Overview of X10

With 15 years of design and improvements, X10 has become a preferred choice for many home-automation setups.  It offers the home automation hobbyist and professional alike with numerous and important advantages, including:

No extra wiring

This is probably the greatest advantage of the X10 protocol.  Since X10 devices transfer their data across  your existing mains wiring, there is no need to run cables between each of your devices, as with C-Bus.  The 'plug-n-play' method that X10 follows makes it suitable for a much larger variety of consumers.  Apart from those persons who can integrate X10 into a newly built home, X10 also applies to:

	Existing houses.	X10 modules can be introduced into a home at any time, and easily expanded on.  It can be adapted and altered to suit your preferences with time.
	Apartments	If you live in an apartment and are not permitted to make any structural changes, then X10 is the way to go.  Simply plug the DIY modules into your preferred socket-outlets, and begin your automation adventures.
	Hotel Rooms	Are you an owner of a hotel?  Elevate that level of comfort & luxury in your rooms by installing X10 modules with minimal hassle.  Using the professional modules that are fitted behind switch-plates, installation is made easy.  And because the devices are inaccessible, theft is not a concern.
	Do-It-Yourself	X10 offer DIY plug-in modules that anyone can install; whilst competing technologies (such as C-Bus) require authorised installers, that quickly bumps up your cost.  If you choose the professional X10 route, many electricians are capable of installing an X10 light-controller behind a switch plate.

Low Cost

X10 has grown worldwide to the point where X10 devices are common enough to bring prices down to an affordable level for the majority of consumers.  A reasonable setup with several automated lights, sensors and a controller can be achieved for only a few hundred dollars, in comparison to the thousands required for alternative technologies.

Flexibility

Due to the 'no extra wiring' advantage, X10 offers great flexibility.  Once you've installed X10 modules through your home, you're free to change your mind and alter the layout of installation, without the need to deal with messy re-wiring.  Also, many aspects of X10 can be expanded on, including using your home PC as an ultimate controller.  Software programs such as HAL2000 allow voice-recognition and scheduled macros to turn your home into something out of the Jetsons.

Ease of Use

Configuring an X10 device is as simple as turning 2 knobs.  Each X10 device is assigned a House Code (A-P), and a unique address (1-9) on that house code.  Whenever a controller sends a command to an address (eg: A5 ON), any X10 devices set to that address will react.  House codes can also be utilised so that all lights are configured on the same house code, allowing all lights to be switched on/off with one command.

Ease of Purchase

The number of devices available for use with X10 is only matched with its plentiful supply.  X10's great success has made it a well known solution in the home automation industry and allowed it to be sourced through many suppliers world wide.  Future Touch has taken steps to provide you with a full range of X10 devices are price-competitive rates.

X10's advantages are not to be underestimated. Everyone in the home automation industry owes a debt to X10 (USA), and its parent company, Hong Kong-based X10, Ltd., for releasing an inexpensive and versatile product that has helped popularise the concept of home automation.

X10's competing technologies (eg: C-Bus and others) attempt to question X10's reliability.  The fact of the matter is, X10's history record and proven success rate, topped by its ease of implementation and low cost advantages, have made it a preferred choice for the home technology enthusiast.  It's ease of setup not only makes it applicable to existing structures, but its expandability is what keeps it ahead of the competition.

There exists a plethora of X10 devices that can be utilised, yet most of them fall into 4 categories:

	X10 Controllers These are devices that a person can use to manually control Home Automation.  The category consists of items such as remotes, controller boxes or software applications.  X10 controllers send commands to either an X10 interface, or directly to an X10 Receiver (if the X10 controller can plug into a power point).
	X10 Sensors These are devices that automatically transmit an X10 command when their sensor triggers.  The category consists of items such as motion sensors, door open/close sensors, and custom sensors (such as rain detection, temperature detection, etc).  Most X10 sensors will transmit an RF (Radio Frequency) signal when it triggers - which needs to be detected by an X10 interface.
	X10 Interfaces These are devices that interface one type of signal to another.  For instance, X10 sensors transmit to a device called a TM13, which then converts the RF X10 signal to a mains X10 signal... this can then travel through the mains wiring to reach an X10 Receiver.
	X10 Receivers These are devices that receive X10 commands and switch lights or appliances on/off.  Some X10 Receivers are DIY installation - simply plugging into a powerpoint, whilst others need professional installation - fitting behind a light switch in the wall.  Either way, none of them need any wiring run in the home.