Home Automation

So I've been browsing X10.com and Smarthome.com looking some home automation solutions. I am a unsure about how well these power line transmitters work.

I was wondering if anyone had any expriences with home automation projects - what they did and how well it works.

 

I have several X-10 devices. Most things work as expected/desired most of the time-- when it works it's great, but there are a few things worth noting that can make it sometimes frustrating.

Remote controls may not reliably operate devices when the RF receiver is plugged into an outlet on one phase of your electric service and the target device is on the other. Bridging adapters are available to overcome this, but are expensive and best installed by an electrician.

You, and neighbors who also use X-10 devices and are served by the same electric transformer may find X-10 controlled devices operating unexpectedly when they respond to commands from the opposite household. This can be overcome by agreeing with your neighbor to assign different house codes to their devices.

Dimming may be uneven. Sometimes dimming works fine, sometimes operating a dimmer button results in dim-to-off, or a brighten-to-brightest only.

Some of the stuff is kinda cheaply made--- not all. I have a particular mullti-button remote that a few buttons no longer work. Having said that, I have had a control unit in my attic-- an interface with my security system-- which has withstood temperature extremes for years.

Cool things:

The Home Control computer app that, with a serial interface controller, can operate and dim lights while you are away, even adjusting for current dawn and dusk times, or randomly operating lights to make it appear the house is occupied.

Keychain remote in the car. Turn on porch lights and interior lights when arriving at a dark home.

Appliance modules capable of higher current draw. No more reaching behind the subwoofer to turn it on and off.

Security system interface allows an "all on " code to be sent in the event of an alarm. Great in the middle of the night at scaring off intruders (and making them easier targets), or aiding evacuation by turning on all X-10 controlled lights.

 

Thanks. I am going to start on a modest project - I want to split up a series of hihats into separate zones - but looking at the sites, you can really go crazy.

 

My dad has X10 in his house... the computer app is a little unpredictable, but that could be noise on the line (its a victorian house, power supply is a bit fuzzy... only just on the right side of acceptable). The coolest thing, when it works, is you can have presets like, say, Movie mode... lights dim appropriatley air con fan turns itself down (to make less noise), speaker system turns on AND patches to the DVD player.

And you can set it up for say socialising, where you turn on an extractor fan (to take smoke away) and have only a few lights over the dining table turned on.

 

How are the cameras? My dad gave me a few of them for my store but I have yet to hook them up. Plus Most the literature accidently flew out the back of my truck somewhere on I-15. I have been wonering how/if they record and how much space they take up.

thanks and I had no idea that they made all that stuff!