Technology Comparison

[upstatemike]

Just to keep the ongoing discussions about competing light switch technologies nice and lively, I thought I would try comparing them to various video formats of the last decade or so. Here is what I came up with:

VHS = X-10. Not the best technology from a technical standpoint but the most common by far and the first to become widely popular. Ease of use, wide availability, and commodity pricing has resulted in market dominance.

BETA = ZWave. The only real challenger to X-10 for a significant window of time. Technically superior but slow to introduce popular features (like LED level bars) that are widely available on otherwise inferior X-10 products. Popular with a hardcore following who appreciate the technical advantages but slow to gain acceptance by the mainstream X-10 crowd who favor nice esthetics and cool features over reliable but “Plain Jane†functionality.

LASER DISC = UPB. A high-end, no compromise technology favored by professional installers and wealthy technology buffs. Its large size can be a little bit clumsy (may not fit easily in some electrical boxes) but the brute force approach (high transmission voltage) yields outstanding results. Some family members may not be comfortable using them (transmission buzz) but the technically savvy will appreciate the many features (configurable keypads, multi-colored LEDs, scene options) that simply were not available with earlier technologies.

CED DISK = Zigbee. A much talked about technology that holds a lot of promise but offers very little in the way of actual products. By the time products are generally available, interest will already have moved on to the next big thing.

DVD = INSTEON. All the advantages of LASER DISC without the high price. A much smaller and more convenient package with plenty of cool features (LED level bars, interchangeable colored light pipes). Uses some technical tricks instead of brute force (all devices repeat in real time instead of higher transmission voltage like UPB) and all your old favorites are pretty much available in this new format (backward X-10 compatibility).

 

[Steve]

Definitely an interesting comparison. I'm just not quite sure I would classify Laser Disk (UPB) and DVD (Insteon) completely the way you have it. It implies that Insteon is at least equal to UPB (All the advantages). I can't agree with that. I believe each technology has its pros and cons and UPB _is_ superior to Insteon in several areas (at least today). First the obvious - UPB is more mature and supported by more companies. There are also at least 3 manufacturers of UPB products which offer a choice of features (different colred LEDs, configurable switchplates, feel, etc.) Next, UPStart simply can't be beat for setup and diagnostics. You don't have to go around to each switch and press and hold, etc. UPB is centrally managed. Diagnostics like signal strength and noise level are _very_ convenient to have for troubleshooting. Insteon does not have tools like that - at least yet. I was told to use an X10 meter to monitor Insteon. Links in UPB are more powerful than Insteon. Ramp rates are more configurable - I think 1 hour vs 9 minutes (max). Insteon does control local load a bit faster, but not enough to really make a difference (according to wife). Insteon is certainly promising and will play a major role, I just don't think it has _all_ the advantages of UPB.

 

[upstatemike]

OK. I probably should have said "most of the advantages". Laser Disks don't have to use fancy compression schemes to to get a whole movie to fit onto a disc and so they don't have as many issues with digital artifacts and such. Unfortunately I can't afford to pay twice as much (or more) per disc so getting "most of the advantages" at a price I can afford with DVD is pretty good.

 

[ChrisWalker]

That's a very fun comparison. Although I'm not sure that X10 should really be compared to VHS. After all, I don't think that X10 is to the american consumer as the Boston Strangler is to the woman home alone at night. B) [if you don't recognize the reference, that came from the head of the MPAA, comparing why the ability to record/replicate video was so bad; eventually, the studios figured out they could make _more_ money by releasing videos on VHS]

Based on our experience and research, I'd like to elaborate a bit more on the standards, keeping with the same "video" analogy.

VHS = X10. Agreed. It's been around for almost three decades. Its quality is not superb, but it's "OK" for many people--especially for the hobbyist crowd. But people have been looking for a replacement for a long time.

DVD (in an early DVD player) = UPB. The technology seems to be very well thought out, but the setup is quite labor intensive and requires someone who knows what they're doing to use it. Once you figure out how to use it, there are some cool tools there to complement it. It may not work in all systems, you might have to install a few switches a few times, and you may have to protect it from neighboring systems, loud transformers, and multi-phase issues. When troubleshooting, you might even find out that you have to rewire your home audio electrical hookup to isolate it from the automation signals. But it seems to be pretty stable when you do get it set up. It's missing some features, though, and it requires occassional slow polling to get things back in sync.

