w800rf32 and... ?

erasei

Member
Hello all,

I've been lurking here reading the forums for a little while now, and I wanted to start off by thanking you all for a great forum on HA. I played around with x10 probably 5 years ago, but only had a 600 sq ft condo.. you could pretty much reach all the light switches in the entire condo.. heh, so HA didn't really help anything.

Now, my wife and I just bought our first home, a 2500 sq ft split level and I'm getting back in HA big time. I already run a home linux server (Ubuntu Server, Hardy Heron) so it only makes sense for me to put it into service as the HA controller brains as well. I'm currently running a Firecracker, because I already had it. I also have 4 palm remotes, and 3 keychain remotes, and my modules are several lamp modules, a few appliance modules, and most of the in-wall switches for the ceiling lights in the bedrooms and outdoor lights.

I'm interested in upgrading my receiver since the firecracker is transmit-only I'm unable to use any sensors. My budget is around $100. I was thinking about the W800RF32 since it can receive the X10 security devices as well as all the other stuff.

I've read as much as I can find on the various receivers, and to me it seems like the "best" two are the W800 and the RFXCOM. The RFXCOM seems to have more functionality, but only if you buy both boards, 310mhz and 433mhz which is a whopping $350. Far more than the $70 for the W800.

Speaking of the W800.. how does it transmit back to the x10 devices? Do I still have to use something like the firecracker to turn on lights detected by the W800's connected motion dectors? I see the V572 (or something like that) comes with a power line transmitter.. but that seems to be a pc-less device. Is that correct?

Thanks in advance for any help you guys can provide.
 
The W800 only transmits data via RS232 back to a host computer. What you do with the data is up to you.

In my system, it simply fires triggers that make things happen (nothing directly controlled by it). I run PowerHome and can echo the RF X10 commands out to the power line via any supported PLC (CM11A, Inseton PowerLinc, etc.).
 
I've read as much as I can find on the various receivers, and to me it seems like the "best" two are the W800 and the RFXCOM. The RFXCOM seems to have more functionality, but only if you buy both boards, 310mhz and 433mhz which is a whopping $350. Far more than the $70 for the W800.
The dual receiver is $230 not $350.
http://www.cheapertronics.com/products.php?category_id=64
HomeSeer has a plugin that works with this dual receiver. The beauty of using the dual receiver is it allows the ability to use the inexpensive Oregon wireless temp and humidity sensors.
 
310MHz
The W800RF32 and the RFXCOM 310MHz receiver can both receive:
- US X10 sensors and remotes,
- RFXSensor (310MHz version)

433.92MHz
The W800RF32 433.92MHz receiver can receive:
- European X10 sensors and remotes,
- RFXSensor (433.92MHz version)

The RFXCOM 433.92MHz receiver can receive:
- European X10 sensors and remotes,
- RFXSensor (433.92MHz version)
- Oregon Scientific sensors and body weight scales,
- HomeEasy,
- KlikAanKlikUit,
- NEXA,
- ELRO,
- DomiaLite,
- Digimax,
- RFXMeter (power/gas metering)
- cent-a-meter,
- ATI Remote Wonder.
 
Just to confirm:
The RFXCOM 433.92MHz receiver will receive Oregon Scientific Sensors but cannot receive US-style X10 sensors and remotes. Is that correct? If yes, then I'd need a dual-frequency unit to handle both?
 
I would take that as correct.

Wow. Thanks for posting that Bert! Something else to save up for!
 
I'm not really into the whole 'weather' thing yet, so all those Oregon Scientific sensors don't appeal to me. I live in a fairly large city so the local internet weather is accurate enough for me. My "garden" consists of a 10x4' raised bed.. so it isn't exactly hard to keep track of (ie, i don't need a fancy irrigation system).

Based on that, I ordered the W800RF32a this morning, and got notification it shipped by mid-afternoon. I also grabbed a couple of EagleEye motion detectors. I figure the cats have about a week of midnight counter surfing before I scare the bejeezus out of them.

Not to mention the soon-to-be-ordered window and door sensors to keep the real cat burglers away too.

From my readings most of you guys seem to use pretty advanced software, but if there are any 'heyu' users using a simple setup (like me) I wrote up a GUI PHP front end for it that I've posted up for free. http://www.erasei.com/eckstin/
 
OK, that's what I thought. Now I'm confused. Off to research Oregon Scientific sensors...


I just installed 1 oregon sensor - thc-138 and it was easy for me to use.. not much bigger than a pack of cigarettes...

can hang on a wall (wall hanger included) or placed on a desk (metal bracket included)
it also came with AA batteries...
I was going to go 1 wire temps in the house.. already have 6 in the house.. but cant get a wire from basement to attic... and this wireless oregon temp was too easy... got 4 thr-138's in the mail .. they are the same as the thc-138 but without the 10' probe....
 
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