Post by thread:[EE]: X10 still

I had one reply and then silence (he said he had this, and I'm not sure if he wanted to share). I'm building a new home, and thought about trying to play with X10 type stuff, and so, hating to pay the price, I wanted to build my own devices. I have no clue on the decoding of X10 protocol, so figured that someone had to have already tackled this and has some code laying around. OK..no flames on just do it yourself. I work two jobs and trying to build a house...so like I have time to respin the wheel? :-) Thanks in advance -Ray _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp -- http://www.piclist.com hint: PICList Posts must start with ONE topic: [PIC]:,[SX]:,[AVR]: ->uP ONLY! [EE]:,[OT]: ->Other [BUY]:,[AD]: ->Ads

www.geocities.com/ido_bartana/ newsgroup comp.home.automation > I had one reply and then silence (he said he had this, and I'm not sure if > he wanted to share). I'm building a new home, and thought about trying to > play with X10 type stuff, and so, hating to pay the price, I wanted to build > my own devices. I have no clue on the decoding of X10 protocol, so figured > that someone had to have already tackled this and has some code laying > around. OK..no flames on just do it yourself. I work two jobs and trying to > build a house...so like I have time to respin the wheel? :-) -- http://www.piclist.com hint: PICList Posts must start with ONE topic: [PIC]:,[SX]:,[AVR]: ->uP ONLY! [EE]:,[OT]: ->Other [BUY]:,[AD]: ->Ads

Unless you are in Europe and uses 220~240V AC. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bob Ammerman" <spam_OUTRAMMERMANTakeThisOuTPRODIGY.NET> To: <.....PICLISTKILLspam@spam@MITVMA.MIT.EDU> Sent: Wednesday, August 15, 2001 8:53 PM Subject: Re: [EE]: X10 still {Quote hidden}> Ray, > > You won't be able to build X10 units anywhere near as cheap as you can buy > them on sale. > > Bob Ammerman > RAm Systems > (contract development of high performance, high function, low-level > software) > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Micro Eng" <micro_engKILLspamHOTMAIL.COM> > To: <.....PICLISTKILLspam.....MITVMA.MIT.EDU> > Sent: Wednesday, August 15, 2001 8:01 AM > Subject: [EE]: X10 still > > > > I had one reply and then silence (he said he had this, and I'm not sure if > > he wanted to share). I'm building a new home, and thought about trying to > > play with X10 type stuff, and so, hating to pay the price, I wanted to > build > > my own devices. I have no clue on the decoding of X10 protocol, so > figured > > that someone had to have already tackled this and has some code laying > > around. OK..no flames on just do it yourself. I work two jobs and trying > to > > build a house...so like I have time to respin the wheel? :-) > > > > Thanks in advance > > -Ray > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > > Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp {Quote hidden}> > > > -- > > http://www.piclist.com hint: PICList Posts must start with ONE topic: > > [PIC]:,[SX]:,[AVR]: ->uP ONLY! [EE]:,[OT]: ->Other [BUY]:,[AD]: ->Ads > > > > > > -- > http://www.piclist.com hint: PICList Posts must start with ONE topic: > [PIC]:,[SX]:,[AVR]: ->uP ONLY! [EE]:,[OT]: ->Other [BUY]:,[AD]: ->Ads > > > -- http://www.piclist.com hint: PICList Posts must start with ONE topic: [PIC]:,[SX]:,[AVR]: ->uP ONLY! [EE]:,[OT]: ->Other [BUY]:,[AD]: ->Ads

Micro Eng wrote: > > I had one reply and then silence (he said he had this, and I'm not sure if > he wanted to share). I'm building a new home, and thought about trying to > play with X10 type stuff, and so, hating to pay the price, I wanted to build > my own devices. I have no clue on the decoding of X10 protocol, so figured > that someone had to have already tackled this and has some code laying > around. OK..no flames on just do it yourself. I work two jobs and trying to > build a house...so like I have time to respin the wheel? :-) If you're building a new home, why are you using X10? It's my understanding that X10 was designed as a retrofit option for existing homes. There are many commercial systems out there that are designed to be installed during construction and are often times more capable than X10. Some of them even work with X10 in case you design yourself into a corner and have to use it later on. I eventually decided to design my own system from scratch since when I started there wasn't anything that worked on a non-propriertary standard. Things may have changed since then. -- http://www.piclist.com hint: PICList Posts must start with ONE topic: [PIC]:,[SX]:,[AVR]: ->uP ONLY! [EE]:,[OT]: ->Other [BUY]:,[AD]: ->Ads

That may be true...however, part of me just wants to build some stuff. I can get nearly everything I need sampled or cheap thru our distributors, so I still might be able to build cheaper than buying. {Quote hidden}>From: Bob Ammerman <EraseMERAMMERMANspam_OUTTakeThisOuTPRODIGY.NET> >Reply-To: pic microcontroller discussion list <PICLISTspam_OUTMITVMA.MIT.EDU> >To: @spam@PICLISTKILLspamMITVMA.MIT.EDU >Subject: Re: [EE]: X10 still >Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2001 08:53:12 -0400 > >Ray, > >You won't be able to build X10 units anywhere near as cheap as you can buy >them on sale. > >Bob Ammerman >RAm Systems >(contract development of high performance, high function, low-level >software) > >{Original Message removed}

On Wed, 15 Aug 2001, Micro Eng wrote: > I had one reply and then silence (he said he had this, and I'm not sure if > he wanted to share). I'm building a new home If you built one from underground to roof, like I did (http://www.geocities.com/vsurducan/house.htm), then you'll don't need any data_interface with mains. You could use as many wires as you need, undergrouded in pipes in your walls. RS485 is the best. Cheers and succes ! Vasile -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics

