Re: Looking at Zwave products and need recommendations?

[nobody@xxxxxxxxxxxx (Dave Houston)]

Yes, you did get answers to questions I raised earlier. That you sought an
expert to answer those questions is commendable. That you continue to make
statements that cannot be supported by any evidence is not. You once claimed
that a device made by X-10 worked better than any device made by X-10. You
didn't even know what you were selling.

The Z-Wave questions I raised were not nitpicking but valid technical
questions. The answers probably helped at least a few people better
understand their approach. I don't use Z-Wave. I can't afford to buy each
new technology that comes along just to test it. However, while I've never
had an apple fall on my head, I still understand the law of gravity. I
learned electronics (including RF) more than 40 years ago in the USAF, I
held an FCC radiotelephone license, my first personal computer was an
Osborne I, I spent most of my career in technical fields even though the
latter years were in management. I am technically competent. If you choose
to argue with me you'd better know your facts - I'll know mine.

I've said that Z-Wave devices will need 20-25' spacing, that they use a
proprietary protocol and a non-standard frequency. I've said they price
their SDK too high. I really haven't said much else yet get accused of
saying "bad" things. I've said far "badder" things about ZigBee. Until about
two years ago I said that ZigBee was a "solution in search of a problem"
that had been designed by a committee, had gone through about a dozen name
changes and was never likely to make it to market. It has made it to market
and there are many major companies supplying hardware while most of the
major companies "supporting" Z-Wave have only supplied press releases.

Who do you think manufactures the HomeSeer labeled Z-Wave products? Why do
you suppose that Zensys resisted introducing a serial version of the PC
interface despite the fact that, at heart, it was a serial interface with a
USB adapter grafted on?

Have you visited the HS forums? There are a lot of negative posts about
Z-Wave. I'd quote some but I'd be accused of bad-mouthing something I don't
own.

Proof? Read any of your posts. All exhibit multiple spelling errors and show
poor command of the English language. IIRC, you are attending college. I
suspect you get similar comments from most of your professors. You do not
present a very good image for your business and it's no surprise that people
might still buy elsewhere even after getting most of their information from
you and even when your price is lower.

As for technical details on HomePlug, see http://www.homeplug.org. There
have also been a few posts here from users saying that they use it with X-10
with no interference. I tend to note and remember such things while they
probably go over your head.

X-10 uses 120kHz, Insteon uses 131.65kHz, UPB says the capacitor discharge
pulses they use are in the 40kHz region. (UPB pulses contain multiple
frequencies.) HomePlug uses 4.5-21MHz (with some notches for ham bands in
the USA) for in house BPL but you can verify that at the above URL. (See the
white paper on HomePlug 1.0) They specifically state that HomePlug is
"compatible with other low speed powerline technologies like CEBus, X10 and
LonsWorks as they operate in different frequencies."

"Brian" <brian@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> If you
>> weren't technically incompetent (in addition to being illiterate) you
>> might
>> know that.
>Technically incompetent Yes I would agree (Finally we agree on something).
>But I'm in constant commication with very technically competant engineers in
>THEIR field. I answered your questions about Zwave that NoOne else could.
>Not myself but by a person who IS very competant to speak about Zwave as he
>designed it. When other dealers ignored your questions. Illiterate well
>prove it to me.
>
>> I can honestly say the same thing that some dealers who post here say. No
>> one has complained about any Z-Wave stuff they bought from me. ;)
>
>People have complained about Zwave just as they have about x10 and UPB. They
>all have issues.
>
>I speak from first hand expirence! I actually would hope they buy UPB as the
>profit margin is greater as Zwave is close to X10 margin..
>
>>Z-Wave is proprietary (and
>> very closely allied with HomeSeer).
>I'm still waiting for your Very Competent information on this baseless
>statement about Allied with Homeseer.
>But then again I'm a Homeseer User and not compentent to speak about
>Homeseer or Zwave!