….. The old cameras, Ninja bases and RF video receivers were horrible.
That is true....
by TODAYS standards... those old cameras weren't much. But in their day... they were pretty darn sharp. The resolution was pretty much equal to the TV's we watched back then. The cameras were tiny and cheap... easy to install and pretty darn flexible.
My first X10 project was the lighting in my Home Theater (which still functions great)…. my 2nd project was a camera so I could see my driveway (and then more cameras).
Of course the X10 driveway camera setup was replaced years ago.... and the system that originally replaced the X10 system... has also been replaced.
AND... I am considering replacing THAT system with a Ring floodlight and doorbell setup.
Turning lights On & Off... ain't no big deal. ANY of the available setups can do that. The Wifi controlled stuff is pretty nice. But I haven't seen anything near X10's CM15A as far as programing goes. But then again.... without my HomeSeer Hometroller I wouldn't be able to control X10 lighting using Amazon's AI echo device and Alexa. Other than a few on-line hobbyists using of Raspberry Pi's.... I see no movement towards on-line control of X10....
which it used to have. How do you ask X10 users.... to go BACKWARDS?!?!
In 1975 turning a light On and dimming it using a palmpad was.... almost exciting. But
in 2018.... knowing your mobile phone will (silently and automatically) report it's location to your AI device when driving home from work or a trip.... which in turn will alter the temperature at home. THAT is smart Home Automation. And X10 isn't going to accomplish that without code writers and servers. IMHO... AI devices like Google and Amazon's Alexa... are the best thing to hit Home Automation since X10's introduction.
I know..... AI [or the use of AI] provokes a Etymology, or "uncanny valley" [
i.e.creepy feeling] among some older people. So... maybe X10 can limp on selling off it's stock to an aged population that is afraid of modern technology.
X10 is still great at the basics! I have no plans to "switch-over" to another protocol. But
I have switched over to HomeSeer to control my X10. Although zwave is a bit pricey for switching over my entire setup. And I have "included" other protocols that all seem to work well with my older X10 parts.