Re: Time for HA, finally. Thinking Insteon. Mulling this for 20 years. What is best?

["BruceR" <razrbruce@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Yes, similar to the Elk but the Stargate is MUCH more powerful than the
Elk. I don't trust leaving HA functions to a PC as HomeSeer requires.
The Stargate also has, although no longer offered, an IVR board which I
use extensively.  For example, when I leave the house, based on which
garage door is opened, calls are forwarded to my mobile. When I come
home, the forwarding is automatically cancelled. The SG also calls to
let me know when the mail arrives or a package is delivered as well as
when the gardener arrives. Lots of other stuff too.

 Marc_F_Hult wrote:
> Ah yes. You explained this before. Sorry. So in this usage, a RoZetta
> + Stargate is the approximate equivalent of an Elk M1G with its native
> INSTEON interface in firmware.
>
> The Elk M1G will also interface with X-10 RF interface through a WGL
> or other receiver with RS-232 output so one can use X10 wireless (RF)
> protocol with INSTEON (native mode) without the use of a 24x7 HA PC
> or X-10 Power Line Control protocol. I take it that this is another
> use to which the RoZetta might be put in the absence of an Elk M1G or
> 24x7 HA PC running (eg) HomeSeer.
>
> ... Marc
> Marc_F_Hult
> www.ECOntrol.org
>
> On Thu, 4 Jan 2007 13:01:39 -1000, "BruceR"
> <razrbruce@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> <459d8753$0$7701$4c368faf@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:
>
>> I'm using most of the Insteons in X10 mode until the RoZetta is
>> ready. The problem is that I have everything programmed in my
>> Stargate and there is no Insteon equivalent to the Stargate. Alas,
>> Stargate only sends X10 so I need to translate the X10 signals to
>> Insteon.  The Insteon translator that I got as a beta is frozen in
>> some unknown mode and has lost about half of the programmed
>> translations.  Once I have the RoZetta installed (soon!) I will be
>> able to pretty much eleiminate X10 signaling entirely.
>>
>>  At that point the XTB II will most likely move to my Houston home
>> which will continue to use X10. I will, however, use XTB I units to
>> amplify signals from X10 controllers that I still may need.
>>
>> Marc_F_Hult wrote:
>>> On Thu, 4 Jan 2007 10:33:31 -1000, "BruceR"
>>> <razrbruce@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>>> <459d649d$0$8958$4c368faf@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:
>>>
>>>> Jeff, Right you are about X10 reliability falling off as more
>>>> Insteon devices are installed but you, sir, have solved that
>>>> problem (at least for me) with your XTB II product.  I have about
>>>> 60 Insteon devices right now and untill installing the XTB II the
>>>> X10 signals were almost worthless evem with an ACT repeater.  Now,
>>>> with the XTB II installed at a panel and in TW523 emulation mode,
>>>> I have no X10 problems at all!
>>>
>>> Bruce,
>>>
>>> Please refresh my memory. Why is it that you use INSTEON in the X-10
>>> compatibility mode rather than natively?
>>>
>>> The native mode has numerous capabilities that (at least) legacy
>>> X-10 does not including signal repeating, the ability to 'discover'
>>> INSTEON devices, give them names/descriptors ("bathroom mirror
>>> light") and download them to the devices for future reference,
>>> determine device type and revision number, and so on.
>>>
>>> Are these capabilities also available in the X-10 compatibility
>>> mode?
>>>
>>> TIA ... Marc
>>> Marc_F_Hult
>>> www.ECOntrol.org