Home Automation Domotica Forum Europe, Bwired Forum

Hi,

I'm currently building a new house in Portugal so you must imagine
the fuss that is going through my mind in this process.
I've made a general planning for what I want to install or pre-install in the house, and i'm not going to bother you with an exaustive description of the solution (for now).
However I was very intrigued by the use of the Xanura modules, mainly
because it is sais that the A10 protocol is much more reliable than
x10.
Reliability of x10 modules is always in my mind, and is always discussed in diferent foruns (false triggers, signal over powerlines, signal interference). Even so i've decided that i would be using Marmitek X10 modules.... until now.
Is the performance better when comparing A10 and X10, less faulty ??
How do the prices compare ?
Last question:
I don't have programing skills so I couldn't go down using/building
an SQL database, that being said...yes it's going to be Homeseer. Do A10 modules work with homeseer???

I would very much appreciate comments on these items, thank you.

Hi Jose,

Xanura A10 is fully compatible with the X10 protocol. In fact the A10 protocol is a exact copy of the X10 protocol but with a lot of enhancement on it. Xanura is a company owned bij Eaton Holec, a hughe company with over 50.000 employees worldwide. Not all the products of Xanura are A10 some of theme are still X10. But the modules like AIX, SAIX, GIX etc are A10 and very much reliable. All depents also of the quality of your powerline system. Here you can download a product overview http://www.bwired.nl/images/how/xanura_ ... tionen.pdf I will try to get some more documentation in english, all other are in Dutch. So the permance is better, I know Xanura is updating there modules now to even have more power over the powerline. I use the modules too in the bwired house. Prices are higher then marmitek check some prices on http://www.domoticalinks.nl under domotica shops you will find some shops selling Xanura modules. And yes for now the best option for you is to control it all with homeseer. Xanura has a control module called CTX35 which will work with a tweak with Homeseer. Its not running standard. Also you can buy the CM11 from Marmitek to control it all, everything is compatible. Xanura is also comming soon with a new controlbox called the Home Control Box, it has a webserver in it and much features. Not sure when it comes out however, it keep delaying! You can also read about Xanura on my site http://www.bwired.nl/How.asp and click on the Xanura link.

Technical compare information
==============================
A10 products are fully compatible with X10 products.
A10 circuitry provides the following performance enhancements:
<ul><li>Signal Strength - A10 increases the signal strength of powerline transmitters form 3 volts peak to peak (VPP) to 6 VPP, effectively doubling the performance of X-10 transmitters over competitive products.</li>
<li>Receive Sensitivity - The A10 module also improves the performance of powerline receivers by reducing the required signal level to 25 mV from the 100 mV requirement of competitive receivers.
</li>Two Way Communication - A10 modules provide both receive and transmit capability, providing user confidence in reliable operation.
<li>Signal to Noise Ratio - Current competitive products have an AGC circuit that helps to overcome noisy environments. That AGC circuit requires a 2:1 ratio of signal to noise to operate reliably. The A10 circuit requires only a 1.35:1 ratio.</li>
<li>Noise Threshold - The A10 circuit can operate in powerline environments with as much as 3 volts of noise. Competitive products quit operating if the noise level exceeds 1 volt.</li></ul> A10 circuitry provides the following new features:
<ul><li>Automatic Acknowledgment (Yes/No) - Allows you to enable the device to automatically send its status after reception of a valid command.</li>Respond to Status Request (Yes/No) - Allows you to enable the receiver to respond to a Status Request command, e.g. ON, OFF.
<li>Device address (Standard) - User programmable A10 receivers incorporate the use of external "push button " programming of the unit's address and operating characteristics. Respond to All Units off (Yes/No) - User programmable to set individual devices to respond or ignore an All Units Off command.
</li>User programmable to selectively set individual devices to respond or ignore an All Lights Off command.
<li>Respond to All Lights On (Yes/No) - This feature is similar to the All Lights Off command. User programmable to set an individual device to respond/ignore an All Lights On command.</li></ul>Hope this help
Good night
Pieter

But to make full use of the A10 capabilities, it requires a "specialized" controller or software?

Meaning, I could use a CM11, and then eventually make a program to use the full the A10 modules to their full extent?

Hi,

A10 is compatible with X10. So you can use any X10 controller you want. Xanura has the CTX35 controller. Or you can use for start the CM11. Look on this post http://www.bwired.nl/Forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=29 for all the available software. Homeseer is also very populair and can handle all features.
Pieter

www.bwired.nl Online Domotica, Home Automation house.

Thanks for the quick reply.

I'll start with some simple controls for lighting and window shutters.
Eventually, I'll keep adding more and more stuff.

Next in line will be keeping records of the electricity/gas/water meter, so we can minimze any "waste" that might be occuring.

Again, your site is filled with good ideas.

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">
(cut...)
A10 circuitry provides the following new features:

* Automatic Acknowledgment (Yes/No) - Allows you to enable the device to automatically send its status after reception of a valid command.
Respond to Status Request (Yes/No) - Allows you to enable the receiver to respond to a Status Request command, e.g. ON, OFF.
(...cut)
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">that means that X-10 have no the Status request? With X10 devise you have not the possibility to know his status?