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Does X10 care?

7 (58.3%)

What the hell!

5 (41.7%)

Total Members Voted: 12

[nena1bomb]

Hi I just wanted to write a little note here to say how much of a outrageous website x10 has right now.
I was trying to get info. on some surveillance cameras, and came across the x10. I was bombarded with blinking lights, flashing
signs, and a ton of "buy it now," or "get it here," or "please for God's sake buy it."

If that wasn't the worse thing, it was the half naked porn film applicants all over the page. I mean I was ready to buy the cameras until I saw all the chicks. I was like, "What the hell kinda business are they running here? Is this an escort service? Who are these people? Why would a legit survellance company do something so cheesy, um tacky, um redneckish looking?" So I decided I better not give my money to x10, because I might get a plastic .25 cent toy or something.
By the way I commend you guys on this forum that are complaining about the chicks, that is way cool. You don't see guys doing that these days, usually they are like, " Oh half naked chicks, great I can look at chicks and buy techie merchanise.... can't get better than this."
For those guys who have some moral standards or at least better business sense, hats off to you, we need more of that in America.  

[HA Dave]

.......I was ready to buy the cameras until I saw all the chicks.

Many of us here at the forum are passionate about home automation. I really like the products... I really like the automation lifestyle. I hate the X10.com Web Site... and I sometimes refer to my "SmartHome" home automation... when speaking with others.

By the way I commend you guys on this forum that are complaining about the chicks, that is way cool. You don't see guys doing that these days.....

We have Moms, sisters, wife's and daughters. We aren't prudes... nor are we any different than other men. I have nothing against women that expose themselves, or men that pay to look. I just hate having it mixed in with home automation.

Thank you for taking the time to post.

[dave w]

and a ton of "buy it now," or "get it here," or "please for God's sake buy it."

Why would a legit survellance company do something so cheesy, um tacky, um redneckish looking?" So I decided I better not give my money to x10, because I might get a plastic .25 cent toy or something.

 

[schiok]

I am a 38 years old guy and I agreed with you. I hate the x10 website. The webmaster must have thought that anything to do with surveillance camera has to do with some porn half naked women around the house. Wake up. If we want to see this video, there are plenty of free porn websites online. Be a man and be professional to design a better website!

[WildBill47]

If that wasn't the worse thing, it was the half naked porn film applicants all over the page. I mean I was ready to buy the cameras until I saw all the chicks. I was like, "What the hell kinda business are they running here? Is this an escort service? Who are these people? Why would a legit survellance company do something so cheesy, um tacky, um redneckish looking?" So I decided I better not give my money to x10, because I might get a plastic .25 cent toy or something.
By the way I commend you guys on this forum that are complaining about the chicks, that is way cool. You don't see guys doing that these days, usually they are like, " Oh half naked chicks, great I can look at chicks and buy techie merchanise.... can't get better than this."
For those guys who have some moral standards or at least better business sense, hats off to you, we need more of that in America.  

LOL  That was one of the first things I asked a long timer here about, what's up with the babe covered Web site. Personally I don't actually mind, that is until my wife walked in one day when I was looking for a "Rocket Socket" and thought I was at a porn site. I have been getting X-10 stuff well over 5 years now and I can't actually remember when the web site and emails came all loaded with these women, but I will bet you anything that their primary demographic are men 25 and older.

The other thing I often wondered is why X-10 never went Main Stream like Smart Home, getting in Radio Shack is ok for the same demographic but to really hit it big they need Home Depot, Lowes, and to be listed in the kinds on catalogs electricians order from, a TV spot or two might help every now and then. Of course if they did that they would not have any budget left over for the models

 

[dave w]

The other thing I often wondered is why X-10 never went Main Stream like Smart Home, getting in Radio Shack is ok for the same demographic but to really hit it big they need Home Depot, Lowes, and to be listed in the kinds on catalogs electricians order from, a TV spot or two might help every now and then. Of course if they did that they would not have any budget left over for the models

 

$0.02 follows:

In the early days, X10 was more aggressive. Sears, and Radio Shark carried X10 early on. And just about any merchandiser carring BSR turntables had a few "BSR System X10" trinkets hanging on a pegboard in the dark end of the store.

I think X10 realizes it would (in the end) hurt them to go "main stream" again. X10 remote control in a home (unless it is small scale) needs "system massaging" to get it to work. In this era of Plug -n -Play, many people are not willing to take the time to do that. Especially when it almost requires you learn about split phase- dual phase, phase coupling, noise, signal suckers, switching power supplies, etc. etc.  X10, feebly, is trying to address the signal reliability issues by doing things like going to AGC in the Lamp, Appliance, and Wall Switch modules, reducing local control sensing current in their "CFL Friendly" Appliance Modules to reduce flickering, etc. But they need to do more.

Plus X10 has some serious competition in the form of UPB, Z-Wave, Zigbee, Insteon, etc.

Right now I think X10 Inc. is just trying to hang on.

[WildBill47]

The other thing I often wondered is why X-10 never went Main Stream like Smart Home, getting in Radio Shack is ok for the same demographic but to really hit it big they need Home Depot, Lowes, and to be listed in the kinds on catalogs electricians order from, a TV spot or two might help every now and then. Of course if they did that they would not have any budget left over for the models

 

$0.02 follows:

In the early days, X10 was more aggressive. Sears, and Radio Shark carried X10 early on. And just about any merchandiser carring BSR turntables had a few "BSR System X10" trinkets hanging on a pegboard in the dark end of the store.

<snip>

Plus X10 has some serious competition in the form of UPB, Z-Wave, Zigbee, Insteon, etc.

Right now I think X10 Inc. is just trying to hang on.

