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Greetings, My name is Rommel and I work for X10.com. The best way to get information regarding X10 hardware is to chat with someone online. Just visit any of our product pages (http://www.x10.com/automation/x10_ck11a_d.htm) and click on the blue button "Got Questions?" to chat with a live representative. Best Regards, Rommel

Thanks for the FYI. I haven't purchased the r3 or the r2, mostly because I'm still a poor college student. The X10 FAQ site quotes the following as the transmission frequencies for its video "senders".

X10 cameras and Video Senders use the following frequencies:
Channel A: 2.411 GHz
Channel B: 2.434 GHz
Channel C: 2.453 GHz
Channel D: 2.473 GHz

Given that Channels A & B are at the outer most edge of the r3's receiving range, and Channels C & D are outside the receiving range of the r3, which is quoted by the r3's specs page. I could see why there would be the need for a pre-amp and external antenna. Oh well I guess the simplest and cheaper solutions are most often the best solutions, though sometimes slightly heavier.

Yet for what I've paid for my home automation system using MisterHouse, I can't get anywhere near it with "real" automation software.
My System is made up of the following components...

3 - 10.4" color touch screen displays with audio capability

16 - individual light switches with remote control

3 - video cameras

1 - 600 MHz PIII box running RH7.3

And handles these requirements

Control all devices from touchpads, or 802.11 devices.

View Cameras in near-real time (less than 1/2 sec lag)

Store MP3s on server, and playback via web interface.

Have internal shoutcast for "radio"

Have a ReplayTV server for additional storage

Act as VoiceMail/IVRS/Call Direction

Pull chosen content down for later review (get_strips)

Control PVRs (Stop/Play/etc)

Web Browse from touchpads, to pull movie times, etc...

(IN PROGRESS) Control Stereo equipment (mostly Sony gear)

(IN PROGRESS) Use existing home alarm to get door sensor and motion sensor information.
(IE. If it's night, and the lights are off, and the front door opens, then turn on the front doorway, lower stairs lights, etc...)
(IE #2, if the upstairs alarm panel is armed and it's night, turn off any light we forgot to turn off.)

and more...

What hardware/software I used was the

AOL/Gateway Connected Touchpads for the displays (bought new for $700)

the switches are X-10 "Decora" like switches

the video cameras are X-10 cameras (looking at the driveway, the pool, the dog-run)

the voice mail system is a PCI modem supported by VOCP

the video server is DVArchive

The audio streaming is done with Icecast

I'm still working on the S-Link and Alarm integration, but...

The whole budget for everything was $1,021.16 (I went over budget when I had to replace my modem.)

Yet for what I've paid for my home automation system using MisterHouse, I can't get anywhere near it with "real" automation software.
My System is made up of the following components...

3 - 10.4" color touch screen displays with audio capability

16 - individual light switches with remote control

3 - video cameras

1 - 600 MHz PIII box running RH7.3

And handles these requirements

Control all devices from touchpads, or 802.11 devices.

View Cameras in near-real time (less than 1/2 sec lag)

Store MP3s on server, and playback via web interface.

Have internal shoutcast for "radio"

Have a ReplayTV server for additional storage

Act as VoiceMail/IVRS/Call Direction

Pull chosen content down for later review (get_strips)

Control PVRs (Stop/Play/etc)

Web Browse from touchpads, to pull movie times, etc...

(IN PROGRESS) Control Stereo equipment (mostly Sony gear)

(IN PROGRESS) Use existing home alarm to get door sensor and motion sensor information.
(IE. If it's night, and the lights are off, and the front door opens, then turn on the front doorway, lower stairs lights, etc...)
(IE #2, if the upstairs alarm panel is armed and it's night, turn off any light we forgot to turn off.)

and more...

What hardware/software I used was the

AOL/Gateway Connected Touchpads for the displays (bought new for $700)

the switches are X-10 "Decora" like switches

the video cameras are X-10 cameras (looking at the driveway, the pool, the dog-run)

the voice mail system is a PCI modem supported by VOCP

the video server is DVArchive

The audio streaming is done with Icecast

I'm still working on the S-Link and Alarm integration, but...

The whole budget for everything was $1,021.16 (I went over budget when I had to replace my modem.)

I'm assuming by "they" you mean X10 the company, and not X10 the communication language (standard?). They are not one in the same. You can build an entire "X10" system without purchasing anything from the company that calls itself X10. There are plenty of companies out there that make higher quality X10 components.

