Official X10 specification

Where can I find a copy of the "official" specification of X10 standard, both physical layer and network protocols?   Internet search gave me, among several non-technical/layperson blurbs about X10 history and whatnot, the following technical blurb: http://www.authinx.com/manuals/activehome/xtdcode.pdf
 
Even though it has a very nice and easy to understand description about the basic power-line carrier encoding stuff used by X10, it lacks the specificity and clarity of a spec document, not to mention that it has no author/organization or anything that says it is *the* official specs.  It lacks any kind of version number/date that says it is the most recent version as well.
 
A few related newbie questions:  
1.  Who 'owns' (if that is the right word) and maintains the X10 specs?  
2.  Where should one go to get approval (if there's such a thing in the X10 world) if they want to develop hardware and software that is fully compatible with X10 specs?
3.  What are the roles played by an X10 controller (such as OmniLT) and X10 device (the more accurate term should be client)?
 
Thank you for your time!

Have a look at the X10 wiki.
 
 
 
Who 'owns' (if that is the right word) and maintains the X10 specs?
 
nobody.
 
Where should one go to get approval (if there's such a thing in the X10 world) if they want to develop hardware and software that is fully compatible with X10 specs?
 
No approval needed.  There has been much more done lately with X10 and the Linux world.
 
Personally here used it in a home in 1978 for lighting only at the time.  In the 80's went to using the Commodore 64 (and later the Amiga Computer) and used software written for X10 control back then.  Worked great. 

In the late 1980's purchased a combo security panel with TTS and X10 control. You could only program it via a bunch of buttons and LED's on the panel. It only connected to keypads for use at the time.

In the 1990's using first '86 computers used DOS for X10 control then later Windows 1,2,3 and tested and played with IBM's competitive windows gui OS2 Warp.
 
What are the roles played by an X10 controller (such as OmniLT) and X10 device (the more accurate term should be client)?
 
The Omni controllers first came out in the 1990's and was based on a serial bus before networks.  Later the Omni controllers firmware was adjusted to talk to serially connected UPB, ZWave, Zigbee and other serially connected controllers.
 
HAI provided management software (PCA) to speak via the serial bus.  Later to the ethernet interface.  Original client software was all windows (before the smartphone).  OmniTouch Pro,  Snaplink for Windows, Android and iOS came later.

There was a few 3rd parties that created clients and software for the Omni Panels way back in the early 2000's. IE: Homeseer (been using it now since the late 1990's) had a client management interface for the Omni panels.

The Homeseer 2 Omni client still works fine and utilizes a serial interface to the panel. The Homeseer 3 client works fine using an ethernet interface to the panel.
 
I consider the Omni device a multiple protocal automation controller on steroids.
Leviton has not done much with the Omni series of combo security automation panels other than to add an Android based touchscreen, Email board, et al.

Pete, Thank you!
 
 
> Who 'owns' (if that is the right word) and maintains the X10 specs?
>  
> nobody.
 
That explains why there are no specs/technical documentation! 
 
> Personally here used it in a home in 1978 for lighting only at the time.  In the 80's went to using the Commodore 64 (and later the Amiga Computer) and used software written for X10 control back then.  Worked great. 
 
Wow!  You've certainly been part of the evolution of home automation!!
Have you seen (or do you have) any technical documentation more detailed than the one I mentioned above?
BTW, it is great that X10 and HAI Omni boards are still working for you, unfortunately it's not for me (yet?). 
 
> What are the roles played by an X10 controller (such as OmniLT) and X10 device (the more accurate term should be client)?
>  
> The Omni controllers first came out in the 1990's and was based on a serial bus before networks.  Later the Omni controllers firmware was adjusted to talk to serially connected UPB, ZWave, Zigbee and other serially connected controllers.
>  
> HAI provided management software (PCA) to speak via the serial bus.  Later to the ethernet interface.  Original client software was all windows (before the smartphone).  OmniTouch Pro,  Snaplink for Windows, Android and iOS came later.
> 
> There was a few 3rd parties that created clients and software for the Omni Panels way back in the early 2000's. IE: Homeseer (been using it now since the late 1990's) had a client management interface for the Omni panels.
> 
> The Homeseer 2 Omni client still works fine and utilizes a serial interface to the panel. The Homeseer 3 client works fine using an ethernet interface to the panel.
>  
> I consider the Omni device a multiple protocal automation controller on steroids.
 
