Re: X10 still around?

[Marc F Hult <MFHult@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Wed, 21 Sep 2005 02:46:30 GMT, "Solo Rider" <none@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
message  <aQ3Ye.354332$x96.323814@attbi_s72>:


>
>I've done the X-10 based HA successfully, to the point where it worked
>without a lot of tinkering.  (HAI rocks),   However, its not the right
>answer for the long term.  The right answer is clearly hard wired ala
>CentralLite or equivalent.  All the smarts in one place, minimal power
>dissipation.  Cost are up front, not recurring.  The issue there is long
>term parts supply.  Vendors go out of business, parts go obsolete, etc.
>However, all in all we think it is the superior approach.
>

In my opinion, ability to overcome obsolescence  is one of the *advantages*
of hard-wired lightingwith a central, home-runned design. The wires
themselves are the expensive part and are not made obsolete with time unlike
proprietary RF and powerline systems in which the _entire_ investment may be
lost.

The main active component(s) is the dimmer panel. The one shown here

http://www.econtrol.org/ssr_panel.htm

in homebrew, but is effectively the same as commercial ones with the addition
of dimming controls.  So it is unlikely to be obsolete anythime soon --
although it has already been supplemented/replaced ;-) More about this on my
site later.

These parts of my system shown here

http://www.econtrol.org/16-pos_ak.htm

are decidedly _different_ from anything available for purchase, and -- not
surprisingly -- I think are _better_ than anything available for purchase.

I explain various fail-back modes that make even a homebrew hard-wired system
resistant to obsolescence here:

http://www.econtrol.org/modes.htm

Hope This Helps ... Marc
Marc_F_Hult
www.ECOntrol.org