future HA

[Henk van Hulst <Henk.vanHulst@xxxxxxx>]

Re: X10 in the rest of the world ...


Although X10 outside the USA is growing - at least the availability , my
opinion is that  the traditional X10 technology outside the USA   will
never
be implemented  at the same level as within the US - based on the following
observations:

*	US citizens are more eager to accept technology  - so less
acceptance of the market it may change with newer PC-generation
*	Limited market by the number of countries all with their own
regulation
*	Stricter regulation of using X10 technologie and certification
outside USA
*	Reliability on using power lines - rate of failures
*	High prices of X10 modules because lack of volume
*	Competition of new HA technology based on RF - modules.

The future will be based on RF technology and not using the powerlines as
carrier - for example a  current offering in the European countries are a
fourpack RF modules at the same price as  one 220V X10 module. ($60) ...
remotes are RF based - no limitation of using in the same space ......

In some way  X10 is going that same direction - battery operated  switches
sending RF signals to the RF module putting it as X10 signal over the
powerlines (yes a RF/X10 gateway - type ?????) .......  Why only to access
the installed based ! .... why not sending the RF signals directly to the
lamp-module - so just wait till there is a  X10/RF gateway to translate X10
power commands into RF signals ...... just backwards compatible.......

So what is needed to develop the non-USA  Home Automation Market:

*	Standards on the use of RF technology
*	Standard carrier frequency
*	Standard on protocol (also two way)
*	Standard on module adressing
*	Multi vendor exchangeable
*	PC - RF - controllers  (a la CM11)
*	Additional functionality of RF modules like the current X10 offering
(sundowners. Relais, move detection,etc)
*	Garantueed ranges of RF transmission  of 50 meters / or signal
amplifiers

Special the RF-adressing  will be important - forget using any 
adres-switch
on each module, like they are using dip switches on the RF modules)
The RF adressing of each module should be programmable from a controller
with an almost unlimited address space(like the Ethernet adressing scheme)
-
production cost will be less by removing those rotary switches with
limiting
adress space  ....

Advice for non-USA X10 lovers:

So don't invest to heavy in 220V  X10 gear .....  buy a basic Active Home
kit $49  / put it all behind a 220/110V step down transformer add cheap $8
X10 modules - interface those X10 modules with your European RF modules (
like output of the X10 by a low voltage transformer to a little circuit
(flip/flop) to emulate the pushing of the buttons on your RF controller or
get a 16 relais controlled X10 - price less than 16x$8 - or develop a
X10/RF
gateway compatible with the current RF modules on the market)

So my 2cents - pls keep the change





------------------------------------------------------------------------
eGroup home: http://www.eGroups.com/list/ukha_d
Free Web-based e-mail groups by eGroups.com