X10 vs. LonWorks for Home Automation ???

Nov 16, 2004 7 Replies
F

I ask this question as a newbie to Home Automation, but coming from a background of commercial building automation (I work for a major OEM in that area).



In the commercial world, there's virtually no market penetration of X10-type powerline communications devices, almost everybody talks either LonWorks (or, to a lesser extent, a few other proprietary protocols like IMPACC) with a slight-but-growing penetration of wireless ethernet devices. The fact that there's no commercial market makes me wonder how "seriously" I should take X10 if I want to do my own home automation ?



There's no disputing that X10 seems to "own" the home automation market. Or is there ? Is X10 the prevailing home automation standard because it's the best available technology - or because it's the cheapest and easiest given the skill level of the typical homeowner ?



Or are there other better alternatives ? I see a handful of LonWorks devices out there, but nowhere near the variety that X10 has. Is there anything else ?



- FM -


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D

There is also Crestron, and AMX. But both of those systems are hardwired, and not geared for the DIY crowd

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W

LonWorks just never pursued the market. X10 sucks. LonWorks is great stuff but it's probably beyond the abilities of most retail customers to install, program and operate. Oh but I *wish* LonWorks would try the residential market. But as it stands the commercial market is probably much more cost effective. They can sell units at higher prices and don't have to stand up a support network for all the retail idiots that would call asking questions. I think that has more to do with it than anything else.

-Bill Kearney

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A

I agree, and I still use it extensively because I don't know of any alternative as a low cost flexible control LAN with no pre-wiring. I wish that the companies involved would collaborate to create a protocol which was more reliable (with ack/nack) and less vulnerable to interference.

Tony

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F

Yes, this pretty much supports what I've been discovering after a week or so's research - Everybody seems to dislike X10 but use it because it's available.

Searching on the web implies that there IS some residential LonWorks stuff out there, but when I dig deeper it usually turns out to be for the European or Asian/Pacific markets. Living in the Portland Oregon area, I'm unable to find a single local dealer or distributor that has any LonWorks product - or even as much as a simple demo kit - they could actually show me. Closest I've been able to find is mail-order from Engenuity in Chandler AZ

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. But I'm hesitant to do blind mail order, I'd want to see a real demo first.

- FM -

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D

I've used Engenuity for mail order, seem to be alright.

But I agree, Lonworks is not for the faint of heart (or short of cash) but you do get a rock solid system.

I've got a 100 node system in my house, and it fully integrates lighting, climate, security etc.

Regards

David

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D

Perhaps.

But, as far back as their first press releases, PCS said UPB was dirt cheap to manufacture. Yet, they introduced it at a premium price. That's probably a guarantee that it will fail to get adequate market share.

How many people use A10?

If SmartHome's Insteon proves reliable (Color me dubious.), UPB will disappear, especially if Insteon is, as claimed, priced at X-10 levels and backwards compatible to X-10. (Their specs say they use 131.5kHz for PLC so I'm not sure how well they will be able to control X-10 devices or respond to X-10 commands.)

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