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[stoney]

 

[MANOWAR©]

Not at those prices.    Talk about a rip off.

[Tuicemen]

Stoney I look forward to reading a post about your own personal experiances with Z-wave.
Were you thinking of testing Vera?
MANOWAR© prices are always out of sight for new products usualy as the demand grows prices drop. Note: I've edited this thread before it got out of Hand!

[Knightrider]

my 2˘,

Yes, z-wave does have some pretty neat stuff, including the schlage lock in the occupancy sensing thread.  Many of us have known about that lock for some time now, and at least two users here are locksmiths.  That post over there and the intro to this thread sounded a lot like sales pitches. 

That lock unit is very pricey for what we do here at the x10 forums and I'd imagine the folks at cocoontech are probably all over it, as is "my green house" (micasaverde).

When it's said that "you get what you pay for" and x10'ers are "lemmings", I, personally, take offense.

I'm certainly not a lemming, and try to be objective to all HA technologies at the site I run.  With that in mind,  I have invested much time and money into my x10 system since February 13, 1988.  My last count had me up to 170 x10 units in my home including many powerflashes, controllers and UM506's.  My system has missed 3 commands since the beginning of 2009, and it's very reliable. 

Granted, it wasn't as easy as x10 said it would be.

Zwave isn't without faults (from what I have read), and having a champagne HA system on my beer budget gives me great satisfaction, which is why I offer my feeble assistance here, when I can. 

X10 isn't for everyone, and those without the patience may fare far better with another system, but you won't catch me trying to sell it.  To do so would jeopardize my impartiality.

Is micasaverde right for you?  Depends on how much you want to spend.  Can something like that be done with X10?  Depends on how inventive/handy you are.  Again, be prepared to spend time and money on something that micasaverde does more or less right out of the box.

[HA Dave]

...... That post over there and the intro to this thread sounded a lot like sales pitches. 
.......... When it's said that "you get what you pay for" and x10'ers are "lemmings", I, personally, take offense.
..... I'm certainly not a lemming, and try to be objective to all HA technologies at the site I run. 

I agree with much of what you've posted here Knightrider. It's fine with me if someone is sold on "the idea of a product". But plastering the forum with advertisement style raves... while demeaning regular X10 users.. is wrong.

• The forums are here for your enjoyment and as a way for you to interact with other X10 users such as yourself to share, learn and find answers.
• try to avoid berating X10 Products in public posts – This technology has been around and evolved for the past 30 years, withstanding the test of time and finding its way to millions of households worldwide.

Implying that X10 setups don't work (besides being untrue)... is insulting to users like myself.. that have openly shared my setup with the public. I KNOW X10 works.

[Tuicemen]

A Update for those like me that were wondering about Stoney's VERA and Zwav combo.

Well, if I said I was impressed by Z-wave and VERA it would be an understatement. This is just the tip of the iceberg but what I've seen and experienced so far has been rewarding and promising.

Vera installed without a hitch. I plugged it into my existing 4 port router and it knew this so it basically disabled it's router connection and became attached to mine. It has its own wireless capabilities and comes with a dongle. This dongle is similar to a flash drive on steriods with a light and button. This device is used to add other Z-wave devices to the system. Simply walk up to the door sensor or motion detector and press the button on the dongle then activate the device. The dongle will flash rapidly then stop. That device has now been added. You can add several devices at once, going from one to the other. When done, go back and plug the dongle into the back of the VERA unit and it will update it's data with all the new devices you've just added.

The VERA menu initially walks you through the setup and installation very nicely and easily. It even has a video with an instructor to provide step by step help. (not that it's really needed).

Keep in mind that this is NOT a cutesy voice talking computer but rather a self contained (computer not needed after programmed), home automation system that can handle a variety of tasks from comfort, security, audio/video control, temperature / humidity / water / freeze , motion, etc., macros, SMS and email alerts if violations are detected.

I set up a wife gets up during the night motion detector / bathroom lights 10% scene in about < 1 minute.

Tomorrow I'm installing a Z-wave thermostat and hope to program it to coincide with our schedules of work and off time. There are also Z-wave door locks that allow for different people to enter the home each with their own unique entry code. The system will then call you with a message or keep a log of that person's entry.

One device can often activate up to 6 other devices if desired.

My door / window sensors also have a two year battery that goes into sleep mode when not needed, has a bi-directional mounting plate, a tamper switch if one tries to pry it loose and it monitors the status of it's own battery. It can be set 3/4" apart if needed from base to magnet (wide door gap...).

The motion detector detects motion (surprise), Temperature, Light / brightness levels and has it's own battery level detector.

