My Heyu And X10 Project

[Mar]

Thought I'd share my newest project with you guys. I picked up a bunch of X10 stuff from a guy at work who isn't using it anymore. This stuff will completely automate a home in every way if you have enough of it, the only thing he wouldn't part with was his security cameras, but I got everything else. And I'll add the cameras later. For those that don't know, X10 has been around for a while but doesn't have a lot of commercial support.....mainly because there's a lot of computer knowledge required or you have to pay someone a lot of money to hook it all up for you. It sends a signal through the existing power circuit in your home which is received by any of the receiver modules you have in your home in any outlet or wall switch. The sender unit plugs into your computer via the serial port and you can get really nice interactive software for Windows that will help you run all your electrical appliances. Problem with my setup is I'd cut my wrists before I used a Microsoft product so I had to find a compatible application for Linux called Heyu and it's pretty much all command line at the moment.

Future Modifications:
- write a graphical front end for it
- set up every wall switch and outlet
- figure out the infrared remote control I have for running it
- security cameras
- set up a SSH port so I can control everything from my Blackberry from anywhere in the world
- voice activation

So here we go, this is a video I took less than 5 minutes after I got it working so I don't really have a lot of it figured out just yet.
:clap:

HEYusEF-h_Y

[eb0i]

That's pretty sweet!

[adidas]

that was pretty sweet!

can you pick these up the electronic stores? price?

[Mar]

Here's everything I bought off the guy for $50, you can see a lot of it is sold as Radio Shark products so you might find them at The Source or Circuit City before they close down. Comparably, all this would cost a few hundred dollars to buy new and there are much more updated units than the CM11A for sending, they just don't work in Linux. There's garage door openers, remote controls, keychain remotes, alarm pads, outlets, wall switches, this kit has everything except the cameras.
But other than Radio Shack, I have no idea. Just that you can purchase them from www.x10.com.

http://www.danmaher.com/gallery/d/14033-2/1.JPG

http://www.danmaher.com/gallery/d/14037-2/2.JPG

http://www.danmaher.com/gallery/d/14040-2/3.JPG

http://www.danmaher.com/gallery/d/14043-2/4.JPG

http://www.danmaher.com/gallery/d/14046-2/5.JPG

[n1zm0]

nice! so as you said further down the road with remote networking to turn on lights or heck, even a fish feeder or whatever, you're going to use your BB, are you going to write a prog./app for it or just do it via web browser or something?

cool shit! GJ i remember hearing about this x10 stuff for a universal remote to turn on any light/electronic in the house even while you sit on the toilet lol, thought it was baller stuff but it really isnt, how much for x10 modules and accesories and does radio shack still sell it?

edit: nvm someone already asked

[Mar]

Originally posted by n1zm0
nice! so as you said further down the road with remote networking to turn on lights or heck, even a fish feeder or whatever, you're going to use your BB, are you going to write a prog. for it or just do it via web browser or something?

Don't know yet, literally had it sitting there in a box for a month and just got enough time today to look at it. But if I have to write a simple program for sending simple commands, that won't take very long and should be fairly simple. I'll just have to schedule it in between my job....and my other job......and my car.......girlfriend........damnit.

[torob]

how do the remote controls work?
Do you somehow hook it up to the plug thing and get it to send remote signals?

[Wraith]

I can't even begin to fathom all the things you can do with this.

What will you use it for?

[Mar]

Originally posted by torob
how do the remote controls work?
Do you somehow hook it up to the plug thing and get it to send remote signals?
The remote I don't know yet. But I assume you point it at an infrared signal receiver on your computer and the receiver takes that signal, sends it to Heyu and fires the command out to the CM11A which then turns on the appropriate unit. That's just a guess though, I have to research it some more.


Originally posted by Wraith
I can't even begin to fathom all the things you can do with this.

What will you use it for?
Right now I'm in a small apartment so nothing. But I'm hoping to be buying a house and moving into it by July 1, MYWIFEYSHOT is taking me out tomorrow to look at a few places. So once that happens I'm taking out all the light switches and outlets from that place and replacing them with X10 units so they can be controlled from my computer. That way I can automate lighting to go off when I leave the house for work and come on when I get home. Finished watching the television upstairs but it's still on? Turn it off with the computer. All the light switches also have a dimming feature as well, and I'll probably hook it up to the garage door as well.

I was thinking about using it to run security but there's a much better application for that called Zoneminder (www.zoneminder.com) so I'll be using that instead.

Anyone care to offer suggestions of what I should use it for? :) I have to be sure nobody else in my condo complex or townhouse complex (if I buy one) is using it because it goes through the power lines so we'll be turning on/off each others' stuff all the time.

[?????]

Good pickup. My parents have been using x10 at their house for about 20 years now. Its not computer based but uses wireless remotes. They haven't had any problems with it yet either.

[im2fst4u]

Excellent system. I have the Honeywell Lynx wireless security system with cellular back-up running in my home and it interacts with X10 receivers as well. I can control my entire home (lighting, audio and video etc) through my Blackberry and also from Honeywell's Total Connect system from any computer. I can control my video system, arm-disarm, monitor my sensors etc.
You made a GREAT deal for $50 without question.
Cant wait to see your progress!

Note: The only bad part of running the X10 receivers on audio video systems is that when you power down the X10 receiver, you loose all the settings that were programmed into the audio/video components. I was transferring files from my server to my Popcorn Hour over my network, kicked off the X10 receiver and never thought about the network transfers that were in progress.......:banghead: but other than that.....very good system with many endless possibilities.

If anyone is interested, the Liquidation World up off of 17th ave SW had a huge selection of X10 stuff from old Radio Shack inventory....not sure if they still do but worth the look!

[sevewone]

I was using this For my internet, runing the USB through the power. I had no problems with it either.