Re: No more X10 at Radio Shack?

[ddl@danlan.*com (Dan Lanciani)]

In article <pan.2006.12.10.22.30.35.44172@xxxxxxxxxxxx>, cwsulliv@xxxxxxxxxxxx (Charles Sullivan) writes:

| I've wondered what X-10's intentions are regarding the LM14A/AM14A product
| lines.

I just wish they would introduce a two-way wall switch with the LM14A/AM14A
command set.  Nobody seems to make one that I find acceptable.  Either they
have changed the commands around or they have added gratuitous ON/OFF
transmissions that cannot be disabled.  ACT came very, very close with
the last version of their dimmer, though you had to set a lot of options
to get it into a fully compatible mode.  But it doesn't have an input for
remote n-way switches.  Their relay switch (as far as I know) never got
upgraded to the improved firmware and sends gratuitous status messages
that cannot be disabled.  I actually have a beta unit that doesn't do
this (it was a bug!) and to which I added a remote input.  I'm wondering
what I'll replace it with when/if it fails. :(

| That big sale makes me wonder whether they are either abandoning
| the products or are introducing improved models and just want to clear out
| their inventory of old stock.

X10 has an awful lot of inventory clearance sales (and even going-out-of-
business sales)...  In any case, I don't really care that much as the
current versions work fine for me.  (I don't need the load reporting for
anything I've don so far.)

| You may or may not have noticed that the Extended Code document formerly
| named xtc798.doc on X-10's manuals page is now named xtdcode.pdf.  A
| cursory inspection of the differences reveals that the two formerly "don't
| care" bits in the data byte for the extended code preset (0x31) command
| are now described as programming a ramp rate.  They're still "don't care"
| for any of the LM14A units I have, so is there a "new and improved"
| product in the wings or did someone at X-10 start with an obsolete file
| when generating the PDF document?

This is (at least) the second time they have done that.  See:

http://groups.google.com/group/comp.home.automation/msg/12a1aca862254abf

(I'm assuming those commands never got implemented either.)  I think
they just keep fiddling with the command set without any specific
implementation plans.

				Dan Lanciani
				ddl@danlan.*com