I hear whenever you use these camras pretty ladies appear. How can they compete with that?

I believe X10 makes some cheap wireless video transmitter thingys that would probably work.

For instance, everyone's favorite generator of 'pop-under' ads and Home Phone Line Networking (HPNA) .

Definitely not a new idea, just a grander scale

T

Too good to be true.

bah! cablecasting!
you wanna be a media-consumer, that's fine... but there will be commercials involved.
I suggest you download something like andromeda and stream your own content to yourself!
It can stream video and audio files that you have to any PC on your LAN. My setup is that I have a 300GB server in my bedroom which has TV-out. This is hooked up to a cheap wireless audio/video transmitter (2Ghz)(available at x10.com) which sends the signal clearly to my TV & Surround system in the living room. Even the crappiest DivX looks unbelievably crisp at TV resolution!

Look,

Without the additional details that are "required" by some of the posters, you can only speculate at an answer. Twirlip Of The Mists has done that, and had some very reasonable suggestions.

However, for a complete and assuredly valid answer, we simple need for information. As he said "let us have (for free) dark fiber links" that may mean that he really has nothing but fiber between buildings. Telcos aren't known for their sweeping generosity. He may have a lambda, which is absolutely reasonable in a metro area, which would give him something to work with.

If the fiber has sufficient bandwidth, he could split the fiber into data and video traffic (my high school used an OC3 in this manner for ITV classes and Internet access), but this would likely cost a good deal more.

The issue I have with the whole thing is "...when we are not using the fiber for cablecast." If you want cheap, as Twirlip Of The Mists suggests, that will mean (I could be wrong) physical disconnection of network cabling at both ends each time you broadcast, and then re-connection after broadcast. Would you have trained network people at each "public access" location, or would you end up driving around town before shows? Is it worth it to you?

Granted public access television isn't rolling in money, but to make your life easier, you probably want something you don't have to physically connect each time. Of course, you could get a fiber switch, and some X10 appliance switches and the Home Connect kit. Then you could just call up and switch off the data and switch on the feed.

I want it to be clear that I am not saying that would work.

Lan Pipe is cool, but what about a simple to use Music Server?
Someone please tweak Knoppix boot CD OS into a music server!

PC with, bootable CD drive, as well as Nic and sound cards. Hardisk with digital audio files, normally mounted read only, so hardpower off is no problem.

Samba and Netatalk for music via file sharing and play list creation, and LAN Pipe. Xmms with RF wireless remote and relevant plug in. Also use a webinterface to control the sound card on the server via Xmms command line tool and Web Control interface

LanPipe is nice, but FM Broadcast is MUCH cheaper. It uses existing home radios, and 1 piece serves all, and no pulling cables, with this $39.95 FM solution, or that $189 FM solution.

First person to say "Knoppix" on slashdot?
Mac Refugee, Paper MCSE, Linux wanna be

As demonstrated by the presence of
http://www.x10.org
http://www.x10.com/technology1.htm
http://www.hometoys.com/htinews/feb99/articles/kin gery/kingery13.htm#digital%20stuff

Not sure, I'd like to slash-burn X10.com . . .

Easy. ;)

I hate promoting a company that is one of the largest perpetrators of pop-ups, but X10.com has a really cool product that my friend uses.

http://www.x10.com/products/x10_vk53a.htm

It sends the video from your PC to your VCR, TV, or whatever - wireless. Very cool, and alot cheaper than the product in the article. It even has a nifty "mouse" - takes some getting used to, but it's great for us lazy remote-punching couch potatoes.

I know what is going on my (late) Christmas list!

You can take some new technology and give it an Orwellian spin.

Gosh, can you imagine what would happen if tens of thousands of people had small portable, self contained powered, remote, broadcastable color TV cameras...

oh wait they do

-Malakai

If you want a separate computer encoding each camera and feeding it onto an IP network then yes, it's going to be expensive whether it's encoding to MPEG or Ogg Tarkin.

If you have space to put a PC with USB ports in a wiring closet, you might be able to get away with a cheap video encoder, like the one X10 sells, for $70 apiece. There is one problem with that sort of solution, however; I don't know whether or how well one can connect multiple encoders to a single PC. That would bring your expense back up.

Do you have your hosts file up-to-date ?

