home automation

[rikona]

Hello Jared,

Saturday, February 2, 2013, 8:45:48 AM, Jared wrote:

> I'm basically starting from scratch. I've toyed with the idea of
> picking up an X10 kit, but I'm not 100% sure how well that plays
> with being controlled by Linux.

I've been running a lot of X-10 stuff for many years, using an early
version of ECS software [great software - highly recommended] that ran
under DOS. :-) BUT - the latest generations of electrical stuff seem
to generate horrendous amounts of electrical noise. There are quite a
few devices that will completely disable an entire X-10 system. I've
been using custom-made noise filters [the X-10 noise filters DON'T
work well enough!] to keep things running. I'd suggest NOT using X-10
anymore. Check other protocols VERY carefully for behavior in VERY
electrically noisy environments! Some devices are known to generate
lots of noise internally, and include a filter on the power line input
- but - the cheapest filters will also shut down an X-10 system by
'slurping' up ANY 'noise', like a desired X-10 signal, for example.

Reliability used to be pretty good, it is terrible now unless you go
to great lengths to control noise.

-- 

 rikona