Remote control light switches/outlets

[stanger89]

So a while back my parents got some remote control (RF) switches. They were some really cheap/crappy ones, but they shall we say, like the concept?

So I was thinking I'd get them some good ones this year for Christmas. I was poking around and just about set on the something like Leviton's Vizia RF. I've got a couple Leviton IR dimmers in my HT and they're great.

Problem is, I'm concerned Zwave might be a bit to complicated. I'm really looking for some plug and play, so I don't have to reprogram it every time they get something new

Any suggestions?

[Thomas Wischgol]

I still use all my X10 stuff. It is pretty dated now. But it works pretty reliably for me and since it is mostly discontinued you can get pretty good deals. I installed some of those at my girlfriend's house also which I ordered through www.x10.com; just a few modules and wall switches. The combo pack I ordered also came with a key fob and my girlfriend really likes the fact that she can now turn on the porch light and living room light from the drive way when she gets home.

[wayner]

I use Control4 which is much cheaper than Crestron but still must be purchased through a dealer. It also requires a controller which runs about $500. The system uses Zigbee Pro wireless mesh networks and can do a lot beyond lighting, such as HVAC, media, door locks, security, screens/blinds, fireplaces, etc. The main downsides are (1) price and (2)you need to buy everything through a dealer and need a dealer to add hardware to the system, although you can do pretty much all of the programming on your own.

[stanger89]

Yeah, for me that would be decent, but I'm looking for something a lot simpler.

[paulbeers]

Originally Posted by stanger89

Yeah, for me that would be decent, but I'm looking for something a lot simpler.

What about the Insteon offerings at Smarthome.com? While I haven't had any personal experience with it, it's supposed to be both powerline and RF for redundency. The reviews have been pretty good. I'm planning to go that route this spring for my outdoor landscape lights (I hate trying to keep the timers in sync across the yard).

[keepersg]

Originally Posted by paulbeers

What about the Insteon offerings at Smarthome.com? While I haven't had any personal experience with it, it's supposed to be both powerline and RF for redundency. The reviews have been pretty good. I'm planning to go that route this spring for my outdoor landscape lights (I hate trying to keep the timers in sync across the yard).

I've got about 50 Insteon devices in my house that cover a wide range of functions--lights, appliances, sensors (contacts, motion).

What I like-Switches look great, relatively inexpensive, DYI friendly (no need to go thru a dealer), very scaleable--you can buy a few switches and manually link them or you can buy 100 and get an ISY99 controller and do all the programming you might ever want, works well with other home automation devices like the Elk M1G and with home automation software like CQC (which will also control Sage), is actually dual mesh now (transmits both powerline and rf signals) which improves reliability. My system has almost 100% reliability. High WAF,HAF,CAF

Downsides--early versions of the hardware had reliability problems. These seem to be solved as far as I can tell from recent purchases. I haven't had a device fail in the last 2 years. The Insteon protocol for device communication is complicated enough and has gone through some revisions that have proved challenging for some software authors. The smarthome forum where Insteon is discussed was an extremely unpleasant place to be a few years ago because of a few people who consistently got into flaming each other. Don't know how it is now--haven't gone back in quite a while.

Bottom line--The stuff just works and I don't have to spend anytime maintaining it unless I want to play--what I also like about Sage 7

[SomeWhatLost]

well, I will give a qualified +1 to insteon... and I would say avoid X10 like the plague... unless you like ghost lamps that turn on and off all by themselves...

for the price, you can't beat it... I do get about 98.999% reliability (and that may be due to a lot of really old v1 devices)

it does just work... set it up once and you are done... adding something new doesn't mean going back and changing anything that is already there... replacing a blown up device is simple with the ISY...

if you go insteon I would definitely go with ISY also (assuming you will end up with more then just a handful of devices...) it just makes setting crap up much easier...
for example:
actual setup procedure with ISY, log in to its internal web page/java based thingy, then drag and drop...
actual setup without ISY press button on 'receiver' for 10 seconds until it starts blinking... then run over to the 'sender/switch/etc' and press it for 10 seconds... repeat as needed... this is not bad if you just have a couple of devices, but it gets old quick when they are spaced out around the house...

the ISY also gives you rules/programs/crap you can create, and lets you easily play with ramp rates/etc... some ISY's have Ir I think? you could probably have fun with that...

note: both ISY & Insteon are backwards compatible with x-10, so if you find an x-10 device you just can't live without, it will work in an insteon network (or not work, as the case may be... it is x-10 after all, there are no guarantees...)

[SomeWhatLost]

Originally Posted by paulbeers

What about the Insteon offerings at Smarthome.com?

while I like Smarthome, and they usually have the best selection, I try to get my insteon and other HA crap from Automated outlet whenever possible... for one thing, if you actually call them up and ask nicely, they will usually give you a discount...

[panteragstk]

I've had my eye on the lutron radioRA 2 series.

