Automation Panel vs. Components

["E. Lee Dickinson" <lee@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

So, assume HomeSeer with a number of remote clients (Touchscreen PC, PDAs,
voice, phone, etc) as the primary front end:

I'm now faced with a decision between a number of discreet components, and
the selection of "all-in-one" automation panels.

I'll be integrating lighting control, HVAC, Security, Home Theater, and
whatever else I can think to do. Girl's as big a geek as I am, so WAF is not
a problem. :)

I'm leaning towards an Ocelot for HT, and a Secu16I for security inputs, and
a Secu16 for the various outputs and a few more inputs.  I'll also be
needing an interface for whichever lighting system I use (X10, UPB, Insteon
are the contenders, for me). A pair of HAI-RC80 thermostats should handle
HVAC nicely.

So going that route, I'm looking at around $500 in hardware, plus a messy
wiring cabinet and probably a good bit of coding work.

Compare that to one of the all-in-ones that integrates security, such as the
ElkM1G.  It looks to me like my starting cost is around $500 for an
all-in-one, plus I *still* need a bunch of daughter boards.. more IO (I like
discreet zones on my security sensors), etc.  The thermostats are at least
as expensive as the HAI, etc.

So the all-in-one approach seems significantly more expensive.

The benefits? Rock-solid security performance, and tighter integration.

My own background is in Entertainment Technology, where we're used to
cobbling systems together to make them work. So to me, the lower cost
approach is more appealing.  I can see how the all-in-one approach is more
appealing to someone with a background in security systems.

My usual question: What am I missing in my comparison, particularly in terms
of implied costs and possible pitfalls?

I yield to the experience and expertise of others.

:Lee