Re: Insteon Compatability with X-10

["BruceR" <br@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dave has it right. However, when I had an Ademco panel with X10 in my
old house I found it to be, shall we say, "less than robust" in it's
operation.  I use a Caddx panel now with a serial connection to the
Stargate.  There is a way to isolate the X10 from the powerline and I
plan try an experiment later this week. I'm going to plug the TW523
(similar to the Ademco transmitter) into the Translator and plug both
the translator and an RF repeater into a power strip that is plugged
into two piggybacked X10 filters to keep the X10 from getting on the
powerline.
 However, Dave mentioned that others are working on a TTL level
translator (sign me up!) so you could take the output of the Ademco that
goes to the X10 transmitter and plug it into the translator.

From:Dave Houston
nobody@xxxxxxxxxxxx

> I'll let Bruce confirm this but I think you will plug the translator
> into an outlet and then plug the Ademco transformer either into the
> "Always On" outlet on the translator or into another nearby outlet.
>
> The X-10 signals will reach the powerline. They won't be absorbed.
> But they shouldn't pose any problems unless there happens to be an
> Insteon command from another source on the powerline at the same
> time. If there is an occasional collision, the Insteon transmitters
> will try again (up to 5 times?) so there should be no problem.
>
> "gymfolks" <gymfolks@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>> Yes, I am building new and hope to avoid X-10 completely (except for
>> my alarm panel - Ademco Vista 20P -.... I like it for other
>> reasons).  Since the alarm panel transmits X-10 via a plug in
>> transformer, is it correct to assume that I could plug that
>> transformer DIRECTLY into the "X-10 to Insteon translator" (link
>> below)   http://www.smarthomepro.com/2414x.html#cart
>>
>> ...and have GREAT performance because X-10 is immediately converted
>> to Insteon?
>>
>> Would there be any ill effects from X-10 signal (possibly passing
>> through the translator)?  Or would the translator "absorb" all the
>> X-10 signal and just send out Insteon (remember that single source
>> of X-10 signal would be coming from the transformer that would be
>> plugged directly into the Insteon translator).
>>
>>
>>
>> "BruceR" <br@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> news:t8ayf.626$Ou1.6@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> You would use the X10 to Insteon Translator. It "hears" the X10
>>> signal and sends out the appropriate Insteon signal to activate an
>>> Insteon device that's been registered tot the translator. I'm using
>>> it now to translate from the Stargate Controller to Insteon.
>>>
>>> From:gymfolks
>>> gymfolks@xxxxxxxxxxx
>>>
>>>> Wow, great discussion on my other post.  THANKS you guys!
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> In reading over Insteon's white paper (please reference
>>>> http://www.insteon.net/pdf/insteoncompared.pdf ) I am confused
>>>> about
>>>> how compatible Insteon really is with older X-10 items (it says
>>>> Insteon devices can switch to X-10 mode) and how to "address the
>>>> older X-10 to Insteon" devices
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> The note below is from the white paper.
>>>>
>>>>  1.. At a minimum, X10 compatibility means that INSTEON and X10
>>>> signals can coexist with each other on the powerline without mutual
>>>> interference. INSTEON-only powerline devices do not retransmit or
>>>> amplify X10 signals. But X10 compatibility also means that
>>>> designers
>>>> are free to create hybrid INSTEON/X10 devices that operate equally
>>>> well in both environments. By purchasing such hybrid devices,
>>>> current users of legacy X10 products can easily upgrade to INSTEON
>>>> without making their X10 investment obsolete. I am NOT a present
>>>> X-10 user (so my question may be a bit "dumb" -
>>>> sorry)
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Here is my question:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> How would you set up the addressing so that a security panel
>>>> (Ademco Vista 20) that could send out X-10 signals to the proper
>>>> Insteon
>>>> device?  I read/understood how Insteon devices "learn to recognize"
>>>> each other, but with "X-10 signaling to Insteon", I am not sure how
>>>> that would be set up.