A notion that might seem strange at first is the idea of Home
Automation. It will help to think back to about 30 years ago when televisions had a
rotary dial for the volume control and a knob to change the channel. "Remote control!
Are you too dang lazy to get up and change the channel or turn down the volume?" was
the mantra of the time. Most of us today view the TV remote as more than an indispensable
convenience but also as a symbol of household power. Well then . . . imagine controlling
not only the TV but the satellite dish, cable, stereo, VCR, CD player, fans, pond pumps,
valves, air conditioning units, all the lights inside and out and even more with your
remote control, computer or motion sensors.
The beauty of the X-10 system is in its low cost and ease of
installation. The signal is transmitted by radio waves from a controller to a transceiver
and it is then injected into the house electrical wiring to the light or appliance being
controlled