On Saturday, March 4, 2017 at 1:52:16 PM UTC-5, wrote:
On Sat, 4 Mar 2017 10:38:06 -0800 (PST), trader_4
wrote:

On Saturday, March 4, 2017 at 9:19:06 AM UTC-5, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On 3/3/2017 9:55 PM, t wrote:


At least 30 years ago, I went to Radio Shack and bought a switch
replacement module. I installed it in a room, and using some other items
that go with this switch, I could have that light turn on, off, or dim
it from a timer, or turn it on and off from a hand held remote, and
install more of these switches in other rooms and each one has their own
number on the master control and on the remote. Later on, I bought some
modules that plug into an outlet, and could turn a lamp, my stereo and
other stuff in the home, all from my remote or the master control. I
even rigged up around 3000 watts of outdoor xmas lights on these modules
and could turn them on and off a block away from home.

These modules cost around $15 each, (In the late 1980's) but were well
worth the price.

I'm sure they have advenced these devices even more by now.

It is an X-10 system Available under a few names I bought one at the
same time you did. I still have a few lights controlled by the timer.
Now they even have screw in lamp modules.

But as far as advancing, AFAIK X-10 hasn't advanced at all in a decade.
It's low end stuff and while it can be fine for certain applications,
it's certainly not what I'd use for any home automation where you want
it to work reliably. For starters, all communication is one way, with
no acknowledgment. Nor have I seen any new devices, any new tech, anything
invested in it by any company in years.

I have a handful of X10 stuff here I got in a bundle from Ebay but
about all I use it for is accent lighting way down in the back yard.
It is pretty picky about where I plug the controller in and I do have
the crossover in my panel. It seems that if the circuit is too long,
even on the same phase it gets flaky.

I had X-10 controlling some outside lights, and a couple inside lights.
Worked fine for a couple years, then mysteriously one of the inside
lights which was on one of the plug-in modules, would no longer
respond. So, figured it was the module. Tried a couple new ones,
they wouldn't work. Tried moving that one to another spot where it
worked showing it was good. The location was one of the closer runs
to the panel, not significantly different than the other ones that
worked. Tried using a cap at the panel to couple the two legs,
even tried moving the circuit to another breaker on the same leg
as the source module. Nothing would make it work. That remains one
of the big X-10 mysteries. And nothing had changed in the house,
ie no new eqpt, etc.

Like you say, it's good for non-critical stuff if it works. And it's
real cheap.