Re: Product Idea: X10 to UPB/Zigbee/Insteon translator

[nobody@xxxxxxxxxxxx (Dave Houston)]

Insteon already supports X-10 although not with a TW523 emulation.

I think SmartHome would balk at supporting UPB and vice versa and given that
both licenses would be involved I doubt a ménage-à-trois would get off the
ground.

I assume you want TW523 emulation so it would work with your JDS gear,
HomeVision, HAI, etc. but I think the TW523 protocol would be far too
restrictive to make best use of either Insteon or UPB.

I can say that I was approached to be a beta tester for a planned UPB/X10
bridge. I turned it down because of my health and I will not say any more. I
don't know whether the project had the blessing of PCS.

I was impressed with the reliability of Insteon. My brief tests were not
conclusive but others are beginning to post good reports also so I think
it's a potential winner. You may soon see HAI and others offering an Insteon
interface. I think PCS made a mistake when they priced UPB at a premium
level.

There may soon be another player. HomePlug is working on a simpler
specification (and lower cost chip) for home automation. Yitran already has
a similar chip which includes the SCP protocol.

"BruceR" <br@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

>I don't know how big a deal it would be but I wonder about the
>feasibility and marketability of a device that would accept the same
>connection & signal input that the TW523 uses to then translate and
>issue a command in one of the newer HA formats. The device could be
>specific to one translation or could be a more universal device that
>could do all three.
> I think that such a device would be helpful in propagating the new
>technologies while enabling a user to use their "legacy" controller and
>support multiple formats rather than having to scrap everything and
>start over.
> Opinions? Dave H?
>