Homeowner Forum / Home Automation / September 2008

I'm looking specifically for light almond colored UPB dimmer switches but
not having any luck.  Anyone know if they exist?
Thanks

X10 Issues - am I the only one?
I recently Purchased some items from X10, as I went to use them I ran into
various shortcommings.
1- When using the ActiveHome Professional Kit Part# CM15A-SP-ISSO and the

I am doing my undergraduate project and I will need to find how to
interface X-10 devices with my SW.  I have searched over the Internet
to no avail - maybe this standard is soo old that no-one is interested
anymore?

Earlier this morning, I went to a Home Show which is going on this weekend
at a local sports arena. My wife stopped at an ADT home security booth for
some information. After she told me the information such as installation
fee, activation fee, monthly service fee, etc. I couldn't ...

Ok, for the first time in years, I wanted to add an X10 wall switch.
And to be honest, I forgot how "deep" they were.  It was in a 3 gang
box, and it took me 1/2 an hour to get the wires such that I could mount it.
Does anyone make a shallow X10 decura switch? (relay or dimmer)

I am trying to source some electrical contacts in a run of 6 folding
sliding doors in order to pass the electrical current for some smart
glass.  I envisage that they may be a plunger type similar to some car
door contacts.

I have a JVC PTZ webcam and it just stopped focusing or zooming. It
still pans and tilts fine. Is there anything I can check if I take it
apart or is it pretty much fubared?
Thanks,

The domain name "robots.pro" is currently up for auction on EBay (7
days left)
Starting bid is $50.
To visit auction go to EBay and search for robots.pro

I recently purchased an IQVision IQ853 D&N security camera (Infrared
range is 850-940 nm).  I was told that 850nm works well with this
camera.
I'm looking for a lightweight, outdoor, quality infrared illuminator

I can't tell you how old it is, at least a couple years. Anyway I
opened it up and there's a big blackened spot around what I presume is
a zener diode.  
So can anyone tell me what normally dies on this thing?  the zener?

The problem in my previous post about the FD10 coupler/filter has been
resolved.  They seem to work as expected.  The real problem was a
loose cable elsewhere.
I have one issue remaining.  I'm unable to send commands to a certain

I have been searching to no avail to find plans or kits to build my
own simple up/down motorized pet door.  I see all those motorized pet
doors for +$200 and that is ridiculous.  There must be a simple plan
or kit out there than can build this thing out of hobby supplies for a

I have a 3 phase power system (I live in Norway) and I had three
Marmitek FD10 filters installed in order to get X10 signals from one
phase to another.  It didn't work.  My installer says that the
schematics in the manual are for TN-400 V, but our system is IT-230 V

Since I haven't received a single message for many days now I thought I'd
check to see if my subscription had failed or the entire group was off the
net.
Dennis Raher

Has anyone ever come up with a good way to link overhead lights in a garage to a garage door opener?
I'm getting tired of replacing bulbs in my (cheesy, vibrating a lot) door openers, when there are perfectly good lights
already built-in to the garage.
Has anyone ever come up with ...