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[Gismo]

I’m one of the users that started with the Radio Shack powerhouse units many many years ago. I have a moderate amount of x10 stuff, but  recently, with new led bulbs, phone charges, my cma15 needs to reinstall every so often, and other noise problems, it’s getting to be a PITA. I don’t see me going to the new WiFi unit when it’s not a good as the cma15. So I think it is time to move on. With all the Alexa switches, plugs and other HA equipment dropping in price it’s a no Brainer.
Just like many others, I was hoping for new x10software, a good WiFi unit and more home  automation units.

With iPhones, iPods, and my Alexa I hardly use my computer. So it’s time to
Make life a little easier and put my x10 to rest. It was a fun ride.

Thanks for the forum and all the help I’ve received over the years.

Life is short, enjoy while you can !

[BackAgain]

With all the Alexa switches, plugs and other HA equipment dropping in price it’s a no Brainer.

With iPhones, iPods, and my Alexa I hardly use my computer.

I will NOT have a hub that phones home, telecommunicates with a mother ship every time I want to turn a light on or off or listens and talks back to me.  Ain't a 'gonna happen.

But I'm also scrapping most of the X-10 stuff due to recurring problems.  I'm going old school though, timers and photocells.

As for PCs, I'd be lost without one.  I can't imagine typing all this on a 5" screen with no keyboard.

[Tuicemen]

It is always difficult to mix old with new but not impossible.
Moving on to newer tech without fixing things that affect the old may follow your move.
Each HA protocol has its pros and cons.
The power of the CM15 is hard to find in many newer HA setups.
I moved my HA setup to a $7 Pi but still use the CM15a and a few other newer Protocols.
My Setup is not connected to my PC but it has the power of being that way.
Newer devices always have a slow options implementation but we have grown to want everything now or yesterday.

I can't imagin going back to old school options timers and Photocells.
I've been using Voice activation of things for far to long now and simple time activation of things just won't cut it.

[bkenobi]

If you are planning on moving to a different standard, I would personally recommend finding an HA program that supports multiple.  I picked HG, but there are others that do the same for varying costs and with varying support systems.  If you do that, you can slowly move from one to the other and maybe even to something down the road that isn't even invented yet.  I personally am not a fan of some X10 components, but others work fine.  Mixing standards seems to be the ideal solution IMO.

[HA Dave]

It is... and always has been... time to move on. Onward and upwards!

Home Automation is now, and always has been a technology driven endeavor. There ain't nothin static about Home Automation... and there never will be. Even back a decade ago when I first went with voice controlled X10 (using BVC) many wanted to control music and movie collections with voice control. None of this stuff began with Amazon's Alexa.... and it sure as hell is not going to end here.

Sure... X10 began with a remote control that could turn lights on and off remotely. What.... 43 years ago?!?!? Home Automation has been processor (computer) controlled for more than half that. And Internet integration is nothing new to anyone reading this either. And Home Automation is MUCH more than turning lights on and off.

The cloud.... a fancy way of saying server... is integral to the Internet. And the Internet... like it or not, fear it or not... is integral to modern life.

My Home Automation setup has been growing and building, evolving, and changing... since I opened my first package with the X10 logo on it. I hope the evolution NEVER stops... and I hope I can keep up with the changes too. I plan to continue to "move on" with my setup. And X10 has earned a place in that future setup too. 

[dave w]

I will NOT have a hub that phones home, telecommunicates with a mother ship every time I want to turn a light on or off or listens and talks back to me.  Ain't a 'gonna happen.

Yep, I agree 100 percent. Just had a very bad weekend of storms. Out of 48 hours, electricity was off at least 10 hours. Yeah, I know, X10 does not work in the dark. However internet was down most of Sunday. Cell service was up and down also. So Alexa slept most of the weekend. But at least Homeseer was running house faithfully when there was power. I will not depend on cloud for home automation.

[Tuicemen]

I will not depend on cloud for home automation.

Nor will I, there are all kinds of stories about cloud dependent HA devices failing.
Some only fail for an hour or two but some have gone days of being inoperable. and these are when the internet was working.
Before moving to my Pi cm15 combo I placed all automation of my off grid place in the hands of the WM100 then my internet when down.
it was down for 7 days

[HA Dave]

I will NOT have a hub that phones home, telecommunicates with a mother ship every time I want to turn a light on or off or listens and talks back to me.  Ain't a 'gonna happen.

