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As a long-time X10 mentor I hear such statements all the time: "Just tell me what to do in plain English." This site is dedicated to the idea that you don't need to be a techie to reap the benefits of modern home automation. Despite my background as an electrical engineering professor, I want to help you create a comfortable and safe X10 automated home without having to study those little 120 kilohertz messages that make it all possible. I promise that's the last tech-speak you will see on this site. Using a project-oriented learning approach, I will take you step by step through some simple X10 systems that will make your life more comfortable and your home safer.

Futurists talk about a home that will identify you and serve your every wish from mood lighting to your favorite music genre. While it is intriguing to speculate on the home of the future, I am more fascinated with practical and useful additions I can now add to my home environment to make it safe, friendly and comfortable. X10 is the protocol that gives us the capability to implement many such dreams. Whether your task is simply to control a light from a more convenient location or the implementation of a whole house security system, you will find that x10 components are available to do the job. I have to admit it---I love working with X10 systems and dreaming about the myriad of solutions that are possible. But therein lies a problem --- with so many possibilities how does one decide on the best solution? And what problems might one encounter? Yes, there are problems with X10 as with any technology but they are few and very often a simple solution can be found. This site will walk you step by step through the setup of several simple X10 systems and detail the advantages, disadvantages and potential problems with each. With this introduction to X10 you should be able to design your own dream system.

The story is that the developers of X10 tried 9 experiments that failed but on the tenth they had this great AHA! And thus experiment 10 or X10 was born. I'll not discuss the technical details of the protocol since one does not need to understand details to use the components. Suffice it to say that the X10 protocol defines a way for devices to send and receive short digital messages over existing electrical wiring. These messages contain an address and an action (such as "on", "off", or "dim"). The address allows a transmitter (the controlling device) to target one or more receivers (connected to a lamp or other item to be controlled). X10 protocol has become a standard in home automation and components are supplied by many companies. Some confusion about the meaning of X10 arises because there is a company called X10 that sells other products in addition to X10. This site will focus on systems that use the X10 protocol to talk to each other over existing wiring.

WHAT CAN THIS SITE DO FOR YOU?

If you are new to X10, start with our projects page. Our simplest system will show you what is involved in controlling a light or appliance from a remote location. Although this system seems almost too simple, I have found that it is a great learning tool. Not only do you see the many possibilities for expansion from a simple start (and the many variations of a starting theme), you also learn the disadvantages of each option and the possible problems that you might encounter. You will find that most projects come in two versions --- a detailed edition for those who want every detail explained and a succinct edition for those who need only a summary. You will be able to quickly switch between the two versions as you study them.

TROUBLESHOOTING

Our troubleshooting page can help you solve some of the sticky problems that do happen. Review this page if you have a problem with a project or just want to avoid some of the problems that others have had.

LINKS
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Starter Project --- Select a Project --- Alternatives to the Mini-Controller -- Battery Operated Remotes -- Help with Troubleshooting -- Help with Addressing

(C) Donald Scouten 2003

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