Bob Ammerman wrote: > You won't be able to build X10 units anywhere near as cheap > as you can buy > them on sale. You are absolutely right Bob. Mass production, low-cost parts, Far East labor and aggressive marketing of X10 make it nearly impossible for you to save money by making your own X10 gadgets. But, there can be a few reasons to persuade you to make your own X10 modules. 1. What is readily available in US is not suitable unless you are residing in US or Canada. 2. In Europe, X10 gadgets are not exactly cheap. 3. You might like to add your own features to suit your requirements better. (E.g. One compact module to control up to 8 different devices through 8 relays.) 4. To experience the thrill of making and using your own gadget by using your knowledge and skill relating to electronics in general and PICs in particular. Regards, Bala -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics

You forgot #5...look honey...I can do this and it won't add any extra cost to the house!!. What I am seriously thinking of doing is adding a pair of wires to each box, light, etc, home running them to some convient location where I have access to (although hidden from the normal daily life), thus giving me a few choices on controls. Thanks for all the help! {Quote hidden}>From: Bala Chandar <KILLspamBala.ChandarKILLspamAVENTIS.COM> >Reply-To: pic microcontroller discussion list <RemoveMEPICLISTTakeThisOuTMITVMA.MIT.EDU> >To: spamBeGonePICLISTspamBeGoneMITVMA.MIT.EDU >Subject: Re: [EE]: X10 still >Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2001 02:22:26 -0500 > >Bob Ammerman wrote: > > > You won't be able to build X10 units anywhere near as cheap > > as you can buy > > them on sale. > >You are absolutely right Bob. Mass production, low-cost parts, Far East >labor and aggressive marketing of X10 make it nearly impossible for you >to save money by making your own X10 gadgets. > >But, there can be a few reasons to persuade you to make your own X10 >modules. > >1. What is readily available in US is not suitable unless you are >residing in US or Canada. > >2. In Europe, X10 gadgets are not exactly cheap. > >3. You might like to add your own features to suit your requirements >better. (E.g. One compact module to control up to 8 different devices >through 8 relays.) > >4. To experience the thrill of making and using your own gadget by using >your knowledge and skill relating to electronics in general and PICs in >particular. > >Regards, >Bala > >-- >http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics >(like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics > > _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics

Micro Eng wrote: > > You forgot #5...look honey...I can do this and it won't add any extra cost > to the house!!. > > What I am seriously thinking of doing is adding a pair of wires to each box, > light, etc, home running them to some convient location where I have access > to (although hidden from the normal daily life), thus giving me a few > choices on controls. Even if you do go the X10 route make sure that your electrician runs a neutral wire to all your light switches. In a lot of houses (here at least) they only run the live wire to the switch and back. You need both to do power line comms. Quentin -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics

> That may be true...however, part of me just wants to build some stuff. > > I can get nearly everything I need sampled or cheap thru our distributors, > so I still might be able to build cheaper than buying. If you want to wire a new house with some sort of low-overhead LAN for control projects, take a look at CAN. You could probably run CAN reliably at 250Kbits/sec for something the size of a house. ******************************************************************** Olin Lathrop, embedded systems consultant in Littleton Massachusetts (978) 742-9014, TakeThisOuTolinEraseMEspam_OUTembedinc.com, http://www.embedinc.com -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics

IN this case I am the electrician, and by default, I always have a common in each and every box. {Quote hidden}>From: Quentin <RemoveMEqscTakeThisOuTICON.CO.ZA> >Reply-To: pic microcontroller discussion list <PICLISTEraseME.....MITVMA.MIT.EDU> >To: EraseMEPICLISTMITVMA.MIT.EDU >Subject: Re: [EE]: X10 still >Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2001 14:44:34 +0200 > >Micro Eng wrote: > > > > You forgot #5...look honey...I can do this and it won't add any extra >cost > > to the house!!. > > > > What I am seriously thinking of doing is adding a pair of wires to each >box, > > light, etc, home running them to some convient location where I have >access > > to (although hidden from the normal daily life), thus giving me a few > > choices on controls. >Even if you do go the X10 route make sure that your electrician runs a >neutral wire to all your light switches. In a lot of houses (here at >least) they only run the live wire to the switch and back. You need both >to do power line comms. > >Quentin > >-- >http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics >(like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics > > _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics

It will be pretty hard to "roll your own" for as little as you can buy it. Special items & control systems excepted. I have a friend who has a Vic 20 running Basic as a full time controller. He says when he runs out of Vic 20's he will work on the problem... John Ferrell 6241 Phillippi Rd Julian NC 27283 Phone: (336)685-9606 Dixie Competition Products NSRCA 479 AMA 4190 W8CCW "My Competition is Not My Enemy" {Original Message removed}

On Thu, 16 Aug 2001, Quentin wrote: > Even if you do go the X10 route make sure that your electrician runs a > neutral wire to all your light switches. In a lot of houses (here at > least) they only run the live wire to the switch and back. You need both > to do power line comms. > With a little modified x10 hardware, you don't need neutral, if you are using standard bulbs ( like Edison discovered a long time ago ) and you communicate only when the bulb is off. Probably it works with high efficiency bulbs also... Vasile -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

> common I heard that it is enough to drive a 5 cm nail into the wall inside the junction box (not drywalls). The RF tank is grounded through there. Not a recommended solution imho but it should work. The leakage would be determined by the tank coupling capacitors (usually 1 nF 2kV). Peter -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.