Re: xPL/xAP an alternative to C-Bu$ ?

["David Buckley" <db@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

--- In ukha_d@xxxxxxx, "Frank Mc Alinden" <fmcalind@b...>
wrote:

>Not 100% on this but maybe you could use the Clipsal
> Dimmers and use  xPL-CGATE ....Would need to be some xPL
> enabled switch inputs and these could generate xPL-CBUS
> commands

Yes, Frank, you could, but the quality and reliability of the CBus
system is due top the fact it is a system.  Take the switches out
(and Gareth is right, they ain't cheap, even though they are pretty)
and you are left with some fairly average dimmers with a horrible
proprietry interface, that still cost quite a lot of dosh.

Whereas, a DMX512 4 channel 1K (5A) per channel, will drive anything
including halogens, neon and even power tools, is under 100 quid.
Granted, they are physicallt bigger, and in an uglier form factor
than din rail, but once they are screwed up around the place, all
that is forgotten.

There are other "systems", lutron, dynalite, EIB for example, but
my
experience to date is that they are not a million miles in pricing
from CBus.

Which leaves X10, which is cheap, unreliable and relatively
incapable, but it is affordable.

The problem is that there is nothing in between.

Except for something I built... but thats another story!