Re: Open Source

["Robert L Bass" <RobertLBass@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

"Karl Denninger" wrote:
>
> The point here is that 30' is woefully inadequate and also somewhat optimistic in many circumstances...

You're wrong on this one, Karl.  There are Z-Wave installations in homes well over 7,000 sf in area.  Properly planned, you can do
almost any size home.

> (especially if the switch is inside and the next "node" is beyond a brick or other exterior facing, with several worse than brick
> (e.g. aluminum siding is a quite-effective shield at 900Mhz!)

Like all other RF technologies, Z-Wave installations need to deal with reflections, obstructions, etc.  Fortunately, the Z-Wave mesh
network allows signals to automatically find another path if one is blocked.  Are there locations where Z-Wave simply won't do the
job?  Certainly, but they are far fewer than you might imagine.

Also, please note that 30' is the *suggested* range between nodes in the average home.  It is far from the functional limit.

> Correct; Zwave inside the house works fine.  The problems arise when you want to do something like have a sensor in the garage
> (without a node in the middle) - that one is easily solved, but the dock or Gazebo is another matter...

That one's not so tough either.  PLace a Z-Wave device on the outside of the house under the eaves and facing the dock.  You should
be good for 100' or so.

> I'm well aware of the options; I am saying that this is a particularly stupid workaround to need when most homes will have a
> plethora of line-powered ZWave devices (e.g. wall switches and wall controllers), all of which have access to 120V and have no
> reason to be running a power level that limits range to 30'.

You say it's a "stupid workaround" but it is a method that will work.  You go on the refer to "most homes" but honestly, do you
believe that most homes have a dock and that most docks are 100' or more from the home, let alone that there's a crying need to
automate everything, including the dock lights?  While we're at it, most of the homes I've seen that do have docks have a switch up
by the back door of the house to turn on the dock and path lights.  In those cases the solution is obvious.  The point is that your
situation, while not unique, is relatively rare.  For every prospective home automation project with a dock or outbuilding 100' away
there are likely hundreds that don't have such needs.  Characterizing this situation as a major flaw for Z-Wave is a bit of a
stretch.  It almost sounds like sour grapes.  "They won't give me their SDK.  Well, I didn't want their stinking SDK anyway.  So
there."  I realise you're not the same as our resident everything-not-X10-basher, but really Karl, I think you're off base on this.

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

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