Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[idbl_fanatic]

If I wanted to interface my X10 system into my home PC to turn on/off porch lights, interior lights at certain times, etc what modules/software would I need to get? I don't want anything fancy, I want well...........the cheapest possible that would work for what I need. I just need to be able to program timers basically for the lights to go on and off.

Thanks

[G. L.Tirebiter]

The ABSOLUTE cheapest?

1. CM11A

Ebay item # 180173754932

I believe X10 sells this for $10 + shipping somewhere. Requires serial port.

2. ActiveHome for free.

http://www.x10.com/support/support_soft1.htm

Most people here use AHPRO with CM15A. $49.95 with all plugins and usually free hardware and shipping.  Vista systems could have a problem with either AHP or AH.

I personally use the CM11A with Homeseer - MUCH more money.

George

[idbl_fanatic]

Perfect, thank you very much!!

[steven r]

Several people have had problems using the serial connection to the CM11A with XP.

AHP that uses the CM15A that blows away AH that uses the CM11A. That's why there are so many deals for the CM11A with the old software.

If you just have a few items that you want to control, you can leave the computer out of the picture altogether. Just buy a minitimer and a few X10 switches. No where near the whistles and bell you can do with a computer interface but it maybe enough for what you want to do now. Later if you get addicted to convenience that X10 can provide you can update to AHP with the CM15A and not be stuck with the CM11A. 

[idbl_fanatic]

Several people have had problems using the serial connection to the CM11A with XP.

AHP that uses the CM15A blows away AH that uses the CM11A. That's why there are so many deals for the CM11A with the old software.

Well...................$10 with shipping, can't beat that, I ordered it, I will try it...........

[G. L.Tirebiter]

Several people have had problems using the serial connection to the CM11A with XP.

AHP that uses the CM15A blows away AH that uses the CM11A. That's why there are so many deals for the CM11A with the old software.

I would agree that AHP with all the plugins is much more powerful than AH.

However, I have used the CM11A with at least 3 XP systems with no problems. I would guess that most HAL and HomeSeer users STILL use the CM11A (since the CM15A is NOT supported) on XP systems.

Frankly, except for here, I haven't heard of any CM11A problems that are specific to XP.

Anyway, the OP asked for "the cheapest possible",  hence my reply.

Thanks,

George

[Dan Lawrence]

Every XP system that had serial port communication problems was always motherboard caused and the only way the user found out was when the CM11A vanished and reappeared, vanished and reappeared.   I got hit on my old P-III system when i updated 98SE to XP Home and my CM11A and the vanished and reappeared syndrome began.

Got AHP/CM15A, backed up my old .x10 files and installed AHP and imported the .X10 files into it, saved each one and renamed it and had a fully working AHP installation. My timers never missed a beat. The CM11A turned the lights on and the CM15A turned them off at the proper times.