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[kdrew098]

Hi,

I'm going to describe my fantasy X-10 device.  I think it would be simple to engineer and there's be a real market for it.  However, if anyone knows the best off-the-shelf devices to accomplish this in the meantime, I'd be very appreciative.  The critical part is the timing of the restarts.

I have a little tech support shop.  I set up a fairly complicated network solution for someone who's family owns a stone company (the house is full of marble floors and walls).  I set up three wireless routers (one for each floor).  Add to this of course the cable modem and the one desktop PC plugged into one of the routers. 

This is a person who is challenged about restarting the PC let alone restarting all the routers in sequence.  So here's my fantasy X-10 device:

What I'd like is a big red button that sits on the desk. 

When you press the button:

   1. The button begins blinking yellow
   2. The cable modem shuts down
   3. The computer shuts down
   4. The three routers (two on other floors) turn off
 

Without touching anything again:

   1. In 2 minutes, the cable modem powers on first. 
   2. 3 minutes later, the first router powers up
   3. 30 seconds later, the second router powers up
   4. 30 seconds later, the third router powers up
   5. 30 seconds later, the pc powers up
   6. The light turns from flashing yellow to red

The colors are negotiable.  Anyway, it seems obvious that an ordinary lamp controller would do the trick for the remote routers.  It's timing the thing without using the PC and using a really simple controller that I think would make the difference.

Any ideas would be appreciated!

Thanks
Kevin Drew

[dbemowsk]

It sounds like this could all be done with a CM15A, some x10 appliance modules, a powerflash module, and maybe some other miscellaneous parts.  Different kinds of large buttons are available on the net that just have a jack for the contact output.  Connect that switch to a powerflash module that could trigger a macro on the CM15A.  The macro would simply use delays between the actions you listed for turning the various components off and then back on again.  Basically just having the various components connected with appliance modules set to their own house/unit codes.  If you really needed the flashing lights, you could use some universal modules to flash the lights needed.

There are commercially available units that could be used to program a series of on and off events like this, but I would think that all the equipment being controlled would have to be near the controller.  With the x10 solution, it doesn't matter where the equipment is located.

Hope that helps.

Dan B

[kdrew098]

Thanks!  I'll check out this module and get back to make any comments.  Yes the big button that flashes while it's working was appealing, but by no means necessary!

KD