X10 Cybernetics Generic Pricing

You Will Not Have To Worry About The Following Information IF You Let Us Design And Install Your System!
If You Like To Be More Informed Or Don't Like Surprises, Read On!

Wireless Alarm Systems

Consideration

Possible Solutions

The Control Console Can Be Placed Almost Anywhere But Must Plug Into An AC Outlet And Into A Telephone Line.

Try To Pick A Location Where Connections Already Exist!

The Wireless Door And Window Switches And Motion Detectors Communicate With The Control Console By Radio Signals, Therefore The Placement Of Each Device Should Be Such That Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) Is Minimal. Radio Signals Travel Through Walls, But Probably Not Through Metal Walls, Such As From A Motion Sensor Placed INSIDE A Metal Storage Building. The Control Console May Not Work So Well If Placed Very Near "Electronically Noisy" Devices Such As Computer Systems Or Appliances With Electric Motors (Refrigerators, Air Conditioners, Etc,)

Devices Can Be Moved To Different Locations To Minimize Interference

The Control Console Must Be Able To Receive Radio Signals From ALL Window And Door Sensors, And From Where Keychain Remotes Will Normally Be Used.

The Control Control Contains The Audible Alarm...Be Sure To Place It Where It Will Be Heard If You Are Not Adding Optional Sirens

Various Filters Are Available To Be Placed On Noisy Appliances (One Filter Per Noisy Appliance)

Alarm System Motion Sensors Are Not Interchangeable With The Motion Sensors Used With The Surveillance Systems

Depending On Your Requirements, We May Be Able To Design A System Using Much Less Expensive Motion Detectors In Combination With Other Devices.

Door And Window Sensors Are About The Size Of A Pack Of Cigarettes And Should Be Mounted To The Wall Next To The Door On The Opposite Side Of The Hinges - Usually Near The Floor

Window Units Can Usually Be Hidden Under A Curtain, But Door Units Will Probably Be Visible. Choose A Location Where They Will Not Be Kicked Or Bumped.

Surveillance Systems

Cameras Are "Wireless", But Require A Power Module To Be Plugged Into An AC Outlet.

The Power Supply Uses An X10 Switch To Turn The Camera On And Off - Only One Camera Can Transmit To One Receiver At A Time.

Choose A Location For Each Camera Where AC Power Is Available Or Can Be Easily Reached.

A Battery Pack Is Available For Cameras Where An AC Outlet Is Not Available

Computer Software - Internet Access

At This Time, We Only Support Software Running On Microsoft Windows XP Or Windows 2000

Some Other Variations May Also Be Supported, Check With Us First If Your Computer Is NOT Running One Of These Operating Systems

An Available USB Port Is Required

We Recommend ActiveHome PRO And Its Associated Plug-Ins. Other Software Exists And We Will Be Happy To Try To Make It Work On A Case By Case Basis.

ActiveHome Products Are Designed To Work Together, However Some Other Products CAN Be Used And We Can Also Develop Custom Software For Your Requirements.

Be Aware! ONLY ONE Application Can Access The Hardware At Any Given Time. In Other Words, You Cannot Have Streaming Video Available On The Internet From Your Cameras And ALSO Have Another Application Attempt To Send An E-Mail With Pictures From Your Cameras At The Same Time.

Most Flexible!

Using Your Computer To Automate Control Is The MOST Flexible And Powerful Configuration. With It, We Can Design Your System So Each Switch Or Sensor Only Needs To Tell Your Computer That Something Has Happened. The Software Can Decide How To Process That Event Depending On Time Of Day, Day Of The Week, The Condition Of Other Devices, Daylight Or Darkness, Or A Multitude Of Other Conditions.

When Using Video Cameras Or Internet Services, Your Computer Must Remain Turned On With The Software Running.

All Other Functions Can Be Downloaded To An Interface Device Which Stores And Executes Them.

Just About ANYTHING Is Possible! Ask Us How!

