Where Do YOU Go For Your (Daily?) X-10 "Fix"?

[ClearToLand]

This is a "Work-in-Progress" Document!

I've been a X-10 User for *MANY* (20? 25??) years. My first "kit", that I bought at Sears, included a BSR Ultrasonic Command Console. [Whoa! ]

[Mr Rogers {bless his heart (as now done by Robin Williams)}: 'Can you say "BSR"?' ]

From time-to-time, I get "spurts" when I enjoy checking on "X-10 Activity" daily. But, to-date, I have not found any ONE PLACE where I can get my (complete) "Daily Fix".

I've been running a CM11A with ActiveHome v1.32 successfully for a few years (I started out in my "computer-controlled phase" with a TW-523 along with a RS-232 Votrax Speech Synthesizer running under GW BASIC on an IBM PC! ). I "WANTED" to upgrade to a USB CM15A when it first came out a few months ago, but after following the messages on various sites for a few weeks, I (wisely it seems) decided against it.

Where I do check (somewhat) regularly is as follows:

DAILY (or almost):

• GROUP:comp.home.automation - this has got to be the MOST COMPLETE place for X-10 information on the Internet! If you have *ANY* X-10 type of question, you can most certainly find the answer here. *BUT*, you have to SEARCH for it - it's not a Forum; there aren't any "logical groupings"; it's ONE BIG LUMP of information and you have to DIG THROUGH IT...
• X-10 Yahoo! Group - this is the "next oldest" X-10 Information Source that I'm aware of. Created on Sep 8, 1999, it currently has 2427 messages available for research. But, "activity" comes and goes, especially for 2005...
• X-10 Automation Chat Forum at Remote Central - Created on Mar 29, 1999 (or Dec 18, 1972 if you go to the LAST Message?!?), this is an active X-10 Forum, but also lacks any "logical grouping". Thus all information retrival must be done via SEARCHES...
• AccessX10 Forums - Created ~Nov 24, 2004, this is an active X-10 Forum that currently appears to be an "ActiveHome Pro" niche. It has good forum software and can possibly grow to become an "all-encompassing" X-10 site given time (and user interest...)

SPORADICALLY:

• CocoonTech.Com - Created ~Dec 22, 2003, this active VERY TECHNICAL Forum appears to be a "HomeSeer" niche.
• HomeSeer Technologies General Forums - OBVIOUSLY supported by HomeSeer, I sporadically visit their GENERAL Forums for ideas...

What sites do *YOU* regularly visit?

Why?

This message was originally created on Mar 14, 2005 and posted on several internet sites simultaneously, with the intention that it will be updated (if possible) "sporadically" as readers respond to it...

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

Did you say BSR?

CocoonTech.Com - Created ~Dec 22, 2003, this active VERY TECHNICAL Forum appears to be a "HomeSeer" niche.

I have to disagree with you on this one. Though a lot of our members use Homeseer we expand on all types of automation software and vendors (ADI for instance).

 

[Stinger]

Thanks for posting the info, I haven't checked out the usenet group or the Yahoo group before!

I'm very happy that I came across cocoontech! It seems I see most of this crowd on various forums such as homeseer (Im tcrandal there) and AVSforum.

Im also right around the corner from E, so hopefully he'll let me drop by at some point so I can drool at his space that he has for a wiring closet!

 

[electron]

Welcome to CocoonTech!

I visit comp.home.automation, but to be honest, that group is a mess, there is so much 'noise', and a lot of attitude. Many people there who post their first question would get more helpful information if they would post on a site dedicated to this stuff. To be honest, I don't even know why I go there.

Of course I visit CocoonTech.com frequently I also have to disagree with the Homeseer statement. Many people have signed up who don't even own Homeseer. The reason there are many HS users is because the software can interface many pieces of hardware. Most people find this site through search engines.

I also used to visit the HS forums frequently, but since I am pretty busy with CocoonTech, I only go there every few days or so.

 

[smee]

Did you say BSR?

CocoonTech.Com - Created ~Dec 22, 2003, this active VERY TECHNICAL Forum appears to be a "HomeSeer" niche.

I have to disagree with you on this one. Though a lot of our members use Homeseer we expand on all types of automation software and vendors (ADI for instance).

The BSR connection jumped out at me right away, too.

