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Author Topic: X10 camera power supply hack  (Read 1786 times)

AMXoldhack

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X10 camera power supply hack
« on: March 11, 2021, 11:00:02 PM »

picked up a bunch of X10 camera supplies I'd hope to drive 12V relays with. what I didn't realize that these supplies default to "on" when powered up. any body hacked one of these? if not I'll get out the dremel and see what I can find out. >!
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Brian H

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Re: X10 camera power supply hack
« Reply #1 on: March 12, 2021, 06:41:38 AM »

What you have seen is the supplies design.
In a single camera setup. You did not have to send an On to its X10 address to start the video.

In a multi-camera setup. They where designed to be is a group of four. Same House Code; Units 1-4,5-8,9-12 and 13-16. Turn one in the group On the other three in the group automatically turned Off. Without the need to send an Off to switch off the camera that was On.

I will look and see if I can find any schematics.

If you want them to default to Off. I believe how they act is in the firmware for the controller chip and you will still have the group of four membership.

Some camera models with  Instant On supplies had two outputs. On a 3.5mm stereo type plug. One was On all the time and the other was switched. I would think a switching transistor to switch the DC output.
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AMXoldhack

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Re: X10 camera power supply hack
« Reply #2 on: June 09, 2021, 10:01:40 PM »

Thanks for the info. I wasn't aware of the "Grouping" characteristics and the resulting behavior of these supplies.
Haven't gotten around to opening one up yet as I'm focused these days on upgrading other parts of my X10.
I long ago solved all the reliability problems most beginners suffer with X10. between filters ( I "roll my own" these days)
and Recently added a XTBR from JV Digital Engineering and a Monterey Instruments Macro module IR and am well satisfied.
 ;)
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