Re: What is the best solution for PC based lighting control?

[Marc_F_Hult <MFHult@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Wed, 04 Oct 2006 11:35:08 -0400, Marc_F_Hult <MFHult@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote in message  <epi7i2t2adda0lgkqirj2lvolbks89loh0@xxxxxxx>:

>Also, your "winner takes all " requirement/perspective implies that the only
>acceptable solution is a solution that uses _one_ hardware solution
>exclusively.
>
>Why assume that a priori? By doing so, in some cases you may preclude
>arriving at _any_ solution. For example, you may need a different solution
>for your garage than for your house because of differences in situation and
>limitations. I use X-10 (only a couple of places left) INSTEON, and a variety
>of home brew and standardized hardwired lighting and control. The issues I
>have with their co-integration revolve almost entirely around _software_
>compatibility (I'm behind in writing custom code) and has next to nothing to
>do with their intrinsic hardware functionality/functioning.

The follow-on thought that my brain provided but my fingers didn't output is
that if I needed to add more functionality with more, different technologies,
I wouldn't hesitate to do so regardless of what was a "winner" in the
_overall_ market.

I still have X-10 in a few places where there is no 110VAC neutral wire. One
solution, presently implemented, is to live with the installed X-10 WS467's
which don't need neutrals. Or I could adopt an RF protocol. Or remove the X-10
and make it entirely manual. Or run neutral wire so as to be able to install
INSTEON. Or convert to hardwired dimmer via DMX512. Or by centralized custom
dimmer. Or ... There is no single "winner" -- only an array of acceptable
solutions.

... Marc
Marc_F_Hult
www.ECOntrol.org