X10 Home Automation - anyone have any experience of it?
29 November 2005, 11:46 AM
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X10 Home Automation - anyone have any experience of it?
Hi all
Looking at some of the X10 home automation products (www.simplyautomate.co.uk) and wonder if anyone here has it installed / or any experience of it?
In short, you plug in lights/lamps/tvs/stereo to an X10 mains adaptor socket which then lets you set up macros and control the whole house remotely via your PC or automatically using motion sensors.
Should be able to get some good stuff working using motion detectors - i.e. lights and tv / stereo come on when entering a room, and turn off when leaving. Plus the benefits of a security camera viewed over the web
Anyone use X10?
ta
Neil
Looking at some of the X10 home automation products (www.simplyautomate.co.uk) and wonder if anyone here has it installed / or any experience of it?
In short, you plug in lights/lamps/tvs/stereo to an X10 mains adaptor socket which then lets you set up macros and control the whole house remotely via your PC or automatically using motion sensors.
Should be able to get some good stuff working using motion detectors - i.e. lights and tv / stereo come on when entering a room, and turn off when leaving. Plus the benefits of a security camera viewed over the web
Anyone use X10?
ta
Neil
29 November 2005, 11:47 AM
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No but Ive definately been looking at getting it in my new house!
Wanting to set up a garage camera for while im out and the scoobs in there!!
Wanting to set up a garage camera for while im out and the scoobs in there!!
29 November 2005, 12:11 PM
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Saw this advertised on the gadget show last week, looks very impressive, had his whole house programed so the lights came on, it spoke to him told him to sit down and put some music on etc, had the house warm and the kettle was boiled ready for when he walked in. Brilliant, had his whole house rigged up for about £3000. thought that was a great price for all the kit, that included the big fancy remote control and the PC thats rigged up to your TV....
29 November 2005, 12:41 PM
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Originally Posted by davegtt
Saw this advertised on the gadget show last week, looks very impressive, had his whole house programed so the lights came on, it spoke to him told him to sit down and put some music on etc, had the house warm and the kettle was boiled ready for when he walked in. Brilliant, had his whole house rigged up for about £3000. thought that was a great price for all the kit, that included the big fancy remote control and the PC thats rigged up to your TV....
29 November 2005, 12:44 PM
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I use X10 to control most of my home lighting.
In the lounge, an IR receiver lets me switch and dim the lights using the same universal remote control that drives the TV, DVD etc.
Outside lighting is controlled over X10 by radio; I have a radio keyfob on the same keyring as the patio doors, so I can open the door and switch the light on without having to use the 'real' light switch. The 'real' switch is in the garage, which saved me having to run cables halfway round the house.
Another radio transmitter is stuck to the kitchen wall by the back door, giving another switch for the outside lights - again, with no wiring.
My garage lighting and heating is on X10 too, and I have another RF transmitter on my house keys - so, I can back out of the garage in the morning, and switch off the lights without having to go back into the garage. The heating is on X10 just so I can switch both heaters on and off together with a single button - from underneath the car if necessary, just in case I get cold during an oil change
In the hallway, another RF transmitter is stuck to the wall - a more sophisticated one this time, with on/off buttons for all the X10 devices. So, when I pack up and go to bed, I can switch off all the lights from one place.
By the bed, the alarm clock is actually an X10 controller - so, I can switch the bedroom light on and off without getting up. It can switch all the house lighting on and off at random times for security, and can switch the electric blanket on and off too. If I want, I can turn the blanket on early using the IR remote downstairs while still watching TV.
X10 is great
In the lounge, an IR receiver lets me switch and dim the lights using the same universal remote control that drives the TV, DVD etc.
Outside lighting is controlled over X10 by radio; I have a radio keyfob on the same keyring as the patio doors, so I can open the door and switch the light on without having to use the 'real' light switch. The 'real' switch is in the garage, which saved me having to run cables halfway round the house.
Another radio transmitter is stuck to the kitchen wall by the back door, giving another switch for the outside lights - again, with no wiring.