I think the "VERY TECHNICAL" label is a bit dangerous and likely to scare people away. There are technical topics discussed here, but it's more often than not people with knowledge sharing it with people without. And it's almost always in response to a question asked by someone without that knowledge. It's not a bunch of technical people conversing over the heads of everyone else.

I've tried to avoid newsgroup and yahoo/egroup boards for a while now. The large ones are very noisy (as electron points out). I follow several small ones by email, but I never post/interact on them.

 

[jlehnert]

Ditto here on comp.home.automation. I used to follow it religously, but then the signal/noise ratio got so bad that I didn't feel like taking the time to wade through everything. Finally, the frequent sewage overflows from alt.security.alarms just plain drove me away. I've still got around 6000 interesting posts that I archived from way back when on my newsreader, but I can't remember the last time I actually read through the current posts.

Edit. I just for kicks pulled up Agent and took a pass through CHA. The two recent threads on Insteon and Bass Burglar Alarms show me that the flowing fecal matter has not abated and only gotten worse. Sorry Dan that you got you feet dirty accidently. We need the green smiley icon available for insertion into the text, because it's very appropriate for any discussion of CHA (shich this thread actually isn't).

 

[DavidL]

concur with this group's opinion. comp.home.automation is almost as bad as the alarm.security group (not exact forum id).

Homeseer for project ideas with a closing fast second of Coccoontech. Cinemar's website for the blend of home media and home automation, and avsforum.com for strictly home theater info.

 

[Guy Lavoie]

I've also stay away from the newsgroups because of all the childish schoolyard namecalling and all the junk. It all just turns me off.

One unique thing about home automation is that at this point in history, we are still relatively few and far in between so for most of us, forums like this one are just about the only way we can find each other out. I think that most of us sense that and naturally crate our own "community" around it. I'm rather technical myself and get more a enjoyable experience discussing actual devices and problems, as opposed to debating things like protocols and marketing.

My main stomping ground is the Applied Digital (ADI) support forum, since this is the product I am most deeply involved in personally and that I enjoy discussing, as well as helping out newcomers. The expansion modules also provide quite a few opportunities for technical discussions involving electronics as well as ladder logic programming.

I also enjoy this board (Cocoontech) for the generally technical discussions and varied fields of experience that converge here. The high civility level of the participants on this and the ADI board also makes the experience very pleasant.

I also lurk at the Homeseer board but not being a Homeseer user myself, I don't post there. The sheer size of the membership over there guarantees that you will quite likely find something interesting to read pretty well every day.

 

[ClearToLand]

CocoonTech.Com - Created ~Dec 22, 2003, this active VERY TECHNICAL Forum appears to be a "HomeSeer" niche.

I have to disagree with you on this one.).

Based on my first impression.

Though a lot of our members use Homeseer we expand on all types of automation software and vendors (ADI for instance).

As a Newbie to this site, I'd say that there are SO MANY flavors of Home Automation discussed here that it's difficult to even see the connection to X-10.

Did you say BSR?

Relating back to British Sound Reproduction (or something else)?
Reference

 

[ClearToLand]

Welcome to CocoonTech!

I visit comp.home.automation, but to be honest, that group is a mess, there is so much 'noise', and a lot of attitude.

Thanks (and thanks also for footing the bill!) [Member No.: 1???]

Regarding GROUP:comp.home.automation, I feel that you "youngsters" are "...missing the forest because of all the trees...".

The NewsGroup is a TOTALLY different animal than this (or any other) Forum. And, the value of GROUP:comp.home.automation is in its HISTORY!. Where this Forum is like a coffeeshop or neighborhood tavern, where friends regularly gather to talk, the NewsGroup is like a library - by SEARCHing it via DejaNews (GOOGLE), the answer to practically any question relating to X-10 over the past twenty years can immediately be found!

With no moderation, the door is left open for "static". But, all you have to do is "turn up the squelch". Don't "...throw out the baby with the bath water..."

...Many people there who post their first question would get more helpful information if they would post on a site dedicated to this stuff.

PLEASE, list some LINKs! What sites? Where??

...To be honest, I don't even know why I go there.

I visit it now via "the new and improved" Google (I used to use Outlook Express and then FreeAgent). It's *EASY* to see the "static" and I just pass right over it.

There are still a handful of "Old-Timers" there with a VAST knowledgebase of X-10 information that you won't find anywhere else on the Internet...

 

[ClearToLand]

The BSR connection jumped out at me right away, too.

