your TV. If it
>had more functions, and I am speaking out of turn, please, no flames!
>We decided that it was just not what we wanted to control the house, so
>I took it back.
>I don't think I ever saw it listed in a catalog. It was one of those
>'in store only' kind of items.
I bought one from RS and when the internal battery went bad a few
years later I went back to RS for help, where I found none, but was
able to buy a second used unit (probably also with bad battery).
Replaced the battery & all was fine. Didn't use it that long, very
limited, but does have a useful phone interface, You can dial it up &
issue x10 commands (archaic) via phone keypad. Still works after
almost 10 years. Gave it up in favor of a HAL "A Bus" system. Then
went to their dynasty interface. Lightning got that just when I
needed it. House has been in manual mode last two years. Looking to
get a Time Commander system next.
Very glad to discover this newsgroup. Looking forward to hearing from
other "control freaks". "Look!, I can turn on my sprinklers with my
protable phone!" - Mark in Tampa
Buzz.Bonnett
We used the HomeMinder for a few years also and the Video chip went
bad in ours, too (It was easy to fix IF you could find the part!).
A couple of points to be made about the thing:
1. It could "hear" x10 signals and, consequently, the displays
of each "room" would reflect the state of a device turned on
from a mini/maxi console .
2. It had a neat "security" program. Since it knew what lights
were in which room, it would turn on lights in living room,
dining room and kitchen early in the evening. Later these
would turn off and lights in the bedroom areas would turn
on later in the evening as bedtime approached.
The thing I disliked was that it had no concept of sunrise/sunset and I
had to adjust times on interior and exterior lights about once a
month to compensate.
Now we have a HomeBase/TimeCommander with Expansion Interface,
and had thought about using the HomeMinder as a status display.
Since it can "hear", I thought of sending it's output to a Channel+
modulator. Then, just flip any TV to channel XX and see what's what.
--Buzz
--
Buzz Bonnett e-mail: buzz.b...@ColumbiaSC.NCR.COM
NCR Corporation fax: 1 803 939 7317 (V+ 632-7317)
3325 Platt Springs Rd. phone: 1 803 939 6982 (V+ 632-6982)
W. Columbia,SC 29170-2203 http://www.columbiasc.ncr.com/home_pages/buzz.html
John Bloomfield
Mike,
How did you replace the video chip on the Homeminder? Mine flaked out
also. I replaced it with the Enerlogic 1400, but the telephone interface
on the Homeminder was very good, and I'd like to fix it. Do you also
have a fix/ replacement for the backup battery?
-
JOHN BLOOMFIELD HFD...@prodigy.com
Mike Burgess
John Bloomfield wrote:
>
> Mike,
>
> How did you replace the video chip on the Homeminder? Mine flaked out
> also. I replaced it with the Enerlogic 1400, but the telephone
> interface
> on the Homeminder was very good, and I'd like to fix it. Do you also
> have a fix/ replacement for the backup battery?
The video chip (part# forgotten by now) was an ez replace, I
clipped the leads off the body of the bad part, then used the
old leads as psedo-sockets to hold the new chip in place while
I soldered the leads together. This avoided problems in removeing
old leads, lifting pads on the PWB etc. Not mil-spec, but worked well.
The old ni-cad was clipped off, and a 4 cell AA holder was soldered
in to the old lead stubs. Since it was a 3cell nicad originally,
one of the locations in the 4cell holder had to be shorted/bypassed
to allow it to work with 3 AA cells installed. (Don't put a cell in
the shorted section..., think about it!) I installed the cells
in a fully charged condition, the built in charger will keep them
topped off, but will take a while to re-charge form dead. There is
enough un-used space in the cabinet to locate the batt pack inside,
and if the OEM button stack ran it for 40 hrs, the AA's last a heck of a
lot longer. (Mine once ran 5 days, batt's still seemed fresh).
The warrenty has long since expired, but take care, and rembember..
it still plugs into 120V AC. BE CAREFUL Mike
Eliot Glaser
In article <4rl339$c...@usenetw1.news.prodigy.com>, HFD...@prodigy.com
says...
>
>Mike,
>
>How did you replace the video chip on the Homeminder? Mine flaked out
>also. I replaced it with the Enerlogic 1400, but the telephone
interface
>on the Homeminder was very good, and I'd like to fix it. Do you also
>have a fix/ replacement for the backup battery?
>
> JOHN BLOOMFIELD HFD...@prodigy.com
>
>
I replaced the video chip and the backup battery on two Homeminders (mine
and my father's). Both had the same failures within several months of
each other (talk about engineered failure!).
The battery is a ni-cad; I used a higher capacity unit that I was able to
shoehorn into the available space. This worked fine and increased the
available backup time. Don't forget that ni-cads do fail eventually.
The video chip is a 40 pin IC made by Texas Instruments. There is a
shielded module with back-to-back analog and digital boards. The module
is sealed with about 2 pounds of solder and must be opened to access both
sides of the digital board. The video chip had a very wimpy heat sink
bonded to it with some kind of adhesive - there was poor thermal coupling
that I'm sure causes the failure. I replaced the chip and used good
thermal compound between the heat sink and the chip with RTV only at the
ends to hold them together. That was at least four years ago, and
they're both still working fine.
Mike Burgess
Eliot Glaser wrote:
> The video chip is a 40 pin IC made by Texas Instruments. There is a
> shielded module with back-to-back analog and digital boards. The module
> is sealed with about 2 pounds of solder and must be opened to access both
only one side for my repair
> The video chip had a very wimpy heat sink Mine had NO heat sink, (after repair it did, along with vent
holes in the shield and plastic case, those critters (video
ic) ran hot.
> bonded to it with some kind of adhesive - there was poor thermal coupling
> that I'm sure causes the failure. I replaced the chip and used good
--