As a homeowner interested in smart home technology, you can expect to hear a lot about x10. “This device is x10 compatible” sounds pretty cool, right? x10 is incredibly cool, actually, and it’s actually pretty simple stuff.
Use x10 to Control Your Home
x10 was ‘discovered’ by a Scottish company called Pico Electronics, Ltd. which was subsequently purchased by X10 Limited. X10 Ltd. manufactures and sells Universal Remotes that are genuinely ‘universal’ – they can control everything from your air conditioning to your garage light switch.
How Does x10 Work?
Devices that use x10 get information in short radio frequency bursts over the power lines in your home. The RF signals sent by a remote, or your computer, can control any device plugged into an electrical outlet. An x10 Universal Remote will have multiple device buttons, which you assign to the various appliances that you want to control with the remote when setting up the system. Once it is set up, you just have to push the appropriate device button, and then tell the device what you want it to do. Next time: What’s even better than remote-controlled x10? Voice Activated x10!
[...] The HAL2000 software for home automation is an X10 product. (Want more info? Read my earlier post, “What is X10, Anyway?“) [...]