X10 Community Forum

🔌General Home Automation => Other Automation Systems => Smarthome & Insteon => Topic started by: riw on November 11, 2007, 09:20:18 AM

Title: Insteon Remotes
Post by: riw on November 11, 2007, 09:20:18 AM
I would consider switching to insteon, but a big component of my system is the remote. In fact, I find it odd that so many people want to walk over to their computer all the time to turn lights on and off--it's much more convenient just to use the local switch! :-) With the remote control, however, it's really nice to be able to turn things on and off from various places.

I'm at the point where I want a good bit more than 16 devices, and x-10 only has remotes that will do up to 16 devices per remote (unless you carry around a little screwdriver to change the house code on the remote all the time--why not just make it a nice wheel button instead????). The only insteon remote I can find is that clunker Smarthome has--who came up with that design, anyway? It's takes two hands to hold the thing, and the buttons are big enough to make the buttons on a "big button" telephone look tiny. What's with the "dive" in the middle? What a horrible design....

So, it looks like I'll have to look at z-wave, though I don't like the idea of more rf interfering with all the other rf running around my house (802.11, wireless phones, cell phones, etc etc). The remotes available for z-wave look really really nice, though--a charger base, etc.

I'm also not looking forward to the $1k to replace all the x-10 stuff I already have.... And I don't want multiple systems. *sigh*

Of course, x-10 does itself no favors with the ultimate cheapness of it's web site design. It looks like something out of the original days of web design, hawking patent snake oil, rather than a professional site for serious people.

Russ
Title: Re: Insteon Remotes
Post by: Knightrider on November 11, 2007, 12:37:28 PM
I use about one house code per room. smart macros, and one controller per room help, but.....BVC (Bills' Voice Commander) Bridge the Gap.  Certainly worth the 30 bucks I paid for it.  Cheap mixers, mics and a Gate/limiter/compressor have my total cost below $300.  Start using BVC and you will seldom pick up any remote again.
Title: Re: Insteon Remotes
Post by: Brian H on November 11, 2007, 01:51:24 PM
Simplehomenet makes a X10 RF receiver to Insteon module device, but my tests so far with one is not impressive at all.