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[vvvjv]

I'm an experienced programmer, but I have no home automation experience.

I would like to send/receive X10 commands from my Mac.  (I'm also open to protocols other than X10.)  I'm looking for recommendations for bridging the gap between my USB port and the wall socket.  In other words, I'm looking for a controller that will work well with my Mac and allow me to issue basic X10 commands via a command line interface or HTTP.  Something that worked with a perl module such as MisterHouse (http://misterhouse.sourceforge.net/) would also be fine.

I'm not interested in graphical interfaces for controlling X10 stuff.  I want to write my own programs.

[Added later:] The sort of thing I'm looking for is a CM11a or LynX-PLC, but both of these seem to be discontinued.

[dave w]

What's a MAC?

Will be hard finding a match for your restrictive criteria. In another life I used "Xtensions" from SHED Engineering. http://www.shed.com/

[vvvjv]

I assume you're joking about not understanding what a "Mac" is, but in case not: Mac = Apple computer running Mac OS X, a non-Linux version of Unix.  (Just as GNU stands for "GNU's Not Unix", MAC stands for "MAC's A-not Linux", except that you misspell Linux with a "C".)

The Xtensions/SHED web page was helpful -- thanks.  Just to clarify, I'm looking for a hardware recommendation, not a software recommendation.  I'll edit my original question to make that clearer.

[dave w]

I assume you're joking about not understanding what a "Mac" is, but in case not: Mac = Apple computer running Mac OS X, a non-Linux version of Unix.  (Just as GNU stands for "GNU's Not Unix", MAC stands for "MAC's A-not Linux", except that you misspell Linux with a "C".)

The Xtensions/SHED web page was helpful -- thanks.  Just to clarify, I'm looking for a hardware recommendation, not a software recommendation.  I'll edit my original question to make that clearer.

Yeah, I was joking.  if I used "Xtensions" I would know what a MAC is. Anywho, Xtension will interface to many different X10 computer to PLC interfaces (CM15A, CM11A, TI103, Ocelot, 1132U etc.)

If you Google "MAC to X10 interface" you will probably get more information than what this forum may pop up. Likely any USB based X10 interface can be made to work if you intend on writing your own software. Probably the Smarthome.com 2414U is a good choice. X10 is no longer making the CM15A but they might be available on Ebay.

[JeffVolp]

Some folks are using the XTB-232 with XTension, and one at least one fellow is using it with HeyU. 

Jeff

[dave w]

Apolgies Jeff! I forgot about the XTB-232, which is undoubtedly superior to the lot I mentioned.

[vvvjv]

Thanks again for the useful replies.

I'm considering the following set-up.  If this seems unwise in any way to you, please let me know.

1. MisterHouse (http://misterhouse.sourceforge.net/ and/or http://misterhouse.wikispaces.com/) works with a wide variety of (old) interfaces, is free, and is written in perl (which I prefer).  It has not been updated since 2008, so for best results I think I need an old, discontinued controller or...

2. The XTB-232 (http://jvde.us/xtb/XTB-232_description.htm) emulates a CM11a (and MisterHouse works with a CM11a).

3. A USB-serial adapter.

4. MacOSX-specific tweaks to MisterHouse as described at http://onlamp.com/onlamp/2004/11/11/smrthome_hks1.html .

[deepakkamesh]

I wrote something in golang for cm11 if you are interested (https://github.com/deepakkamesh/cm11)