X10do-DS - a home automation controller

***wraggster*** · January 26th, 2007, 00:15

News/release from phoneguy

This app enables the DS to control lights and appliances from anywhere via wifi. The DS becomes the ultimate X10 home automation controller.

Virtually all the lights in my house can be controlled remotely via X10. I decided it would be nice to use the stylus to not only change the brightness of the DS Lite screen but also the house. The standard X10 controllers only work from within the house. I have used my DS to turn on my porch lights, while standing on my relatives porch, 100 miles away from my house.

The app can be tested without any X10 hardware. To actually control lights or appliances an X10 Firecracker interface, an X10 Transceiver, and X10 modules or switches for each light or appliance are required.

X10.com sells the FireCracker 4-Piece Home Control kit www.x10.com/automation/ck18a_s_ps32.html

Ebay stores have it for less with free shipping.

Included is a windows sever app which needs to run on a PC with an X10 Firecracker interface plugged into the serial port. The DS app communicates with the server app to broadcast X10 commands to the X10 modules.

Features:
-Use the DS stylus or the keypad to send commands to any of the 256 X10 addresses (16 houses codes x 16 unit codes)
-Send ON, OFF, DIM, BRIGHT, ALL LIGHTS ON/OFF, ALL UNITS ON/OFF
-Commands are echoed back to the DS for confirmation
-XML config file for the server app allows lights and unit codes to be labeled and to create macros which are uploaded to the DS.
-The port the server listens on is configurable via the command line
-The server address and port are saved in SRAM on the DS. (This will overwrite sram).
-The server app can be used from the command line to send commands directly to the Firecracker.

I've tested it with a G6 Lite and an EZ-Flash II Powerstar.

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**TeenDev** · January 26th, 2007, 01:11

this is worth checkin out!

**ICE** · January 26th, 2007, 01:11

hahahahaha thats so pointless that i love it.

**gronne** · January 26th, 2007, 15:06

hmm, could actually be a bit useful if you're going abroad and want potential thieves to make you think you're at home... But I guess this is possible without using a DS, right?

**ikarimaru** · January 26th, 2007, 15:50

This is too cool!

It's a complete "W?BIC!" concept, but that's what makes it so awesome. Awesome work

**Fantasma del Caribe** · March 22nd, 2007, 18:10

Hmmm... I wonder if this could work with my M3 Simply...

**Nigel Sheppard** · May 18th, 2007, 15:53

Dear Phoneguy,
You refer to "The DS" as though it's obvious to everyone what a DS is. The replies indicate that other forum members do... but I've just dropped in from a google UK search on the Firecracker.
I'm looking to control access to a remote site, and write up suggests that the application could be good for this, but the assumed knowledge of what "the DS" is, leaves me in the dark.
Please expand.
Regards,
Nigel