software for TW523 on Linux

The TW523 is not a serial device so you won't find any software to control it from a serial port. Likewise, you won't find a pinout for a serial cable.

You can find the pinout for the TW523 in the TW523 manual, available from X-10's website.

snipped-for-privacy@deepcosmos.ca wrote:

Dave's correct, you can not easily drive the TW523 from the serial port. The tweriald uses a ucontroller to go from RS232 to the TTL serial pulses. Another method is to use the Parallel port but that put a nasty load on the CPU. You would be better off with one of the X10 or Insteon (which allows you to run X10 commands). Of course you still may lack drivers. See my 1st web pages below for various solutions.

I have a kludged together system that works pretty well. I have a CM-15 controller controlled by a PC and programmmed for most functions. For remote access I use a linux box running apache. I use a CM-17 (firecracker) and bottlerocket (google for it) to drive the CM-17 (which sits 2 feet from the CM-15 which provides an all house code tranceiver). A simple web page allows me to control everything by invoking bottlerocket with the appropriate arguments. A tranceiver module could also be used, but only allows a single house code.

You could also use a CM-11. Linux software to drive the CM-11 is available on the net, but since my kludge is working, I've had no desire to pursue it. I have a spare CM-11 in the drawer right now.

I think C Bower is proposing an alternate solution.

That was a bit confusing, translation:

CM-15 = CM15A (X10 wired and wireless transceiver) CM-17 = CM17A (Firecracker X10 wireless transmitter) CM-11 = CM11A (X10 wired transceiver)

You don't need to Google for the Bottle Rocket software as I am now the keeper of the page:

There are other easier solutions and the software links can be found on my pages. I think Smarthome has a thing called the Two-way interface for the TW523. It's expensive and you'd probalby be able to get other hardware cheaper to transmit and receive X10. ... Drivers on my page.

Also, I think Micromint still offers the PLIX in both serial and parallel for those who might want to roll their own but don't want to learn µC programming.

I will have to create PIC firmware and ZX-24 firmware to handle a TW523 for roZetta and for a revamped Transmogrifier. If Jeff Volp wants to offer it, I can develop an 8-pin PIC to handle the TW523 via RS232 as one more option for a small generic DIY board I've designed.

For linux I'd skip the parallel (harder to interface to). I think you'll still need to do dome programming for the serial. I don't remember there being any software for the PLIX.

This might turn out to be the best bet. :-)

Ok, I think I am getting closer to a solution from C Bower (and with translation from Neil... I am new to home automation stuff). Now I feel more confident to find a solution.

Do you, gentlemen, have a simple solution to suggest for my actual hardware on hand:

TW523 some light modules some appliances modules

My goal is to find the cheapest and simplest solution to use those modules interactively from a Linux box.

Thanks, Bernard

If you don't mind the expense the ADI Ocelot is a good choice:

Or less expensive is the LynX10:

or least expensive:

Build the parallel port interface and

But it's for the Linux 2.2 kernel and I have no idea how hard it would be to port over to the 2.4 or 2.6 kernel.

You normally can't do cheap, simple and it works. There are exceptions but I don't think this is one of them.

Thanks Neil,

I understand having something working that would be cheap and simple is close to a dream. The point is to find a good balance.

I'll take a look at it during the weekend.

Thanks again, Bernard

Pack the TW523 away for a later project and get an X-10 CM11A. It's about $35-$45, or included in the CK11A bundle for $50 at

Use free Heyu software Regards, Charles Sullivan

For Linux I think Insteon will be a good thing I just have to get the dang book done and I can get back to writing the code for Mr. House, Perl and iplcd (3 different things). Right now I have a working Insteon driver for the serial port version but I don't have the Insteon command writen (I need download, upload, time and checksum written). This would give you a path to X10 and Insteon which is a pretty good path to go down. I doubt we'll see the X10 market go away though I think X10's modules will shrink in module size.

I can have a PIC based two-way +5V RS232 interface for the TW523 within a week or two. It will cost about $25-35 depending on whether you assemble it or buy it pre-assembled.

The board may have room for a MAX233A if you need ±12V RS232.

Neil Cherry wrote: