Not sure where to post this one, so I'll live with this area.

I have been thinking of implementing X10 in my house in order to have a play, learn the technology and eventually add it to my portfolio of things I Can Do (TM).

I have seen a variety of different adapters and connectors for plugging your lamps and appliances into and switches to take over your light switch. Now, my question is: is there a particular brand/brands which is/are better than most in terms of reliability? Or is it all pretty much the same?

Also, when I do this, I intend to introduce a computerised system to control it - with TFT screen's by my main door and my bed. Should I look at misterhouse for this or something else?

Any other thoughts/ideas?

dont waste your mony, it will only brake down continuasly.

You have any suggestions of similar systems that won't break down, I've been really interested in X10 and home automation recently.


Yeah, I'm looking for a simplistic system that will allow computerized control over my house as well. Something which is controllable by the command prompt and also a slick GUI interface that's customizable . . .Any ideas?!

I wouldn't take one person's word for it. Instead, Google around for different reviews, like this one:
Your Automated Home - X10 ActiveHome Professional - Reviews by PC Magazine

The thing is, I already know that isn't true - a friend from my old uni had his house wired up to the 9's. I think the only time the system failed was when his housemate accidentally turned the box off...

Is X10 really so unreliable?

They just said otherwise. . .but what else do you guys know about X10??

"Although a number of higher bandwidth alternatives exist including KNX, INSTEON, BACnet, and LonWorks, X10 remains popular in the home environment with millions of units in use worldwide." on the X10 Wikipedia page. Maybe you might want to check the other alternatives?

Extreme Coder

every computer controlled divice is unreliable, do not trust anything in portent to a computerised device. mechanical/electromechanical is much more reliable and allot easer to fix

i see home automation as yet another excuse to be lazy and get fat.

Or another excuse to keep the coders coding 24/7

Extreme Coder

This just makes me think you don't actually know what X10 is. It is an additional layer to the control of your household systems - not something to replace the traditional systems.

It means you can turn lights off from in bed, or enable your heating from on the move so your house will be warm when you get home.

It isn't a tool to make you fat - it is a tool to make life a little bit quicker and easier. If you become fat from not switching lights off at night then you aren't doing enough exercise anyway.

Also, the widely sweeping statement that computerised systems are unreliable is nonsense - so long as it is built with suitable fallback systems to take over, a computerised system can be just as reliable as mechanical - just look at the space shuttle, nuclear power industry, healthcare systems and other such systems. All reliable, all computerised.

And that's what all most movies use for a plot, a computerised system controlling some thing or place that has gone bad, with no fallback system(like for example Resident Evil 1)

Extreme Coder

i will not trust anything inportent to a computer. heating is unimprtent, just add more jumpers! use soler to heat your water and youve asved a huge amount of mony, and co2 emisans

computerising everything just makes it dificult to service, witch meens you haft to get somone out, who will most lickly replace it. witch produces tuns of unsesesorry waste. for the same resen new cars are rubbish, carnt service it yourself. boring!!