No messy wires or anything and INSTEON is X10 compatible.

You can set up the INSTEON Holiday Lighting Starter Kit in less than five minutes. This INSTEON remote kit controls any connected device remotely using a simple “Plug and Tap” setup process.

To control “linked” devices, just tap one of the RemoteLinc’s buttons on or off, or you can hold a button to brighten or dim. Each of the six ON/OFF buttons on the RemoteLinc can be set up to control every light or just one light in your home remotely to create dramatic lighting scenes.

As a bonus, the included ApplianceLinc can control any load type, so you can remotely control anything from the spooky smoke machine in your entryway to a mechanical Santa waving to your neighbors from your rooftop.

Best of all, the INSTEON wireless remote kit can be used all year long. So, when you put your holiday gear away, you can use your INSTEON wireless remote kit to conveniently turn lighs on and off throughout your home!

Get yours – INSTEON Holiday Lighting Starter Kit

Here’s  fast and inexpensive way to get started with home automation.

If you are just getting started with home automation, consider using X10 devices. X10 is a power line carrier protocol that uses the existing wiring in your home. X10 works with up to 256 coded addresses. X10 modules consist of the following:

• Receivers: Devices are plugged into receivers and respond to signals from a transmitter with the same code.
• Transmitters: Can send up to 256 coded, low-voltage signals over existing wiring.
• 2-way Receiver/Transmitter: Can both transmit and receive signals.

X10 devices are controlled from a variety of wireless remotes, wall mounted key-pads, or touch screens and tabletop keypads.

With X10, you can easily control and adjust in-home temperatures, door locks, lights, security, music, video, or anything that is electrical.

Take a look at a simple example of how X10 works:

1. Set the house code on an X10 transmitter module. The transmitter module pro-vides you with 16 house codes to choose from. For example, set the dial to “A” to enable the X10 transmitter to communicate with X10 receivers with the same house code setting.
2. Plug the X10 transmitter module into any wall socket. The transmitter module includes a small antenna.
3. Set the unit and house code on the face of an X10 receiver module. You can choose from 16 house codes and 16 unit codes. If you set the house code on the X10 receiver to “A”, then the X10 receiver responds to the X10 transmitter with the same house code. Set the unit code to “1″. The X10 receiver responds to a controller that is set to send a signal to house code “A”, unit code “1″.
4. Plug a lamp into the X10 receiver and then plug the X10 receiver into any wall socket.
5. Get the wireless remote, set the house code to “A”, and then press the button that corresponds to the code you set on the X10 receiver (in this case, “1″). The light turns on/off.

X10 is fast and inexpensive method to get started with home automation. If it runs off of electricity, chances are you can plug into an X10 module and begin tak-ing control right away.

Now that you have an idea of how much your home is already automated, and a few tips on making your home even smarter, what will you do with all your free time?

Head over to SmartHome for your Wireless X10 Controls!

INSTEON , a product of SmartLabs, is a home control network with a revolutionary technology that allows you to control your home easily and affordably. INSTEON is more dependable and flexible than any other home management system on the market.
INSTEON uses your existing electrical wiring, combined with RF signals, and it’s simple to set up—I installed mine in minutes. Best of all, it’s backwards compatible with all your X10 devices. For instance, an INSTEON switch can turn on an X-10 lamp module. An X-10 switch can also turn on an INSTEON lamp module.

How Does INSTEON Work?

INSTEON is a dual-mesh network. The messages between devices are sent both wirelessly through Radio Frequency (RF) and through your home’s existing electrical wiring. Each message is confirmed as it is received. If errors are detected, the message is automatically resent. This network is also redundant; every device on an INSTEON network receives and sends every message to every other device, so instead of stressing the network by adding more INSTEON devices, you actually strengthen it.

INSTEON was specifically developed for home control and automation. Whether you’re looking for a basic lighting control system or envision a fully integrated and automated Home of Tomorrow, if you can dream it, you can do it with INSTEON.

What is INSTEON Used For?

• Scene and remote control lighting
• Security alarm interfaces and sensors
• Home sensors (e.g. water, humidity, temperature)
• Access control (e.g. door locks)
• Heating and cooling (HVAC) control and management
• Audio-video control
• Appliance management
• Fire alarm system networking
• Exhaust fan control and networking
• Irrigation control
• Shade and blind control

Getting Started with INSTEON Home Automation (Lighting and Appliance Control)