Re: X10 -> UPB?

[nobody@xxxxxxxxxxxx (Dave Houston)]

"Kurt Delaney" <kurt_dot_delaney@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

[snip]

>> Which of the switches you've listed have you used?
>
>I have used PCS, SwitchLinc (corrected my error above), and Leviton in a
>previous house.  I am currently evaluating what to use in our new house.
>
>> All of the switches you listed (except UPB) use X-10's PLC protocol so all
>> would appear to be oranges vs. one apple.
>
>I may have misundersood your previous comment.  I read it as you saying that
>UPB (new technology) is more expensive than X10 in general.  I was just
>trying to point out that for similiar functionality, they are about the same
>price.  Now, no manufacturer of UPB devices seem to be developing a
>bare-bones basic switch that competes against the $10 X10 switches -- I
>don't know if they ever will.

I think there is one important point. X-10 lamp & appliance modules are dirt
cheap. A lot of people would like to be able to continue using them while
slowly phasing in a more robust system. UPB doesn't allow that so its "all
or nothing" unless you want two different control systems.

X-10 also has wireless controls which are, so far, missing from UPB. I get
around with difficulty, leaning on a crutch or walker. With a few exceptions
(kitchen sink, bathrooms) I haven't touched a wall switch in years,
controlling nearly everything wirelessly.

If I were in your shoes, building anew, the one question I would like
answered is how UPB distinguishes the UPB "pulse" from similarly shaped
40-50V triac noise pulses? Perhaps there's enough difference in the
frequency content of the UPB "pulse" vs. other noise pulses but I'm dubious.

Also, I think it's a risky strategy to use a noise pulse as a data element.
While I recognize that one person's "noise" is another's rock'n'roll, when
everyone else in the world is trying to filter out things that look like
this I wonder how long it will be before we'll be reading about UPB signal
suckers.