X-10's Powermid has two complementary units. One receives IR and retransmits it as RF (with a carrier of 418MHz in N. Amerca & 433.92MHz elsewhere). The other receives RF and transmits IR (with a carrier of ~40kHz). The pair of pyramid shaped units on the left are the older style (sold worldwide) while the two units on the right are the newer, battery operated style (not available in N. America). The units are usually available individually. (i.e. You do not have to buy both halves.)
Outside of North America, 433.92MHz is used for most RF remotes (X-10 and others) although there are some that use 868.35MHz.
Programmable remotes like the Philips Pronto (RU950, RU970, RU980), Marantz (RC9200, RC5200) and Onkyo CHAD units sold outside North America can send 433.92MHz RF. While this feature is designed to work with companion RF Extenders sold by these companies, the RF can be used to communicate directly with other 433.92MHz RF receivers (as long as they use ASK - Amplitude Shift Keying or OOK - On Off Keying) such as X-10 transceivers (e.g. TM13) and light switches and dimmers made by others.
There may be one minor glitch. The above programmable RF remotes prepend a short sequence, encoding a channel ID and the IR carrier frequency, to all of the codes sent as RF. This allows multiple RF extenders to ignore codes addressed to other channels¹ and tells them what carrier frequency to use when they output the code as IR. The short prefix might confuse some receivers but in most cases it will merely help set the receivers AGC circuit which will aid reception. The pulse widths used in the prefix are shorter than those used in most RF protocols so are likely to be ignored.
Non-RF programmable remotes like the iPronto TSi6400, Pronto TS1000, TS2000, RU890, RU940, Marantz RC5000, RC5000i and Yamaha RAV-2000 and many PDAs can send the codes as IR to the IR2RF half of the Powermid which repeats them as 433.92MHz RF which the receivers will "understand".
In addition to X-10, Philips Power Control System, Elro AB600, Gamma klik aan klik uit, Clipsal Ulti RF are some 433.92MHz lighting controls that should work with this method. Any device that uses 433.92MHz and Amplitude Shift Keying or On/Off Keying is a potential candidate for control via this method. Jung Radio Management lighting controls use ASK at 433.42MHz which may be close enough to work with the Powermid's 433.92MHz.
The non-RF programmable remotes can also be converted to send RF by adding a small RF transmitter module and amplifier. In North America, adding a 310MHz transmitter will allow direct communication with X-10 RF receivers. Outside North America, a 433.92MHz transmitter module is recommended.
1. There is only one frequency channel. Multiple RF Extenders respond to different ID numbers.
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