X10 Community Forum
💬General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Melissa2010B on June 24, 2012, 11:17:44 PM
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I haven't checked into X10 stuff in MANY years. I think I had some Heathkit X10 modules back around 1980, that's how far back I go. :D
In recent years, I used to hear it was cheap and unreliable, something like "Made in China".
Is that true, or has it improved, or been good all along? I'm trying to have an open mind here.
One reason I'm interested now, is because I'd like to set up an appliance controller in our bird room, to control their lights. Instead of the usual clock timer, then I could turn them off a little early at night if we wanted to.
I'd like wireless control of this, from my PC. I have a wireless USB module in the PC now. Can X10 do that now?
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X10 Appliance and Lamp Modules have always had good reliabilty. Reliability problems for them usually stems from noise and phase coupling problems which are problems in your home that are easy to solve once identified(plenty of info on this forum about them). As far as comuter control search AHP on the forum or the X10 web site.
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Oh, they go through the power line, I forgot. They don't have wireless ones now, that can go from the PC to the controller?
We have a problem in this house. It's a modular house and came in two halves. I suspect the moron builder didn't connect the front half and back half as common power, together, so we haven't been able to use wireless intercoms, for example, between one half and the other.
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More like you need a phase coupler between the two incoming phases of the homes wiring.
Also you would have to maybe find power line noise makers and signal absorbers.
http://jvde.us/x10_troubleshooting.htm