Re: Insteon Review: The Finale

[nobody@xxxxxxxxxxxx (Dave Houston)]

Yesterday, SmartHome released a PDF entitled "Insteon: The Details" which
corroborates the points I had gleened from my limited hands on testing with
the starter kit (loaned to me by Martin Custer @ www.AutomatedOutlet.com).
Once they make it available on their website I will add a link from...

     http://www.mbx-usa.com/insteon.htm

There are standard and extended message formats. Standard messages require 6
half cycles (5 bursts + 1 idle) and extended messages require 13 half cycles
(11 bursts + 2 idle). The idle cycles allow enough time to send the code via
RF to the other phase (which is far simpler than X-10 coupler/repeaters).

Each code starts with sync bits (10101010 for PLC) from which the receiver
can derive the clock and decide which phase represents 1 and which
represents 0. The BPSK modulation scheme is highly noise resistant.

The bursts are 1.8mS wide and start 0.8mS before ZC.

To avoid powerline storms, the number of repeats is limited.

Best case (no repeat necessary), it executes faster than X-10. Worst case
(max hops) its slower than X-10. It should be far more reliable than X-10
but will have to deal with the same signal suckers that bother X-10. If
there are problems, it may be very difficult to troubleshoot.

It has built-in security to block signals from outside the system and
includes provisions for encryption (inadequate in and of itself) and/or
rolling codes for secure applications. Rolling codes are secure.

It looks good on paper. I think they have addressed most of the issues that
denizens of CHA are familiar with. Only time will tell whether it works as
well in practice. I was impressed during my brief test period but have been
burned before by SmartHome designs.

For developers, the license terms are draconian. They charge for SDK
support. They use their SALad language which, those few who tried it 5-6
years back universally condemned as lousy, (Google CHA for SALad.) so I
would demand to see the documentation for it before agreeing to anything.
FWIW, in a former life I ran a multimillion dollar international company in
a technical field. I've been through license negotiations and, having held a
few patents, have been through that process, as well. I would not even have
asked our attorney to review the Insteon license agreement as I know it
would only have cost us several hundred dollars for him to tell me how bad
it was.