If you purchase a starter kit, you can be up and running in minutes. This kit is ideal for control by Linux using cron jobs.
The only issue that I have noticed is where you have a three phase mains connection. Most houses have single phase mains (2 wires), but with three phase, the signal that is injected by the controller may not reach the other phases. You can get around this with coupling filters or active 3 phase repeater modules, but they all cost more than the starter kit.
Hardware
Again, not much is required. Almost zero CPU, disk, memory is required for this, so delegate it to an old 486 in the shed.
- A Linux system with a spare serial port.
- An X10 starter kit
- A light or other mains appliance to control.
Software
- Download heyu software.
- Set up a cron job such as shown in the code section
Ideas
- Control your Christmas lighting.
- Turn lights on at pre-arranged times.
- Run a randomised "away from home" lighing cycle.
- Open curtains based on time of day.
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- Tell me what you have done.
Code
crontab -e #---------------------------------------- #---------------------------------------- # CHRISTMAS CYCLES #---------------------------------------- #---------------------------------------- # A1 used to control front Christmas lights # on the front of the house #---------------------------------------- 15 20 * * * /root/heyu turn A1 on 17 20 * * * /root/heyu turn A1 on 30 23 * * * /root/heyu turn A1 off 32 23 * * * /root/heyu turn A1 off # New years - on-off-on-off-on at midnight # and off again at 2:30am 33 23 31 12 * /root/heyu turn A1 on 59 23 31 12 * /root/heyu turn A1 off 0 0 1 1 * /root/heyu turn A1 on 1 0 1 1 * /root/heyu turn A1 off 2 0 1 1 * /root/heyu turn A1 on 30 2 1 1 * /root/heyu turn A1 off
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