Indigo

[wakerider017]

How in the world do you control devices like fans, lights, tv's from a computer?

Do lamps have like ethernet inputs now?

I am so confused

 

[jsw]

X10 (note: link is Mac version of some software... X10 stuff is everywhere - Google 'X10').

You plug the things into a controller, which receives signals, usually via your power lines. It requires special hardware to be attached to your computer and to each controlled device.

 

[wakerider017]

X10 (note: link is Mac version of some software... X10 stuff is everywhere - Google 'X10').

You plug the things into a controller, which receives signals, usually via your power lines. It requires special hardware to be attached to your computer and to each controlled device.

I understand the software concept.

What I am confused on is how do you relay that "off, on" signal to an appliance?

 

[jsw]

I understand the software concept.

What I am confused on is how do you relay that "off, on" signal to an appliance?

You don't. You relay it to the controller. The appliance, in the case of a lamp or similar, is just plugged into the controller.

To control TVs, A/C's, etc., the controllers are smarter.

The controllers themselves receive a signal transmitted over your power lines - since all the lines in your house are connected via the ground, signals can be transmitted over them.

 

[FocusAndEarnIt]

Tech these days!
wow.

!!

 

[wakerider017]

WOW!

So you just send a signal over the ground cable to a "controller"?

Amazing!


How do you get your computer hooked upto the ground cable?