New Insteon Products (or Not)

[KenM]

What does your signature mean?

it was an attempt at humor - a memberlinc was chased away after his post from here was used - bummerlinc

not as funny as laser etched wire nuts but i try

It was more of a case of "Why waste my time with this?"
People like me with 20+ years of technical and engineering experience are just too darned hard on poor old INSTEON.

If it walks like a duck and looks like a duck then there is 98% probability that is is a duck, quack.

I am eagerly awaiting the laser etched wire nuts though. :lol:

Ken

 

[Digger]

What does your signature mean?

it was an attempt at humor - a memberlinc was chased away after his post from here was used - bummerlinc

not as funny as laser etched wire nuts but i try

It was more of a case of "Why waste my time with this?"
People like me with 20+ years of technical and engineering experience are just too darned hard on poor old INSTEON.

If it walks like a duck and looks like a duck then there is 98% probability that is is a duck, quack.

I am eagerly awaiting the laser etched wire nuts though. :lol:

Ken

Just for the record I think the Laser Etching is a great idea. Its just to expensive to use everywhere except for high end installs. When Insteon first came out they implied it was geared to the DIY market. Now they are pricing themselves out of that market to high end pro installs.

 

[MikeB]

Just for the record I think the Laser Etching is a great idea. Its just to expensive to use everywhere except for high end installs. When Insteon first came out they implied it was geared to the DIY market. Now they are pricing themselves out of that market to high end pro installs.

I'm trying a few for bathroom vent fans. I think using them everywhere might be kind of tacky, but a few key locations might be nice. Etched KeypadLincs are definitely very professional looking.

Do you really think they are pricing themselves out of the market? $55 for a 600w dimmer with a custom etching seems like a good price to me. To be honest, I'm not up on the latest pricing for other technologies, but last I looked I thought they were all $60+, with no option for custom etching.

 

[Digger]

Just for the record I think the Laser Etching is a great idea. Its just to expensive to use everywhere except for high end installs. When Insteon first came out they implied it was geared to the DIY market. Now they are pricing themselves out of that market to high end pro installs.

I'm trying a few for bathroom vent fans. I think using them everywhere might be kind of tacky, but a few key locations might be nice. Etched KeypadLincs are definitely very professional looking.

Do you really think they are pricing themselves out of the market? $55 for a 600w dimmer with a custom etching seems like a good price to me. To be honest, I'm not up on the latest pricing for other technologies, but last I looked I thought they were all $60+, with no option for custom etching.

According to something over at the SH Forum that is an "Introductory Price" until May 30th. SH Insteon was supposed to be the more cost effective alternative and easy for the average DIY to install. Thats one reason for the Lamplincs etc instead of a controlled outlet. You just plug it in.

If they had stayed about 25% less than the next lowest competitor and also made the products more widely available (to make profits off quantitiy) they might have been better off.

 

[MikeB]

According to something over at the SH Forum that is an "Introductory Price" until May 30th. SH Insteon was supposed to be the more cost effective alternative and easy for the average DIY to install. Thats one reason for the Lamplincs etc instead of a controlled outlet. You just plug it in.

If they had stayed about 25% less than the next lowest competitor and also made the products more widely available (to make profits off quantitiy) they might have been better off.

I think it will go up to $60 or something, I doubt much more.

I know a lot of people were really put off by the Icon price increases. The old price was definitely a fantastic deal. I ended up going all SwitchLinc V2s, so the price increases bother me less I guess. However, more money in my pocket is always a good thing, price increases always suck.

 

[gregoryx]

$.01... and not worth a penny more:

- I think laser-etched buttons directly from the maker of the devices is a great idea for the low-end / high-end niche they're sorta aimed at. Cool that people can get that "look" without a full hard-wired system that I see in the really high-end installs (that people we "know" have... but not us ).

- I'm glad they're raising prices if it's put to product development - ideally in QC / QA.

- I hope they find a way to measure their customer experience with support personnel and product quality / satisfaction. It is not a new business concept and absolutely essential and all too often forgotten:
WHAT GETS MEASURED GETS DONE. ​

I hope they get better; but if they do not get better, I hope people stop putting money into them and then complaining... and especially that people stop making an additional purchase after complaining.