That is a shame, the X-10 products are generally a LOT cheaper then Smart Home and until recently I never even heard of Insteon, and still don't know anything about Z-Wave or Zigbee...  Idid some digging once I saw your reply, they are a private company so I could get no financials on them, but Philips and Logitech were listed among their top 10 competitors.

Any one who makes this kind of stuff would have to deal with the same issues, although there is a very easy way to skip the whole house wiring problem, just go all RF for command and control, public freq RF stiff like in the 300-500MHz range is sooo cheap, especially when you don't need it really tight, I can get in signal quantity, 310MHz transmitters for under 5 bucks, in large lots they are likely under a buck. Granted they are a little sloppy but they are good for 300 feet with a PCB antenna and a lot more with a 1/4 wave antenna.

I also saw Wikipedia was less than kind to them, as well as a like to a site that totally spoofs their horrible web pages, and some band called KOMPRESSOR (German I think) wrote a song on their Crush TV album called "We Must Destroy X10).

To me they are very well priced, and while I whined that they did not have a good Macro manual, overall I can't think of many product makers I have been more happy with. Perhaps they need to hire that Shamooo guy to or go about their business plan in a whole new way. It always bugs me when a good product maker lags for reasons other than the products...

[dave w]

Any one who makes this kind of stuff would have to deal with the same issues, although there is a very easy way to skip the whole house wiring problem, just go all RF for command and control, public freq RF stiff like in the 300-500MHz range is sooo cheap, especially when you don't need it really tight, I can get in signal quantity, 310MHz transmitters for under 5 bucks, in large lots they are likely under a buck. Granted they are a little sloppy but they are good for 300 feet with a PCB antenna and a lot more with a 1/4 wave antenna.

To me they are very well priced, and while I whined that they did not have a good Macro manual, overall I can't think of many product makers I have been more happy with. Perhaps they need to hire that Shamooo guy to or go about their business plan in a whole new way. It always bugs me when a good product maker lags for reasons other than the products...

Yup Bill I agree
More $0.02

All of X10 wireless remote controls and transceivers use the 310 mHz frequency but they have poor/low ERP (probably by design). Yes a decent PCB antenna or 1/4 wave would solve all their "range" complaints, but then they would have to contend with complaints of users turning on neighbors bedroom lights, four houses away. They would need some type of auto code selection to avoid accidental conflict

I think X10 biggest problem, which they have done a lousy job of addressing, is the electrical noise/phase coupling issues. They (from hardware stand point) are trying by incorporating AGC and have offered couplers and repeater for years, but do a poor job of educating new users to possible system problems. Hence they get unhappy customers returning entire bundles of automation products because they can't get them to work as advertised. From a price stand point, nothing can beat X10.

I really see X10 at a critical point. If they continue down the road they are going; not addressing their technical faults (weaknesses), not educating the consumer about possible system problems and how to fix, and trying to sell by bimbo and not product merits, I think the new generation of home control will put them out of the market.

[Knightrider]

There's nothing immoral about the human body. 

No one here ever said that there was anything immoral about the human body.  It's the way the female body is being exploited to enlist lust to sell a product that's immoral and DISRESPECTFUL.

Attractive female or otherwise.  Only the mind can be immoral. 

The immorality is in the mind of the designer of the ad, not us.  Under the logic being used in this discussion,  the MPAA rating system has no use, nor tv ratings, nor ristrictions on magazine purchases of underage children.

If you're struggling with immoral thoughts while viewing the x10 website, then the problem is with you, not x10.

Those are pretty tough accusations and personally offend me very much.  Harsh statements like this can slip from time to time and we regard them as water under the bridge, but the incessant harking on the subject by the poster being quoted here seems to only serve the purpose of agitating the regular uses of this forum.

[Knightrider]

End of discussion.  (at least for me)

Amen, my brother (in automation)

[Swash]

This truly has to be one of the worst sites I've ever seen for a company of this type.
It's poorly organized, overly flashy, difficult to navigate and unprofessional.
If I didn't know anything about the products I would NEVER buy from this site.
Coincidentally I can't buy from the site anyway.
The product I actually wanted, I had to find the link through google.
The top navigation bar on the main page www.x10.com does not work in firefox (possibly works in IE. I didn't look at the source and not about to install IE just to view this steaming pile just to find out)
When I did eventually find the IR controller I wanted, I STILL couldn't buy it!
Advertised with big obtrusive BUY NOW ORDER NOW 49.99! Only my cart shows a completely different product for 129.99? (the suggested product to go with the ir commander)
Just bad all around.
The forum seems to be the only thing, internet wise, they got mostly right. I say mostly because they haven't bothered to upgrade SMF.

I would HIGHLY suggest you get a knew web designer with some actual experience. This looks like "hobby" website or a 3am infomercial scam.
If you can't afford a web designer  I would suggest you learn about joomla or other cms. Joomla is very popular, free/cheap, and a good amount of support.
The software and modules are easy enough that someone with some computer skill could handle fairly easily without knowing html, mysql or php.
You could also integrate your website and forum.
If you are using joomla (doubtful), get another template and learn some basic rules of webpages. Like using BLINK sparingly.
Websites should also function in all major browsers. (IE, Firefox, Chrome, Opera)

I almost feel compelled to offer my services for free just so no-one ever has to view this website again ...almost...

BTW I too signed up just to comment on the website. X10 should really consider how many people have registered/posted on the poor quality of the website.
It's just unbelievable to me that this seems to be overlooked by anyone that's serious about being in business.

[dave w]

Swash,

This is a user forum. I doubt X10 will see your message. Nice "your web site stinks" rant, but certainly not the first on the forum. Don't waste your time. $0.02