New Installation = Insteon

You'll have to decide for yourself whether Insteon has a future. FWIW, I think it does.

There is a 3rd party IP-Insteon bridge...

They are about to start shipping RF access points and an RF remote.

You can always use X-10 outlets until Insteon outlets become available. There are some issues with this - how many outlets are you planning?

You will likely need filters if you are planning CFL fluorescents.

Have you tried the Smarthome >I'm thinking about incorporating some home automation into a big

Thanks.

I've seen the bridges.

It seems that if you're really into dimming incandescents, Insteon is really neat technology. I want to control 15 - 20 grouped fluorescent linears in cove/ under cabinet lighting so I can control groups of these at a time

For what I want to do, I suppose the Inline Linc

- $46 per) will work or I can use $19 X-10 plugs My concern/ point, is why wouldn't someone offer something as basic as this as a true Insteon receptacle product?

If I'm going to the effort to install a technology, rigging it to work with X-10 seems to negate most of the benefits of going with Insteon to begin with.

Am I missing something or do the guys at Smarthome need to switch to caffeinated coffee?

Take a look at Z-Wave. There are over 100 member companies currently shipping or developing Z-Wave compatible devices. These range from lighting controls to thermostats, swimming pool controllers, etc. There are a number of home automation controllers and software based systems which support Z-Wave.

Among the major companies supporting the protocol are Cooper Wiring Devices, Danfoss, Intel, Intermatic, Leviton, Monster Cable, Universal Electronics, Wayne Dalton, Zensys (developed the Z-Wave technology). Intel says their next PC chip will include Z-Wave integration.

On the other hand there is SmartHome's Insteon product line. A few people love it. A few have posted about problems with the hardware. Insteon lacks the support of major industry players that it will need to remain a viable product line.

I believe you're right. Then again, since I sell Z-Wave I'm not entirely unbiased. :^)

Besides Z-Wave you could take a look at UPB. I have limited information on both it and Z-Wave on my website. I'll post more time allows.

Given the volume of X-10 business that Smarthome does, they probably have a pretty good handle on what the market wants so I suspect sockets are not in that much demand. Most people seem to want dimmers, even with fluorescents.

True, but all Insteon controllers can also control X-10 and all Insteon devices can be configured as either or both.

I have done several houses in UPB and it is the way to go. It is actually X-10 version 2.0 and it is just great. FOR ME, it has been 100% bulletproof. I have had a few issues with things that didn't work when they were installed but they were covered under warranty and all was good. All the modules have been easy to wire in and since I use it for handicapped and disabled people who REALLY depend on it, I would know if it failed for some reason. There is probably nothing wrong with Insteon per se. I just needed whole house solutions and Insteon was not there. I needed thermostats, IR sending devices, switches, plugs, appliance modules, etc. and Insteon didn't offer a full range of products, while UPB did. X-10 is just too hit and miss and Z-Wave will probably be good, but there is very little hardware for it now.

If you want to know more about UPB, let me know aned I will turn you on to some sources.

Tim snipped-for-privacy@sbcglobal.net

"T. C. Conde" wrote in news:Vg1ji.998$ snipped-for-privacy@newssvr22.news.prodigy.net:

Tim, do you have a link to UPB? I got the Insteon starter kit a year ago. I've heard a lot of bad things about Insteon products since then, and am reluctant to use them. Since my starter kit is capable of sending X10 commands, can I use this to address UPB?

UPB doesn't understand X10 commands, actually Insteon protocol doesn't understand X10 either but many Insteon devices have support for X10 the X10 protocol too.

Here's a link to a site with some info on UPB:

I'd recommend searching for upb and dimmer that should get you other sites with further info.

There is an X10 to UPB translator:

I have no affiliation with either of these links.

Neil Cherry wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@cookie.uucp:

Much thanks, Neil. I was hoping that Insteon would be able to send X-10 to UPB as you refer to it as "X-10 version 2.0".