Australian compatability

[andymorgan1]

Hi all

I'm located in Australia and the market for x10 here is quite small hence the low availability of x10 products. I know that things like appliance and lamp modules will not work due to the obvious power differences but I was wondering if there were other x10 products that would work just as well in Oz as in the USA?? I'm keen to expand but my location prohibits!!!

Andrew

[rirvine]

Hi Andrew,

Have a read in the Australasia forums where we've discussed this many times. What products are available, from where, best quality, what works what doesn't etc.

As you probably already know, to get X10 lamp modules/appliance modules you're stuck with eon3.com. Dick Smith used to sell eon3 modules (cheaper than getting them from eon3 direct) but they no longer sell them. eon3 get most of there stuff from marmitek in the Netherlands (www.marmitek.com).

There are really 4 things you need to look out for when getting Home Automation equipment from outside of Australia:

1) Anything that's uses X10 will need to support 240Volts/50Hertz. Lamp, appliance modules etc, but also things like an Ocelot needs a special 50 Hertz PIC chip. The HAI Omn line of security/home automation controllers support both 60 and 50 hertz.

2) RF Devices. There is a US and Europe standard for X10 RF devices. The Europe standard is 433.92 mhz, the US is 310 mhz. If doesn't really matter which one you go for (they both work the same) but obviously if you get the Europe receiver (W800RF) you need to get Europe wireless RF devices that use the same frequency.

3) Video PAL/NTSC. If you go down the hard wired camera path you need to watch out for PAL and NTSC. Some cameras/camera servers support both, some only NTSC. Most PCI video cards support both.

4) Everything that supports Australia/Europe/NZ etc (240Volt/50Hertz Countries) is 5 times more expensive than the US version. This is especially true for X10 modules.
You just have to do your research. Sometimes you just have to take a chance too. Eg I was the first person to get a Way2Call hi-phone in Australia. So I didn't know if it would pick up caller ID etc correctly (luckily HS's return policy is very good so that wasn't such a big deal if it didn't work).

Another little thing to keep in mind is that most stuff order from the US will come with US power supplies. I've lost count of the number of US power supplies and US X10 TW-523 modules I have. Quick trip to Dick Smith gets me the same type of power supply.

Oh, one more thing. Shipping and customs duties will kill you if you order from overseas. I only use FedEx because I can track it and they have never lost anything from me before so shipping for me is not cheap at all. If you ship via "International Ground Post" from the US, it goes by ship and takes about 6-8 weeks. As far as customs goes, make sure you read up on customs codes for everything (www.customs.gov.au). Customs has a code for every type of product you can think of. You can sometimes be creative with how you classify some of the equipment. Eg If you import a HAI Omni system you need to make sure they class it as a "Security System" not a lighting controller or something else. Security Systems are GST and Duty free, lighting systems etc are not.

Over the last 2ish years I've got a pretty good idea of what options we Australians have for Home Automation equipment, what works and what doesn't so just post to Australasian forum and we'll help as much as possible.

And Naturally, everything is controlled by HomeSeer!

Ross.

[andymorgan1]

Thanks Ross....much appreciated. I will check out the Aussie posts history and see what I can find

Cheers

Andrew

[jon00]

Ross,

I have to say that was a most excellent reply you gave.

I've got nothing more to add except that if you happen to go on holiday/vacation to Europe/USA, do your homework, find the shops and bring your HA goods back in your luggage!

[rirvine]

Thanks for the kind words guys..

The only thing I left out is about ACT modules. My opinion, forget everything else, if ACT Solutions makes what you are looking for then use it! I've standardised on ACT equipment where I can as it's rock solid. TI203 (Australia version of the TI103), CR204 repeater, AT004 (Signal strength, noise tester, programmer), RB224 (Micromodule appliance on/off) and RD234 (Dimmer micromodule). The RD234 and RB224 are two-way (supports status request) heaps of features, excellent signal strength.

Now you can get these modules in Australia as there is a local importer for them (see http://www.brylyn.com.au for distributors for each state). HOWEVER, like most things it's outrageously expensive. Eon3 also sell ACT modules, but at EON3 prices. Martin at automatedoutlet.com has started to carry the "European" standard ACT modules (240V/50H likes Oz). He currently has the RD234 dimmer and the TB214 (which is a relay module). I've been trying to contact him to see if he can get the RB224 (On/Off Appliance module) as well even with shipping it'll be cheaper to get them from him.

Ross.

[andymorgan1]

Hi all

I was at Tandy Watergardens today in Melbourne and they had Appliance modules and socket modules for $23.99. Half price for appliance modules....I could'nt believe it!!! Not sure how long this will last and at what stores but could be worth chasing. They were eon3 boxed and not whome and the guy said they were up for clearance.

Cheers

Andrew

[rirvine]

Andrew,

I found this out today as well (Went to replace a lamp module I blew up.. FYI: Don't plug a 1500Watt vacuum into a 300W lamp module!). Tandy and Dick Smith are off loading all their left over EON3 stuff. Lamp Modules $49, Appliance Modules $24.
So I got myself some extras as well!

I've sent an email to the main technical guy at eon3 (who I've dealt with a few times) to see if I can find out what's going on with eon3, now they seem to have been purchased by W-Home and DSE don't stock their stuff anymore. Providing he's still working there...

Ross.