corey@verdix.com (Corey Ashford) (10/03/90)
Several years ago, Egghead software carried a little unit that attached to the serial port of a PC and plugged into a wall outlet along with some software that interfaced to it. The unit would, after loading it with a schedule, control X-10 equipped appliances autonomously (without PC assistance). When I finally decided to buy one, they no longer carried them ('figures :-). Does anyone know if they are still available, and if so, from whom? If I were still a hack, I'd dig up the info on the protocol and electrical specs, and build a microcontroller based one... but I'd rather just buy one. Thanks in advance - Corey
gyugyi@portia.Stanford.EDU (Paul Gyugyi) (10/03/90)
You can find the X10 PC controller at Fry's Electronics in Palo Alto and Freemont and Sunnyvale, California (the bay area). The cost is about $25.00. Email me if youwant me to pick one up for you and mail it. Paul Gyugyi gyugyi@rascals.stanford.edu
rbrink@hubcap.clemson.edu (Rick Brink) (10/04/90)
From article <1152@verdix.verdix.com>, by corey@verdix.com (Corey Ashford): > Several years ago, Egghead software carried a little unit that attached to > the serial port of a PC and plugged into a wall outlet along with some > software that interfaced to it. The unit would, after loading it with a > schedule, control X-10 equipped appliances autonomously (without PC assistance). HeathKit, and probably others also sell a box with it's own programable memory. You can select regualar programs to repeat weekly for a variety of addresses. Better than random boxes that have your lights going on at 4:00 am, and the TV at 4:15. There is a battery backup inside, so power outages only stop the current light setting. When the power returns, the sequence resumes where it should be.