clements@BBNCCQ.ARPA (Bob Clements) (12/20/85)
Quick Review of BSR X-10 Telephone Controller
This is sort of TELECOM info, and I haven't seen it posted
before, so here is a review of the BSR X-10 Telephone Controller
box. Maybe it will convince you that you do or don't want to
rush out and buy one of these things. I had been thinking about
it for a long time, and when the price dropped to $39 in the
current DAK catalog, I ordered one.
I assume everyone (or everyone who might be interested) knows
about the BSR X10 home controller series, so I won't go into the
basics.
The Telephone Controller comes in a case about like the timer
module, but with no display. It has buttons for units 1 thru 8,
and for ON, OFF, ALL OFF, and ALL LIGHTS ON. The buttons are
bigger and more comfortable than on any of the other controllers.
It plugs into your standard Modular phone outlet and into a
117 VAC wall plug.
It has a portable unit, like many phone answering machines have.
The portable has the above-listed set of command buttons. You
couple the remote to the phone mouthpiece acoustically. It makes
raucous BLATTTs, not touch tones. You can't just use a touch tone
phone to send the commands, you need the BLATTTer.
When you call your phone line, the box waits 42 seconds [yes, it
says 42] and answers on the next ring. There is no way to bypass
or adjust the delay. You can set it to answer after 42 seconds even if
the ringing has stopped. This is for use on a line with an answering
machine. The machine answers first, and if you hang on long enough
you can talk to the controller.
When it answers, it gives 3 beeps. Then you enter a password. The
password is from 0 thru 3 digits long, digits 1 thru 8. You set it
on three little rotary switches on the controller box. After that
you enter the usual sort of BSR commands like <4> <ON>. It triple-
beeps at you after each command. [But not after, for example,
the <OFF> of a <4> <ON> <OFF> sequence, even though the <OFF> has
done its thing just like in the other controllers.]
So. It seems to do about what you would expect. Bad points are
the long un-adjustable delay and the inability to command by touchtone.
Other than that, it seems fine.
/Rcc
clements@BBN.ARPA
{ihnp4|decvax|linus}!bbncca!clements
[Everything above is probably the trademark of somebody. And I am
completely irresponsible.]