What system to use when re-wiring?

["Timothy Morris" <timmorris@xxxxxxx>]

I'm using a simple x-10 system (with ActiveHome) at the moment to control
the following:

4 lighting circuits (all wall switches)
3 Curtains
1 Door Strike

In the next 12 months I will be moving to a house which will be completely
gutted and rebuilt (I'm wheelchair bound, and that is the easiest way to
cater for special needs)

As more or less an academic excercise I've been looking around as to what
I'd install If pre-wiring.

I don't really need or want appliance control, or Computer networking, I'm
just looking at lighting and curtains, however any suggestions would be
welcome.

The things I like about the current system are:

Scenes (using ActiveHome)
Individual control of each lamp (or curtain) when necessary
Infra Red remote control of both (I use a Philips Pronto)

Minuses:
Lights can't be ramped up slowly from off, having to go to full on first.
It all has a bit of a hobbyist look and feel to it (certainly the products
we get in the UK do anyway)

The one product I have come across which looks impressive is the Lutron
Graphiceye 3000/4000 range, it does seem to have a couple of limitations
though:

1. Number of scenes is limited
2. Direct control of each zone does not appear to be possible via IR
remote.

So far as I see it there are two options:

1. Look for a product which does what the Lutron does but with out the two
limitations listed above

2. Pray that X10 in Europe "grows up" prior to the impending
move. Ideally
the two things I'd like to see are a DIN rail dimmer that is able to ramp
up
from zero and supports two way communication. Remote Wall switches (even if
they have to be hard wired) which look reasonable, and perform well.

Comments please.

Tim.


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