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Author Topic: Boosterlinc advice  (Read 5300 times)

paul warshawsky

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Boosterlinc advice
« on: July 29, 2008, 06:57:03 PM »

I already have an XPCR installed but I still have issues with signals not reaching their destinations.  My most recent disaster was a total failure from plugging in one of my old baby monitors (yes, its not an old wives tale - baby monitors and X10 don't mix.) I'm going to get some filters but I'm wondering if anyone has had success with the Boosterlinc - I'm also worried about how it will interact with the XPCR - I don't want any endless loops - but if I understand the Boosterlinc doesn't repeat - it amplifies in sync with the original signal.  Does anyone have both installed in their home?

Any other suggestions?  I'm a bit leary about Jeff Volpe XTB's because they aren't certified, though I suspect that would fix my problem.

Paul
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dave w

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Re: Boosterlinc advice
« Reply #1 on: July 29, 2008, 08:52:44 PM »

X10 does not like wireless intercoms that use PLC for transmission either.

Sorry the following epistle doesn't answer your question but is my un-requested $0.02

I had older XPCR that would lock up for no apparent reason. I had to disconnect power to get it to wake back up.  This problem was not unique to my unit, and it left me with a bad taste for the Leviton/X10 repeater.

Apparently you have not identified any problems with yours, so good luck.

I have owned Leviton/X10, SmartHome, and ACT brand amp/coupler and find the ACT units (I have owned two different models) problem free and superior in operation (DIMS are handled correctly, no lock-ups, fire storms, etc). Unfortunately they tend to be pricey. 

Having said that, here is my second $0.02.

Buy an XTBII and dump your XPCR. Volp's unit is rock solid, and I would not be concerned about it not being certified or UL. A lot of folks on this forum have Volp's XTB products, and I have yet to read one bad word about them. It is all accolades.  Shucks, if you are truly worried, put the XTBII on dedicated breakers and mount the XTBII in a metal electrical box for fire proofing.

Disclaimer follows:  Nope, Jeff and I ain't relatives, nor do I owe him money, or even know him.  He just makes good stuff. If my ACT CR234 dies, I will be sending money to Jeff. 

Someone owes me $0.04  ;D
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JeffVolp

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Re: Boosterlinc advice
« Reply #2 on: July 29, 2008, 10:11:20 PM »

Thanks for the XTB-IIR plug.  However, I was going to respond regarding the baby monitor.  We had a neighbor using some sort of wireless intercom while I was developing the XTB-IIR (probably a baby monitor).  The carrier was 100KHz, which is close enough to the X10 frequency that it can be a serious problem if the signal level is strong enough.  It was handy to have that signal there while I was developing the AGC code.  But even though the XTB-IIR can recover signals in excess of that noise level, modules without AGC will likely be rendered deaf.

While filtering would prevent that signal from corrupting the powerline, it would also likely prevent the intercom signal from reaching the monitoring station.  Basically, wireless intercomes and X10 are not compatible with each other.

Jeff
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s0urc3f0ur

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Re: Boosterlinc advice
« Reply #3 on: July 29, 2008, 10:58:08 PM »

I use wireless Icoms  that travel via PLC and have had no problems with my x10 signals as of yet ..knock on wood. I suspect that the reason is that the carrier frequency of my icoms on channel one are at 230khz. I have 3 in use as we type >!
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Jim Clark

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Re: Boosterlinc advice
« Reply #4 on: July 30, 2008, 06:42:59 AM »

I thought my wireless intercom didn't interfere with X10 either but found that not to be true. I arrived home from work one day to find that none of my X10 controlled devices were working. I spent a couple of hours looking for the problem. After unplugging devices and looking for a stuck remote I went into our family room and noticed that the lock on button was engaged on the intercom.  ( Apparently my granddaughter was playing with it earlier in the day). I released the lock and suddenly all of my X10 devices started to work again.

Unlike baby monitors intercomes are not normally transmitting for long periods of time so even if they did create problems with X10 devices it might never be noticed.
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