Homeowner Forum / Home Automation / July 2005

What features do you think are most beneficial that current automation
software lacks?
I am interested in flexibility, extensibility, web based interfaces,
touchscreen support, and software APIs.

Once enrolled, it will respond to both.  INSTEON was designed to be
affordable, simple, reliable AND compatable with X-10.

As someone who is soon to embark on building a new house, I really want to
learn what's possible and what myriad of options are available for home
automation and homje entertainment systems.   I thought the most obvious way
would be to get myself to an exhibition - but I'm having ...

While debugging an X10 problem recently I paid some attention to signal levels. I
have a Monterey Instruments powerline signal analyzer connected to a power strip
that has an appliance module. Under some conditions, the module will not recognize
the X10 command. In practice the ...

Hi guys! I'm back!
Hopefully someone can lend a hand with this problem...
I recently bought two LG LCD 19" monitors.
Around the same time, I noticed many lights were turning on by

I would like to mount a wireless camera in my backyard (we live in a
rural area) to watch the typical wildlife that wonders by.  I see
tracks for deer, coyotes, raccoons, and others.  I plan to get a camera
that can see in the dark (infred Camera).  Mount it in or near a tree

I am cleaning out my storage and garage, and I have collected numerous home
automation products. Most are in new and re-saleable condition some are used
but still have plenty of life left.
I am selling them on eBay for quick and fast cleaning of my garage and

Any and all info and links are appreciated. I need it to speed up a bit
and improve pathfinding. Its my understanding that there is a software
upgrade that improves the newer ones. I have 500 model. But I'm
thinking I couldpull it off with directions. Thanks! :)

I'd like to be able to control my ceiling fans via x10, ie. turning
them on in the AM and off in the PM. I've tried (unsuccessfully) to
use a x10 wall switch but the fans hum and two switches stopped
working altogether. Is there any work around for this or do I just

I just recentely purchased a NX-8E and would like it to communicate via
the RS232 port to a home automation system. For example, when someone
opens a sensored door, have the NX-8E send a ASCII command to my
lighting system to automatically turn on the light.  Any idea what

I plan to put  X-10 WS467 Wall Switches on my outside yard Flood lights.
The switches are rated for 500w incandescent.  I just realized that the
flood lights are 100w halogen outdoor flood lights.  Will these switches
work with these bulbs?

I have a Smarthome Smartlinc switche and a PowerLinc 1132 controller.  In
our area when we have storms, we get a few "auto-reclosures" on our
electrical utility.  That is, lightning strikes the primary (high voltage 44
kV) line somewhere, and our power goes out for just under 1 ...

Have been looking heavily into the JDS tech Stargate as a home
controller solution (along with a Caddx NX8 security system) and
wondered if anyone out there has this controller and what they think of
it versus other controllers.  After doing some research, I cannot seem

Just a note to say tchau for a few days.  My wife and I will be in Brazil
for the next two months (July 24 - September 25, 2005).  I should be back
online from Salvador, Bahia in a few days.
Although I'll be away, other staff will be handling daily operations in my

I am pretty much settled on Russound's A-H484 along withthe A-KP2
keypads for my whole house audio..
One of the lingering questions I had, would I be able to turn on and
off the "keypads" remotely using IR?