The standard for automatic, remote control lighting for homes and offices from X10, Hong Kong www.x10.com). Using the building's built-in electrical system as the signaling network, X10 devices can turn on/off fans, air conditioners and other appliances as well. An X10 transmitter and receiver are set to one of 256 low-voltage, coded signals. The transmitter is the light switch, which either replaces the wall switch or is an external unit that plugs into any AC outlet. The receiver plugs into the wall outlet, and the lamp plugs into the receiver. When the transmitter sends out its signal, the receiver picks it up and turns the lights on or off or dims them. A group of lights that turn on and off at the same time is created by setting more than one receiver to the same code.
Quite a large variety of X10 products for home and commercial implementations are available. The company also manufactures devices for many third parties that sell them as X10-compatible products under their own brand names, including Radio Shack, Sears, Stanley and GE. See domotics and home network.
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