Homeowner Forum / Home Automation / June 2004

Still new here, but an electrician is telling me that some of this X10 stuff
presents a fire hazard.  Specifically he's talking about the signal booster
products and the filter products.  I'm guessing that the products are
perfectly safe if they're on the market and X10 has been ...

(Y)et (A)nother (S)tandard
This one sounds promising.
    http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Japan/FF25Dh03.html

I've given up on X-10 but have never explored any other options.
Can someone point me towards a better solution?  I don't have much other
than a few light dimmers and timers, but I've never been able to get X-10 to
work consistently.

I have not found anything to X-10 control a standard garden faucet
hose for my wife's garden watering system. She is currently using a
commercial timer which works well, but is not as flexible in its
programming as we would like.

I'm new here and new to x10 technology.  I've seen a couple of remote
control devices that claim to operate as a universal remote for TV/Stereo
and X10.  I'm having a hard time envisioning how this works.
I want to be able to run macros with the remote to setup scenes (IE. Close

Anyone here know any UK sources of motorised curtain kits please?

I bought a kit several years ago with (I think) 3 XCams and never installed
them due to poor reception.  I hate to see this money wasted so I was
wondering if there was a way to improve reception to a useable level.
Thanks for any advice.

This is my first post here as I am new to the Home Automation scene. I am
living in Sydney and our voltage rating here is 240V @ 50Hz
as opposed to 110V in the USA. I have been researching HA alot for the past
couple of months and really feel as though X10 can take off in the next ...

is there an inexpensive pet watering system around or maybe
plans or a guide for building one?
i'm thinking of a an automatic timer controlled valve to oveflow
a glass bowl within a larger bowl that has a large clog-resistant

erie patsellis wrote:

I had my utility install a Carrier EMi Thermostat. But they don't give out
the outdoor temperature option. The have the temperature sensors in the
warehouse, but they haven't decided what to do with them. They are thinking
they might use them as an extra incentive. So that means ...

I am starting an Open Source Project to develop x10 components and source
code to talk to a X10 network.  The main project will be developed using
Delphi/Kylix and VB.
I am starting this project as I have yet to find any application/component

Hello, All!
We are going to include home automation features in our device.
After researching HA aspects, I got few questions to figure out:
1) Is PLC the one standard nowdays?

OK I'm lost. How do your convert the house codes and device codes for x-10
to CHR$ and Hex.
A1 = CHR$(4) + CHR$(102)
A1 = 0x04, 0x66

I've just started out with X10 automation (2 lamp modules, 2 appliance
modules, and the Firecracker PC interface), and I'd welcome suggestions on
where I go from here.
 1) What should I buy to replace the Firecracker?