Just thought I would share this. For those of us without homelink-enabled garage door openers (or without garage doors!), there is a nice cheap way of enabling the homelink buttons in the Riviera to turn on lights in your house.
Here's what you need:
RR501 X10 Tranciever $8-10
KR19A X10 slimfire remote $3-4
* some kind of lamp or appliance controller - the XPS3 wall switch, the LM465 lamp module, a LM15A socket rocket (not recommended), etc. $5-10. The lamp modules require that you plug your lamp into the box, the wall switches can replace your current wall switch and the socket rockets just go between the fixture and the light bulb.
Ebay is a good place to get these although x10.com may have a sale package containing everything you need for a good price.
Setup:
- Turn the dial on the RR501 to house code "G". You can use another letter but I think I read somewhere that A, M, O and P are not recommended. Leave the slider set to "1". Raise the antenna and plug it in to an inconspicuous receptacle near where you park (but still inside the house). If you go with the socket rocket, these default to A1 and you'll need extra equipment to change this code. You could technically use A1 for everything.
- set the dials on your light controller to G1. If you have two you want to control from the car, set the second one to G2. Plug it in or install it.
- program your slimfire remote to house code G. The top buttons will be for G1 and the bottom buttons will be G2. See the slimfire instructions for this, it's really easy.
- test everything out with the remote. If they don't work, reprogram them or figure out what the problem is.
- take the slimfire out to the car, here are the instructions from the '97 owner's manual:
1. If you have not previously programmed a universal transmitter channel, proceed to 2. Otherwise, hold down the two outside buttons on the universal transmitter until the red light begins to flash rapidly (approximately 20 seconds). Then release the buttons. This procedure initializes the memory and erases any previous settings all three channels.
2. Hold the end of your hand-held transmitter against the bottom surface of the universal transmitter so that you can still see the red light
3. Decide which one the three channels you want to program. Using both hands, press the hand-held transmitter button and the desired button on the universal transmitter. Continue to hold both buttons through Step 4.
4. Hold down both buttons until you see the red light on the universal transmitter flash slowly then rapidly. The rapid flashing, which could take up to 90 seconds, indicates that universal transmitter has been programmed. Release both buttons three seconds after the light starts to flash rapidly.
I programmed the center button in the car to my inside entry light, the outer 2 buttons turn my outside light on or off.
Now put the slimfire remote in a non-homelink vehicle and your wife will appreciate your incessant tinkering and gadgetry a little bit more.