I had one glitch...my dongle needed to get upgraded. Downloaded file, plugged dongle into my computer and ran file. Light blinked, plugged back into VERA...bingo...everything worked fine and didn't loose any scene info or devices.

Some of the Z-wave items might seem a bit more expensive but the quality and what they can do seem to justify the added cost. Some items are IMHO, way up there in the stratosphere and not justified, but again, that is my opinion. There seems to be a fairly scattered range of cost / pricing depending on manufacturer. Basically, there's something for everyone and every price range. There are over 170 supporting manufacturers of Z-wave products so hopefully, in time, this will help serve to lower costs.

Sometimes you can find bundled "deals" from different sites somewhat similar to Tony's X-10 site but without the ringmaster and 3 rings if you get my drift.

If interested you can check out www.zwaveworld.com www.micasaverde.com as well as www.smarthome.com and just google Z-wave

As mentioned, I'm just seeing the tip of the iceberg but I'm also enjoying myself with knowing that this stuff just works and I get verification that it works.

Feel free to post this on the Forum if you wish.
Trying to decide what to do with box full of X10 stuff...maybe rainy day project...

Hopefuly in the future Stoney will post directly with another update!
 

[Brian H]

Thanks for the update Tuicemen.
My local overstock store was selling the discontinued Intermatic Home Settings ZWave Modules. I bought a few just to see how they worked.

[dave w]

Thanks for the update Tuicemen.
My local overstock store was selling the discontinued Intermatic Home Settings ZWave Modules. I bought a few just to see how they worked.

A-a-a-k-k-k!! Heretic!! Traitor! Brian the H is impure! Unclean! Expunge his name from the forum that no-one shall know of his crime. 

actually I would be interested in knowing how well Z-Wave works also...

But I wonder what the Intermatic dropping of Z-Wave indicates (if anything) for Z-Wave(?).

[Knightrider]

I hate to admit it, but I still shop the local "Shack®" and they still send me a circular every couple of weeks.

The one I got last week is chock full of Z-wave stuff, including a starter kit with the Schlage lock.

And to think, X10 isn't good enough to be carried at that place anymore.

[HA Dave]

I hate to admit it, but I still shop the local "Shack®" and they still send me a circular every couple of weeks. The one I got last week is chock full of Z-wave stuff, including a starter kit with the Schlage lock. And to think, X10 isn't good enough to be carried at that place anymore.

GE is Z-wave... as I understand it. It is very hard to compete with... or against.. the big boys. And GE is a big as they get (now that GM is gone). And the Z-wave prices seem to be dropping everywhere. I just got a Z-wave sale offer from smarthome as well.

[Brian H]

Well it was kind of like an X10 deal.
I got a starter kit that goes for between $70 and $100 for 19.99 

One thing I have found. You don't use a a Home Settings module in an X10 setting and not expect big signal sucking on the power line. Since they are strictly RF there is a .1uf cap directly across the power line to eliminate their internal noise. It is a great signal sucker.

[Knightrider]

.... It is a great signal sucker.

Are you saying that Z-Wave sucks?

 

[Brian H]

First to be clear. I have no thoughts or ideas of abandoning my present X10 Insteon combination system.
I just got a good deal and wanted to play with some of the competitions stuff. Guess if I got a real Steal Deal on some UPB modules. I would also check them out.

I have seen the Shacks ads for GE ZWave stuff.

Not too sure Intermatic dropping ZWave will make much difference as their partner Wayne Dalton took over the whole line.

I do know you can only have one Primary Controller. It will be the only one that can add; remove or modify a device on the network. Secondary controllers can be cloned to the master for either network devices only or devices and settings [scenes].
I also have no data on the computer interfaces and software to go with them.

[HA Dave]

I used to play golf. My back doesn't enjoy golf as much as my head does... and on matters of activity.. my back gets its way.

But with golf every season there is a new product (or a new dozen products), a training aid that teaches your mind or muscle's how to correctly swing, a new club with a huge sweet spot, a golf ball that will fly 30 yards further, and more. Every year there are new products that claim to resolve every problem ever struggled with by a golfer. Similar advertisements are used for many retail products.

Of course.. Home Automation doesn't have nearly the market that golf does. If HA was as popular as golf... I could buy all modules at yard sales.

But I have seen a list somewhere of home automation products. And it seems to me that some flavors of products that resolve every problem ever struggled with in HA... are no longer with us. I don't believe everything I read and I am often wary and advertised claims. I know for a fact that good reliable Home Automation is the result of good setup engineering, planning and execution. Like golf: not everyone will excel in HA, yet everyone who trys can be plenty good enough [to have a reliable setup]... and have a really good time.