1. Home
  2. General Home Automation
  3. bad, worst, the worst, MARMITEK X10 Home automation!

bad, worst, the worst, MARMITEK X10 Home automation!

Really! That's the increase of electrical gadgets in consumer area I've ever seen!

OK, they were not so highly expensive, like the few other products in this sector you can purchase, but this cannot be the reason to haunt its user!

I have serveral units like: SW10, LW11, AW10, KR22, TM13, SS13 and even the new Bedroom controller MT10

Units like the CM11, AM12 I sent it back to sender immediately after the first use.

Here some examples:

How can it be, that they build nowadays electrical circuit switches with relais, by switching them on/off, you think that there's now something got broken elsewhere! damn' loud!

Or re-programming the remote-controls KR22 or SS13 on another unit-code! god bless me!

Or something worst: the programming of the shutter switches for up and down! they have only build one timer in. so it is impossible to get a shutter right way there for only a half-closing e.g. One timer more isn't worth any discussion today.

But the shoot-up was indeed the SW of the computer interface CM11. A Windows 3.x Application!! With even no possibility to programming a shutter unit!!! They meant to treat it as a regular on/off switch!!! Awful!

At least the brand new Bedroom controller MT10! Hoping the get a little possibilty of programming, but I got another shock!!

1) No change of am/pm to 24h display 2) You got 8 channels to switch but You have always to decide which lane 1-4 OR 5-8 you want to use, even in programming mode!!! That's incredible!!! You want unit 1 swith on at 5:00 and forgot the lane-switch to put it again on 1-4 afterwards turning off Unit lamp 6 , there's no chance more for unit 1 to get up!!! 3) Alarm-mode is always bound with unit 1 or 5 (depends on the lane-switch). What a nonsense! 4) No LED when alarm-clock is set 5) A 9V Battery block for overbridging 230V loss. Nor IKEA sells more this ancient battery type! But why use a battery? Does Marmitek ever heard about flash-memory chips? 6) As Bedroom controller it should know that there are sleeping people in there. But with a non-dimmable red illuminating 7-Segment clock Display, you have to put a pillow on your face to got sleeping.

Afterall I use them, but I never was so much disapointed about a thing like that! Even my first VCR from '86 has a better User-Interface and programming logic.

I work in SW developement and in former times also with HW deployment, so I know what I'm talking about.

Reply to
sfn
Loading thread data ...

The major problem is software. The program supplied with the CM11 is indeed awful, but there are third-party programs that work well (and even let you control your shutters properly).

Whatever else may be wrong with the bedroom controller, a battery is required to keep the clock running in the event of a power interruption. There's no way flash memory can do that.

Reply to
Charles Sullivan

Charles Sullivan schrieb:

That's right! But this work can be done as well by a standard double, or even triple A battery type, or if it has to be some Volt more, a

90 Cent CR2032 could do this. Also a DCF-77 receiver, like in our 15 bugs expensive :-) little weather-forecast-station, is IMHO todays standard in digital alarm clocks.

But thanks for posting Your opinion.

BR Sebastian

Reply to
sfn

I'm not sure what 9V Battery is used in your unit. Most backup batteries for digital alarm clocks in the USA are 9V like the following and cost only a dollar or two.

Reply to
Charles Sullivan

Yes indeed it's the same type. But look at the price for one! $7.50 !! And I have only one device running with that type of battery.

But this issue wouldn't be really a problem to me, after all, if all the other points I mentioned weren't exisiting.

Meanwhile I've been convinced that I can't expect more for the price it costs. Producing in a less number of units, handling the X10 products through a chain of a handful distributors, at a average price of $30 to $60 , there would be no space left for a suitable todays gadget.

(e.g. like a Java equipped mobile phone with uncountable, idle features and a great user interface... at even for such a price )

Reply to
sfn

No, no... that's the price for a pack of 6 batteries. I picked that URL only because it has a good picture of the battery for identification purposes.

I'm surprised these batteries aren't being used in Europe anymore - they're widely available in almost any convenience store, drug store, or supermarket in North America.

In my experience, everything seems to cost more in Europe. Whether because of more limited market or higher taxes or just plain lack of competition I can't say. Certainly prices for Marmitek devices seem to be 3-4 times higher than those with equivalent function built to North American voltage/frequency specifications.

Reply to
Charles Sullivan

Perhaps. But the Marmitek Home Automation products here in Germany, are still quiet cheap, compared to automation devices made by German enterprises e.g. I ask my brother-in-law (which is distributor of a german brand, building aswell HA devices) how much it would costs me 1 wall-mounted shutter-switch, 2 wall-mounted dimmer units and 1 lamp unit togehter with a small 4x remotecontrol... He told me (converted in USD) something like $1080.-- !!! Indeed! And the price was true!

So only rich people here does have HA in there houses where costs plays no role. And the main fact: They don't mount the devices themself and won't even studying such bad translated manuals as the Marmitek ones.

So Marmitek X10 is effordable here, but only people with electronical knowledge use and by them. To less I guess for Marmitek, to push a bit their interfaces and hardware for the european consumer area. Even for higher prices.

Also I doesn't know about any local handicraft business for electrical installation which uses the Marmitek brand for HA. It's still also too unknown, though X10 is a fine thing.

Reply to
sfn

Cabling-Design.com Forums website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.