UPB Forums

[tenholde]

I've been disappointed with the lack of posting here. I hope this is not an indication that UPB is not being adopted broadly.

Can anyone point me to forums with UPB discussions?

Ed

[DC]

Another way to look at the lack of postings here is that people aren't having problems with it. I have a lot of UPB devices installed and they all work flawlessly.

[Rupp]

I've been disappointed with the lack of posting here. I hope this is not an indication that UPB is not being adopted broadly.

Can anyone point me to forums with UPB discussions?

Ed

Ed,
Since Insteon was released the UPB forums have all but dried up. I believe the reason is two fold. The biggest reason is Insteon is so much cheaper. You can buy 4 or 5 Insteon Icon switches for the price of one UPB switch. The second reason probably is adoption rate. It seems this hobbyist market is price driven so Insteon is becoming more popular at this level of use.

[tenholde]

Do you know of any other UPB related forums?

Ed

[jstaab]

For what's it worth, I use UPB as well and everything works perfect, no problems, nothing to post :-)

[Rupp]

Do you know of any other UPB related forums?

Ed

What questions do you have and maybe we can help.

[Oman]

I don't know of any that are open and busy. By open I mean open to anyone, UPB is getting more popular with the pro installers. Insteon will likely take over the price sensitive hobby market.

Jon

Do you know of any other UPB related forums?

Ed

[tenholde]

1) First issue right now is that I cannot plug the CIM into an outlet near my computer, or communications fails. I run an extension to the next room, and all is great. Are there filters (X10 or otherwise) that anyone would recommend that I plug my computer configuration into?

2) Anyone running HS and the UPB plugin on a Windows Server 2003 box?

Ed

[Oman]

You did not mention if communication fails because of noise or low signal level. UPStart will tell you. If it is noise then just about any X10 filter will do. If the computer is absorbing the signal then a good X10 filter may work.

Jon

1) First issue right now is that I cannot plug the CIM into an outlet near my computer, or communications fails. I run an extension to the next room, and all is great. Are there filters (X10 or otherwise) that anyone would recommend that I plug my computer configuration into?

2) Anyone running HS and the UPB plugin on a Windows Server 2003 box?

Ed

[AutomatedOutlet]

You can buy 4 or 5 Insteon Icon switches for the price of one UPB switch.

You kidding Rupp???

Icon is rated for 300 watts.

A 600 watt Insteon dimmer is $40 and a 600 watt UPB switch is $65. For a 3-way set up,

Insteon - $40 x2 = $80

UPB - $65 + $27 = $92

I think the reason why there aren't as many posts about UPB is because it works and there are a lot fewer issues.....

[Rupp]

Martin,
I have 4 Icons and all of them show 600 watts on the back of the switch. This has been discovered by other users as well. I would tend to agree but more and more I'm reading where users are have significant UPB problems. Such as in this post on cocoontech.
http://www.cocoontech.com/index.php?showtopic=3467

I was hoping this was the Holy Grail of Home Automation but the slowness of the light switches and the inability to coexists with X10 in some instances and the cost are making UPB a high end product. I think if the prices drop just a tad it could become BIG but until then the hobby market will go to the less expensive solution.

[Oman]

It is funny as there are lots of people with Insteon problems, zillions of people with X10 problems, lots of people with Z-Wave problems. And there are people posting with UPB problems? Yes - there are people with UPB problems too. It is hard to judge because most posts are about problems. Getting a good no problem to problem ratio is tough because by nature these are all support forums.

If you want to have a pretty much 100% problem free installation then you need to go with direct control where you don't rely on power lines or RF transmissions on an unlicensed frequency. Tear up the walls and re-wire for a Crestron where each controlled light wires directly up to a dimmer down in the mechanical room. And spend about $400 per light - not including retrofit repairs.

Jon

Martin,
I have 4 Icons and all of them show 600 watts on the back of the switch. This has been discovered by other users as well. I would tend to agree but more and more I'm reading where users are have significant UPB problems. Such as in this post on cocoontech.
http://www.cocoontech.com/index.php?showtopic=3467

I was hoping this was the Holy Grail of Home Automation but the slowness of the light switches and the inability to coexists with X10 in some instances and the cost are making UPB a high end product. I think if the prices drop just a tad it could become BIG but until then the hobby market will go to the less expensive solution.

[jstaab]

That is the ONLY problem I've had so far, UPB and X-10 aren't coexisting too well. For this reason, I'm having to move some of my switches to UPB a bit quicker then I had wanted to. The main problem that I have is with the US240 causing either noise or absorbing x-10.

Martin,
I was hoping this was the Holy Grail of Home Automation but the slowness of the light switches and the inability to coexists with X10 in some instances and the cost are making UPB a high end product. I think if the prices drop just a tad it could become BIG but until then the hobby market will go to the less expensive solution.

[AutomatedOutlet]

The main problem that I have is with the US240 causing either noise or absorbing x-10.

I know you are local. Please bring in that US240 switch and let's test it here. I'm not having that issue at all with the ones we have installed in the office.

[jstaab]

I MIGHT make it your direction for the February meeting, however, that is a Saturday though. I'll drop you a message sometime, I don't make it direction too terribly much, but I would like to see all the toys you have :-)