Re: Lighting switch state communication

["intergate news groups" <djraher@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dave,

Thanks for the input. I was under the impression that the reliability of the
X10 and INSTEON units was quite questionable.  The timeliness of the Z-Wave
signal, if your just talking about 5 seconds or less, isn'tan issue, if the
signal can be counted on getting there. Since I am not interested in fancy
lighting effects, but just simple on/off condition dependent triggers, I am
wondering if I am looking at the wrong group of lighting controls. I even
thought that a rack of relays controlling the 110V lights, and triggered by
momentary switches in each room, Through the ELK control panel would meet
the need, but it seemed there should be a better solution.

Dennis

"Dave Houston" <nobody@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:45cdeae8.1828713000@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> "intergate news groups" <djraher@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>>I am planning out my new home HA system, and one of the requirements is to
>>have a light switch status, or more precisely, change in status,
>>communicated back to the ELK system I will be using. It dawned on me that
>>my
>>plans to use X10, INSTEON, or Z-wave may not RELIABLY provide this
>>capability. I had been thinking that if I changed the light in question
>>via
>>IR, that the communication of status would work, but not so if the switch
>>itself was used.  Has anyone any real life experience with communicating
>>switch status using any of these protocols?
>>
>>Dennis
>>
>
> Smarthome-manufactured two-way X-10 switches and modules transmit (preset
> Dim codes) when there is a change. Insteon switches and modules can also
> be
> programmed to transmit on a status change - you need to program your
> controller to receive/report them.
>
> I'm not as familiar with UPB but believe they can also transmit on a
> status
> change.
>
> Some Leviton switches and some X-10 made modules transmit when there is a
> change but they send extended X-10 codes and not all software can handle
> that.
>
> I'm not familiar with the various ELK systems so cannot say whether they
> can
> handle preset and/or extended X-10 codes or whether their Insteon and UPB
> add-on modules can be programmed to receive the changes.
>
> Z-Wave cannot do this in a timely manner.
>
> http://davehouston.net
> http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/roZetta/
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