In what respect?

...I follow several small ones by email, but I never post/interact on them.

The goal of my original post was Give-and-Take; I shared my knowledge in exchange for learning about new things from others. What "...small ones by email..."? Thanks!

 

[ClearToLand]

Without naming names (aka creating individual replies - it's EASY to see that I left off at smee ),
don't you guys know how to create LINKs?

I put a lot of time and energy into formatting my OP and I'm sure that there are LURKERs here that aren't familiar with the "new names" that you're mentioning.

How about going back and editing your posts, adding a LINK to the "Forum Index" sections of the site(s) you mentioned?

THANKS!

 

[smee]

...I follow several small ones by email, but I never post/interact on them.

The goal of my original post was Give-and-Take; I shared my knowledge in exchange for learning about new things from others. What "...small ones by email..."? Thanks!

I meant newsgroups in general. The ones that I follow are not related directly to home automations or X10 so I did not think they were relevant here. The statement meant that since they are much smaller communities, they are much, much more to the point and useful.

BSR = common nickname for board member BraveSirRobin

Watch who you're calling a youngster. Maybe some of us have been around long enough to have seen what newsgroups used to be and what they have become.

You may want more links here, but how about laying off the color for a while. Some of the colors really don't look that great against the gray background of the forum.

Also, can you clarify whether you are interested in home automation in general or just X10? Most of your statements sound like you mean the same thing, but I doubt you do. As far as I'm concerned, X10 itself is just one tiny facet (and not at all a necessary one) of home automation. Yes, I use X10 to control lights, etc., but I certainly don't think about it very much. And there's not a whole lot of X10-specific information that I go looking for.

 

[electron]

Welcome to CocoonTech!

I visit comp.home.automation, but to be honest, that group is a mess, there is so much 'noise', and a lot of attitude.
Thanks (and thanks also for footing the bill!) [Member No.: 1???]

Regarding GROUP:comp.home.automation, I feel that you "youngsters" are "...missing the forest because of all the trees...".

The NewsGroup is a TOTALLY different animal than this (or any other) Forum. And, the value of GROUP:comp.home.automation is in its HISTORY!. Where this Forum is like a coffeeshop or neighborhood tavern, where friends regularly gather to talk, the NewsGroup is like a library - by SEARCHing it via DejaNews (GOOGLE),the answer to practically any question relating to X-10 over the past twenty years can immediately be found!

With no moderation, the door is left open for "static". But, all you have to do is "turn up the squelch". Don't "...throw out the baby with the bath water..."

A news group has the same structure as a forum, it consists of groups (sub forums) dedicated to certain topics, which contain mainy threads (and posts), which is exactly what a forum is. In this case, CocoonTech.com offers more than just threads, just check out the how-to section, glossary , etc. ....

If you start filtering out posts, then you are bound to miss useful posts and you can't filter out spam in advance. Newsgroups were a great tool in the past, but things change (or I would still be using FidoNet). The lack of moderation is a serious issue as well, just look at all the personal attacks from 'old timers' and the spam.

...Many people there who post their first question would get more helpful information if they would post on a site dedicated to this stuff.
PLEASE, list some LINKs! What sites? Where??

CocoonTech.com is an example, I didn't want to mention CocoonTech.com out of respect for other sites dedicated to the same combination of topics (eventho I can't find any).

...To be honest, I don't even know why I go there.
I visit it now via "the new and improved" Google (I used to use Outlook Express and then FreeAgent). It's *EASY* to see the "static" and I just pass right over it.

There are still a handful of "Old-Timers" there with a VAST knowledgebase of X-10 information that you won't find anywhere else on the Internet...

You would be surprised how many 'old-timers' visit this forum, and how many of our members know everything there is to know about certain topics, we have people here who build their own video switchers and other complicated circuits, we have people who are involved big time in the home automation manufacturing industry, we have vendors and installers contributing their knowledge, you really can't ask for more than that.

 

[huggy59]

Welcome to the board, CTL, what took you so long? ;-)

Sorry, no links just now, but just wanted to mention that CocoonTech is more than just an HA board, too, as you'll find other topics about other aspects of technology and the human factor around places people stay.

And we have a good IRC or Java-web-based chat system availabe that many regulars here take advatnage of each evening. Fridays are "the" chat night, but many other nights find several of us jawing about all kinds of things, not just HA. hit the CHAT button onthe menu bar above...