Re: HA Primer - Pos and cons of X-10, Z-wave, Insteon, UPB

["Robert L Bass" <no-sales-spam@bassburglaralarms>]

> Z-Wave requires a minimal density of modules
> to assure coverage. This plus their 4 hops max
> limits the physical size of a network although
> one supplier now offers a system with 7 hops
> max...

Mr. Houston is wrong about this.  Standard
Z-Wave systems with "only" 4 hops can handle
extremely large homes.  If the controller is
centrally located, 4 hops in every direction
can cover a home that is ~200 long by ~200 feet
wide.  That's quite a bit larger than the average
HA palace.

> Lutron has a strong patent on two-way RF
> operated switches which is likely to further
> delay market acceptance and add cost...

So far, Lutron's patent has not hindered development
or market acceptance of Z-Wave in the least.  It has
not cost anything either.  Lutron's patent is too weak
to prevent anyone from placing a 2-way RF module
inside a junction box.  That's like saying that Victrola
could keep anyone else from making a record player.
They'll press their lawsuit as far as they can in hopes
of maintaining their market position a little longer, but
price competition as well as the fact that Z-Wave is
compatible with far more systems than Lutron will
doom Radio RA.

> (for royalties and court costs). There has been
> very little user feedback here.

There has been plenty of negative comment from one
individual who rarely mentions that he has never tried
it.

> Zigbee is not, in and of itself, a home automation
> protocol. There are some manufacturers supplying
> Zigbee based HA devices but devices from various
> manufacturers do not interoperate...

Z-Wave devices from different manufacturers
generally do interoperate.  There are over a hundred
manufacturers developing or already marketing
Z-Wave compatible hardware.

> Zigbee based devices may also run afoul
> of Lutron's patents...

or not.

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

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