So the *real* purpose of an Omni controller board is to integrate all the security sensors with the X10 devices?
 
Is HAI Omnistat yet another X10 device?  If not, is it a client that communicates with the OmniLT board using some proprietary protocol and perhaps using a dedicated wire?

> Leviton has not done much with the Omni series of combo security automation panels other than to add an Android based touchscreen, Email board, et al.
 
I agree 200%!!  Leviton is not even helping potential customers who is trying to figure out why they can't connect PC Access to an old OmniLT board other than sending contacts of local Leviton dealers who are only interested in selling monitoring service and other stuff than helping to maintain an existing installed system.             
Who would be interested in purchasing a Leviton system if their service is SO BAD??!

Authnix bought the X10 brand. When X10 Wireless Technologies suddenly went bankrupt. In 2011.
There probably are no new specification in the works. The ones you found are probably from X10 WTI or maybe even back further to BSR days.
The X10 patents ran out many years ago. So ACT and Smarthome started making their own X10 clones.

Smarthome and ACT have both dropped their X10 lines. Smarthome is slowly removing X10 support from their Insteon modules. That use to take an optional X10 Primary Address programmed into them.

Dave Houston has some added information on X10 on his web site. You may find added information there.
https://www.laser.com/dhouston/

Is HAI Omnistat yet another X10 device?  
 
The original Omnistat line of thermostats was a serial connection to the Omni panel.  Later HAI added a ZWave / Zigbee module to the base Omnistat.
 
I am not sure what happened to the ZWave Omnistat thermostat.  You can talk to the Omnistat via a serial connection to it from a PC.
 
If not, is it a client that communicates with the OmniLT board using some proprietary protocol and perhaps using a dedicated wire?
 
No the Omnistat talks serially to the propietary firmware of the OmniLT board or any Omni panel.
 
The current Omni line of combo panels with an ethernet port is still using the serial bus and the ethernet port was an add on to the serial bus.
 
This is much like planes and automobiles dependencies on a serial bus for the meat of the plane and car engines and navigation today.
 
It is slowly starting to change. 

Here utilize X10 / Wireless X10 for my Christmas lighting every year. Using Volp's TW-523 dual phased emulator for the OmniPro 2 panel. Working 100%. For software using TW-523's and CM11A's and these are at 100% these days. For Wireless X10 utilizing WGL W800's which also work 100% of the time.

BLH said:

Dave Houston has some added information on X10 on his web site. You may find added information there.
https://www.laser.com/dhouston/

Click to expand...

 
BLH, Thank you for the link -- that Dave Houston page has a treasure-trove X10 technical info!!
In fact, I was planning to lookup what are those PL513's and TW523's ever since I stumbled upon the X10 libraries for Aurduino here https://www.arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/X10

BLH said:

Smarthome and ACT have both dropped their X10 lines. Smarthome is slowly removing X10 support from their Insteon modules. That use to take an optional X10 Primary Address programmed into them.

Click to expand...

 
Interesting!  Most of the light switches in the house are ToggleLinc by Smarthome (of course, I can't control/use any of them at this time because I can't access the OmniLT using PC Access).  One of the interesting notes I found in the ToggleLinc dimmer switch's instruction booklet (while trying to figure out the house code and device codes) is the following.
"The ToggleLinc does not use code wheels or dials to set its primary address.  Instead, it will accept the first address it finds on the powerline once the programming mode is started.  Any PLC transmitter can be used to set the primary address."
 
I found that there are X10 modules in which you have dials to set the address, but here there is nothing in here that helps me figure out what is the address of those X10 switches... bummer again!!

My archived ToggleLinc manual. Says push in the Set button until the LED starts flashing. Then using an X10 controller send the wanted address on the power lines. Example for B5. Hold the set button until the LED flashes. Then using an X10 controller. Send the B5 address on to the power lines. Not sure if you have to send it more than one time. I know some need to see it a few times but they are adding an address to an Insteon module.
 
The address dials have a pointer or notch on them. Just rotate the dial until it points to the desired House Code and Unit code.
 
The TW523 was discontinued and very hard to find now. The PL513 is still being made.
 
JV Digital Engineering makes a TW523 replacement. It has a much better power line receiver and transmitter in it. I have their XTB-IIR repeater. It hits the power lines with over ten volts of X10 signals on both phases of the incoming power.

Just remembered. Jeff also has a great set of X10 information and troubleshooting tutorials on his site.
 
http://jvde.us/x10_troubleshooting.htm