Re: XTB, reliablity, etc.

["Robert Green" <ROBERT_GREEN1963@xxxxxxxxx>]

"Marc_F_Hult" <MFHult@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:d45jn2ljamrp7ol9480f4rlnhf0kcrrj2h@xxxxxxxxxx
> On Fri, 8 Dec 2006 09:16:57 -0500, "Robert Green"
<ROBERT_GREEN1963@xxxxxxxxx>
> wrote in message  <CbKdnWAfvr2a6OTYnZ2dnUVZ_omdnZ2d@xxxxxxx>:
>
>
> >I'll agree it's not a perfect solution but 4 more XTB's arrived today
> >(Thanks Jeff!) that I will be dispersing around the house to cover the
few
> >remaining blind spots.  The ones I have had in place for a number of
months
> >have behaved flawlessly so I thought I would invest in some more units
and
> >some Smarthome Controlinc Maxis.  The ability to easily and reliably
access
> >all 256 device codes from a single controller is great.  Now I'll have 8
of
> >them spread throughout the house and that means a controller is never
more
> >than a few steps away.  Adding a few TM751's and CM11A's enhanced by the
XTB
> >pretty much brings me back to where I feel X10 *should* be.
> >
> >I was thinking about car analogies and I would say that X10 is like a 30
> >year old car that's got its issues, but happens to get 100 mpg.
>
> Sounds more like a 1989 buick with $1000 wheels, fake fur seat covers  and
> other addon doodads ;-)

Mebbe.  All I know is that the wiring won't stand changing out all the
switches many more times and if I want to restore the old toggle switches
without fear of breaking a wire in the wall when I move, I'm ahead by
leaving well enough alone.   The next project is a detector that senses the
sorts of power blips that X10 is prone to and resets any units that turn on
accidentally after such a blip to OFF.  As someone who's implemented more
than my share of new PC systems and SW, I know full well that any upgrade
causes a lot of disruption.  I'm only willing to make such a substantial
change in a new environment, like a new house, where porting the old system
would be just about as painful as installing a new one.

> Four _more_ ? Have you ever calculated what all the X-10 expenditures have
> cost you over the years. And how much you would have earned had you spent
the
> time tinkering with it on, say, a paper route or mowing lawns instead? Or
> better yet, pulling wire?

Actually I *do* have a database with all my X10 equipment recorded in it.
It tracks original cost, replacement cost, manufacture date, firmware
revisions and where each device is located in the house.  I track
replacement cost because so many items were acquired at a very deep discount
and I want to be able to replace them all if there's a fire or storm surge
or some such other disaster so they are "listed" items for which I pay a
premium.  One of the reasons I expanded X10, even though I really would like
a hard-wired system is that we aren't going to be living here much longer.

While we put up with the enormous problems caused by pulling out all the old
windows and replacing them with Andersons shortly after moving in, neither
one of us is willing to go through that incredibly disruptive process (dust
from the event is still being discovered) for a hardwired lighting control
system.  The payback just isn't big enough, although it clearly was worth
the disruption to replace old, badly caulked single-pane windows with
thermopane insulated glass.  That renovation had saved us thousands on our
heating and cooling bills and provided significant noise reduction.  A
hardwired HA system, at least in my opinion, would not produce those kinds
of returns and so we muddle through with X10.  Turbocharging the most often
used controllers will have a big payback in terms of lights not missing the
"ALL OFF" signal and burning all night.

> Betcha coulda hadda hard-wired system ... ;-)

Actually, when it comes time, I'll be selling all my X10 stuff on Ebay and
that $ will contribute nicely to the cost of a hardwired system.  I think
I'll be able to recapture a substantial part of my investment, especially
with the XTB's.  More importantly, by buying them, I got to help support
Jeff's work in improving quality of life for X10 users.  I probably would
not have bought nearly as many had Smarthome been selling them and, in fact,
I will put my mostly useless Boosterlincs up for auction soon since the XTB
outperforms them in every aspect and costs about the same.

> (All in fun -- like playing with HA OK?) ... Marc

OK

--
Bobby G.