Just had a very bad weekend of storms. Out of 48 hours, electricity was off at least 10 hours. Yeah, I know, X10 does not work in the dark. However internet was down most of Sunday...……... I will not depend on cloud for home automation.

Nor will I..................I placed all automation of my off grid place in the hands of the WM100 then my internet when down.

Actually, every bit of modern civilization that is available to me.... is dependent on the Internet and it's servers (AKA "the cloud"). I can't buy a tank of gasoline or order a burger from a fast-food place... if Internet connectivity is down. And... I believe we're all in this same predicament. I am fortunate that it doesn't frighten me. Modern civilization is both complex and fragile... and I can live with that. I have no desire or need to lie to myself about "real life". 

I lost power here a few years back... a huge storm... tremendous damage. We were without power for seven (7) days. The wife and I were able to drive out of the effected area to connect to the Internet and also to make phone calls. And I have a generator that I ran enough each day to keep our frozen food solidly frozen. I have a propane grill with a side burner. We got by. It was boring!

I am beginning to understand.... that apparently many here don't use automation for much other than lighting... and that's OK. I know many HA users (like myself) were attracted to HA merely to solve a problem. Maybe... it was wishing to have the a light on outside at night... and the switch to the only outside light was downstairs in the garage. Perfect use for X10. Just like back in the old days when houses were under-wired.... and a rheostat on a 200 watt bulb ceiling light "seemed" to solve that problem.

Of course now-a-days... in the modern world.... lighting is a mere fraction of a home electric's use. Like most people now-a-days.... I require electric for entertainment and communication-connectivity MUCH MORE.... than for lighting. And the Internet... and the servers that support modern Internet applications (the cloud) play a huge and irreversible in my modern and interesting life. I wouldn't have it any other way.

[BackAgain]

^^  We've had the same thing, but we adapted.  Banks had people handing out money when the ATMs wouldn't work.  Stores took cash or checks and extended credit to people they knew.  Gas stations realized they needed to have small generators on hand to power the pumps.  Things went back to simpler times for a few days -- old school.  We got through it fine.

People get conditioned to rely on them interwebz.  Until they don't work.  They then learn to go old school.  Just in case.

[Knightrider]

My local gas station still has the ability to make a carbon imprint of my Master Charge and issue a paper receipt if their electronic readers go down.

[Noam]

My local gas station still has the ability to make a carbon imprint of my Master Charge and issue a paper receipt if their electronic readers go down.

At least two of the credit cards I carry no longer have embossed numbers. ;-)

[HA Dave]

People get conditioned to rely on them interwebz.  Until they don't work.  They then learn to go old school. Just in case.

Exactly! All systems eventually fail... if only very temporarily. That's why I own a generator to begin with. If need be.... I can erect a tent... and camp. I was in the Army, and I know I don't need no solid structure. A tent will be just fine. EXCEPT... I don't want to live like a Californian!

I like living in a house... a SMART house... with Internet... and wonderfully useful internet applications. I love this HA stuff and all the great things it does for me and my wife. And I am NOT going to turn away from technology... and buy a horse or live in a tent... because "myQ" service blinked for an un-noticeable period of time one day last month.

[Gismo]

Just a quick update. I have been off x10 for about 5 weeks. Yeah it was hard to do.
Right now I’m using Alexa with WIFI plugs (10 @ around $9 each) and IFTTT working 100% great so far no glitches.  The app that controls the plugs is good. I’ve been in contact with the WIFI control app developer requesting some changes and they are open to my suggestions.
Again, X10 worked well for many years, it’s time for me to box x10 stuff up for the next garage sale.

[Tuicemen]

I wouldn't be getting ride off all your X10 modules just yet. It is always nice to have extra modules which use a different protocol on hand even.
You don't say which brand Wi-Fi modules your using but I hope they have local control available as you'll want that at some point. I'm not a big fan of IFTTT but I guess I've not played with it enough.

[ceedee]

X10 clearly subscribes to the KISS principle.  I love the low-tech aspect of the entire system.  Less to go wrong.  I’ve used them since the 80s, and they just work.

I’m slowly moving to the 21st century, kicking and screaming!  The WM100 is a nice way to bridge the gap, but it has its limitations...hopefully, that will be addressed over time.

I now have a hybrid setup.  Some X10, some WiFi bulbs and plugs.  Drives my wife crazy!  With an open API, apps like Stringify and IFTTT can give X10 some legs.

I’m not ready to abandon X10, but I suspect that the WM100 is my last X10 purchase.  The times they are a changin'.