Weaknesses of X10

Collision  

X10 technology is very useful for transmitting command control to the destination products; however command signal control can send only once at a time. If two X10 signals are transmitted simultaneously, the collision will occur. Then the process of decoder at receiver will not able to decode the signal commands.

Low-Power Device

Power on most of the X10 controllers may not work with the low power less than 50 watts. This problem is often occurs in the low-power devices or some devices such as fluorescent bulbs. To resolve this problem, the products which are developed X10 technology may use another appliance module rather than lamp module.

Interference by electric devices

Other signals from TVs or any wireless devices may cause noise on the X10 signal command. However, noise filtering which add on computer or any wireless devices can reduce noise out of X10 signal, but the appliance is connected with X10 devices will also filter out the X10 signal because noise filters are not specifically designed for X10 wireless technology.

Protocol

The X10 protocol is spend a long time for each procedure. For instance, transmitting a command and a device address are take time about 0.75 second. It means that this protocol is very slow. This problem will obviously delay when the products use 2-way switches or use of computerized controller with them.

Power supplies

The primary electronic devices in the homes use power supplies such as computer, television, satellite receivers. Amount of charge in the capacitor of the filter to maintain the precise output voltage, then the operation generates noise back into the power line. Noise can affect X10 system; however, an external filter may help for block the X10 signal to reach the devices.

Residual-current device

All of the electric circuit systems in the houses are always used a residual current device (RCD), or residual current circuit breaker (RCCB) device which is used for disconnect a circuit. If the X10 signal passes through a Residual-current device (RCD), the X10 signal will not strong enough to provide reliable communication.

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