RE: CBus / X10 Opinions please

["Paul Gordon" <paul@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Seconded, - and would add the following:
=20
Definately put CAT5 wiring in now for CBUS, then you can easily implement
C=
BUS as/when you want to, - but, - I would recommend that you do this with
t=
he "proper" CBUS pink CAT5 cable... - Yes this does cost more
than bog-stan=
dard grey stuff (probably about double), - but it's still not a huge
expens=
e, - especially in the context of the cost of having a whole house built!
-=
=A350 instead of =A325 is hardly going to make a difference there is it! -=
The pink stuff does have a couple of advantages, - primarily that the pink=
outer jacket is mains rated, - this means it can be used in the same backb=
ox as mains cable without the physical seperation requirements that the
reg=
s dictate between mains/Low Voltage cables in the same enclosure. (I
imagin=
e that being a new build, you will be subject to inspections of your
wiring=
, so I guess conforming to the regs is probably an important consideration
=
in your case...). Also, the different colour does make it a lot easier to
m=
anage back at the "node 0" point, - especially if you are also
running lots=
of other CAT5 runs in grey cable for the usual structured wiring purposes.=
..
=20
Secondly, I would suggest that your question is erroneous... - why choose
s=
trictly one or the other? - they are not mutually exclusive. Why not use
wh=
ichever technology is best suited to each individual application... - X10
i=
s undoubtedly cheaper(*) than CBUS, and maybe all that is justifiable in
ce=
rtain rooms? - also, there's no doubting the convenience of just being
able=
to bung in an X10 plug-in lamp or appliance module anywhere you like, at a=
moments notice and not have to worry about wiring contraints to the dedica=
ted bus (like when you decide you want to put a new table lamp
somewhere...=
). There are numerous ways that CBUS and X10 can be bridged, - you don't
sa=
y what your HA controller is, but most of them can be connected up to a
CBU=
S network to control it (A CBUS PCI module provides an RS232 port that can
=
be used to control the CBUS loads for example).
=20
(*) - Although X10 is cheaper than CBUS, does it really work out *that*
muc=
h cheaper in the long run, given that if you decide to upgrade to CBUS
late=
r on, then likely any investment you have made in the X10 kit will be
waste=
d... - As I always say: "To buy cheap is to buy twice"... -
Comparing the u=
p-front hardware costs, - and if you avoid using some of the more
"sexy" CB=
US items (like the Saturn switches and the touchscreens for instance),
then=
I think it is probably possible to to achieve CBUS lighting for not much m=
ore than about three times the cost of X10 per channel... - A quick check
o=
n the web shows that X10 DIN modules can be had for about =A325 if bought
i=
n 5-packs, and a 4-channel CBUS dimmer can be had for about =A3370
(=A392/c=
hannel) - however the CBUS costs can be reduced substantially if you
attend=
the 2-day CBUS training course in Coventry, since you will not only walk a=
way from the course with a load of CBUS kit (worth more than the course
cos=
ts!), but you should also then be entitled to the CBUS discount programme
w=
hich affords you significant savings (I can't remember the percentages
righ=
t now, but is something like a quarter off the price)....
=20
One other potential advantage that I have heard mentioned elsewhere, is
tha=
t CBUS is counted as an energy management system, and therefore excuses
you=
from the nanny-like requirements to use those poxy low energy light bulbs =
that I believe is now mandatory in new builds... (I'm not sure of the
facts=
of this situation, it's just something I have seen mentioned on the selfbu=
ild site..)
=20
Lastly of course, is the fact that X10 isn't really going anywhere any
more=
... - the US seems to have a much more active X10 market, and so they do
se=
em to get a fair amount of progress, new R&D, new modules being
released et=
c... Over here, we seem to get very little in the way of development of
the=
X10 technologies... - it takes *years* for new modules to trickle out out =
in UK format... - how many new X10 modules have there been in the UK in
the=
last 5 years for instance... - I can only think of a few....  Whereas CBUS=
for example appears to be taking off like a rocket these days... - hardly =
a year goes by without a slew of new CBUS modules being released.. - all
of=
which is just my opinion of coourse, but from my perspective, CBUS is the =
system with the greatest-looking future...
=20
HTH
=20
Paul G.
=20
=20

________________________________

From: ukha_d@xxxxxxx on behalf of Jim Noble
Sent: Tue 16/08/2005 12:25
To: UKHA_D Group
Subject: Re: [ukha_d] CBus / X10 Opinions please



David wrote:

>I would like peoples opinions please on the CBus X10 argument. I'm
>having a new home being built and it will be time to put in the wiring
>in the next few weeks and I am completely unable to decide on CBus or
>X10. I know on the surface everyone will yell CBus because of
>reliability but I have had a small X10 system in my current home and
>never had one problem with it. Obviously pricing is expensive on CBus
>but I want to make a wise informed decision for the future. I also use
>HomeSeer and MainLobby can I integrate CBus in to HomeSeer so that the
>graphical MainLobby program will control the CBus and also report
>status. I would rather not buy comfort or homevision to do integration
>as I already have an HA Controller.
>=20
>

Cat5 is cheap. Installing it retrospectively is expensive.

So, wire for cbus now, and decide later. Or use both.

(Oh and be sure to follow the UKHA sanctioned protocol for choosing how
much cat5 to put in)

Jim