Home Automation Domotica Forum Europe, Bwired Forum

Hi all,

Well this is a very newbie kind of post as I really have to start my domotics setup from scratch. But that means that you guys still motivate others to go into home automation!

The difficult thing about this is of course how to get started, with the overwhelming amount of options.
I've been browsing the forum already for some time and have found tons of information. Surely I haven't seen it all.
From what I've seen this is where I am right now :
I would start off with both X10 components and try my hand at the modules from Heino Peters book.
I think the book explains it really well so that a less experienced guy can make it work. I'm not afraid of building stuff myself and I like to be in control and know the stuff I'm putting up. One thing that worries me a bit is the software.
As I have read here, it's better to start using existing software for my domotics project to begin with to avoid having hardware and software problems together too much. I'm thinking of course at HomeSeer, but as I understood there is no driver for the moment for Heino's interface.
I read that DMB was working on it. Has there been any progress on that ?
Second question is about X10. I'm having a lot of 'wisselschakelaars' (I think it's called hotel switches) where one light is controlled with different switches. Moreover there are often two switches per 'box' (you know the type : two half-width switches in one standard-with housing). Can the X10 micromodules be incorporated in that situation ?
I would rather be sure to start with a good solution as the initial investment is of course non neglible (HomeSeer, CTX35, micromodules, probables 3 phase couplers etc.)

Thank you all for your advice !

Michel

Ps Maybe I have to split this topic in two into both X10 and Heino Peters threads.

Hotel switches is the correct names, if you go higher its "kruis". those types can be easily done with x10 switches, also the two half width switches are an no problem. I think there was even a topic on that not so long ago. The way i started using this in the beginning was getting a basic set with some micro modules, some normal modules a cm11 and a rf receiver and a ms13 motion. Some set have a lot to offer to start with. You can ofcourse go straight to the ctx35 interface because thats the preffered one at the moment (if others agree) you can get a trial for homeseer aswell. There is enough tools for the cm11 freeware/public whatever to try it out with. Thats the nice thing about a cm11. Not telling you to buy it because its easy, but i would recommend if you want to start fresh i would go for a starter kit of some kind unless your determined to get everything straight away.

I started with http://www.elekhomica.nl/product_info.p ... cts_id=232

And as you can see its 161 euro's, so its not too bad to start off with and try some stuff first.

If others disagree with me let me know, but thats how i did it.


// Erik (binkey.nl)

To begin, I would suggest the same thing snelvuur did: Start with a couple of modules, a controller/pc interface, a motion sensor. Try it out toghether with Homeseer and explore the possibilities. From there on you can expand your setup. I wouldn't buy everything directly, experiment with the technology a little bit first.

Although I don't use X10 lamp/appliance modules (I use Z-Wave), the starter-kit snelvuur showed is a good starting point: it's 'cheap' and has a little bit of everything in it for you to experiment with.

Good luck on getting started

Yes, the starterkits were where I was looking at. However most of them have the "external" lamp and appliance switches in the bundle.
Althought that is of course much easier for experimenting, what I would need in the end is the micromodules so I wanted to see if this was possible.
Thanks for the answer snelvuur. Also I see that in your link they even have starter kits with micromodules although these can probably not be used in a hotel switch
configurations (for Marmitek I saw that I need the AWM2/TMD4 combination for that). As you suggest, I'll go first with the CM11. Always time to upgrade.

Do you guys have any suggestion for the Heino Peters solution ? From what I read I don't see people using this system actually to a great extend
in their home automation setup. Maybe I'm wrong. I see some great possibilities with it, plus it gives a highly hands-on component to the setup in that the modules
etc have to be designed and assembled.

You should check the forum post about heino's book. Although there are people using it, i have not seen a complete home with it. It does involve labor at a higher level then your average joe, it has potential to do more since your in control. Problem with control is that you need to spend more time at it. Its a decision you have to make at some point where you want to go..

// Erik (binkey.nl)