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[raym]

Hi,

1)Insteon is advertised as 99.97% reliable
when set up as recommended with the two RF
link devices acting as phase couplers.
2)The AC powered devices act as intelligent
PLCommand repeaters. Future RF devices like
motion detectors will be repeated by the RF
link devices.
3)Error detection is incorporated. That
means that, motion detectors can no longer
send an erronious 'All Lights On' instead
of 'A1 On'. All AC powered communications
are two way.
4)X10 compatatibility. If you 'really got to
have it' Insteon devices can be programmed
with X10 addresses (waist of money). The
Important part of this, is that an Insteon
network will work in the same house as an
X10 network with minimal interference.
5) Security (important important important).
Right now, if my neighbor uses 'A1' as his
door code, I can open that door by sending
an 'A1' on my remote. The Insteon devices
have to be manually linked, and then hide
part of their address to any 'non-linked'
devices, cool, huh?
6) Expansion? Months ago, I read a post from
someone who was trying to set up a security
network for a whole block of houses. With
X10, no. Insteon, yes!

Conclusions:
I have great expectectations for this
technology. If I can press a switch, and not
have to go out somewhere (usually in the
rain) to verify that the 'smart' device on
the other end actually came on, I will be
happy.

I hope to have a simple Insteon home
network, with most all availble devices, set
up within a week.

I will repost after I evaluate that.

Regards to you all,

Ken

[raym]

By the way,
I was trying hard to post a reponse to a
previous message but the X10 stuff 'seemed'
to keep blocking that. So I did it this way.

ken

[Brian H]

Not all a pot of gold. They have problems
also. Also still no software for their USB
or Serial Controllers yet. Only a third
party type.
Look on www.accessha.com
Many tests and comments on all automation
stuff like X10 and other brand devices.

[arf1410]

In theory Insteon could be great - assuming
other vendors start making hardware ,
software, etc, and Insteon becomes the new
standard.  In theory, the Betamax was a
much better system than VHS, but for a
variety of reasons, not directly related to
the quality of the product, it eventually
flopped...
Personally, I'd give Insteon a year or two
(or 5?) to see if it catches on...

[Brian H]

Yes sometimes bleeding edge can be painful
or rewarding as a early adopter.

[john t.]

I still have my Sony Beta camera & recorder.

Now, I'm new to this automation stuff. But,
I'm sticking with X10 until the winner is
determined. I'll give up a few of the Insteon
"perks".

John

P.S. Anyone want to buy a perfectly good Sony
Beta Outfit??

[Decline to state]

It doesn't have to be an either/or.  All the
Insteon equipment switches and modules are
bilingual and backwards compatible with x10.

Back in the day, wouldn't you really have
been happier with a high quality machine that
played and recorded *both* Beta and VHS?

[arf1410]

I certainly is nice that Insteon will work
with X10, though I can't say that I have
looked to see if the switches have as many
features as the nice Switchlincs.  Also,
controllers and software for Insteon seems
fairly limited and basic so far, and who
really knows if it will be 3 months, 3
years, or never before it catches up...

[roger1818]

Arf:  From what I have read, the Insteon
modules have all of the features of a 2-way
SwitchLinc.  They are even “better” in that
you can program it to be a member of 256
scenes instead 64 (why you would need it to
be a member of that many scenes is beyond me,
but you can do it if you want to).

[raym]

Hi all,

FYI

I discovered today that the Insteon wall
switch replacement modules (V2 SwitchLinc
and V2 RelayLinc) have to have all three
electrical switch wires (line-black, load-
red, and neutral-white).

My 1958 vintage house only has two wires in
the switch box. These seem to be wired
as 'line in' and 'line to load'. The neutral
is apparently hardwired to the load. My old
X10 dimmer modules worked with this
configuration but the Insteon will not.
Insteon compatable with X10 legacy modules?
Not quite true.

I am off tomorrow to the hardware store to
buy some Romex. I will have to rewire the
switchboxes that I am installing the Insteon
modules in with the correct (line, load,
neutral) wiring configuration.

In my case, this is only a minor problem. If
you are someone who isn't qualified to do
electrical wiring, be really, really,
careful to insure you have the correct
wiring before ordering Insteon wall switches.

I like the Insteon protocol. All is not
roses though.

Regards,

ken

[raym]

Hi,

Another Item.

I set up some plug in Insteon modules
yesterday. I wasn't able to get them to
report status in the X10 mode. It might have
been just too much line noise.? Other than
that, they behave like X10 plugin modules.
In the Insteon mode, these things work very
well.

I contacted the SmartHome support line via
email about this. I'll let you all know when
I get a response.

Ken

[Brian H]

Are more than one on the same X10 primary
Address? If so they maybe stepping on each
other. Mine are on separate addresses and
the same scene address for control from  a
common command. Mine report their primary
address status. I have the relay type
modules. Note in X10 modes there is no
rebroadcasting from module to module or RF
module to RF module. My system is a mix of
X10 and Insteon as many of my modules are
not made in the new type yet.

[raym]

BrianH

Hi,

How do you get them to report?
Do you use AHP or SHM?
What type of module do you set is up as in
software?
I think I just have a confusion factor as to
how to set them up. I have two V2 SwitchLinc
modules wired up now and am unable to get
X10 mode reports on either. On/Off control
works ok.

Ken

[raym]

Belay my last...

I went to SmartHome Manager and set it up as
a SwitchLinc Module. Under control it had an
option for 'Status Request'. That Works, it
will report either 'off' or 'on' status.

These things will dim with the 'preset dim'
command. AHP does not seem to recognize that
command, errr.

If anyone knows how to make this work in,
AHP I would enjoy hearing about it.

Thanks!

Ken

[roger1818]

Ken:  You are correct in that the AHP
software does not support the old ‘preset
dim’ command that SmartHome uses since X10
never implemented it in any of their modules.
They instead use the newer ‘extended dim’
command, which the SmartHome modules do not
support.  The AHP SDK does support ‘preset
dim’ so you can use it that way.

As a result you have two choices when setting
them up in AHP.  You can either define it as
an old lamp module (or wall switch module)
and let the software send a string of
bright/dim commands to change the brightness,
or you can define it as a 2-way appliance
module so that you can send a status request
command.  You can always get the best of both
worlds and define it as both module types by
defining two modules at the same address.