DVD+/-/R/RW/RAM/ROM/AUDIO = Zigbee. It's a bit like the DVD world. There should be one "standard", but there are a whole bunch of them build on top of variations of IEEE 802.15.4. Some manufacturers (like Crestron) are even doing their own non-compatible versions, instead of just creating a group of non-interoperable ones (like DVD-R, DVD-R DL, DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD-RAM, DVD-AUDIO, etc.). But in this case, there's no one coming out with the ability to work with all the standards (like there was in the DVD world). This technology was designed largely for, and is probably best suited for, "self-organizing" industrial networks of machine sensors and the like.

SVHS/DVD = Insteon. I'm not quite sure where Insteon fits. It's kind of like the SVHS standard. It does a lot of cool stuff with powerline technology, and it might even be a "DVD" contender. It is marketed as the upgrade to X10--and I don't think anyone is going to complain about people replacing their X10 modules with more modern and reliable technology. The designers had/have a lot of great ideas, and it will be interesting to see the market that Insteon finds. I'm not sure if it's going to be a proprietary solution, or if it's going to be licensed out to other manufacturers.

PMP = Z-Wave. Z-Wave can probably be compared best to the portable video player market. Early versions of Z-Wave can be compared to some of the early personal video players. They lacked some desirable features, and there were some growing pains. A few years later, the newest Z-Wave devices are like the new 5th-generation IPOD Video. Lots of well-known manufacturers are getting in on the game and creating fully-functional interoperable devices (with LED light bars, even ), the majority of which are easy to set up and use. Additionally, they work really well, can be understood by typical consumers, and the price point of the inside chips keeps dropping. Of all the current contenders, this seems to be the one with major industry backing and with the longest track record of reliability (of the protocol and chips).

I don't have a crystal ball, and I'm not sure where we'll be with home control protocols in five years. But as for the forseeable future, I am very excited that some new technologies have come forward which may truly make home control a reality for consumers everywhere.

Chris

 

[upstatemike]

Those are some good descriptions. I like the SVHS/DVD dual designation for INSTEON reflecting the option of X-10 mode!

 

[kwilcox]

Insteon is the dark horse right now for sure. I'm looking forward to the upcoming HCA support for this protocol so I can begin to test a few of the new Insteon SwitchLincs. I'm quite keen to see how the protocol "lag" compares to UPB.

As far as pricing goes, I'm a little leary. It's my opinion that Smarthome is taking an initial loss on these devices in an attempt to gain some traction in the market. It just seems funny that the switchlinc V1 2380W switches were priced at $70 for as far back as I can remember and now the new switches magically benefit from additional "volume" production discounts. Heck, if the 2380 wasn't Smarthome's most popular Switchlinc device then what was?

Regardless, however, it is unlikely that Smarthome can increase prices so they are, in effect, taking a big gamble that production will rise to make these switches profitable. Their only alternative if this doesn't materalize is to phase out the V2 in favor of another $70 "new and improved" switch, or phase out Insteon altogether.

Having another vendor producing Insteon devices would be nice for sure.....

For these reasons, I'm placing Insteon in the "blue-ray DVD" category.

 

[Mike]

Think that through: We also saw Insteon in Home Depot. One big difference that comes in when you lower the price to $40 is that it gets within striking distance of traditional dimmers. Why use those when for a few dollars more you can have reliable, status driven dimmers that have light bars (a very positive feature).

If you look at UPB as the bar, is it not possible that Smarthome is undercutting them by providing a solution that is cost effective so that the common man is more inclined to use this technology. Many are bypass this altogether when looking at $75-$100 switches.

They have addressed the depth issue as well (which is what has slowed me down in the past due to not deep enough electrical boxes) to make them easier to install and customize (color change kits).

They want the market, most definitely. Think through the pricing however: they have to have a significant markup in the prices that were seen previously just from the perspective that they need to make money. Add in (in smarthome's case) discount programs up to 20-25% on occasion and that implies a buffer of at least 30-50%. In rolling out this strategy the same numbers probably apply, I wouldn't be surprised if they set it up to cost them $15-$20 per switch and were efficient on the manufacturing. Plus they get the benefit of being able to cover their costs for development and setup through the 'extra requirements'. Two signal lincs at $70 for every install adds some buffer, as do $30-$40 table top controllers. Are there parts in these that are particularly expensive (not a comment on quality)?

Don't get me wrong, it sounds like a very smart play here regardless, but I would also bet they are not losing money on this (at least beyond the initial recoup of their investment). They are here after all to make money, and it looks like they stand to make a lot of it and shake up the market. For new installs all an installer needs to do is show it and I'd guess the few dollars more go out the window, adding home automation in a place that it was less frequent.

The only thing I've been dissappointed with was it nullifies a switchlinc v1 investment if you want things to look consistent (noting however that an insteon and x10 setup is not going to work well). However, by reducing their prices and increasing functionality I was sold and I have a batch coming to me this week.

