Opinion of X10/home networking solutions?

[joecool]

Hope this is the right place for this post ...

I've got a simple home LAN (two machines and a server to share internet & printer) and want to connect this to my home entertainment system. I'd like to be able to transmit audio & video data in both directions, so that I can play mp3's from the lan to the stereo, but also send video data (say from a webcam or x10 cam). In the other direction I'd like to be able to pick up DVD's from the a/v receiver on my PC's. There seem to be two ways to do this:

- use x10 entertainment anywhere kit. this is nice 'cause it's cheap, wireless, and since i want to use x10 anyway it will allow me to do other cool x10 stuff. the bad news is it's one way so i'd need two kits to go in both directions, plus it requires using the video & audio in/outs on my sound & video cards, leaving no ports available for other devices.

- use "smart home" wiring; run it to pc's & stereo, homerun it to a box; get modules to convert signals to run on co-ax; connect everything in box. this sounds way cool but also expensive and very involved.

So here's my question: does anyone have any experience doing anything similar? any suggestions or thoughts on the two methods i've proposed? any alternative methods? any input would be much appreciated!

 

[cavingjan]

The x10 av stuff is hit or miss. Some people have extremely great luck with it but more people seem to have mediocre performance or bad performance out of them. I'm more familiar with their light control systems. Their is a home automation newsgroup that talks abou tthese things all the time. I'd suggest a quick trip to read up on them. I quit reading that ng about a year ago when I stopped adding to my house set up.

 

[Workin']

I have a big collection (20+ modules) of X10 stuff controlling my lights, garage door, PC, etc. In my experience it has all worked as advertised.

I use the 2.4GHz video sender to "connect" my PC's TV-out to the TV in my bedroom. Works like a charm.

Regarding using up all your inputs and outputs - it is OK to use "Y" splitters on outputs, but DON'T split inputs, that is asking for trouble.

If I was building a new house, I'd go the smarthome route, with 2 runs of coax, 2 CAT5e, and 2 4-pair homerun from every room to a central location. But running wires through an existing house is a royal pain.

 

[joecool]

^bump for more feedback ...

 

[joecool]

^nother bump ...