Re: Newbie Advice needed

["BruceR" <brNOSPAM@xxxxxxxxxx>]

First thing to do is start off with a little light reading of the links
I've listed which will just scratch the surface.
http://www.act-solutions.com/uncle.htm
 http://www.geocities.com/ido_bartana/
 http://www.stargateunofficial.com/
 http://www.edcheung.com/automa/ha.htm
 X-10 is a great way to get started and can be made very reliable. There
are new competitors entering the market with interesting technologies
that may eclipse X10 as they mature. X-10 is 30 year old technology but
it does a more than credible job in most applications. It is sensitive
to power line noise and maintaining signal integrity can be an ongoing
challenge. Two way operation is a bit "kludgy" and can cause more
problems than it solves.
 That said, I've been using X-10 products from X10, X10 Pro, Leviton,
ACT, Smarthome and others for over 20 years.  There are a number of
standalone controllers available, with the X10 ActiveHome taking a well
deserved place at the bottom of most people's list. Look at JDS Stargate
(what I use), Omni, Elk, HomeVision and Ocelet for worthwhile
alternatives. (Aploogies to any I've missed).
 Welcome to the world of HA!


From:Free
Free-spam-me-not@xxxxxxxxxx

> [I am posting this on USENET as well as YAHOO GROUPS - so if you
> monitor both, please bear with me.]
>
> I have been scouring the web for info for a couple of weeks, but there
> are some fundamental questions I cannot seem to resolve to my
> satisfaction.  I would appreciate any advice I can get.  I have a
> 2-story house with about 2000 sf per floor.  I want to start with some
> simple automation, but quickly move to more complex capabilities.
>
> I don't see any of the newer technologies coming anwhere close to X-10
> prices; and also they mostly don't have the wide selection of
> supported devices as X-10.  So, I think I am going to start with X-10,
> if reliability is anything close to tolerable.  Comments?
>
> X10.com seems to have excellent pricing.  SmartHome is pretty close.
> Is X-10 technology implementation any better with either one of these?
> Any reason not to mix-and-match?  Does either have an edge in software
> robustness?  ActiveHomePro has a plug-in for conditional macros - does
> SmartHome have similar capability?
>
> I would prefer a stand-alone programmable controller (i.e. set it up
> with a USB-linked computer and then let it run alone), but I could
> dedicate an old W98-capable laptop to the task if that gave me a lot
> more flexibility.  How does computer control compare to the standalone
> X-10 (CM1xA or PowerLinc controllers)?
>
> Is there any difference between X10 and "X10 Pro" besides a longer
> warranty?
>
> I don't get X-10 "2 way".  If all devices are 2-way and support a
> report back of status, and if the controller can understand this
> status, it would seem that would solve intermittent transmission
> issues and X-10 would be near 100% reliable.  Apparently, it does not
> have "five 9's" reliability so I am left wondering what "2-way" does
> and why the controller cannot sense when a command has failed and
> retry until it works.  (Obviously, if a transmission is never able to
> be received, this wouldn't work but I would expect intermittent
> problems to be solvable.)  What am I missing?
>
> Thanks to you wise men!