 

[AutomatedOutlet]

There's also one thing about the Insteon switches that people seem to be selectively ignoring. Smarthome has stated that the end devices will have RF built into them next year. So, this means that the current switches will also be discontinued next year. Just something to keep in mind....

 

[kwilcox]

@mike:
Yes, I would assume a 50% markup to the original $60 price. This means that Smarthome may very easily be paying $25-30 for each switchlinc V2. When one considers distribution, salary overhead, packaging etc. this amounts to a per/device loss unless production numbers get pretty high.

Given AO's point, it is quite likely that this "new and improved" switchlinc could also be the pricing bailout option I described above. Your Home Depot comment is very valid too though. Smarthome also has the HD volume numbers for sure and its quite possible that these are high enough to make the current V2 line profitable.

Still, its a dark horse IMO.

 

[Steve]

A lot of attention is being placed on the price and aesthetic qualities of Insteon switches. While certainly these are important, I think more important is the technology and how they are going to work in real houses. I can no better afford more expensive switches than anyone else but I am willing to pay more for better reliability, etc. I'm not saying Insteon is not reliable - I just think it is unproven as of yet. In my testing, I have already had an Insteon switch miss an off command. Was that a fluke - or a sign of possible issues? There is also talk of firmware issues in PIMs, etc. In 6 months it would certainly be an easier decision with more of a track record, I just think it is a bit premature to dive into Insteon without extensive testing. If it turns out that UPB is more reliable, I would certainly be willing to pay $1500 vs $1000 for that peace of mind. There is no doubt Insteon is better than x10, but Insteon vs UPB for a new install or overhaul still requires alot of thought and testing.

 

[markthomas]

There is no doubt Insteon is better than x10, but Insteon vs UPB for a new install or overhaul still requires alot of thought and testing.

Well, if it turns out you need a hardwire module or I/O module functionality like the X-10 powerflash/universal modules, then there's no choice but UPB. (Or a combination)

 

[upstatemike]

A lot of attention is being placed on the price and aesthetic qualities of Insteon switches. While certainly these are important, I think more important is the technology and how they are going to work in real houses. I can no better afford more expensive switches than anyone else but I am willing to pay more for better reliability, etc.

It depends on your priorities and situation. A short time ago I was ready to walk away from automation altogether and just use unautomated designer switches. Then a couple of things happened:

1- I got a free INSTEON dimmer with an order of stand-alone motion detectors and was blown away by the look and feel of the unit.

2- Smarthome dropped the price to $40 per switch ($30 on sale) and that put them in line with unautomated designer switches.

3- I installed a few and they did not destroy my X-10 environment as expected. In fact they tend to attenuate noise in the X-10 frequency range. The X-10 signal is not attenuated as much because my amplifiers and boosterlincs restore valid signals to a large extent. The result is a higher signal to noise ratio and fewer false triggers.

In my case the price point and esthetics are fairly important and Ithe X-10 compatability has turned out to be a bigger deal than I expected (ie instant stargate compatability). If I can continue to maintain high reliability in X-10 mode by just adding a few more boosterlincs maybe I will ignore the INSTEON protocol and just use them as very nice (and reasonably priced) X-10 switches!

 

[ChrisWalker]

There's also one thing about the Insteon switches that people seem to be selectively ignoring. Smarthome has stated that the end devices will have RF built into them next year. So, this means that the current switches will also be discontinued next year. Just something to keep in mind....

Martin -- really? Wow, I missed that too. Do you have a link to a post, or was this via phone, etc.?

That will make an interesting change for Insteon devices, for sure.

 

[Mike]

That is a great point. It had stuck in the back of my mind as someone here had made a comment about RF inside a metal electrical box (at a later time), but I dismissed it.

Excellent point Martin...

 

[WayneW]

There's also one thing about the Insteon switches that people seem to be selectively ignoring. Smarthome has stated that the end devices will have RF built into them next year. So, this means that the current switches will also be discontinued next year. Just something to keep in mind....

Martin, I have been unable to confirm your statement from SmartHome. Can you provide a source or reference? As far as I have heard, they MIGHT be considering adding RF to some things, but I have never heard anything to the affect that the current switches would be discontinued. And even if they are discontinued, that doesn't mean that they would be obsolete, incompatible or undesirable.

People seem to like the appearance of the v2 switches and the only negative comments are that they are different than the v1 switches appearance. If SmartHome does come out with newer switches with added features, I don't think it will affect existing customers much, as long as SmartHome doesn't change the appearance again.