Cheap B&D Stuff

[ben_bambenek]

Hello everyone,

Longtime lurker first time poster

I order a few of these because they were only 3.99 ea, there must be a reason they are so cheap

Anybody know ? Otherwise I post a finding once I get them evaluated in the next week or so


http://www.smarthome.com/4005b.html

 

[BLH]

B&D Freewire line was discontinued awhile back and a few vendors picked them up. I got a few of the FW3000 Kits and a FW1000 Kit. The Freewire stuff was all made OEM from X10 and the RF stuff even has the X10 FCC Prefix. My guess is that they are not selling too well and it is a clearance sale. For that price it looks real good.

The Freewire Hub and Remote in your kit use a different RF frequency than the X10 ones. So an X10 Remote and Receiver will not access a B&D counterpart.

The Power Line Signals are 100% X10. The Freewire modules respond to a standard X10 command if you get any of the modules.

The hub and remote register like a security type. The remote has a nice feature. It can do all 16 unit codes on the house code the Messenger Hub is set to. Also has a Scenes feature where 4 unit codes can be learned by the hub and controlled by a single button on the remote. An all off and all light on; is also on that remote.

The users manual on Smarthomes site looks like the FW3000 one and covers things they may have split off to make the kit offered.

The FW3000 kit had a real nice water resistant module in it. Looked like a 3' extension cord with a box in the middle. Sounds and acts like an Appliance Module and programs more like a LM15A. No dials. Power on and send the X10 address on three time in 30 seconds and it remembers the settings.

 

[Dean Roddey]

Oh, I was thinking 'Bondage & Discipline'. Not that I know anything about that...

 

[Rupp]

I've been using the weather proof outdoor modules for 2 years with HomeSeer and they work great.

 

[az1324]

The remotes are nice. They should make something for insteon that looks like it.

 

[BLH]

After seeing the RemoteLinc I decided to keep my mixed system. The X10 Transceivers and remotes are good enough for now.

 

[ben_bambenek]

Just to get back to everyone

I recieved the Black & Decker Modules today and it was pretty much as was explained by BLH

The RF remotes only work with B&D modules and do NOT have any dimming capabilitys. I haven't had a chance to try the Group/Mood buttons yet but the documentation does not reference any dimming capapbily.

For the $3.99 I invested its worth using in a few situations. I will continue to use the remote palm controllers from X10 even though they may not be quite as modern looking.

Thanks for the feedback

 

[SmarthomeJohn]

... there must be a reason they are so cheap Anybody know ?

Hi Ben,
This is 11 years at Smarthome talking.

Every few years some company goes to X10 and buys millions of $$ of X10 re-branded products with the grand scheme of selling them into an existing channel. Probably, in this case, B&D salespeople were expected to go to their accounts and sell this new "revolutionary" system. When it either didn't sell or the returns started bouncing back; B&D bailed out. Sadly, many retail establishments don't know how to sell these products or support them. Just about any theory on why X10 does not sell at retail is plausible

B&D or (insert name of company here) will sell off the inventory at dimes on the dollar. This is the point where Smarthome or some other liquidator steps in the help out poor B&D. I can remember this situation with Universal Electronics (OneForAll brand), Safety First, Stanley (the garage door and tool company), or you-name-it; Smarthome & and others have sold off the inventory of these failed efforts.

Bottom line, the products from (insert name of failed X10 scheme here) are pretty much the same as X10 branded (insert adjective that describes X10 products here) .

SJ