CES Info
- Thread starter TonyNo
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i would think the radio frequency would have to match if you wanted to capture and emulate insteon - what frequency does insteon use?
not sure if it would change the size requirements much for different frequencies, but cell phones have 2 way radios and are quite small (if you like them that way)
it would be nice to have a touchscreen remote with a radio that could send/recieve a broad frequency spectrum and have a windows mobile (pocketpc) o/s - and an open interface to control the radio - that could open up the device for insteon, garage doors, security systems, car doors, wifi, cell phone and all kinds of adventures like stealing door codes (i would think that could be overcome) - add a slider keyboard, bluetooth, sdio card slot, i/r port and camera (obviously functions already present on a pda/phone) - but a multifrequency radio with a touchscreen and an open interface for vendors to write applications would be great
not sure if it would change the size requirements much for different frequencies, but cell phones have 2 way radios and are quite small (if you like them that way)
it would be nice to have a touchscreen remote with a radio that could send/recieve a broad frequency spectrum and have a windows mobile (pocketpc) o/s - and an open interface to control the radio - that could open up the device for insteon, garage doors, security systems, car doors, wifi, cell phone and all kinds of adventures like stealing door codes (i would think that could be overcome) - add a slider keyboard, bluetooth, sdio card slot, i/r port and camera (obviously functions already present on a pda/phone) - but a multifrequency radio with a touchscreen and an open interface for vendors to write applications would be great
Chatter on the insteon forum has matched what two CS reps at SH have told me this week: that the RF remote will require a new rf base and will not work through the existing signal lincs. I pray that this is all wrong that they will. The last CS I spoke with was today and he told that the reason the signal linc couldn't work with the upcoming rf remote is that it's dedicated to shuttling traffic sent from the other signal linc. I told him that was just plain stupid and didn't sound like a real explanation.
I really like the technology behind Insteon, but it really seems z-wave has exploded with third party offerings...I mean really exploded. With z-wave, I could use my Harmony remote to turn on my home theater, activate scene lighting at the same time, and control my TiVo. I just don't see how this is going to happen with insteon any time soon. With lots of different switches from different manufactures, motion sensors, rf thermostats and lots of them, and tons of third party software already out, I'm finding it almost impossible not to make the switch. The only consolation is that I can sell all my icons for about what I paid for them since they've gone up in price 50%. At least I got the ambers and not the greens.
I really like the technology behind Insteon, but it really seems z-wave has exploded with third party offerings...I mean really exploded. With z-wave, I could use my Harmony remote to turn on my home theater, activate scene lighting at the same time, and control my TiVo. I just don't see how this is going to happen with insteon any time soon. With lots of different switches from different manufactures, motion sensors, rf thermostats and lots of them, and tons of third party software already out, I'm finding it almost impossible not to make the switch. The only consolation is that I can sell all my icons for about what I paid for them since they've gone up in price 50%. At least I got the ambers and not the greens.
Steve
Senior Member
From another thread which I believe you read and replied in...
I think its the end of the prayer phase and time for acceptance.
First, Zwave has been 'exploding' with announcements for over a year and most of it is still vaporware. Second, even if there were a gazillion Zwave enabled products, that in and of itself is not a sole basis for choosing a technology. Everything you just stated can be done without Zwave as well. I think we humans sometimes get sucked into hype and make decisons based on marketing and such but the truth is, how many of those gazillion Zwave products might you actually buy and use? And how many are truly unique that could not be done in some other fashion? To me, I look at the core of what I am trying to do and choose a product that is proven and does that well. If that does not give me some new feature or device that comes out, you can always do it some other way, or, there is no reason not to have a hybrid system. With the Elk you can run UPB, Insteon and Zwave all at the same time, so in a sense why not use all of them and use the best products from each - like say lighting via UPB, remotes via Zwave and whatever cool Insteon product you must have. With the Elk they are all tied together - have the Elk see a link sent via UPB and send a command to an Insteon device. No single vendor or product line is ever really complete and you will always look at a competing technology either now or later and say, Geee, I wish my chosen technology had this device or that. For example, when you buy a pc, do you get ALL of the components from the same manufacturer? When you buy and/or mod a car do you get ALL of the accessories and such from the same manufacturer? I think you see my point - no one single technology will ever be complete and make you happy, but the good news is that is doesn't have to!
upstatemike
Senior Member
From the SmartHome Forum:
upstatemike
Senior Member
Except these items are all made by different manufaturers and there are currently interoperability issues between the various z-wave implementations.sorka said:
Also Insteon makes keypad controllers that can replace a switch. Is there a z-wave version of that?
And if Insteon actually had a multiple manufacturers for their technology, there might be interoperability issues with them as well. With the exception of a very few products(ethernet bridge, sprinkler relay) Instoeon products are currently made by insteon. Because of that, I admit that I've had few setup issues with linking switches together, but that's about all you can do with insteon right now is link switches. Their n-m arbitrary association ability is really well thought out and seems bullet proof.upstatemike said:
But z-wave is so far ahead of insteon that they've had 1st, and 2nd gen waves of devices many of which had interoperability issues with each other. But now with 3rd generation products coming out and almost all of them reporting instant status, the whole association thing that Insteon is so good at seems like it is maturing.
But the entire argument is moot. Currently if I want to add more Insteon, I have to by SH switches which have been reported by almost every user of Insteon here as having serious physical reliability issues.
As a result, I don't have an investment to protect, so my next move will be to buy some switches. Some HomePro and some Vizia, the act usb thingy and sdk, and do some tests to see just what I can do.
