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[Kiteloop]

Is there any other system out there that can do most of the things X10 does?  I love the flexiblity and fun of creating macros but I only get about 6 months between major malfunctions, and after 7 years of this I would consider another system if it were to be a little more robust.  Anyone have any suggestions?  This is what I currently use:

4 door/window sensors
4 water sensors
1 temp sensor
4 wireless cameras (outside)
cm15a with activehome pro
4 light controls in basement (plus wall switches)
-email notifications/images with certain activities
dialer - but I think I am ready to live without it - computer is on 24/7 anyway.

i just use logmein in to check video remotely.


At least once a year I had to reprogram my dialer, it just beeped a lot for no reason and it eventually died but I had a spare which immediately fixed all that weirdness (even on the same codes).  AHP was a pain when I upgraded to win7, but it did go eventually.
I really, really need even more range out of cameras and cm15a (it was modded with a 751 antenna,and is better but I want more yet).

Perhaps I could replace X10 with 2 systems? - I would like to hear any suggestions with other systems people have had good luck with.
Thanks

[glacier991]

I have been slowly incorporating Insteon products into my X-10 setup, as they speak to both Insteon controllers and recognize X-10 PLC signals. Overall Insteon is more versatile, has some nice features not available in X-10 that are useful (which is why the slow incorporation of Insteon modules), and Insteon is generally much higher quality. Price? about 4X as much as X-10 and in some cases more.  

If X-10 truly abandons their X-10 automation users I will go to Insteon because it will run my X-10 setup and I can slowly upgrade to a higher quality product. If that happens I will be sad, because I have enjoyed my X-10 systems and had a great deal of fun making my system pretty robust at a great price.

[Dan Lawrence]

Gotta question.   Using AHP what modules do you use to control  Insteon modules?  Since getting modules from X10 is getting to be harder to get, especially now.

[Noam]

Gotta question.   Using AHP what modules do you use to control  Insteon modules?  Since getting modules from X10 is getting to be harder to get, especially now.

Dan -
I can't speak for others, but I'll tell you what I do.
All of my Insteon switches are the relay type, and I defined them in AHP using the "Florescent Decorator Style Wall Switch" (WS13A-L) from the "Old Lamps" category. (There is a bug that if you use the one in the "Lamps" category, AHP sends it Extended DIM commands. Seems pretty silly for a non-dimming module.

I use the same definition for an older SmartHome (pre-Insteon) x10-compatible relay switch.

I also have two older Smarthome (pre-insteon) X10-compatible dimmers. I am using the "Old Lamps / Lamp Module" for those, I think. I suppose I could have just as easily used the "Old Lamps / wall switch" as well. I don't remember if there was a reason why I did it that way (other than the Lamp Module being the first one in the list, and it worked).

The Insteon switches (as well as the older, pre-Insteon ones) do not use the X10 Extended Dim commands. 
I'm not 100% sure, but I think the same goes for their new line of X10-compatible switches as well.

[dhouston]

The Insteon switches (as well as the older, pre-Insteon ones) do not use the X10 Extended Dim commands.  
I'm not 100% sure, but I think the same goes for their new line of X10-compatible switches as well.

I don't know about the newer ones but the older, pre-Insteon ones use preset dims as do the dual Insteon/X10 models.  So, I would expect the newer ones to follow suit. It's been too long for my antiquainted brain cells to recall details but I bought and reviewed the original Smarthome lamp modules when first introduced and IIRC, while they use 32 preset dim levels, they also respond to standard dim/bright as well.

@Noam: I'll include preset and extended dims in the Zarduino-28^TM firmware that you are going to beta test with the CM11A so you can explore the full capabilities of these modules.

[Noam]

I don't know about the newer ones but the older, pre-Insteon ones use preset dims as do the dual Insteon/X10 models.  So, I would expect the newer ones to follow suit. It's been too long for my antiquainted brain cells to recall details but I bought and reviewed the original Smarthome lamp modules when first introduced and IIRC, while they use 32 preset dim levels, they also respond to standard dim/bright as well.

Can AHP or any of the current X10-produced modules use preset dim? I really don't know much about it.

[dhouston]

Can AHP or any of the current X10-produced modules use preset dim? I really don't know much about it.

I have never used AHP so cannot say for sure. However, I doubt it as X10 removed it from their protocol documentation after Smarthome introduced their X10 capable modules.

I should add that X10 defined preset dim in their original PLC protocol documentation but AFAIK they never implemented it in any hardware

[Brian H]

The Smathome X10LM465 Lamp and X10WS467D Toggle Wall Switch Dimmer Modules use Preset Dim. Didn't test a X10WS12A Decorator Wall Switch Dimmer as I don't have one.
They also report a preset dim back as they are two way when locally activated and AHP doesn't process the preset dim.
Full On or Off. They do send an On or Off back to the AHP.

The Insteon, Icon and Older X10 only dimmers also use the preset dim.
Use the Old before Soft Start as they do work with the On then Dim Back Down.

Some added information on the New Smarthome X10 modules in the reviews section.
I hope to add the X10SC503 shortly
http://forums.x10.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=tki1907oge0acufk7b22fck9k4&board=35.0

[Walt2]

Can AHP or any of the current X10-produced modules use preset dim? I really don't know much about it.

I use AHP to do a preset dim with my 2-way and soft-start lamp modules.   I have to "hardcode" the extended command into AHP, but it works.