Controlling electronics

[adammills]

Hello, im looking to setup a single hybrid linuxmce system for the time being with the possibility of added media directory's later down the road.  Im only looking to do simple media as in movies and controlling some electronics to start with. I don't understand what I need exactly to control electronics.  From what i understand there are three different ways of doing this that's with INSTEON, Zwave or x10.  Not really knowing what the differneces are and from what i read on the forums and the wiki site x10 seams to be the cheapest.  Lot of the interfaces I looked at from links from the forum and wiki are discontinued but i found this http://www.smarthome.com/1132B/PowerLinc-Serial-TW523-X10-Interface-with-12VDC-Output/p.aspx
would this work with linuxmce or maybe suggest something better?

After installing the interface in the linuxmce computer I would be able to control all the x10 equipment in my house from linuxmce?

Will these sockets work? http://cgi.ebay.com/X-10-SR227-FREE-SHIPPING_W0QQitemZ160320516476QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item2553d8f17c&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1262

[tschak909]

Yes, although, with X10, you'll need to use the CM11A interface to interface between the computer and the X10 interfaces.

It is not automatically detected, and requires manual setup. We do not recommend X10 due to reliability issues, you get what you pay for.

-Thom

[adammills]

What would you suggest to use instead of x10 and what would i need to use it?

[colinjones]

zwave is the technology you will see most activity on, in LMCE-land. More expensive, but vastly superior technology, RF (not powerline), a mesh repeating network, much faster, bi-directional and reliable. Also Insteon has good support, and EIB/KNX is coming along...

[adammills]

What would i need for zwave? Maybe i just gave up to soon when looking but i couldn't find anything on what i needed to get things to work.  What would I need for zwave, say for just one lamp atm.

[tschak909]

A typical Z-Wave installation has:

* Z-wave modules for your lamps, either outlet mounted, or by replacing the wall switch.
* a Z-Wave master controller, such as an ACT ZTH000
* a Z-Wave computer interface. such as the Intermatic HA22

These are examples, you'll find more of them on home automation websites. If you're in the US, http://www.smarthome.com is a good website for this. http://shop.micasaverde.com/ also provides a complete set of z-wave devices. Again, this is all in the wiki.

Some devices, like Mi Casa Verde's z-wave USB stick combine the master controller and the computer interface, however it seems that those devices have recently been recalled due to buggy firmware, however for simple lighting control, it should be fine.

-Thom

[bongowongo]

What would you suggest to use instead of x10 and what would i need to use it?

A better alternative of X10 = PLCBus