Re: Insteon woes - I'm tempted to chuck the whole lot now.

[Marc_F_Hult <MFHult@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Bruce,

Many folks share your concerns, but PC's and OS's really have improved. Use
a low-power PC (notebook, tablet, laptop, or small motherboard), with XP
and it won't hang (leastways my HA box hasn't in ~7 years post W98SE), or
make much heat or noise.

Consider a fanless power supply and change the fan on the CPU (if present)
and replace the hard drive at every Presidential election and it will run
until obsolete jist like they do ;-)  Since installing XP Pro, I can't
recall any of the 3-5 computers that run in the house 24x7 hanging up
except from lightning (which also took/takes out security panel, phone,
network), while installing new HW, SW or upgrade, or a few predictable
circumstances (eg memory fights between MS and Adobe w/ huge Photoshop
files and MS Media Center Edition when its doing most anything to do with
'media' ... )

My reservation about suggesting Homeseer is that it itself has sometimes
been one of the "predictable circumstances" I mentioned above.  Rev 2.0 was
a major re-write to .net. The first subsequent rev  (2.1 ?) came out
recently and is said to have many improvements but I haven't installed it
yet. Problems are/were mostly in the addons -- including the "free" INSTEON
module reportedly largely because of problems with the SmartLabs-provided
INSTEON driver.

YMMV .. Marc
Marc_F_Hult
www.ECOntrol.org


On Mon, 07 Aug 2006 05:37:16 GMT, "BruceR" <br@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
message  <gkABg.9764$Vq1.1461@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:

>I have the beta Houselinc Desktop (which I suspect as a possible culprit
>here) and the 2414X which, prior to the Houselinc install was working as
>designed. Houselinc detected the 2414X as a KeypadLinc.  I'll look at
>HomeSeer but I really prefer standalone units to having to run a PC
>24/7. I don't think I've ever had a PC run for a month or more without
>having to reboot or pay some attention to it. I travel a lot and
>sometimes for 30+ days so I prefer to stay away from reliance on a PC.
> The Stargate can send the TTL output to a TW523 or any desired ASCII
>string to a serial device.
>
> Marc_F_Hult wrote:
>> Bruce,
>>
>> Don't you also have the beta version of HouseLink?
>> And also running both X-10 and INSTEON?
>> With the 2414X Translator that never made it out of beta?
>>
>> FWIW, Rick Tinker at Homeseer is asking for input on what direction
>> to take their Stargate module (they may open-source it or they may
>> upgrade it -- in which case they would need to charge for it. If they
>> upgrade it yo 'good enough', you might consider Stargate <->Homeseer
>> <->INSTEON
>>
>> I won't comment on Rozetta for a variety of reasons but do point out
>> that new simpler INSTEON powerline modem is due out Real Soon, and a
>> new SDM was released on the 21st, and that an CM11a-->INSTEON
>> translator can be made using software only using virtual com ports.
>> Once the SDM is sufficiently stable, IMO that would be the preferred
>> route to talk to INSTEON rather than interposing yet another piece of
>> hardware. Of course if Stargate only talks TLL through TW523 instead
>> of RS-232 to CM11a (I dunno) that is not an option.
>>
>> ... Marc
>> Marc_F_Hult
>> www.ECOntrol.org
>>
>>
>> On Mon, 07 Aug 2006 02:33:02 GMT, "BruceR" <br@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> wrote in message  <yDxBg.16440$%a1.3305@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:
>>
>>> I'm using a JDS Stargate with no native Insteon support and waiting
>>> to replace the 2414X with RoZetta. If I can't coax the 2414X back to
>>> operation I'll pull the airgap on all "non-essential" Insteon devices
>>> and let them operate as X10. Hopefully, I can pull enough to allow
>>> the X10 signals through. I have an XTB so we shall see if enough X10
>>> is present to control these.  All these latest troubles started with
>>> the installation of HouseLinc Desktop but I can't prove and don't
>>> claim any relationship.
>>>
>>>
>>> Marc_F_Hult wrote:
>>>> On Mon, 07 Aug 2006 01:04:47 GMT, "BruceR" <br@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>>>> wrote in message  <PkwBg.10536$Ta6.1103@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:
>>>>
>>>>> Several of my Insteon devices have taken to linking or unlinking
>>>>> with other devices on their own. Anybody else having this problem?
>>>>> Additionally, one of my KPL's just turns itself off completely and
>>>>> has to be restarted and reprogrammed. Lastly, my 2414X Translator
>>>>> has put itself into setup mode and won't come out of it.  With all
>>>>> these problems I may just ship the whole load back and put the X10
>>>>> stuff or something else back in! This isn't fun anymore.
>>>>
>>>> Before I did that, I'd get rid of the 2414X Translator assuming that
>>>> your software has native INSTEON support. As I understand it, the
>>>> Translator never made it out of beta. You may experiencing some of
>>>> the reasons why it didn't as well as even more spurious interaction
>>>> with firmware released after they (apparently) gave up on it. Try
>>>> taking it out of the system to see if reduces the problems.
>>>>
>>>> If your software doesn't talk INSTEON, and the beta 2414X is indeed
>>>> much of the problem, consider an Elk MG1, even if primarily for the
>>>> purpose of controlling the INSTEON. But first check reactions to the
>>>> Elk-M1XSP Insteon version Firmware v.50.0.22 released 6/23/06. I can
>>>> do that for you in the Elk developer forum if you like.
>>>>
>>>> ... Marc (Homebrew Hardwired where it matters; INSTEON where it
>>>> doesn't ;-) Marc_F_Hult
>>>> www.ECOntrol.org
>