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yes, it has been for some time

No, it is alive and well

Not yet but it is heading that way

What is X10 Protocol ?

[orcusomega]

Personal opinion only

X10 as a technology is dead...  Sad to think this.  The company has seemingly abandoned the one component that made the hurdles the DIY home-automater had to jump through worth the effort, and have done so in a manner that makes me distrust them even if a million CM15A's were delivered tomorrow.  The technology in the average home is so complex that it makes the product difficult to support with all the different variables - it simply isnt worth it to them (this is an assumption on my part) to make a $30 CM15A that costs them $100+ in support calls (just an example).  There are simply too many caveats when you look at the modern home - or inversely, the older home - too many devices making noise, ACFI breakers that strip X10 signals (which are apparently becoming required by building code).

Personally: I am in the process of removing my X10 components slowly and replacing them with Insteon devices - they are a lot more expensive, but the extra functionality I get out of the Keypadlincs, and the other goodies makes it well worth while.  I can look at a KPL in the master bedroom that shows me if any door is open at any time of the night - garage, etc - go ahead and try to do that easily with X10.

Bob

[Tuicemen]

I think the DIY home-automater is becoming a dieing breed.
Infact just about any thing that is a do it your self project is headed that way.
People today demand Plug n play and are willing to pay for it.

[HA Dave]

I wonder if other hobby centric Web Sites and businesses have seen a drop in... customers. I wonder if hobby's are related to age? Could it be baby-boomer hobbyist are moving into retirement and spending less on hobby's (or actually dieing)? 

Has anyone noticed that maybe the Site of their other interests (hobby's)... may also be struggling. I know "the shack" has seen better days.

[Tuicemen]

I've noticed a lot of the hobby shops becoming harder to find I.
There use to me a number of remote control scale car,boat and plane shops close by but they have vanished.
The big box stores now carry some of that stuff but not the parts.
Everything is becoming so disposable now a days 
I hate to think of what the dumps will be like in another 10 years.  

[Msradell]

Has anyone noticed that maybe the Site of their other interests (hobby's)... may also be struggling. I know "the shack" has seen better days.

I think the problem with the "Shack" is much like the same problem that is presently occurring with the X-10 corporation, they have abandoned their roots.  Radio Shack is now about much more than a glorified cell phone store!  They have completely gone away from components and other electronics items they used to carry.  In addition the help they have today knows very little about the products they have!

[Knightrider]

I'll chime in here, as I missed this thread until today.  We probably are going out.  I think HA has hit a plateau, the same as VR. 
The young pups aren't stepping in to replace us.

I see this trend elsewhere as well.  Not sure many new home owners can change or fix a toilet, or repair drywall.  They really need to start teaching shop in schools again.  How many 20 somethings can change their own oil, let alone a clutch.  (or even drive a standard)  DIY HA guys are from a time when men were men.  Now-a-days, 20 and 30 somethings play xbox all the time and hire it done.  Maybe X10 needs an XBox interface instead of a PC one.  I hear the PC is going the way of the shade tree mechanic.

[dave w]

Yep....sad

[kenrad]

I'll chime in here, as I missed this thread until today.  We probably are going out.  I think HA has hit a plateau, the same as VR. 
The young pups aren't stepping in to replace us.

I see this trend elsewhere as well.  Not sure many new home owners can change or fix a toilet, or repair drywall.  They really need to start teaching shop in schools again.  How many 20 somethings can change their own oil, let alone a clutch.  (or even drive a standard)  DIY HA guys are from a time when men were men.  Now-a-days, 20 and 30 somethings play xbox all the time and hire it done.  Maybe X10 needs an XBox interface instead of a PC one.  I hear the PC is going the way of the shade tree mechanic.

I have to agree with you Kinghtrider unfortunatey    I am one of those 30 year olds and it seems that I am one of the odd ones that still does my own repairs, and remodeling, but many of the other I know would rather have someone else do it.  I have even had friends comment on my HA setup that it seems like a lot of work and is it really worth it.  I think it is because I find it fun and exciting to dream up what else I can make my HA system do for me.    It is a challenge to see how far you can take it.  I have been an x10 user for only a little while and now I am expanding my system to other protocols as well due to issues surrounding the availability of x10 products.  I think x10 can be made very solid but it take work, time and patience that most are not willing to put in to is anymore.  Its really sad.


  Ken

[HA Dave]

I'll chime in here, as I missed this thread until today.  We probably are going out.  I think HA has hit a plateau, the same as VR. 
The young pups aren't stepping in to replace us.

