Re: X10 replacement?

[Marc_F_Hult <MFHult@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Wed, 04 Oct 2006 17:46:11 GMT, Joerg
<notthisjoergsch@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
<DrSUg.19384$Ij.191@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:

>HLS wrote:
>> HLS wrote:
>>
>>>Joerg wrote:
>>
>>
>>>>Interesting. Ours doesn't have it but next time I'll ask whether they
>>>>can order starter kits etc. Prices that I've seen elsewhere were a bit
>>>>steep, like $39.99 for a light switch relay. Don't know if that'll fly
>>>>with the average consumer and those are the guys who need to be
>>>>convinced. We'll see.
>>>
>>>I agree that $40 for a wall switch is too much.  Likewise, $85 to $95
>>>for a receptacle, is WAY too much.  Standard wall switches start at
>>>just over a dollar and go as high as $7 or $8, some fancy models might
>>>be over $10.  I understand these will cost a bit more but $40?
>>
>>
>> I just did a quick count (in my head, I probably missed two or three).
>> There are 27 standard wall switches controlling lights in my house.
>> There is a single dimmer for the dining room light.  Further, there are
>> ten switches wired in five three-way configurations and three more
>> wired to a single set of lights (three fixtures).  Assuming I could
>> simply replace each of these 41 switches with this $40 switch, it would
>> run me $1,640 just for light switches!  And of course there are the ten
>> or so pull switches on overhead lights in closets and in the basement.
>> Of course, those items don't seem to be available anyway.  Receptacles,
>> at $95 each will get out of control even faster.
>>
>
>Don't forget the controllers, remotes, software etc. Pushes you above
>$2k in a jiffy. IMHO this will not fly at the $40 a pop price level. The
>ICON series leads into the right direction by offering lower prices. But
>it has to work and most people (including me) have now adopted a
>wait-and-see attitude when it comes to HA. Because X10 was a bit of a
>disappointment.

My arithmetic comes quite differently using actual, today's prices from
http://www.smarthome.com/prodindex.asp?catid=74

Homeseer 2.0 software with INSTEON USB controller Part 12660    $200
Keypad Dimmer INSTEON Starter Kit - Part 2493			$160
	two signal enhancers, 2 V2 dimmers, Wall keypad/dimmer
Plug-In Dimmer INSTEON Starter Kit - Part 2490			$100
	Desktop controller, two signal enhancers, 2 lamp modules

36 ICON dimmers and ICON lamp modules  (any mix)                $720
(36 _more_-- Yikes! Is the choice *really* "41 dimmers or nothing" ?)

Shipping							 $20
Total  	 							$1200
In other words, No. It is not "over $2k". For a complete system with 31
(thirty-one) dimmers it is 1/2 that ( $979.71 + shipping to be more exact).

And its hippo-think IMO to assume one needs to be able to automate _every_
light to decide to automate _anything at all_.  One could do *most* of what
most folks need and want with half that.

I started with (effectively) the specials in the first three lines and added
an admixture of one-of-each-of-everything because I'm a Curious George ...

FWIW, the ICON wall dimmers use identical cases, leads, PCBs (including gold
plating) as the V2 dimmers that cost twice as much -- the only visible
difference to my eyes is the number of LED's that are actually populated on
the boards and thus the number of LED aperture in the plastic front. One
can't tell if the TRIACS are the same part number without drilling out the
rivet, and I'm not _that_ curious ;-) Newer V2's also have a larger choke.

... Marc
Marc_F_Hult
www.ECOntrol.org