Here are some electrons to throw around for thought. A little over a decade ago, I started installing net/phone/tv to every room in our 100 year old home. This took a couple of years to complete. When I was pushing down the wires on the last connector, all I could say was that’s nice and obsolete. We already had a wireless router for smart phones and laptops. Then we bought a new printer with WIFI. Two PC’s just needed WIFI dongles and all the cat cable was dead. BTW, phone and TV cables are functional as well, but not used much.
The CM15A has been a real workhorse in our home. Even though X10 had gone bankrupt, I had this “great” idea, to add access to X10. I would install dummy versions of AHP on cheap Windows tablets. These would be wall mounted. We could then access the X10 modules from a couple more locations in the house. I had a proof-of-concept running and was ready to cut holes in the walls. However, by installing AHP on Windows 7 Pro, we could use Remote Desktop Connector to access X10 anywhere in the house. At least I was not tightening down the last screw on a wall panel to only say, that’s nice and obsolete.
The WM100 certainly has potential. A WIFI accessible device is the way to go. I wonder how long USB devices will be around. If it were not for cloud computing, a 256G thumb drive with a hearing aid size battery could easily connect to any computing device and transfer data. I think I understand the machinations of business well enough to see that Authinx needs to draw a value line in the sand for their products.
Raspberry Pi has been a phenomenon. Three major revisions in six years. Now there are even smaller versions, the Zero and Zero W. The user community is huge. Both in channel at raspberrypi.org and related, like the stackexchange technical forum. Plus HA applications that have included RPi versions. One key point is that Raspberry Pi org focus is on making a low cost board that can be used in education. Not to say the RPi’s are cheap and poorly designed. There are limits, like using micro SD cards and the network hardware/software has a couple of glitches. A wider community found value in the RPi and has put them in serious applications. RPi does very well, just need to remember .org’s focus.
Here I am. I just installed OpenPLC (Programmable Logic Control) on a RPi and the editor on a Win Laptop. Although the RPi is hardware limited, having industrial PLC is like walking through a door to a whole new world with all the industrial protocols available. In modern speak – totally cool. I am even considering using a RPi as a desktop. A from the ground up build, a desktop would easily cost less that $200. Libre Office has decent document processing. My current “great” idea is to use RPi’s as access points in every room. Gotta find a way to use all that cat cable by connecting a PoE switch. So far the first phase proof-of-concept is working well. With one laptop connected, the RPi is transparent speed wise. I even added a HA package to load it down. Next in this phase is to put it in a room with a few more devices. I had considered the Alexa or Google Assistant app. For the price, buying the small version is less than adding speakers, microphone…et al. My maddest in a phase two is to add temp/humidity/light color/ geofencing sensors in the access point for zoned home control. I am afraid that when I get the last unit installed I will ask “Alexa, turn on the lights”. She will respond, ”OK. That’s nice and obsolete”
