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[birdzeye]

Anybody else miss the old x10.com website? Remember those sleezy ads, and incredibly low prices?? Like EIGHT 3-pin appliance modules for 40 bucks! WOW!! Those were the good old days. Wish I would've bought an extra cm15a when they were so cheap. Sigh.

[Brian H]

Those crazy good deal prices. Probably added a few nails in the old X10WTI's coffin.
 

[beelocks]

I think at the end they were suffering for nails.

I think it would be fairer to say that the crazy deals added half a roll of dollar store packing tape to the cardboard coffin

[William8]

Anybody else miss the old x10.com website? Remember those sleezy ads, and incredibly low prices?? Like EIGHT 3-pin appliance modules for 40 bucks! WOW!! Those were the good old days. Wish I would've bought an extra cm15a when they were so cheap. Sigh.

I remember being able to go to Ebay, and getting everything for even less than x10.com, and you only had to buy 1.

[HA Dave]

Home Automation is now being offered by Cable and Alarm outfits.... as a monthly fee of course. More like "renting" your automation.

I think we've seen... are seeing... or about to be eyewitnesses to the golden age of Home Automation. I love how much I can control right through my smart phone. I am looking forward to when EVERYTHING will be controlled via the phone or one of our tablets.

I've let my home theater age to a classic old DVD setup. But have been planning a full new HD-Netflix-HULU theater with only a Blue Ray for backwards compatibility. Everything has progressed so much.

[dave w]

I guess this means HA Dave won't be joining my Luddite society. 

[HA Dave]

I guess this means HA Dave won't be joining my Luddite society. 

I am retired now. But I retired as a network administrator from one of the most secure (government) networks anywhere to be found. I sometimes have wondered how long I can stay current. But I am not ready for luddite meetings.... yet.

It's true.. EVERYTHING and anything can be hacked... or broken into. With that said... being a fairly large man... there are few residential doors in (north) America I can't just kick open. There has to be tens of thousands of men that can say the same. So... how can anyone sleep at night knowing just how vulnerable doors are?

We are always... just playing the odds. Whereas the vulnerability may be great... the risk is almost nonexistent.

Use recent and good routers... use your own not the one provided by a cable or DSL service. Read and research the router until you truly understand the settings. Then set your security settings and build your firewall(s). Never log on to any computer as the administrator... UNLESS in is to perform an administrator function. Run antivirus software on everything... and regular scan each computer.

Then worry about those old analog doors that need protecting. 

[dave w]

I guess this means HA Dave won't be joining my Luddite society. 

Then worry about those old analog doors that need protecting. 

So should i send you an application, or not?   

Speaking of analog doors. People buy these beautiful front doors with plate glass side lights on both sides and huge stain or frosted glass center panels that cover the entire top half of the doors. Don't seem very secure to me, unless maybe you have a Glock behind it. (I guess I just went off on a rabbit trail).

[HA Dave]

So should i send you an application, or not?   

Sure! I may not be the most outstanding Luddite member in your society... but I am sure it would be fun!

[dave w]

 

[liderbug]

I always hated going to the old X10 web site - felt like I need to take a shower after - but then I'd wager it was home grown and whoever did the site thought they were gods gift...

"Locks are to keep honest people out."  I've opened doors with a paperclip and my penknife.  Hairspray in a lock for 3-4 days - just a short pstt each day and on the 4/5 day the tumblers are in the unlock position.  An old bumper jack and the door frame is  ()  just enough to open without leaving a mark.  A slide hammer will remove just about any cylinder.  Bricks are cheap and rocks are found near doors.  Old movie (in montana) break in to a FedRes vault - 12'x24" timelock door - they stole a 105mm from the NatGuard next door and blew a hole in the side wall - we don't care bout no stink'n timelock.

[JeffVolp]

I always hated going to the old X10 web site - felt like I need to take a shower after - but then I'd wager it was home grown and whoever did the site thought they were gods gift...

Weren't they based in Vegas?  If so, maybe that had something to do with it...

Jeff

[HA Dave]

...... "Locks are to keep honest people out." 

Yep and neither locks, alarms, or even guns can prevent bad people from doing bad things. But things have changed with the new interconnected technologies... such as cheap connected cameras and Internet-based facial recognition. We are on the verge of knowing who is at the door before they push the door bell button.

Facebook now recognizes and offers "tags" (names) for images when we upload pictures. I suggest when having work done around the home... take a few pictures of the construction. Be sure to get the workers (faces) in the pics and properly "tag" them when you upload them to facebook (or whatever social media you use). Then if one returns later to take something or do harm... your security cameras images will automatically identify them when the images are uploaded. Even... link you to their page. The world just keeps getting smaller.

[IPS]

Hello H A Dave

I am in the process of upgrading my wi fi system. Am thinking of replacing ISP supplied DSL modem with my own. Can you suggest a good one? I live on a farm and we do not have fiber optics in this place. Although I pay for 5mbs down and 1mbs upload, but lately it's been 0.37 and 0.19 mbs down/up. Unfortunately Bell Canada is the only ISP and they only have reburbrished 2wire modems/routers. Hence a very unreliable internet even at that low speed.

So HA Dave any help based on your expertised will be greatly appreciated.

[HA Dave]

..... thinking of replacing ISP supplied DSL modem with my own. ................ Although I pay for 5mbs down and 1mbs upload, but lately it's been 0.37 and 0.19 mbs down/up. Unfortunately Bell Canada is the only ISP and they only have reburbrished 2wire modems/routers. Hence a very unreliable internet even at that low speed.

So HA Dave any help based on your expertise will be greatly appreciated.

I am not sure I have any useable expertise in the Canadian DSL area. But my 1st step would be to contact the (Bell Canada) ISP customer service. There are things they can do to "bump-up" your Internet speeds... within limits of course. I don't think... newer better modems would be much of a benefit at the speeds you're dealing with now. But a phone call to your ISP's tech support could enlighten the subject. If there is a better modem available that will work well with the Bell Canada ISP.... their tech support [people] will know what model it is. They should also know what unit(s) don't do well on their lines.