The X10 system is honestly still a pretty cool concept. I had a lot of fun tinkering with it as a kid, but I never really got the hang of their Activehome software (at least anything beyond adding modules and manually turning them on and off). Nowadays everything is Wi-Fi based with smartphone apps, which is admittedly much more user friendly, but I've never found Wi-Fi to be particularly reliable (at least compared to a wired connection). Also, these Wi-Fi devices rely on cloud servers which will someday shut down or otherwise drop support for them, whereas to X10's credit, it seems their system is fully backwards compatible. I had no issues controlling 1980s era X10 modules from a 2008-ish modern controller box.
It definitely is. I first came to know of it when I was quite young, having read about it in some technical magazine or another. A few years later, I came across someone liquidating the IBM Home Director rebrand of the CM-11A and Activehome software. Lots of companies rebranded the modules as their own. Besides IBM, I have RadioShack and even RCA branded modules and controllers. Stanley (the tool company) even seems to have sold a timer/clock controller that was X10 compatible. Leviton also had some specialty modules. I've not used any of the modules or software in years. I couldn't really find a practical use for it. Worse than that was some kind of a problem with interference. I never did figure it out. If I had modules plugged in and operating, sometimes they would just go crazy. Appliance modules would turn on and off, while the lamp modules would usually dim to nearly their lowest setting. What was so strange is that this wouldn't happen immediately. I'd change the house code to another and things would be fine for a while. The thought of malicious interference or even a defective controller did cross my mind. To that end, I left the computer module plugged in and ActiveHome running as recommended by X10 to watch for interference. I never found any. Without any controllers plugged in, the problem still happened. I'm not a hugely superstitious person, but I'll admit I even wondered a tiny little bit about ghosts. Who knows? Two of the wall outlets are still wired up just because I've been too lazy to change them. Long after I'd discontinued using any other X10 stuff and several years ago, I was awakened by the relays in both outlets cycling randomly. Nothing was plugged into them, so it didn't matter, but it was still very odd. It hasn't happened since.
I didn't know that software could do that! I have the old X10 stuff before they ruined the name. Mine is all IBM branded. I use to use it for my home theatre to adjust lights. It also came in handy for christmas lights. One command turns it all on, another off.
I just realized that I had a set of those modules which my grandmother gave to me but she nor I had ANY clue what they were and they were tossed. if I had realised what they were, they would be awesome.
Radio Shack still sells that shit, I bought some if it, but I didn't know that it had been out for so long.
The X10 system is honestly still a pretty cool concept. I had a lot of fun tinkering with it as a kid, but I never really got the hang of their Activehome software (at least anything beyond adding modules and manually turning them on and off).
Nowadays everything is Wi-Fi based with smartphone apps, which is admittedly much more user friendly, but I've never found Wi-Fi to be particularly reliable (at least compared to a wired connection). Also, these Wi-Fi devices rely on cloud servers which will someday shut down or otherwise drop support for them, whereas to X10's credit, it seems their system is fully backwards compatible. I had no issues controlling 1980s era X10 modules from a 2008-ish modern controller box.
It definitely is. I first came to know of it when I was quite young, having read about it in some technical magazine or another. A few years later, I came across someone liquidating the IBM Home Director rebrand of the CM-11A and Activehome software. Lots of companies rebranded the modules as their own. Besides IBM, I have RadioShack and even RCA branded modules and controllers. Stanley (the tool company) even seems to have sold a timer/clock controller that was X10 compatible. Leviton also had some specialty modules.
I've not used any of the modules or software in years. I couldn't really find a practical use for it. Worse than that was some kind of a problem with interference. I never did figure it out. If I had modules plugged in and operating, sometimes they would just go crazy. Appliance modules would turn on and off, while the lamp modules would usually dim to nearly their lowest setting. What was so strange is that this wouldn't happen immediately. I'd change the house code to another and things would be fine for a while.
The thought of malicious interference or even a defective controller did cross my mind. To that end, I left the computer module plugged in and ActiveHome running as recommended by X10 to watch for interference. I never found any. Without any controllers plugged in, the problem still happened. I'm not a hugely superstitious person, but I'll admit I even wondered a tiny little bit about ghosts. Who knows?
Two of the wall outlets are still wired up just because I've been too lazy to change them. Long after I'd discontinued using any other X10 stuff and several years ago, I was awakened by the relays in both outlets cycling randomly. Nothing was plugged into them, so it didn't matter, but it was still very odd. It hasn't happened since.
I didn't know that software could do that! I have the old X10 stuff before they ruined the name. Mine is all IBM branded. I use to use it for my home theatre to adjust lights. It also came in handy for christmas lights. One command turns it all on, another off.
I just realized that I had a set of those modules which my grandmother gave to me but she nor I had ANY clue what they were and they were tossed. if I had realised what they were, they would be awesome.
Don't worry...I'm not keen on heights either.
I'm fond of your creativity here.
Did you have lots of trick or treaters tonight?
Great!! If you got a CD or casette of spooky sounds it would be even better!!!
I'm not terribly keen on heights.
(i'd love to pay a visit to the RP sometime!)
Expanding Operation Panopticon I see.
Been a long time since I've seen Windows 3.1 In action.
That’s an interesting pointed outline on the front of the Roach Palace. Wonder if that used to be a porch?