Re: current state of protocols; x10? what else?

[Joe Pfeiffer <pfeiffer@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Eric <ericw2000@xxxxxxxxx> writes:

> Joe Pfeiffer <pfeiffer@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
> news:1b1vo79q19.fsf@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx:
>>
>> I've been starting to convert my house to Insteon.  This appears to be
>> more reliable than X10, primarily because of acknowledgements built into
>> the protocol.  Just a couple of lights so far, but they're working.
>> It's similar to X10, in that it's a powerline protocol.
>>
>> smarthome.com sells modules for the switches and motion detectors you're
>> asking about.  I don't know about humidity.  It has nowhwere near the
>> bandwidth required for a camera, though.
>
> I have an X10 device with software (Smarthome Manager) that I bought from
> Smarthome to operate as a simple timer for lights at a commercial site. A
> couple of years after I bought it they changed the daylight savings time
> dates. Smarthome wouldn't update the software and said they discontinued
> support for this product. This makes me skeptical about buying any of their
> Insteon modules, since they could decide to stop supporting that protocol
> at any time.

They could, but it seems to me like they've hitched their wagon firmly
enough to that particular star that it's unlikely.  It would be nice if
there were an independent second source, though.
--
As we enjoy great advantages from the inventions of others, we should
be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours;
and this we should do freely and generously. (Benjamin Franklin)