Re: x10 control from computer

["John" <weekender_ny@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Chris,

Thanks a lot for ur help.

Chris Spencer wrote:
> John wrote:
> > I am looking for a neat soultion to send and recieve x10 commands on my
> > computer
> > (windows machine but might move to linux at some point). I would like
> > to code
> > my home automation using X10 from python. I bought the usb powerlinc
> > from
> > smarthome which is almost useless (since i tried HCA/girder/Smarthome
> > manager)
> > but none allows me to code stuff in python (recieve and send commands).
> >
> > Does anyone know what is the easiest way to do this? What equipment
> > should I buy?
>
> On Windows you're pretty much screwed when it comes to developing your
> own x10 software, especially with the Powerlinc. There are Python
> libraries (PyXal, PyX10) for accessing some serial x10 controllers, but
> they're mostly buggy and unmaintained. Your best, and really only
> option, is to use the x10dev/wish drivers (http://wish.sourceforge.net/)
> on Linux. This provides Linux device drivers for several popular x10
> controllers including the Powerlinc, and allows nearly any programming
> language to easily receive and send x10 commands by reading and writing
> to a /dev/x10 file. I also just bought a USB Powerlinc and this is how I
> too am planning to control it with Python.
>

Why does one need a kernel modification to work with Powerlinc? Cant
it be just an application library? I have no clue why people have to
tinker
with the kernel to make a powerlinc work on a machine. On windows
there are applications that talk to this device.

If the software comes as a kernel patch (like wishx), or is getting
inside
the kernel, more than likely it will not be maintained for the latest
kernels
and at some point the developer will give up on trying to follow the
kernels that chage every day.

I think we need to find something better to do this.

Best,
--j