Without extended messaging Linking, Link scanning, and polling is definitely not as fast as it could be, but it still can be accomplished.
This slows down computerized set up and it slows down computer software when it first starts up if it wants to determine the initial state of swicthes. But for normal use it really doesn't slow things down once you are started up and running.
I link all my devices back to the PLC so the PLC receives a notice of every change as they happen and I set up groups in my PLC for any mass changes I need to do with my devices. I do not use manual linking anymore.
Using powerhome it takes about 15-20 minutes to do a full scan of all of my links with about 60 devices installed. I only do this when I have been doing major relinking. The status scan of all of my devices seems to take about 6 minutes before powerhome correctly knows the initial state when it is first powered up (which lately is one or two times a week as I am still tinkering).
If you have a continuously running system it should be able to stay up to date in close to real time. If you don't use automation software this doesn't affect Insteon owners at all.
My only worry about not having these commands is the same as upstatemike -- If new devices come out using these will future software stop supporting our early devices. It definitely is easier as a programmer to use the extended commands (if they worked) so I would imagine alot of developers would skip implementing code for the non-extended commands. Hopefully this won't happen as the hard part has already been done by most of the major players at this point, but this could still become an issue down the line.
This slows down computerized set up and it slows down computer software when it first starts up if it wants to determine the initial state of swicthes. But for normal use it really doesn't slow things down once you are started up and running.
I link all my devices back to the PLC so the PLC receives a notice of every change as they happen and I set up groups in my PLC for any mass changes I need to do with my devices. I do not use manual linking anymore.
Using powerhome it takes about 15-20 minutes to do a full scan of all of my links with about 60 devices installed. I only do this when I have been doing major relinking. The status scan of all of my devices seems to take about 6 minutes before powerhome correctly knows the initial state when it is first powered up (which lately is one or two times a week as I am still tinkering).
If you have a continuously running system it should be able to stay up to date in close to real time. If you don't use automation software this doesn't affect Insteon owners at all.
My only worry about not having these commands is the same as upstatemike -- If new devices come out using these will future software stop supporting our early devices. It definitely is easier as a programmer to use the extended commands (if they worked) so I would imagine alot of developers would skip implementing code for the non-extended commands. Hopefully this won't happen as the hard part has already been done by most of the major players at this point, but this could still become an issue down the line.