.. with this + this with a lot of that

This doesn't sound like anything new. Any CCF format device such as a Pronto featured at RemoteCentral can handle your A/V equipment. There is software and hardware for controlling this on an iPaq. Using a BX24-AHT which is currently compatible with the Misterhouse home automation system, you will soon be able to control your lights and other X10 modules from such CCF devices by simply adding a $7 IR receiver. Add some IR repeaters around the house and you can control it all from anywhere in the house. Use something like a wireless Aquapad to access the home network and the Misterhouse web interface to control it all. What "Future"? The tech is already here. Just use it.

Doesn't X-10
already have a product that controls your tv and your blender? (if you get a appliance module)

What about the X10 Universal Remote?

That sounds awesome, do you have a page detailing the software that you use for that?

It's cobbled together from shell scripts on top of vgetty.

I have a USRobotics Sportster Voice 33.6 modem which was a giveaway because nobody wants 33.6 modems anymore, but they work great for voice. I'm sure you can find them at those suburban computer flea market show things.

The two phone lines (one real and one from the Vonage box) are bridged using a little relay and some resistors from Radio Shack and this X-10 box, in conjunction with the Firecracker set they gave away for $5 a couple years ago (and which I learned about from Slashdot).

The whole thing is an unsightly mess, both physically and software-wise, but it hangs together. I haven't made any changes in a while and I'm a little afraid to mess with it, though... The vgetty stuff was tricky to get right.

I'm more woried about these things...

Everyone knows a timelord selected the 2.4GHz frequency to save us from x10.com. (Like duh man!)
The timelord went back in time and changed the oven frequency in order to save us!
He knew after 2001, radiation leaks from microwave ovens would interfere with x10 videocameras! x10 Camera Frequency.
Even though 2.4GHz would also interfere with 802.11b, etc., stopping x10 was more important!
Future proliferation of x10 videocameras had to be stopped since the easy to use cameras only encouraged viewing nudity and thus would harm more of "the children".
Politicaly correcting history required any spectrum be sacrificed!

Besides, it really was the only way to stop the x10 pop-under ads!

Kim Brooks identifies the problem well in the article "Advertising: A Cry for Usability." Brooks points out that advertisers are trying too hard to get their message in front of the consumers, and in so doing, they turn off the consumers. She continues suggesting the best advertisements are those designed to help the consumer, enumerating targeted search results, e-mail list sponsorship, and sponsored default web bookmark lists as laudible forms of advertising. If only the advertisers would pay attention!

[BTW: You can get rid of those pesky X-10 ads for 30 days at a time by visiting their opt-out page which I found in their customer service FAQ.]

On Sex In The City there will be X10 pop-up ads.

I do love my XMMS, but...
mpg123 may support lowend PCs, but XMMS has the biggest selection of plugins of any GPL MP3 player. e.g., this plugin for that remote.

We all have doorstops, ahem... older computers, that could be headless mp3 servers, great gifts, eco "Reuse me baby!" friendly, and even RULE Project consistent.

So where is the full command line and no-GUI version of XMMS?

xmms-shell [dead link] was a great start at the command line part. It has very detailed input and output of status, settings and more from the command-line. XMMS-control provides a web gui for XMMS via xmms-shell. XMMS project should encorporate a command line that elegantly handles ALL GUI commands and info displayed.

Removing the GUI, and adding full/powerful command line, would support many recipes for mp3 server.

My recipe for a server would have a headless box, wirelessly connected to the Home Entertainment Center via DVD Anywhere with remote for song skipping. Samba Server for LAN users to play music, and create playlists. A web gui for XMMS, particularly for selecting playlists (auto-converted from LAN users playlists to local). Command line also creates opportunity for a TV style GUI, to properly handle TV-out videocard, that DVD Anywhere can send to the TV!

Ideally an integrated XMMS command line would seemlessly handle multiple instances of XMMS and multiple sound cards, and dynamic reassignment of sound cards to a particular XMMS instance, for powerful whole house sound system with as many zones as sound cards on the MP3 server. e.g., play same song in every zone/room in the house at the start of the party such as Stones "Start me up", later break out the living room zone to another XMMS instance running dance music playlist, and patio to jazz. Later, reunify the all the sound cards/rooms/zones to the XMMS instance playing Jazz.

-Nathaniel

I do love my XMMS, but...
mpg123 may support lowend PCs, but XMMS has the biggest selection of plugins of any GPL MP3 player. e.g., this plugin for that remote.

We all have doorstops, ahem... older computers, that could be headless mp3 servers, great gifts, eco "Reuse me baby!" friendly, and even RULE Project consistent.

