Home Monitoring with M1G

[pete_c]

Hans,

Here is some more info related to UPB.

UPB Wiki

While you are at the current stage of construction - have a look at the pre-wiring for HA pieces of this forum.

There is much information relating to what you can do before the walls go up in your home.

The Elk panel utilizes a CAN BUS like methodology of communications.

 

[WayneW]

Can you please tell me a little more about this ISY device? As you can see I am a true "newbie". Thanks again kindly. Hans

http://universal-devices.com/
The ISY is a full lighting controller, so it can run its own timers and rules. The ISY handles all the Insteon inter-device linking and scene creation. It communicates to the M1 via Ethernet, so your M1 must have the XEP ethernet add-on (which you probably want anyway). There is full two way communication between the ISY. and the M1. UDI has exceptional customer service & tech support. Many credit UDI with saving Insteon from dying under SmartHomes "mis-adventures".

 

[comet48]

UPB isn't great with the Elk. No confirmation of receipt. Almost impossible to determine the real status of a UPB device. Also, Elk development seems to have ground to a halt!

 

[tmbrown97]

I couldn't begin to remember all the details now, but when I was researching for myself, I obsessed for several weeks before landing on UPB. I think it was ease of programming and plain reliability. It's similar in concept to X10 - except instead of using a 5V signal like X10, it uses a 40V signal on the powerline. I have a house that's all LED, CFL and Fluorescent plus many computers, pool pump, etc... X10 was 100% inoperable (I couldn't get 2 signals in a row - EVER)... and yet I have no missed links with the UPB - seemingly 100% reliability.

How you connect them all to the elk is relatively simple - there's some sort of interface module (serial port based) that hooks to an XSP serial expander on the Elk - and AFAIK, it's pretty similar for each of the lighting technologies.

Once in a while the Elk does lose track of status, but it's pretty good all in all for my uses. I'm not sure if it's any better with any of the other technologies.

I saw some things about the z-wave that scared me off; I thought it was problems with programming/updating your network; and the fact that Insteon is single vendor and having service and reliability issues scared me - but the concept seems great...

YMMV - just had to speak for UPB since it's a good sized percentage of the board.

 

[apostolakisl]

UPB isn't great with the Elk. No confirmation of receipt. Almost impossible to determine the real status of a UPB device. Also, Elk development seems to have ground to a halt!

ISY is expecting a full integration module for the Elk soon. Like ISY having "saved" Insteon, ISY is likely to at least give a big boost to Elk and effectively mean that every ISY update is an Elk update. The ISY guys are constantly tweaking things and adding things, and as mentioned, very receptive to tech support. With that module you should be able to move all of your programming into the more capable ISY unit.

 

[Hansueli]

Hans,

Here is some more info related to UPB.

UPB Wiki

While you are at the current stage of construction - have a look at the pre-wiring for HA pieces of this forum.

There is much information relating to what you can do before the walls go up in your home.

The Elk panel utilizes a CAN BUS like methodology of communications.

Thanks Pete
I know, I should get this finalized as quick as possible, because the walls are still open.... Anyway, have you heard how RadioRA compares to UPB? I have no clear picture.

Thanks again and best regards,
Hans

 

[Hansueli]

I couldn't begin to remember all the details now, but when I was researching for myself, I obsessed for several weeks before landing on UPB. I think it was ease of programming and plain reliability. It's similar in concept to X10 - except instead of using a 5V signal like X10, it uses a 40V signal on the powerline. I have a house that's all LED, CFL and Fluorescent plus many computers, pool pump, etc... X10 was 100% inoperable (I couldn't get 2 signals in a row - EVER)... and yet I have no missed links with the UPB - seemingly 100% reliability.

How you connect them all to the elk is relatively simple - there's some sort of interface module (serial port based) that hooks to an XSP serial expander on the Elk - and AFAIK, it's pretty similar for each of the lighting technologies.

Once in a while the Elk does lose track of status, but it's pretty good all in all for my uses. I'm not sure if it's any better with any of the other technologies.

I saw some things about the z-wave that scared me off; I thought it was problems with programming/updating your network; and the fact that Insteon is single vendor and having service and reliability issues scared me - but the concept seems great...

YMMV - just had to speak for UPB since it's a good sized percentage of the board.

Todd, I appreciate your response. I would agree about Insteon. It seems that there aren't too many satisfied Inteon users out there. Do you have an idea how RadioRS compares to UPB?.

Again, thanks bunches for your valuable input. Hans