[stanger89]

I actually ordered a really inexpensive Intermatic Zwave kit from Amazon, we'll see how it goes. Hopefully it works well, and if it does, being Zwave, other switches should be "easily" addable.

[SomeWhatLost]

one thing to keep in mind with Zwave, the switches tend to be physically large... may not fit in the wall... unless you have deep boxes... also if you have the old all metal & grounded boxes, that does tend to kill their RF signal a bit... not nearly as bad as a good Faraday cage, but still, a grounded metal box isn't necessarily the best place to put an antenna...
ok, so maybe that's two things to keep in mind...


anyway, sounds like a fun project... so enjoy and have fun with it...

[paulbeers]

Thanks for the feed back on the Insteon "stuff". I knew the old models had some reliability (which makes it difficult when looking for reviews), but everything I had read recently seemed to be very positive.

Also I have to state that the X10 stuff is crap especially if you use compact fluorescent lamps (which degrades their signal). While the stuff is cheap, it just isn't reliable at all and I can not recommend it at all.

[SomeWhatLost]

Originally Posted by paulbeers

Thanks for the feed back on the Insteon "stuff". I knew the old models had some reliability (which makes it difficult when looking for reviews), but everything I had read recently seemed to be very positive.

it is true insteon had some reliability issues... and some marketing issues...
their biggest issue was how they treated some of the early adopters...
they apparently went out of their way to generate some anti-fans... some anti-fans who have no issue with being quite vocal about how they were treated, have a very good grasp of technology, so as a rule, most of them don't sound like anti-insteon nut jobs...
pretty much insteon is the poster child for how not to launch a new product...

but that said, insteon has been pretty stable for a long while now, I have a lot of v1 switches and stuff and they haven't failed... and the newer stuff is even better...

of course if you have the time and $$$ a real hard wired solution is still the best way to go... if you can...

[cncb]

Originally Posted by stanger89

I actually ordered a really inexpensive Intermatic Zwave kit from Amazon, we'll see how it goes. Hopefully it works well, and if it does, being Zwave, other switches should be "easily" addable.

I have several of the Intermatic HomeSettings switches and their handheld programmable controller. It has been very reliable and easy to program, operate, and add to as you noted. They don't make this line anymore but you can sometimes still find them cheap on Amazon and Ebay. I was able to pick up several of their toggle dimmer switches a little while ago for very cheap which are nice because they are the non-paddle type that more closely match the normal switches in my house (and I don't have to replace the cover plates). I also have an outdoor switch and some plugin switches used for Christmas lights and tree. All very easy to use and add to the system.

[stanger89]

That's good to hear, thanks for the info. Have you tried any other Zwave stuff with it?

[cncb]

Originally Posted by stanger89

Have you tried any other Zwave stuff with it?

I have a Sylvania plug-in lamp dimmer which works fine with it but that is the only other brand I've tried. The only other device type I have is the original Intermatic USB controller with the Controlthink SDK which worked well but I switched to the handheld controllers when they never produced Windows 7 drivers.

[wayner]

FYI - in case anyone is interested here is a recent Gizmodo story on Control4 which is the HA system that I use: http://gizmodo.com/5702651/control4-...-from-anywhere

[stevech]

the fountainhead of such is Homeseer.com and their user forum
http://board.homeseer.com/index.php?

HomeSeer is software on a PC supporting a zillion home automation gadgets and user scripting, and a unique web server with asp support

[SomeWhatLost]

Originally Posted by stevech

the fountainhead of such is Homeseer.com and their user forum
http://board.homeseer.com/index.php?

I disagree, Charmed quark is the obvious fountainhead...
well, the Vidabox forums could be too...
or maybe Cinemar if you are into that sorta thing...
or maybe Elve, they are the new up and comer on the block...
and of course there is always the 900lbs monkey... but, you are probably better off just going through your fully authorized dealer for them...
but then, I never really liked Homeseer, they always seemed just a little out of date/behind the times to me... so I may be a bit biased against them...

of course the real best place is Cocoontech, it is non-denominational, people from all the HA religions commingle peacefully (mostly) and help each other out... including all those evil HomeSeer heathens...


so more on topic, well the original topic anyway... will stanger89 actually let us know how things work out?
these sorta threads are always fun to see what works/doesn't work/explodes/etc... (hopefully no exploding in this case)




note to any innocent bystanders: I am just having some fun "dissing" HS...just because I can... but, it really is a good HA solution, so if you are in the market for such a thing, it should be on your list of HA apps to check out...

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by SomeWhatLost

so more on topic, well the original topic anyway... will stanger89 actually let us know how things work out?
these sorta threads are always fun to see what works/doesn't work/explodes/etc... (hopefully no exploding in this case)

Hopefully I remember to, they're actually still wrapped at the moment so it will be at least tomorrow before anybody plays with them