[soapbox]The conscious consumer recognizes that money is a quantitative voting mechanism: whatever we pay for we vote for; whatever products or environments exists in our commercial space, we put them there by our votes / purchases. This is the true "democracy" of the world economy; complaining doesn't change it, only placing - or not placing - our money / vote changes it.[/soapbox]

B)

 

[TonyNo]

For those that like laser etching, check around if you live in/near a major metro area. There are shops that do marking as their main business. I just had 25 pieces etched for $100 total (that included art prep).

 

[Digger]

For those that like laser etching, check around if you live in/near a major metro area. There are shops that do marking as their main business. I just had 25 pieces etched for $100 total (that included art prep).

Now that is a fair price. Granted you supplied the paddles. If SH could match that price with the paddles it would be worth it (they would be doing a high volume). I am guessing that SH farms this out and marks it up about 100%.

 

[MikeB]

For those that like laser etching, check around if you live in/near a major metro area. There are shops that do marking as their main business. I just had 25 pieces etched for $100 total (that included art prep).

Now that is a fair price. Granted you supplied the paddles. If SH could match that price with the paddles it would be worth it (they would be doing a high volume). I am guessing that SH farms this out and marks it up about 100%.

I doubt that a local shop would do them for $4 each if you wanted, say, 5 - but maybe I'm wrong. A buddy of mine does etchings/engravings (mostly glass work, auto, etc.) and I mentioned it at dinner last night. He thought the price was reasonable for laser etchings.

I bet if you ordered 100 from SmartHome they'd work out some sort of discount, maybe.

But obviously if you can fine a local shop for a reasonable price, it might make more sense. You could get a lot more custom with it too. Maybe different colors? Icons instead of text? Custom locations on the paddle? Could even etch the faceplates instead of the paddles, which might look even better.

 

[khearn]

For those that like laser etching, check around if you live in/near a major metro area. There are shops that do marking as their main business. I just had 25 pieces etched for $100 total (that included art prep).

But was that 25 different etchings, or all 25 the same? How much would it be for 1 "Kitchen", 1 "side yard" 1 "back yard", 2 "stairs", 2 "Keith's Office", "1 Véronique's Office", etc. ? That's not to say that one can't get one-offs done locally for a reasonable price, but I doubt you'll get them done anywhere for 25 cents each.

Keith

 

[MikeB]

Could even etch the faceplates instead of the paddles, which might look even better.

I think SmartHome is stalking me:

http://www.smarthome.com/2476dwt1.html

 

[Digger]

Could even etch the faceplates instead of the paddles, which might look even better.

I think SmartHome is stalking me:

http://www.smarthome.com/2476dwt1.html

LOL You never know...........they seem to be watching us closely.

They emailed me and said they are looking into the glow in the dark arrows for the remotelincs that I suggested. They did not mention the width of the remotelinc or using colored plastics instead of paint that might wear/chip off. Have to wait and see on what they decide on in the end.

They also emailed me about another posting I made but I dont think its appropiate to comment other than they are trying to make up for a mistake from a few months ago. I guess I have to give them credit for trying.

 

[MikeB]

That's good...

I did have a SwitchLinc V2 Relay die on me today. Wouldn't turn on, LED stayed in the bottom position. I tried to pop out the SET button to see if I could reset it, but the LED stayed on even with the SET button pulled out!

I reset the power to the circuit, same problem.

Called them for an RMA, and they swapped it out with no problem.

I've always had great luck with their customer service, but I know others have had issues. Hopefully things will be improved for everyone.

 

[Digger]

That's good...

I did have a SwitchLinc V2 Relay die on me today. Wouldn't turn on, LED stayed in the bottom position. I tried to pop out the SET button to see if I could reset it, but the LED stayed on even with the SET button pulled out!

I reset the power to the circuit, same problem.

Called them for an RMA, and they swapped it out with no problem.

I've always had great luck with their customer service, but I know others have had issues. Hopefully things will be improved for everyone.

A few months ago I had called about bad paddles on some Icons that were just over one year old. They refused to exchange them even though I complained because it was a known problem. Then a few weeks ago I ahd a V2 relay that arced and they kept me on the phone trying resets etc and I gave up on them and hung up after about 20 or 30 mins They apparently read one of my postings mentioning it and emailed me asking if they could try and make it right implying that maybe they could have handled the situations better. I emailed them back and I am waiting to see if I get a reply.

 

[Herdfan]

Could even etch the faceplates instead of the paddles, which might look even better.

I think SmartHome is stalking me:

http://www.smarthome.com/2476dwt1.html

Those are Cooper's, but Lutron also offers the engraved screwless faceplates.