X10 Control of Devices - Advice

["^mad^" <ukha@xxxxxxx>]

Hi,

My mum and dad have been really interested in getting some web cams since
my
adventures into 'TrainCam' and have ended up with 2 X10 Xcam 2s, the seem
pretty good for their needs and the managed to get one for ?49 and one for
?44, so they are happy with that too :)

Now they have read about the x10 addressable power units they come with and
are interested in having it so both cameras are on the same channel, and
every 5 mins or so using an x10 command one camera is turned off, and the
other turned on.. this allows them to record the feed from the cams using
one receiver, and put the other feed online using a Belkin Video Bus.

I am really looking for a simple controller that can be used to do this..
they are not particularly computer literate (past web surfing, email and
solitaire) so Imp not sure about a CM11U, the only PC in the house that is
constantly on is a Linux box, which I guess I could set up, but I was
thinking maybe a better controller may exist (nice if it was cheap too!)

My dad also like automating the lights in the home using manual timers (he
has 2 times for the upper and lower light rings, and a number of those
'dial' timers on wall sockets) so I was thinking maybe an RF/IR controller
would be good for them too which they could use as he discovered the fun on
using the x10 modules over the clock timers :)


so my questions are this:
What kind of non-PC based controllers are about, something that can be
programmed to do a 5 minute loop, unlike the mini timer
Where is the cheapest place to get CM12/11Us from, of those TTL
alternatives?? (I think std modules from pc world for ?15 is cheapest for
them)
Any other recommendations!?


Many, Many Thanks


Alistair


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