Re: X10 to Insteon Translator is shipping!

[nobody@xxxxxxxxxxxx (Dave Houston)]

I have no idea whether Insteon will pass the test but if it does it will
answer all the questions about how noise immune it is.

"BruceR" <br@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

>I'll try that test with the X10 signals both with and without the
>translator plugged in and report the results later next week. Since most
>of my X10 stuff works just fine it would be just dandy if the two can
>coexist and I can upgrade as needed. One thing I've noticed is that when
>an X10 macro executes, some lights may not come on - always the same
>ones. Just changing the order that they're listed in the macro can solve
>that sometimes. I'm hoping that Insteon will be a solution for that.
>
>From:Dave Houston
>nobody@xxxxxxxxxxxx
>
>> Bruce,
>>
>> Insteon uses BPSK modulation which is reputed to have good noise
>> immunity. Two phases (180° apart) are used to denote logical 1 and 0.
>> The problem with X-10 is that the receivers (especially the older
>> designs) can be blocked by low level noise as high as 200kHz.
>>
>> One test I only thought of after I had returned the Insteon starter
>> kit would be to flood the line with X-10 (e.g. by holding down a
>> button on an HR12A) and sending an Insteon signal. Of course, that
>> won't work with the translator in the system.
>>
>> 131.65kHz is likely to be affected by the same signal sinks as X-10
>> so I think filters will still be needed. Many problems blamed on
>> "noise" are really due to signal sinks. The Insteon receivers are
>> more sensitive (10mV) than most X-10 receivers which will help some.
>>
>> "BruceR" <br@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>
>>> I placed my order for the X10 to Insteon Translator along with the
>>> Insteon starter kit and some other Insteon products and got
>>> confirmation that it shipped today. I was pleasantly surprised by
>>> this as the translator was not shown "in stock" yet on Smarthome's
>>> web site. I'll report on it after I play with it next week.  I plan
>>> to install the modules in some trouble spots around the house to
>>> give them a good workout.  I will be using a JDS Stargate to control
>>> them. Stay tuned!
>>>
>>> I'm really keeping my fingers crossed on this because Insteon seems,
>>> for now, to offer a broader line of products at more reasonable
>>> prices than the UPB stuff. I played with a UPB starter kit but
>>> didn't go far with it since it couldn't be readily controlled by
>>> Stargate. In reading the Insteon description it appears that it uses
>>> PLC at 131kHz, just 10kHz higher than X10 signals. While that would
>>> seem to intimate that it would be just as susceptible to "signal
>>> anomalies" I guess that the closed loop operation, RF capability and
>>> different signal protocol is supposed to get around that.
>>>
>>> P.S. Stargate is now offering a firmware upgrade to support UPB but
>>> it requires removal of the telephone/IVR board (thereby downgrading
>>> it to a Stargate Lite) to do that. I rely too much on the telephone
>>> board to remove it. Of course, there's the recently announced X10 to
>>> UPB translator option if the Insteon stuff is a bust.
>>>
>>> Happy Holidays to All!
>