Mac Daniel's Advice

Using the X10 System with Your Mac

Evan Kleiman - 2001.10.03

Q. What can I do to make my room even more like its from Star Trek?

A. With the growing popularity of the latest Star Trek installment, Enterprise, TNN's now somewhat over-showing of every great Star Trek movie, and now the re-syndication of Star Trek: The Next Generation, more and more people are growing to love Star Trek again - me, for one. More and more people are wanting their lives and houses to be more like Star Trek as well.

Last week, we discussed making your room a lot like Star Trek by putting in your own X10 system. This week we'll discuss using motion sensors and scripting to have even more control over your room. One of the coolest things in the "Star Trek Room" is voice-command. "Computer, lights!" is possible. First, you need to set up your software to use scripting; AppleScript is, of course, the preferred way to do this, and almost all of the available applications for X10 support this protocol. My favorite applications for this are either X-Tension or SmartHome, by Smarthome.com, both available at X10's Web site. Both of these programs are set up different ways.

Once you have your scripts set up, it's time to let the speech magic begin. First, enable Speech Recognition on your computer. Next, make an alias of your script and drop it in the "Speakable Items" folder. Now you can just say "lights" or whatever - basically anything you name the program or script - and your script will run and do whatever you've programmed it do for you.

Next, we can use motion detecters to make your computerized room seem even more computerized and Star Trek-like. First, to make the motion detecters work, you need to buy a motion detector. As usual, you can find these little delights at the usual bevy of places such as x10.com, eBay, Smarthome.com, and others. Once you get one, aim it at your door (or whatever opening you'll normally be coming through), and you'll now be able to turn on your lights or run any script by walking into the room.

Another cool thing you can do with your new X10 setup is run TV or video cameras through your computer for a type of security system. If you've ever been to X10.com's Web site, you've definitely heard about (or at least seen a picture of) it's "number one" xCam2 system. This system consists of cameras, receivers, and TV or computer control boxes. You add a camera to any area you wish to view on your TV or computer and then hook 'em up. Each one, like your lights, has an individual X10 address. All you do is hook up the cameras and hook up a TV transceiver module, just like you hook up your VCR, and you can watch it on your TV - just like you watch a tape or DVD - and if you want to, you can even record it to your VCR and watch it later, just like you do with a regular, normal, expensive security system.

Also, another cool thing you can do is link up your Xcam2 system with your computer, using many of the different types of supplied software available at X10 's web site, along with some of the hardware which will work with the more modern DV Macs.

Now that you have set up more of your Star Trek room it's time to play with it and have some fun. Next week: how to be getting Scotty and Jean Luc Picard in your room, or not.

Join us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter.

Not sure if you should upgrade your old Mac or replace it? Check the Mac Daniel index to see if we've already addressed your problem.

Recent Mac Daniel columns

Links for the Day

Recent Content on Low End Mac

Recent Deals

About LEM Support Usage Privacy Contact

Low End Mac is an independent publication and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Apple Inc. Entire Low End Mac website copyright ©1997-2012 by Cobweb Publishing, Inc. unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, Macintosh, iPad iPhone, iMac, iPod, MacBook, MagSafe, Mac Pro, Apple TV, and AirPort are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. Additional company and product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks and are hereby acknowledged.
  Advice is presented in good faith, but what works for one may not work for all. Please report errors to .
  LINKS: We allow and encourage links to any public page as long as the linked page does not appear within a frame that prevents bookmarking it.
  Email may be published at our discretion unless marked "not for publication"; email addresses will not be published without permission, and we will encrypt them in hopes of avoiding spammers. Letters may be edited for length, context, and to match house style.
  PRIVACY: We don't collect personal information unless you explicitly provide it. For more details, see our Terms of Use.

Custom Search

Share

Follow Low End Mac on Twitter
Join Low End Mac on Facebook

Low End Mac Reader Specials

Quantcast

TypeStyler 11 is now in the Mac App Store!! -- Special Introductory Price of $59.95!! -- To Buy From The Mac App Store Click Here Now!! Or buy direct from Strider Software.

Quantcast

Quantcast

Quantcast

Poker Mac Don't install Parallels to play poker online! Poker Mac will show you how to download and install a native Mac poker and Mac Casino applications in minutes.

Quantcast

Quantcast

Quantcast

Quantcast

Favorite Sites

MacSurfer
Cult of Mac
Shrine of Apple
MacInTouch
MyAppleMenu
InfoMac
The Mac Observer
Accelerate Your Mac
RetroMacCast
PB Central
MacWindows
The Vintage Mac Museum
DealMac
Deal Brothers
Mac2Sell
Mac Driver Museum
JAG's House
System 6 Heaven
System 7 Today
the pickle's Low-End Mac FAQ

Affiliates

Amazon.com
The Apple Store
The iTunes Store
PC Connection Express
GainSaver
Parallels Desktop for Mac
eBay

Low End Mac's Amazon.com store

Advertise

All of our advertising is handled by BackBeat Media. For price quotes and advertising information, please contact at BackBeat Media (646-546-5194). This number is for advertising only.

Open Link