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[Brian H]

I only have a flip style phone.
That is rarely used except for a few situations that use two step verification.

[guyl]

Jeff the irony is that everyone in the household these days have at least one mobile device (phone) in their possession which can probably activate any x10 switching device when required either by tapping the screen (local and quicker) or voice activated (slight delay).

Not quite...  I do have a cellphone that my wife convinced me to carry when out hiking.  It is on a prepaid plan that costs $10 for 120 days service.  I did use it for awhile when the WM100 came out, but now it lives in my backpack for GPS tracking.  Her cellphone is usually on the kitchen desk when she is home.

A Palmpad or Maxi Controller is usually within reach or just a few steps away.


Jeff

Same here (right down to the prepaid phone). Needing to pull it out, turn it on, unlock it, fire up the app, navigate the menu(s) will take a lot more time than just asking Alexa to execute a simple command. In my case, it's mostly for the wife, who is legally blind.

I removed the X-10 RF stuff (I had just one palmpad anyways), further improving system reliability.

[brobin]

I've been paying a bit more attention to response times since Jeff brought it up.  I have an Alexa routine called "We'll be back" that we say before leaving the house that turns on the alarm and starts playing music (for the dog!) through an Echo Dot in the laundry room where he usually hangs out when we're not home. 
The alarm actually arms before the music starts playing which surprised me since Alexa had to talk to the Smartenit Harmony, which had to transmit an X10 signal to the Stargate, which in turn had to send a serial message to the alarm panel. Those electrons are damn fast!

[AMXoldhack]

I've been a X10 user/electronic hacker since the BSR days. Even though I was concerned when internet linked listening boxes
versus hacking I'm not concerned now. I live alone and the only thing they would hear is me talking to my cats. when company comes over I'd air gap an Alexia speaker. I looked into a few years ago something that could bridge my iPhone to x10 but the few apps I found were way to expensive for a guy on social security. years have past and I'm not up to date with apps that have come out. My current set up allows me to initiate any of the current 256 devices or macros from any X10 controller set to any house code with out out a computer or internet connection. I'm looking for a simple x10 app that would respond to silent iPhone commands on my phone or from a Alexia speaker box. 

[walking catfish]

I should also mention for the OP and others looking to add Alexa control of X10 that the Broadlink RM4 Pro does the job well and is fairly inexpensive at about $40

A PalmPad is used to train the RF codes and an X10 transceiver or CM15A is used to receive from the RM4 Pro and transmit X10.

.
I'm confused...

As I understand it, X10 uses 310 Mhz for its RF frequency.

However, the Amazon website listing the BroadLink RM4 Pro says that "Learning function: learn your remote controller if the appliance model is not available. (For RF, only supports 433MHz fixed code learning, can’t learn 315MHz or rolling codes)".

So, if the RM4 Pro only supports 433 Mhz fixed code learning how can it learn from an X10 rf remote that is on 310 Mhz?

So what am I missing (besides a brain )?

[dave w]

Is brobin in Canada?

[walking catfish]

Is brobin in Canada?

dave w, I don't understand your question.

[brobin]

Brobin (me) is, thankfully, in Florida where it's nice and warm.  The older RM4 Pro's did not support both frequencies but the current ones do. This is the one I purchased in July 2023.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B096TXWMPV/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[walking catfish]

Interesting. This link points to the newer unit (you purchased this year)  which can learn on 433 or 315 Mhz. Apparently the 315 Mhz receiver is broad enough that it can learn from a remote that is on 310 Mhz.

If you say it works I will take your word for it. There's nothing like getting advice from someone with first-hand experience!

Thanks for clearing this up for me.

[brobin]

Glad to help. From what I've read the frequency range is pretty broad on the RM4 Pro.  The response time from Alexa is very fast. Using a CM15A as the transceiver all 256 codes can be used once the RM4 Pro learns them but I only needed to use two housecodes to trigger events.
Currently I think this is the least expensive and simplest way to add X10 control from Alexa since Smartenit is out of stock on their Harmony products.

[walking catfish]

Yeah, I saw that when I investigated on the Smartinit website. It also seems that the Harmony only supports the standard set of X10 PLC signals. (correct me if I am wrong on this).

I have a CM15A coming this week since I want to utilize the Extended X10 feature set, which I understand the CM15A will support. (Unfortunately the WM100, with its problematic implementation, only supports the Standard X10 PLC signals.)

I have an Nstinct (aka Icon) IR34A remote, which I love. With it, I have consolidated 5 remotes into 1. If I get the BroadLink unit, I am planning to train it using the IR34A RF signals. The goal is to be able to send Extended commands to the CM15A for implementation onto the powerline as Extended X10 PLC commands.

Question:

Do you (or does anyone) know if the IR34 (or any X10 RF remote) is capable of issuing Extended X10 commands over RF?

Or are Extended commands only available if issued by computer software (such as AHP, Raspberry Pi etc.) to the CM15A.

I've had X10 for decades and only recently decided to retire my (still working) CP290 (which I purchased new in the 1980s) and replace it with a newer controller. Being a "modern X10 equipment" newbie, I've discovered Extended Commands, SoftStart modules and other newer hardware/software so I am back in the learning phase.

Thanks for your help (and for the help of anyone willing to help bring me into the X10 of the 21st century).

[brobin]

I don't have answers to your questions about extended commands as I don't use them. What I do is use Alexa to send simple on/off commands on otherwise unused housecodes to trigger macros or other actions in my controller.  For example:

IF N-14, N-ON is received
THEN Turn on Living Room (L-1) at 40%
  ...and whatever else you'd like to include

[walking catfish]

OK thanks. It occurred to me that I might be hijacking this thread anyway.

Thanks again.  I now know how to inexpensively add Alexa to my system.

[brobin]

Not hijacking at all. Good questions!

[Brian H]

If the Smartenit Harmony model that uses an Insteon 2412U or 2413U PLM.
It does not send X10 extended commands.
Smarthome chose to use the Preset Dim X10 commands and the old full on and dim down method.