General X10 Considerations

Wireless Devices Are Not Secure And Should NOT Be Used For Sensitive Information

Just Like Your Wireless Or Cellular Phone, Baby Monitor, And Similar Devices Where Signals "Pass Through The Air," Anyone Can Receive Them. Although It Is Highly Unlikely That Someone Close Enough Will Have Compatible Equipment Configured Exactly The Way Yours Is Configured, It Is Technically Possible. Wired Cameras Are Available Where Needed.

X10 Signals Travel On Your House Wiring And Outside Your Establishment To The Power Company Transformer (Usually Mounted On A Utility Pole Or In A Large Box When Underground Cables Are Used). From There, They Are Propagated To Other Buildings Supplied By This Transformer - Usually No More Than Six. The X10 Signals Deteriorate The Farther They Travel, So, By The Time They Reach Another Location, They Are Usually Too Weak To Be Recognized. Then, They Would ONLY Be Recognized By A Neighbor Who Is Also Using X10 Equipment Set To The Exact Same Parameters That You Are Using.

Just BE AWARE!

House Wiring Normally Consists Of 220 Volt Service Made Up By Two 110 Volt Lines. X10 Signals USUALLY Will Not Cross From One 110 Volt Line To The Other.

If All X10 Modules Can Be Plugged Into The Same 110 Volt Line, There Should Not Be A Problem.

If You Are Close Enough To The Power Company's Transformer, The Signal Can Travel Out To The Transformer On One Line And Back In On The Other. Usually The Signal Coming Back On The Other Line Is Too Weak To Work Reliably,

Repeaters And Bridges Of Various Styles Are Available To Get The Signal From One Line To The Other. This Is The Most Common Problem With X10 Devices.

A Little Planning And Testing Will Usually Eliminate The Problem

Programming Buttons On Certain Modules

Many Newer Devices Have No Configuration Switches And Their Addresses Have To Be Programmed By Sending Specific Data To Them From OTHER Devices. Usually, You Must Send A Device Address Followed By A Command; Most Devices Send The Address And Command Together And Cannot Be Used To Program Other Devices.

These counters are for internal use only and are reset several times each day:

Wireless Alarm Systems
Consideration	Possible Solutions
The Control Console Can Be Placed Almost Anywhere But Must Plug Into An AC Outlet And Into A Telephone Line.	Try To Pick A Location Where Connections Already Exist!
The Wireless Door And Window Switches And Motion Detectors Communicate With The Control Console By Radio Signals, Therefore The Placement Of Each Device Should Be Such That Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) Is Minimal. Radio Signals Travel Through Walls, But Probably Not Through Metal Walls, Such As From A Motion Sensor Placed INSIDE A Metal Storage Building. The Control Console May Not Work So Well If Placed Very Near "Electronically Noisy" Devices Such As Computer Systems Or Appliances With Electric Motors (Refrigerators, Air Conditioners, Etc,)	Devices Can Be Moved To Different Locations To Minimize Interference The Control Console Must Be Able To Receive Radio Signals From ALL Window And Door Sensors, And From Where Keychain Remotes Will Normally Be Used. The Control Control Contains The Audible Alarm...Be Sure To Place It Where It Will Be Heard If You Are Not Adding Optional Sirens Various Filters Are Available To Be Placed On Noisy Appliances (One Filter Per Noisy Appliance)
Alarm System Motion Sensors Are Not Interchangeable With The Motion Sensors Used With The Surveillance Systems	Depending On Your Requirements, We May Be Able To Design A System Using Much Less Expensive Motion Detectors In Combination With Other Devices.
Door And Window Sensors Are About The Size Of A Pack Of Cigarettes And Should Be Mounted To The Wall Next To The Door On The Opposite Side Of The Hinges - Usually Near The Floor	Window Units Can Usually Be Hidden Under A Curtain, But Door Units Will Probably Be Visible. Choose A Location Where They Will Not Be Kicked Or Bumped.

