JEL@PSUVMA.BITNET (11/19/86)
There seem to be a few questions about what he X-10 computer interface is,
here goes: It is an RS-232 device that can connect (obviously) to any
RS-232 computer. It is programmed by the computer to either execute immediate
X-10 commands, or to execute events at preset times/days. It can remember
up to 128 events, where an event can involve any number of modules within
one house code, and any number of days of the week. After it's been
programmed, it will remember the 128 events w/o further assistance from your
computer, which can be used for other things, or turned off. The X-10
interface even has a battery backup, which will remember all your programming
for up to 5 hours (I think). For all you gadgeteers like me, who already have
a few X-10 modules around, I highly recommend it at $19.90 from DAK. (Just
remember to tell your roommates what its going to control. Mine were pretty
surprised when things started blinking on and off by themselves.)
What are X-10 modules? They are $12 modules that are pluged into standard
outlets, and then lamps or appliances are pluged into them. These modules
respond to codes send from X-10 computer interfaces, or X-10 command consoles
(about $20). These codes are radio signals sent through your house wiring,
so no extra wires! Lamps can be turned on or off, or even dimmed. Appliances
won't respond to the dim command. There are also modules that replace
wall switches. Modules can sense somebody trying to turn the light on at
the light's normal light switch, and will oblige by turning the unit on
(unlike a conventional timer unit). These modules are available at Sears,
Radio Shack, and DAK (although at DAK they seem to be on eternal clearance).
The interface comes with documentation that tells you enough to program
your computer to program the interface (Assuming you know how to send
CHR codes from your computer to your RS-232 interface, and have a flying
knowledge of the binary system). DAK includes in the $19.90 package your
choice of software for the Apple //e or //c, or IBM, Macintosh, and
Commodore something.
What follows are my personal difficulties with the system. Any help would
be greatly appreciated. Please reply to JEL at PSUARCH (PSUVMA isn't bitnet)
since I don't seem to get to look at NETNEWS before replies have been purged.
1) As the subject of previous net postings implies, X-10 seems to be
missing software... I got the Apple //e disk, but the X-10UTILITY
program for BASIC, on side 2 of the disk seems to have all 0 bytes from
about 1/2 way through to the end. Therefore, the utility crashes when
you call certain functions. Is this just my disk, or is this the problem
everybody had?
2) I bought an Apple Super Serial card to drive the interface. (seems kind
of silly to spend $100 for an interface to drive a $20 product!) The
documentation for this doesn't really say how to check if a character
is waiting to be read. I can't seem to read information from the
X-10 interface properly. (Not that this is REAL important, since over
a link of 3 feet, I tend to trust that the data got through, and don't
really need to check the status reply.) Also, is there any way to
read 8 bit input? I have the 7/8 bit switch on the serial card set to 8,
but my input doesn't seem to have the 8th bit. Does the card use this
as a status bit like the keyboard's 8th bit? Why oh why can't Apple's
documentation be like the old II+'s VERBOSE documentation???
3) When DAK said that the software was for Apple //e or //c, they really
meant it! The nifty graphics program won't run on my II+. So I wrote
what I think is a pretty good TURBO Pascal program to program it with.
If anybody is interested in this, contact me. It should be pretty
easy to adapt for any pascal system. It's menu driven, and allows you
to enter, edit, save/recall sets of events, that can then be sent
to the X-10. But I would also be interested in the "official" X-10
software, for a II+. I've been meaning to write X-10, but if anybody
else has done so already, I'd like to hear what X-10 has to say
for themselves.
4) And finally, a general X-10 note: I'm pretty sure that there is
a much larger family of X-10 modules than Radio Shack/Sears sells.
For instance, Appliance type modules that respond to ALL LIGHTS ON
code (i.e. for fluorescent lights). Appliance wall switches (I have
my stereo pluged into an outlet currently controlled by a conventional
wall switch). If you know of a source for these modules I'd like to
hear about it.
This is my first net posting, I hope it worked. Again, please reply to
JEL at PSUARCH, since PSUVMA isn't a bitnet node.
Thanks for your time...
- Jon
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Jon Loos - being held captive at Penn State University. Scheduled |
| release date: May 1987. |
| |
| JEL at PSUARCH, PSUVMA & PSUVMB (only PSUARCH is bitnet) |
| |
| "What good are deadlines, if you don't use them?" - JEL |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+krstan@ihlpa.UUCP (Stanley) (11/22/86)
In article <8599JEL@PSUVMA> JEL@PSUVMA.BITNET writes: >1) As the subject of previous net postings implies, X-10 seems to be > missing software... I got the Apple //e disk, but the X-10UTILITY > program for BASIC, on side 2 of the disk seems to have all 0 bytes from > about 1/2 way through to the end. Therefore, the utility crashes when > you call certain functions. Is this just my disk, or is this the problem > everybody had? I have not found anyone with the proper program. I have gotten the &T command recreated and will soon do the other 2 missing functions. >4) And finally, a general X-10 note: I'm pretty sure that there is > a much larger family of X-10 modules than Radio Shack/Sears sells. > For instance, Appliance type modules that respond to ALL LIGHTS ON > code (i.e. for fluorescent lights). Appliance wall switches (I have > my stereo pluged into an outlet currently controlled by a conventional > wall switch). If you know of a source for these modules I'd like to > hear about it. Heathkit carries the switchable wall outlet and some other nifty items including a remote crontrol ala a grarage door opener. Keith R. Stanley Room 4H-328 Bell Laboratories Naperville, Illinois 60566 (312)-979-3416 decvax!ihnp4!ihlpa!krstan @ Berkeley