oldchachie
Member
I have an old house, I'm tearing down to the studs. I will be doing the work myself. I have an ELK m1g, pretty much just using it for security now.
I'd like to have all lights fully automated, as well as having some wall outlets automated. I think my original plan was to use insteon, which I may do, but it seems like there might be a better (for me) solution out there that capitalizes on the notion that I have walls open, and have no problem running control wiring instead of $50each devices. I've been looking for a while, and I don't think I've come across a system that utilizes low voltage switches, relays at a central station or distributed, that is predecated on independant control wiring.
I follow a fellow on youtube running the SuperHouseTV channel, who has taken all of the power lines for lights back to a central location, then uses low voltage at the switch points via ethernet to get the automation done. I think I'd like something like this, but in a commercially available system instead of homebrew.
That being said, I don't want to go too custom, as if I sell the place I don't want the next owner have to know how to program linux in order to use it, so I'd like to stick to commercially available components. I also don't want to go too far down that path myself.
I like the model of centralized intelligence rather than distributed as well. bring the sensors/switches back to the controller, let it manage the work and intellegence.
I think part of my hitch is that I look at wireless as a solution when wires aren't available. I just feel there's less potential for problems if I can wire things straight from A to B. Less possibility of failure. Might be a bit of a dated hesitation.
I'm also a novice at this so maybe it would just be much easer to go with insteon or zwave.
What other systems are out there for automation, with particular on the lighting component?
I'd like to have all lights fully automated, as well as having some wall outlets automated. I think my original plan was to use insteon, which I may do, but it seems like there might be a better (for me) solution out there that capitalizes on the notion that I have walls open, and have no problem running control wiring instead of $50each devices. I've been looking for a while, and I don't think I've come across a system that utilizes low voltage switches, relays at a central station or distributed, that is predecated on independant control wiring.
I follow a fellow on youtube running the SuperHouseTV channel, who has taken all of the power lines for lights back to a central location, then uses low voltage at the switch points via ethernet to get the automation done. I think I'd like something like this, but in a commercially available system instead of homebrew.
That being said, I don't want to go too custom, as if I sell the place I don't want the next owner have to know how to program linux in order to use it, so I'd like to stick to commercially available components. I also don't want to go too far down that path myself.
I like the model of centralized intelligence rather than distributed as well. bring the sensors/switches back to the controller, let it manage the work and intellegence.
I think part of my hitch is that I look at wireless as a solution when wires aren't available. I just feel there's less potential for problems if I can wire things straight from A to B. Less possibility of failure. Might be a bit of a dated hesitation.
I'm also a novice at this so maybe it would just be much easer to go with insteon or zwave.
What other systems are out there for automation, with particular on the lighting component?