Surveillance Systems
Cameras Are "Wireless", But Require A Power Module To Be Plugged Into An AC Outlet.	The Power Supply Uses An X10 Switch To Turn The Camera On And Off - Only One Camera Can Transmit To One Receiver At A Time. Choose A Location For Each Camera Where AC Power Is Available Or Can Be Easily Reached. A Battery Pack Is Available For Cameras Where An AC Outlet Is Not Available

Computer Software - Internet Access
At This Time, We Only Support Software Running On Microsoft Windows XP Or Windows 2000	Some Other Variations May Also Be Supported, Check With Us First If Your Computer Is NOT Running One Of These Operating Systems An Available USB Port Is Required
We Recommend ActiveHome PRO And Its Associated Plug-Ins. Other Software Exists And We Will Be Happy To Try To Make It Work On A Case By Case Basis.	ActiveHome Products Are Designed To Work Together, However Some Other Products CAN Be Used And We Can Also Develop Custom Software For Your Requirements. Be Aware! ONLY ONE Application Can Access The Hardware At Any Given Time. In Other Words, You Cannot Have Streaming Video Available On The Internet From Your Cameras And ALSO Have Another Application Attempt To Send An E-Mail With Pictures From Your Cameras At The Same Time.
Most Flexible!	Using Your Computer To Automate Control Is The MOST Flexible And Powerful Configuration. With It, We Can Design Your System So Each Switch Or Sensor Only Needs To Tell Your Computer That Something Has Happened. The Software Can Decide How To Process That Event Depending On Time Of Day, Day Of The Week, The Condition Of Other Devices, Daylight Or Darkness, Or A Multitude Of Other Conditions. When Using Video Cameras Or Internet Services, Your Computer Must Remain Turned On With The Software Running. All Other Functions Can Be Downloaded To An Interface Device Which Stores And Executes Them. Just About ANYTHING Is Possible! Ask Us How!

General X10 Considerations
Wireless Devices Are Not Secure And Should NOT Be Used For Sensitive Information	Just Like Your Wireless Or Cellular Phone, Baby Monitor, And Similar Devices Where Signals "Pass Through The Air," Anyone Can Receive Them. Although It Is Highly Unlikely That Someone Close Enough Will Have Compatible Equipment Configured Exactly The Way Yours Is Configured, It Is Technically Possible. Wired Cameras Are Available Where Needed. X10 Signals Travel On Your House Wiring And Outside Your Establishment To The Power Company Transformer (Usually Mounted On A Utility Pole Or In A Large Box When Underground Cables Are Used). From There, They Are Propagated To Other Buildings Supplied By This Transformer - Usually No More Than Six. The X10 Signals Deteriorate The Farther They Travel, So, By The Time They Reach Another Location, They Are Usually Too Weak To Be Recognized. Then, They Would ONLY Be Recognized By A Neighbor Who Is Also Using X10 Equipment Set To The Exact Same Parameters That You Are Using. Just BE AWARE!
House Wiring Normally Consists Of 220 Volt Service Made Up By Two 110 Volt Lines. X10 Signals USUALLY Will Not Cross From One 110 Volt Line To The Other.	If All X10 Modules Can Be Plugged Into The Same 110 Volt Line, There Should Not Be A Problem. If You Are Close Enough To The Power Company's Transformer, The Signal Can Travel Out To The Transformer On One Line And Back In On The Other. Usually The Signal Coming Back On The Other Line Is Too Weak To Work Reliably, Repeaters And Bridges Of Various Styles Are Available To Get The Signal From One Line To The Other. This Is The Most Common Problem With X10 Devices. A Little Planning And Testing Will Usually Eliminate The Problem
Programming Buttons On Certain Modules	Many Newer Devices Have No Configuration Switches And Their Addresses Have To Be Programmed By Sending Specific Data To Them From OTHER Devices. Usually, You Must Send A Device Address Followed By A Command; Most Devices Send The Address And Command Together And Cannot Be Used To Program Other Devices.