My garage lighting and heating is on X10 too, and I have another RF transmitter on my house keys - so, I can back out of the garage in the morning, and switch off the lights without having to go back into the garage. The heating is on X10 just so I can switch both heaters on and off together with a single button - from underneath the car if necessary, just in case I get cold during an oil change
In the hallway, another RF transmitter is stuck to the wall - a more sophisticated one this time, with on/off buttons for all the X10 devices. So, when I pack up and go to bed, I can switch off all the lights from one place.
By the bed, the alarm clock is actually an X10 controller - so, I can switch the bedroom light on and off without getting up. It can switch all the house lighting on and off at random times for security, and can switch the electric blanket on and off too. If I want, I can turn the blanket on early using the IR remote downstairs while still watching TV.
X10 is great
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29 November 2005, 03:25 PM
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cheers Andy - looks like the way to go....
Just ordered the Gold Starter kit from Simply automate.
What PC software are you using?
Neil
Just ordered the Gold Starter kit from Simply automate.
What PC software are you using?
Neil
Last edited by Hex; 29 November 2005 at 03:43 PM.
29 November 2005, 05:07 PM
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There's no PC involved - I'm not doing any of the webcam or security stuff, I prefer to leave that to a separate, profesionally installed system. I just use X10 to control my lighting and switch a few appliances.
The most 'intelligent' device in my system is the X10 alarm clock; over and above that it's just a bunch of RF transmitters, one RF plug-in receiver which translates the radio signals into serial data carried over the mains wiring, one IR receiver, and lots of lighting and appliance modules.
The most 'intelligent' device in my system is the X10 alarm clock; over and above that it's just a bunch of RF transmitters, one RF plug-in receiver which translates the radio signals into serial data carried over the mains wiring, one IR receiver, and lots of lighting and appliance modules.
29 November 2005, 07:52 PM
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I bought the x10 starter kit ages ago, and was all set to launch myself and the family into the fantastic world of home automation. Until I realised, within hours of installing the first x10 light bulb, that it wouldn't work for me 
You see, I had this scenario in my head:
I come home from work at 6am after the night shift, no lights on in the house, with my x10 key fob, I turn on the inside hall light, and light my way into the house. Worked fine on the test run before work, light wouldn't come on at all when I got home at 6am the next morning
Turns out the wife needed the hall light on, so had actually switched the light "off", as its in the "on" position with x10, and switched "on" when you activate it. So I get in to an earfull about what a waste of money that was, as the hall light is now broke!
So, my starter kit is down to one light now, which is the one behind my tv, and that saves me bending to the plug socket and manually switching it on.
Don't get me wrong though, I researched this stuff long and hard, but unfortunatly, the wife didn't
Chris. (having to turns stuff on/off manually)
You see, I had this scenario in my head:
I come home from work at 6am after the night shift, no lights on in the house, with my x10 key fob, I turn on the inside hall light, and light my way into the house. Worked fine on the test run before work, light wouldn't come on at all when I got home at 6am the next morning
Turns out the wife needed the hall light on, so had actually switched the light "off", as its in the "on" position with x10, and switched "on" when you activate it. So I get in to an earfull about what a waste of money that was, as the hall light is now broke!
So, my starter kit is down to one light now, which is the one behind my tv, and that saves me bending to the plug socket and manually switching it on.
Don't get me wrong though, I researched this stuff long and hard, but unfortunatly, the wife didn't
Chris. (having to turns stuff on/off manually
)
29 November 2005, 08:18 PM
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I've no idea what's in the starter kit, but what you're after is perfectly possible.
You could do what you want with light module LW10, radio receiver TM13 and keyfob KR19 or KR22. The light module just replaces the switch on the wall - takes about 5 minutes to install - then if you want to turn it on or off manually you just push the switch, but it also responds to X10 commands sent over the mains wiring.
Domestic harmony assured
You could do what you want with light module LW10, radio receiver TM13 and keyfob KR19 or KR22. The light module just replaces the switch on the wall - takes about 5 minutes to install - then if you want to turn it on or off manually you just push the switch, but it also responds to X10 commands sent over the mains wiring.
Domestic harmony assured
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