CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

[MYoung]

I skimmed some topics regarding this but didn't find anything for my particular case. A while back I bought these RF light sockets with remote. They are sold regularly on eBay...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Remote-Control-Electrical-Light-Lamp-Socket_W0QQitemZ160004864509QQcmdZViewItemQQptZElectrical_Solar_US?_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116

They work pretty well, but having just purchased the TSU-501 (an awesome remote for $49, by the way -- buy one if you are on the fence!), I want to control the lights with that now! Is it possible? I know that the remote does IR and the sockets use RF. Are there any devices that will take IR and shoot out RF? I suppose that's my only hope, other than getting lights that are controlled via IR, which I take aren't many, or just living with 2 remotes (boo!). The socket design is so nice for a low budget basement setup like mine -- just screw them in!

If only I had electronics chops -- then I could modify the RF remote to take an IR signal and engage the RF signal going out to the lights!

If I have to stick with purely IR, does anyone know of any fixtures, like the socket, that are IR? The IR devices I've seen appear to be outlets, not light sockets. I suppose I could get rope lighting and plug that into an IR controlled outlet and use that.

[MYoung]

$hit! I found an IR socket! Though it looks like a website looking for resellers.

http://www.made-in-china.com/china-products/productviewUnxQgqfTzmry/Universal-Infrared-Lamp-Socket-Receiver-AML044-.html

[WanMan]

Like the fax machine, people just cannot get the F out of the dark ages.

Why hasn't anyone come up with a modern day solution? Seriously, why has any of the remote control manufacturers extended their business into automation? I'd love to see a whole-HT room Bluetooth solution with a mid-range price that didn't require an arm and a leg to buy and a triple PhD to learn.

In today's global economy with today's trend to out-sourcing talent, I am amazed someone hasn't hire an Indian firm to develop a platform that could be readily produced in Japan for those like us.

Ok, time to go put the fig leaf back on and club a cavewomen.

[drice1234]

I have an X-10 device that plugs into the wall and receives IR signals and sends out the X10 signal to the devices via the power line. You can find them on e-bay or any site that sells X-10 equipment. If you need me to I can get the part number off of it tonight when I get home.
Dan

[MYoung]

WanMan, I completely agree. While some might think devices like that would be niche, I'd call the HDfury pretty damn niche, yet it was designed and made!

Dan, I guess I'll have to explore X-10 more as I've heard mention of X-10 as being one of the more feasible solutions. Maybe they also have a device that will call my cellphone and leave a klaxon alarm on my voicemail when it detects that my basement is starting to flood!

[jkruger]

[ecrabb]

Mike,

All you need is one of these two X-10 devices:
http://www.smarthome.com/2040/X10-Split-Receptacle-SR227-PA077/p.aspx
http://www.smarthome.com/2000/X10-Lamp-Module-LM465-PLM03/p.aspx

And this IR controller:
http://www.smarthome.com/4040/Infrared-X10-Command-Console-IR-543/p.aspx

That's the cheap solution - $50 tops. You can control a lot more than just one device of course if you buy more modules.

The higher-end solution is to go Insteon...

IR Insteon controller ($100):
http://www.smarthome.com/2411R/IRLinc-Receiver-IR-to-INSTEON-Converter/p.aspx

Outlets and switches are expensive at $40-50 a pop, and lamp modules are $35. But, it's all RF, mesh-networking, has scene control, ramp fades, many more dimming steps than X-10, etc.

With either X-10 or Insteon, you can do all kinds of cool automation for not a lot of money by using a PC or controller modules with memory. With a Mac/PC-based solution like I have, you can even set up macros with logic... For instance... When garage door goes up, if dark = true, then turn garage and breezeway lights on, else do nothing. You can also have it generate emails and/or flash lights when dry contacts are tripped - like your water example.

I have a fairly modest X-10/Insteon setup with a dozen or so controlled lights and a computer-based controller with a web interface to control things from off-site, and I don't think I have even $1000 in the whole thing. The Insteon switches for the HT were the expensive part. You can do a smaller setup or much, much less - like for a few hundred bucks. Like so many other hobbies, it gets addictive, though.

SC

[Rdean]

X10 is an older technology that is currently being replaced by the equally inexpensive (relatively) INSTEON product line. The modules are backward compatable with X10 signals but are much more reliable in operation.

Because of the backward compatability it should be usable with any IR to X10 bridge, but if you want to go with current technology I would consider this:

http://www.smarthome.com/2411R/IRLinc-Receiver-IR-to-INSTEON-Converter/p.aspx

[Rdean]

Looks like SC beat me to the punch.

[zaphod]

yep, i have a 543 IR X-10 receiver that punts the signals onto the line. then i have modules for the various lights about the room. never did the ceiling lights, and with the house for sale i won't.

for a remote i use my harmony. works just fine.

[MYoung]

SC, it looks like I can get that X10 IR controller and then get some X10 Socket Rockets and have those controlled by my Pronto TSU-501. I think I just might go that route. Thanks for the info guys!

[mhalsan]

I use a very simple and effective IR relay pack from Ramsey Electronics- to control motorized dimmers and relays. The cost is far less than anything else I found, and you can set up anything you can imagine. The IR kit comes with a simple remote control that I used to configure my universal remote.

Thanks, Mark

[zaphod]

if you want an online vendor i can recommend this ebay id: sheridan-b5 his Ebay Store is here:

http://stores.ebay.com/Sheridan-b5s-X-10-Home-Automation?refid=store he also sells outside of ebay. and has items not necessarily currently listed on his ebay site. items listed of course are only available via ebay while listed - 'natch

[Loudmouse]