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[Trey]

I have been beating my brains out trying to
figure out if I am wasting money buying X-10
or should switch to much more reliable UPB
or Z-Wave. Now I may have the answer to my
prayers, a system that is X-10 backwards
compatable and RF (like Z-Wave) forward
compatable to the future. Yeah!!!! I will
stop buying more Switchlinks but not feel
like I wasted money on the ones I have
because they will still work in the future
with the new system.
They claim to have products out this spring.
http://insteon.net/

[joe s.]

Trey,

With the addition of a Phase
Repeater/Coupler,  a couple filters and the
1132CUP (not CM15a) I have developed a really
reliable (about 30 devices) X-10 system.  I
like cool tech too - but it usually comes
with a "cool" pricetag.  The backward
compatibility  is really good, though - but
today (for example) X-10 is selling 4
Hawkeyes for 19.99 - meaning, (in my head
anyway) - I can start to use the concept of
room occupancy as a feature of my system.
And if I'm wrong - I'm only $20 bucks poorer.

I don't know if I could pull that off with
"new" tech.  

[Brian H]

The specfications page shows that the
technology isn't on the X10 specfications. I
believe they are going to have a bridge
device that will allow X10 line signal
products to work.

[al]

My X10 is very reliable, over 30 units with
complex macros (Turn on Lamp 6 only if
virtual sun unit is off and Lamp 4 is on and
it is between 4 and 8 pm).  X10 is also very
cheap.  Just bought 6 more palmpad
controllers for 19.99 (total, not each).
Insteon won't be for me.

[al]

Sorry, forgot to mention 1132CUP runs my system.

[joe s.]

Al...you had me going there for a minute...if
you had been a real-live happy AHPro user
with a complex time-driven macro like that, I
was going to give your name to PC magazine
for a personal interview.  You probably
already know that I had become a Smarthome
1132CUP user too.

[Charles Sullivan]

Trey,
You probably thought AHP was the answer to
your prayers when you first saw the ads for
it too.

I'll take the Insteon claims with a grain of
salt until I see some working hardware and
software.

[roger1818]

Brian H:  I may be wrong, but I was under
the impression that all INSTEON devices
will be dual mode rather than their being a
bridge.  One way or the other though, it
will be both forwards and backwards
compatible with X10 (ie. to quote their
FAQ, “an INSTEON switch can turn on an X-10
lamp module and an X-10 switch can turn on
an INSTEON lamp module”).

Charles:  I agree that one shouldn’t get
too excited until INSTEON is actually
available, but SmartHome does have a pretty
good reputation.

[steve]

Joe S. or Al
What are you using to tie the RF signals to
the SmartHome 1132CUP?
I like the idea of the CM15A being able to
monitor all house codes. I think I am
figuring out that to use RF with the
1132CUP I would need and X10 TM751
transciever. I have seen some pricier
solutions on SmartHome's site. Does anybody
know if the TM751 has better RF reception
than the CM15A. I have my CM15A on my first
floor. The RF range is ok. I have a
keychain remote that doesn't quite make it
from my front porch. If I put it right at
the window it makes it. Kinda shoots down
the thoughts I had about using a motion
sensor. If the TM751 has better range I
might bite the bullet and go to the 1132CUP.
I downloaded their software and it seems
like a decent package.

[joe s.]

"Does anybody know if the TM751 has better
RF reception  than the CM15A" - YES -
*everything* has better RF reception than
CM15a.

I modified my CM15a and have emptied it -
(so it's only a multi-code transceiver) by
pulling the remainder of the internal
antenna outside, adding a longer antenna
tube - and inverting the antenna to improve
the RF performance (in the house-and a bit
outside - it's good now).  You can see
photos of this simple mod at:
http://forums.accessx10.com/showthread.php?
s=&threadid=88

Because it's cheap to do - I also have
added a TM751 on a housecode which is not
transceived by the CM15 - placed
strategically to receive just outside
sensors.

When I bought CM15a I also got the package
deal with various other modules etc. - so
returning it wan't a priority.  I figured I
might as well use/abuse it - but rely on
Smarthome (because I could) to do the
clever stuff in my home.

[joe s.]

BTW - I have no way to know if it's true or
not - but someone said this $99 sale on
1132CUP (full conditionals package) won't
last past mid-Feb.

http://www.automatedoutlet.com/product.php?
productid=291&cat=0&page=1

[roger1818]

The 1132CUP is also available directly from
SmartHome for $99 right now.  The link is:

http://www.smarthome.com/1132CUP.HTML

It looks like $99 is Automation Outlet's
regular price (I don't understand why it is
always cheaper to buy SmartHome products
from Automation Outlet then it is from
SmartHome).

[joe s.]

"I don't understand why it is  always
cheaper to buy...."

Me neither - nobody beats X-10
for "bundles" but both automatedoutlet.com
and homeautomationnet.com are good price-
sources for the higher-tech stuff.

[JamesT]

Al
What software are you using with the
Smarthome 1132CUP?

[Brian H]

The 1132CUP comes with the Smarthome Manager
Plus that includes contitionals. My 1132CU
came with the Manager Essential. Kind of
like adding the smart macro package from X10
to the AHP that comes with the cm15a. I have
not given up on my cm15a yet. Have some
emails going with X10 on things.