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Sometimes Spam can be Cool

Entil'ZhaEntil'Zha I see famous people
Ok, I'm sure you've all seen the spam in your mailbox for X-10, for their cameras, and home automation and stuff.

Well, My livingroom has no lightswitch, the lights are plugged into the wall there is no fixture in the ceiling, So i was left with the prospect of pulling down the ceiling, tearing up the plaster and installings switches and a lighting fixture.

The cost was fairly low (bout $20 for the parts for the fixture, another $5 for wire and switch, maybe $50 for Drywall and Drywall screws to replace what i had to pull down)

But i accidentally clicked on the spam from x10. and saw this. [url]http://www.x10.com/automation/offer95.htm[/url] and thought to myself, That would be PERFECT, i can just stick that on the wall, and i'd have my switch, without having to drill holes...

So i ordered the switch ($19.99) and the ActiveHome kit ([url]http://www.x10.com/automation/x10_ck11a.htm[/url] $49.95 for an RF transmitter/reciever which is also an appliance module, a remote control, a keychain remote control and a lamp module)

Now, I've got a keychain in my pocket that i can turn my livingroom lights on when i get home, i've got a switch on my wall that i can use to turn them on and off, I can turn them on and off from my computer. And after a bit of searching, i found software on the internet that lets me control them via the Web (or just see their status, in case i think i forgot to turn them off) and. this is IMHO the coolest, voice recognition, i can walk into my livingroom and say "Computer, Lights On" and it turns on the lights!

I'm having wicked fun with this, i can't wait to get more modules, In fact, i found out that Radio Shack actually sells the modules, and for quite a bit cheaper than x10.com in some cases.

Anyway, this post has gone on long enough, and i've got more playing with the x10 system to do. But if you get one of those spam emails from them, You might check it out, cause in this case, their spam led to the solution i was looking for (and hours of fun to boot!)

Comments

  • TyvarTyvar Next best thing to a St. Bernard
    Does this mean we can hack your house? :D
  • SanfamSanfam I like clocks.
    X10 stuff is great, but I stopped buying them after their massive spamming efforts began. I used to have a few rooms wired (or better, not) for X10 gear.

    I've got the firecracker PC control module, a macro module, six lamp modules, I believe 10 appliance modules, and a number of wall switches which I used to control stuff, or to be controlled.
  • TyvarTyvar Next best thing to a St. Bernard
    Does this mean we can hack your house sanfam? :D
  • Vertigo1Vertigo1 Official Fuzzy Dice of FirstOnes.com
    I refuse to buy from a company that resorts to spam e-mail.
  • [QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Sanfam [/i]
    [B]X10 stuff is great, but I stopped buying them after their massive spamming efforts began. I used to have a few rooms wired (or better, not) for X10 gear.

    I've got the firecracker PC control module, a macro module, six lamp modules, I believe 10 appliance modules, and a number of wall switches which I used to control stuff, or to be controlled. [/B][/QUOTE]

    Hehhee.. next time im at your house i'm going to sccream OFF and watch your whole house shutdown. :p
  • TyvarTyvar Next best thing to a St. Bernard
    LoL Im sure he's gonna love that!
  • SanfamSanfam I like clocks.
    I'm not using voice control anymore. It would have a few false positives from ambient noise and set off a macro here or there, resulting in darkness. :P
  • Entil'ZhaEntil'Zha I see famous people
    [QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Vertigo1 [/i]
    [B]I refuse to buy from a company that resorts to spam e-mail. [/B][/QUOTE]


    So buy it from Radio Sha... oh wait, they spam via regular mail..
  • Entil'ZhaEntil'Zha I see famous people
    [QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Tyvar [/i]
    [B]Does this mean we can hack your house? :D [/B][/QUOTE]

    Well.. prolly not, since the webserver is behind a firewall, not on port 80, password protected, and only allowed access from my local lan...

    Heh
  • WHYWHY Elite Ranger
    Reminds me of a VERY old episode of the Daily show...


    "I hacked your sock drawer... DUH !"
  • SanfamSanfam I like clocks.
    LORD VIPER SCORPION IS l33t!
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