Re: No more X10 at Radio Shack?

["Bill Kearney" <wkearney99@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

> Ah, now I understand.  You are arguing the X10 company, not the X10
> protocol.  I agree you get what you pay for in quality from X10.  But what
> do you expect in a device that has to be made for a few bucks?  I never
> liked the spongy mechanical feel to their wall switches.  While those
worked
> fine for almost two decades at our last house, we upgraded to Leviton
here.

Well, partially.  It's true that better made devices utilizing the X10
scheme tend to "suck less" than the retail and online crap that X10 has
peddled to the public.  But it still doesn't change the fact that modern
residences are *going* to have devices present that *will* induce failures
in even those better made devices.  Thus the partial aspect of the
criticism.  Better made gear faced with modern setups still makes it a bad
idea to continue bothering with X10.  At least a bad enough idea that I'd
strongly caution anyone attempting HA to just avoid X10 entirely.

> I can't comment on there recent software

Yeah, and as long as you don't use X10's software or X10's own interfaces
you're less likely to see most of the problems.  Again, a winning point on
losing more retail channels peddling the crappy stuff.  Still, only "less
worse" not anywhere near enough to "better" to make it something advisable
for novice users to attempt.

> Lets face it, X10 is after the low end market.  If you want "quality" X10
> products, go with a company like Leviton.

Well, stretching it to "quality" isn't something I agree with.

> > Seeing as how you're peddling a "solution" to the X10 problems it's
rather
> > disingenuous to believe any opinions you're spouting here.
>
> Most of my posts have been directed at helping increase the reliability of
> their X10 systems.

Ok, fair point and you've done an GREAT job of that.  You do see my point
however.

> Bottom line is that X10 (the protocol) is getting a raw deal from people
> like yourself.

If it's going to go into a modern residential environment it should be able
to deal with it.  It's not a matter of people like me being the problem!

> In summary, X10 CAN offer a lot of bang for the buck for people willing to
> learn how to use it properly.

It's my opinion that as it stands today anything based on X10 has no place
being sold in the retail channel.  And that RadioShack's dropping them is a
good thing.  That's not the same as saying X10's worth the aggravation.

But hey, a thread full of debate's always a good thing!

-Bill Kearney