My home automation addiction all started with a bathroom
light that never seemed to get turned off. I love my son dearly, but he has this
teeth-grinding habit of entering a room, turning on a light and just walking out. Arghhhh!
Growing weary of hearing ``Sorrrrrry, daddy; I FORGOT,"
Dad started looking around for a way to turn the light off without having to heave his
ponderous weight from the easy chair, walk downstairs and do it himself after his son had
gone to bed.
It was the Internet that eventually came to my rescue. One
memorable day, I was cruising home automation sites and learned about the X10 Corp. of
Washington. Since that time I have become one of the company's best addicts ... whoops ...
customers (grin).
X10 had just released its DVD Anywhere product and I
requested a unit for a product review. Part of that package was a ``smart" remote
control that not only performed as a wireless mouse for DVD Anywhere, but also controlled
most of my home theater.
A big button on the remote said ``X10." After reading
about all that the system would do, I just had to try it for myself. The rest is history -
and a continuing (small) drain on my checking account each month.
I started out buying some clearance-sale wireless control
modules to see if X10's claims about its products were true. My initial purchase was a
module that plugged into a wall socket, a lamp module and a wall switch to control that
pesky bathroom light. The initial cost was under $25 and well worth it.
All it took to get hooked on home automation was plugging in
those wall modules. By pushing a couple of buttons on the hand remote, I could turn my
living room lamp to on, off or dim, and my high-wattage halogen light off and on.
How X10 works is deliciously simple: Instead of having to
``hard-wire" your home for automation, the patented system sends control codes to
each module through your home's electrical wiring. Each module has a two-part code, which
allows the control of up to 256 devices. Depending on the type of module, it's possible to
remotely turn appliances and/or lighting off and on. Some modules also allow users to dim
lighting.
The company also makes heavy-duty modules that will turn
high-voltage equipment such as air conditioners and other appliances off or on.
Control of the modules can be through manual devices that
also plug into any power outlet in the home or - the way I like it - remotely, through a
hand-held controller. For the true gadget aficionado, X10 also offers several ways to
control the devices through your home computer and/or the telephone.
Remote-control devices utilize a plug-in wall module that has
a receiving antenna and X10 encoding hardware. It also doubles as a non-dimming lamp or
appliance module.
That pesky bathroom light demon took a little work to stomp,
but was very easy to do. I just turned off the main power in my home switchbox controlling
the juice to the bathroom light, removed the old manual switch in the bathroom and
installed the X10-controlled light module. It took about five minutes.
Before replacing the wall plate, I gave the module the
``address" of ``A14" and turned the power back on. Since there was no initial
flash of sparks or smoke coming from the wall, I was assured the installation went well
(grin).
I then had my son go into the bathroom and turn on the light
manually and do his usual thing of just walking out and leaving it on. Instead of yelling
downstairs to turn off the light, I just calmly pushed the ``X10" button on the
remote control and the numbers ``1" and ``4.''
Voila! The light magically went out! Pushing the buttons
again turned it on! I'm sure our neighbors thought I was weird as I demonically cycled the
light off and on, over and over.
You guessed it ... I confess ... you are reading the diary of
an X10 junkie. Since that initial success, I have found all kinds of ways to use these
automation products to make my life easier.
Let's take that bathroom light, for example: X10 makes a
great device called a ``HawkEye II," a wireless motion detector. When it senses
movement, the device sends out a user-defined X10 code to turn on. After a user-defined
period of time, it sends a ``turn-off" code to the same device.
The same device can determine if it's daylight or dark and
will only work at night if you wish.
"So what?" you say? How about using it to
automatically turn on a light when you walk into a room and then turn it off again after a
specified period of time? That's what I have done to every bathroom and closet in my home.
There are a couple of caveats: First, if you automate your
bathroom lighting with a motion detector, spend a little time deciding where to mount the
sucker. If it can ``see" through an open door or window, anytime anyone walks past
the door or window, the light will come on.
Worse, remember that most folks also take baths or showers
there. If your motion detector can't ``see" you in the shower because the door or
shower curtains are closed, it will ``assume" no one is there and politely turn off
the light! You have to open the door, wave your hand, etc., to let it know you are there
(grin).
It's also very important that each device has its own
address. If you accidentally put your living room light and coffee pot on the same code
number, you could have either cold coffee or a melted pot.
Here's one of my miscalculations: I put a module in my garage
to open my garage door using an X10 handy remote keychain button. That was great until I
added a new HawkEye II motion detector and device called a ``Socket Rocket" in a
closet. The Socket Rocket screws into the overhead closet light socket, and in cooperation
with the motion detector, can be used to automatically turn the light on and off when I
enter and leave the closet.
Unfortunately, I inadvertently assigned the closet module the
same address as the garage door. Yep, everytime anyone walked into the closet, the garage
door opened.
All it took was changing the garage module address to fix
that embarrassment.
Another thing to remember is that since the system works over
power lines, other X10-equipped homes connected to the same neighborhood transformer could
send codes to your X10 modules if they are set to the same ``House" code. It's a
simple matter to fix: If your home is set on ``A" and the neighbor is also on
``A," just change to ``B" or any other letter up to ``P."
X10 also sells a computer-controlled automation package for
about 50 bucks that will allow users to do all kinds of things with an installed X10
system. Using Mac or Windows software, each module can be set to come on or off at a
predetermined time, and much more.
But the real power of the computerized home automation system
is the ability to create macros. The package contains an interface that connects to your
computer's serial port and a wall plug. That device has a battery back-up and allows the
computer to download and store X10 macros and other commands. Users may then turn off
their computer or use it for other things and the interface will control the X10 network.
By creating something called ``virtual wiring," users
can create macros with a specific ``address" that can set in motion almost any
sequence of events. An example would be to set a macro that would turn something on at a
specific time. That macro could turn on your bedroom lights slowly, turn on a radio, and
turn on the coffee pot and a toaster (assuming you've pre-loaded these appliances with
coffee and bread) - all at a specified time every morning.
Or you could program a macro using a HawkEye II motion
detector so that if someone walks up to the front door, it can turn on a light and set up
a wireless chime in your home.
The company's Web page at www.x10.com not only has a complete
product listing (including bargains as low as $8 for many switches), but many helpful
ideas how to use X10 products. Other companies sell X10 control devices under various
names and a web search will turn up a lot of them.
One final thought about the X10 system. It can be a real boon
for the elderly or anyone who has a mobility problem. It can control almost any powered
device in anyone’s home from various kinds of inexpensive remote controls. There’s
even a button on the Powerhouse and DVD Anywhere remote controls that, once pushed, will
instantly turn on ALL X10 controlled lights in a home. This one function provides a lot of
peace of mind for folks who hear things go bump in the night and might want to frighten
someone away or provide a safe environment to explore a home.
You can also turn OFF all the lights at once … really
handy if your X10 driveway sensor turns on your remote driveway camera and you see someone
coming you don’t want to talk to. One button and no one is home (grin.)
X10 products of all kinds get a solid "10" on the
Hughes Buymeter. They are handy and most of all – fun.