I see this trend elsewhere as well.  Not sure many new home owners can change or fix a toilet, or repair drywall.  They really need to start teaching shop in schools again.  How many 20 somethings can change their own oil, let alone a clutch.  (or even drive a standard)  DIY HA guys are from a time when men were men.  Now-a-days, 20 and 30 somethings play xbox all the time and hire it done.  Maybe X10 needs an XBox interface instead of a PC one.  I hear the PC is going the way of the shade tree mechanic.

Very insightful Knightrider. I fully agree.

[Tyler E]

I am in my early 20's and fascinated by home automation... I just have no real need for it. I don't really own anything electronic besides my computer. I think that most young people today are in a similar boat.

[pomonabill221]

I am in my early 20's and fascinated by home automation... I just have no real need for it. I don't really own anything electronic besides my computer. I think that most young people today are in a similar boat.

OOHHHH.... you REALLY opened yourself up to MANY comments!!! 
Just to clarify what home automation CAN do for you...
  You do have lights, right? (dimmers)
  You do walk around in/outside your house/apartment right? (motion detector/dimmers/switches/macros with conditions)
  You want to schedule your lights to come on at a particular time and dim to a low level? (timed events/macros/dimmers)
  You want to have, say a hall light come on when you get up at 3 a.m. and have to "potty", but don't want the light to be bright, just dim? (motion detectors/macros with conditionals/dimmers) (I do)
  You want to know when someone comes into your yard, or comes up to the front door? (motion detector/chime/light)
  Be creative and think of all the "non-electronic" things that you can automate and schedule! 
The list is only limited by your creativity!

[Knightrider]

I am in my early 20's and fascinated by home automation... I just have no real need for it. I don't really own anything electronic besides my computer. I think that most young people today are in a similar boat.

I have no real need for it either,  I just love automating/annoying my wife.

[HA Dave]

I am in my early 20's and fascinated by home automation... I just have no real need for it. I don't really own anything electronic besides my computer.

And... maybe that is the where the world is heading with automation. We have so much technology available to us. So many devices do double-duty too. You can ether play mp3's from your MP3 player, computer, laptop, tablet, or smart phone... or just download the app and listen to Pandora. Maybe portable music has replaced the idea of hardwired home-wide audio. 

Maybe... my using a macro to turn off a couple lights at midnight [instead of letting a dusk-dawn sensor handle the job] is a waste! After all they're LED bulbs now.... the cost of leaving them on a few more hours is meaningless at 4 watts each.

There are some different security issues/uses for X10 I'd really hate to give up. But in the hierarchy of technology needs.... I would guess HA is rating lower than it once did.

[Dan Lawrence]

I've noticed for a long time that X10 has been a nitch business for many years.  I got involved with x10 in the middle 1980's  and it's never been mass marketed.  Every once in while you would see X10 items in a store, but not much.   Radio Shack used to sell X10 items (modules mostly) but not any more.  x10 has done dumb things.  I used to get a lot of X10 items from a guy who ran a X10 business from his house about a mile from where I live.  When the CM11A was superseded by the CM15A, X10 REFUSED to sell it to him.  He finally closed his home business.   I never worked in business, but I do know one thing:  If you want to run a business today, you have to advertise!!!!  X10 doesn't and never has.  That's stupid.  If X10 was mass marketed, we'd all have equipment to block all outside signals, sold by X10USA at a reasonable price.

[Tyler E]

I am in my early 20's and fascinated by home automation... I just have no real need for it. I don't really own anything electronic besides my computer.

And... maybe that is the where the world is heading with automation. We have so much technology available to us. So many devices do double-duty too. You can ether play mp3's from your MP3 player, computer, laptop, tablet, or smart phone... or just download the app and listen to Pandora. Maybe portable music has replaced the idea of hardwired home-wide audio. 

Maybe... my using a macro to turn off a couple lights at midnight [instead of letting a dusk-dawn sensor handle the job] is a waste! After all they're LED bulbs now.... the cost of leaving them on a few more hours is meaningless at 4 watts each.

There are some different security issues/uses for X10 I'd really hate to give up. But in the hierarchy of technology needs.... I would guess HA is rating lower than it once did.

That's pretty much the point I was trying to make. I do think that at some point soon HA will rise again, stronger than ever before due to advancements in technology. Who wouldn't want a house thats entirely controlled by your voice, for instance?