So where is the full command line and no-GUI version of XMMS?

xmms-shell [dead link] was a great start at the command line part. It has very detailed input and output of status, settings and more from the command-line. XMMS-control provides a web gui for XMMS via xmms-shell. XMMS project should encorporate a command line that elegantly handles ALL GUI commands and info displayed.

Removing the GUI, and adding full/powerful command line, would support many recipes for mp3 server.

My recipe for a server would have a headless box, wirelessly connected to the Home Entertainment Center via DVD Anywhere with remote for song skipping. Samba Server for LAN users to play music, and create playlists. A web gui for XMMS, particularly for selecting playlists (auto-converted from LAN users playlists to local). Command line also creates opportunity for a TV style GUI, to properly handle TV-out videocard, that DVD Anywhere can send to the TV!

Ideally an integrated XMMS command line would seemlessly handle multiple instances of XMMS and multiple sound cards, and dynamic reassignment of sound cards to a particular XMMS instance, for powerful whole house sound system with as many zones as sound cards on the MP3 server. e.g., play same song in every zone/room in the house at the start of the party such as Stones "Start me up", later break out the living room zone to another XMMS instance running dance music playlist, and patio to jazz. Later, reunify the all the sound cards/rooms/zones to the XMMS instance playing Jazz.

-Nathaniel

Expect a whole new onslaught of X10 ads as soon as this technology becomes popular :(

"We must destroy X10! We must destroy all Internet ad!" - KOMPRESSOR

I have both the ATI AIW 8500DV with its included RF Remote, and the MouseRemote, to control my PC in the next room. The MouseRemote I have almost no trouble with; the ATI remote frequently makes me want to hurl it across the room in frustration (I haven't yet). Let me list a few pros & cons:

X10 MouseRemote

- Pressure-sensitive directional pad (the ATI remote is 8-way fixed speed), which makes it much easier to click on small buttons. This feature alone makes it worth buying.

- Left & right mouse buttons placed on the back side of the remote, which makes them quite a bit easier to use.

- All buttons fully programmable via MaX10 software that can send macros, hotkeys, window messages, launch apps and a lot more (the ATI has a few "programmable" buttons that let you select a function from a fixed list - no arbitrary hotkeys, no app launching, no macros). This is the other deal-maker feature.

- More buttons for controlling a range of devices, programs etc.

- Doubles as a universal pre-programmed IR remote (ATI is RF only).

- Doubles as an X10 controller.

ATI RF Remote

- Comes free with the ATI 8500DV (US$49 separately).

- Already set up for controlling the ATI apps.

I bought the MouseRemote first, back when it was only US$25, which was a no-brainer. I got the 8500DV later (for its other features), but quickly discovered the MouseRemote was considerably more useful.

They're desperately trying to come up with a way of making money that isn't going to completely alienate their users.

They're clutching at all sorts of straws - google answers for example.

OK, ignore for a moment that this is X10

Whats the problem with skipping ads? If you don't want to see them, then you're probably not going to buy any products from them. Most people just ignore the ads. The same applies to online banner ads. Most people that block them, would just ignore them anyway. If an ad is too intrusive, people will actually begin to hate the company instead of like it. For the most part, I don't really think that ads are effective at all towards people that don't want to see them to begin with. Ads really don't do much, for example, if I wan't to find computer hardware, I could care less if its advertised, I'd just use pricewatch.
I'm not saying that ads have no effect, just that the effect can be negative when people are forced to see them.

You might start here for equipment.

I recently picked up one of these for that very purpose. It comes with a RF remote and a 2.4GHz audio/video sender/receiver. So far it's working out ok, though it still needs some tweaking to avoid interference.

Go buy a MouseRemote from X10 (yeah yeah, just do it), and get the MaX10 software. So much nicer to use, far more flexible, and it's a regular pre-programmed universal IR remote & X10 gadget controller too :-)

It's hidden pretty well, but I found it here: http://www.x10.com/x10ads.htm.

Here's How XCam2 Works, and
X10 cameras and Video Senders use the following frequencies: 2.411GHz, 2.434GHz, 2.453GHz, 2.473GHz. So something like this (the Icom IC-R3) might work, as it can quickly scan the frequencies you're looking for and lock on one once a signal is found.

Also, from the XCam2 manual: "Refer to the setup and operating instructions that came with the 2.4 GHz Video Receiver, Model VR31A or
VR36A (sold separately) to set up the Receiver.". In other words, one only needs to buy said on of the suggested receivers for $50-$90 and scan those four channels manually.

