From: Ron I. <isa...@lj...> - 2008-12-22 04:57:11
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Hi Marc -- I recently started using MH on Linux with a mix of Insteon and X10 devices, and so far have had very good success. It's important to use the serial PLM (the one you found), as MH does not yet support the USB PLC. My Linux server is an old laptop with no serial ports, so I use an inexpensive USB-to-serial adapter (http://www.monoprice.com/products/search.asp?keyword=3726). The drivers that come with this are for a 2.4 kernel, but I was able to make it work on 2.6 easily enough, and can send you a patch if you need it. This device sends and receives both Insteon and X10 signals, and I've really never had a problem with reliability. I did recently rewire my entire house though, so I'm not sure if older wiring may account for the problems that some people have. As for Insteon itself, there are basically two flavors: powerline and wireless. Personally, I have only powerline devices and do not have any wireless. The docs can give the impression that all devices support both, but this is not true. For example, SwitchLinc wall switches are powerline-only, so you can have a million of these on each phase, and they will not help with phase coupling. This is not practical for everyone, but I've managed to keep all of my Insteon and X10 devices on the same phase, so I don't have to worry about this issue. (Most US electrical panels are arranged in two columns, and the phases alternate by row. So the two breakers in the first row are on one phase, the two in the next row are on the other phase, etc. If you're not afraid of some very minor rewiring, you can simply switch your breakers around so that all of your HA stuff is on the same phase. This is dangerous though -- even with the main breaker off there's usually live power in your circuit breaker box, so do not attempt this unless you really know what you are doing.) In your case, I'm not sure if your existing X10 phase coupler will work for Insteon signals. It's the same general idea, but X10 and Insteon use slightly different carrier frequencies. If you plan to have any wireless Insteon devices, then it's common to use two wireless bridges and put them on opposite phases (so you get better range and phase coupling all at once), but if you don't use any wireless devices and already have the phase situation sorted out, then the bridges are not necessary (I don't have any). You are correct in assuming that if you do have both powerline and wireless devices in your network, then any signal can take either path, or a mix of both paths. Incidentally, this goes to your question about retries. First, all Insteon devices will re-broadcast any Insteon commands they receive, which is how phase coupling works across wireless bridges in the first place. Unlike X10, the protocol also includes ACK messages, and the sender will retry messages that do not get ACKed within a timeout period, but I'm not sure how long this normally takes. They say that the more devices you have, the more reliable your network, as there are multiple paths between each source and target, which can help to overcome interference or signal strength problems. It's important to note that Insteon devices do NOT re-broadcast X10 commands (this would be a bad idea) so there's no way to overcome transmission problems that affect your X10 units, short of the active phase coupler that you already have. As for your last question, CFLs are supported only by the Insteon switches that are labeled as Relays. The Dimmer models will not work, as they rely on the current passing through the filament of the incandescent bulb. However, I have a bunch of ToggleLinc Relay switches (2466SW) and they work just fine with CFLs. I don't regret my choice of Insteon one bit. The components are expensive, but it's nice that you can use Insteon devices where reliability is important and the MUCH cheaper X10 devices for convenience applications all over the house. Marc MERLIN wrote: > > I'm switching from X10, although being able to keep some X10 > like the IR bridge so that my harmony remote can send codes, > and maybe some legacy X10 devices. > I also use the cheap X10 wireless remotes that gateway > signals back to the system (whether they were the 8x2 code > remotes, or the fake light wireless light switches that you > just glue on your wall with no wiring). I do want to be able > to read those codes back from my linux gateway so that a > button press can talk to xmms for instance. > If the replacements can't do that easily, I'm happy to keep > some X10 stuff. > > I think I narrowed down the replacements to Zwave or Insteon. > > So far > Zwave: > + multi vendor > + most devices you could use are there > - many are pricey > - RF only (range *could* be a problem for a farther away garage) > - simple things like a stick on wall fake light switch that > cost $10 or > so with X10 are hard to find and cost $100-ish with Zwave > > Insteon: > + compatible with X10 > + uses wiring + RF > + sightly less pricy? > + good linux support > - seems like still single vendor > > Questions: > - I read Insteon only resends a code for up to 1 sec and will > accept any ack. > In real life does that work well enough or is that a reason > to go with > Zwave instead? > > - What is the RF range of Insteon? Did I read right that > codes are sent both over > RF and wired, so that they should be able to jump from one phase to > another without a phase coupler? > > - I just bought an active dryer plug in coupler/repeater for > X10. I still ought > to be able to use this, right? Or do Insteon devices read X10 codes > and rebroadcast them too making the coupler unneeded? > Actually, I see that Insteon sells a phase coupler too but if they > double broadcast over RF, I'm not sure why it's needed. > Does that also mean that my active X10 phase bridge is > unlikely to be compatible > with Insteon and that I need an Insteon specific one? > > - I read somewhere that Insteon causes conflicts or makes X10 > less reliable. Is > that true in your experience? > > - Both Zwave and Insteon are 2-way, and while Zwave linux support is a > bit behind, it's being worked on. For Insteon, there is > however full support > for sending and receiving codes from linux, right? So a > light switch can read > a code I can use to run a script. Correct? > I did find http://www.linuxha.com/athome/common/iplcd/ Is > http://www.smarthome.com/2412S/PowerLinc-INSTEON-Modem-Serial/ p.aspx > compatible two way on linux (i.e. can I read triggers from X10 and > Insteon)? > > - last but not least, how about supporting CFL light bulbs when > replacing light switches? > > Am I missing other points? > > Given the choice, and with hindsight, would you pick Insteon > over Zwave again, or the other way around? > > Thanks, > Marc > -- > "A mouse is a device used to point at the xterm you want to > type in" - A.S.R. > Microsoft is to operating systems & security .... > .... what McDonalds is > to gourmet cooking Home page: http://marc.merlins.org/ > > -------------------------------------------------------------- > ---------------- > ________________________________________________________ > To unsubscribe from this list, go to: > http://sourceforge.net/mail/?group_id=1365 -- Ron Isaacson isa...@lj... |