Here's How XCam2 Works, and
X10 cameras and Video Senders use the following frequencies: 2.411GHz, 2.434GHz, 2.453GHz, 2.473GHz. So something like this (the Icom IC-R3) might work, as it can quickly scan the frequencies you're looking for and lock on one once a signal is found.

Also, from the XCam2 manual: "Refer to the setup and operating instructions that came with the 2.4 GHz Video Receiver, Model VR31A or
VR36A (sold separately) to set up the Receiver.". In other words, one only needs to buy said on of the suggested receivers for $50-$90 and scan those four channels manually.

Here's How XCam2 Works, and
X10 cameras and Video Senders use the following frequencies: 2.411GHz, 2.434GHz, 2.453GHz, 2.473GHz. So something like this (the Icom IC-R3) might work, as it can quickly scan the frequencies you're looking for and lock on one once a signal is found.

Also, from the XCam2 manual: "Refer to the setup and operating instructions that came with the 2.4 GHz Video Receiver, Model VR31A or
VR36A (sold separately) to set up the Receiver.". In other words, one only needs to buy said on of the suggested receivers for $50-$90 and scan those four channels manually.

Here's How XCam2 Works, and
X10 cameras and Video Senders use the following frequencies: 2.411GHz, 2.434GHz, 2.453GHz, 2.473GHz. So something like this (the Icom IC-R3) might work, as it can quickly scan the frequencies you're looking for and lock on one once a signal is found.

Also, from the XCam2 manual: "Refer to the setup and operating instructions that came with the 2.4 GHz Video Receiver, Model VR31A or
VR36A (sold separately) to set up the Receiver.". In other words, one only needs to buy said on of the suggested receivers for $50-$90 and scan those four channels manually.

Or the success of the X-33...
Or X-34...
Or the X-30...

What about the X-10?

:-)

Considering that most major search engines now place links according to payment, it's a short step to turning the browser, or the whole OS into Bonzi Buddy.

Not that I would mind if the OS did some contextual search for me to bring up results while I'm working, but I've seen enough ads for the X10 wireless camera, thank you.

you can get the x10 remote here at X10's website.

the winamp plugin (ampapod) is here at winamp's site.

i have used the ampapod plugin for several years now with no problems. if you want to use this plugin, DO NOT install X10's software. and if you use it with win98se or higher, you must "disable in this hardware profile" the "serial mouse" when it comes up in device manager. if windows picks up the serial port mouse functionality, the ampapod software won't be able to access it. (win98 and below don't automatically detect it, and thus you dont have to worry about it).

if you need help/advice, feel free to email me at:
fist_187[at]hotmail

Do you mean X10?

Why are people so easily driven away from websites by the tyrannical X10 ads? Seriously, any time you are looking at an X10 banner, you are only 4 clicks away from banishing them permanently from your experience. Simply click through to their page, hop to the faq, click the link to the "make these stop showing up page", and click OK. It says 30 days, but you can change the HTTP Get parm value to any number of days you want (the message doesn't change, but I've tested it.) I'll even give you THIS pre modified shortcut!

This article gives no indication that signals over power lines could acheive any reasonable amount of bandwidth. Power lines simply aren't designed to carry information, and I'd bet there would have to be a lot of upgrading of the electric company's equipment to enable this sort of thing.

I would compare this technology to that of x10.com's wireless devices, which send very small amounts of data over house power lines. There's a lot of limitations to it... flourescent lights don't work with them, and the lack of shielding on power wiring sometimes causes devices to spontaneously turn on or off. (this happened to me with my bedroom light....it would turn itself on at 3am, very annoying).

When you hit the button to turn on a light, there is about a two-second delay. Considering that the remote is transmitting approximately 12 bits of data (4b house code, 4b device code, control bits), the data rate seems to be on the order of a few bits per second.

I'm assuming the power company is using a similar form of technology for data transfer. By the time (e.g. years down the road) a system could be set up to transfer a reasonable amount of data over a power line, access to cable/dsl/wireless internet should be advanced and widespread enough such that trying to transmit over power lines shouldn't even be worth the effort.

Of course....the concept of sending data where data shouldn't go is still pretty damn cool... 8-)

It sounds like a neat idea, but I just hope it doesn't interfere with all my X10 stuff. The protocol is unreliable enough already, we don't need more problems !

I don't think I could live without it now

Has anyone out there actually bought an X-10 camera? I hope not.

Just looking at the X10 site (runs Apache on Solaris - not that I was looking how easy it would be to deface) and they've obviously had some complaints 'cos they've put this up.