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    Powerline or RF.

    Ok, I'm very bad at seperating marketing hype from actual function, so I have a few questions about Insteon.

    Smarthome has a starter kit with two switches and two SignalLink modules plus a controler for $129.95. So all I need to add is a PowerLink controler and the plugin to interface with my PC and use Homeseer to control the Insteon switches. Right?

    What I wonder is why the SignalLink modules have an external antenna and the PowerLink doesn't. Does the PowerLink transmit RF, PLC, or both?

    Thanks, Gardner

    #2
    The PowerLinc is strictly PLC; the SignalLincs will repeat it to RF. Currently, the only things the SignalLincs speak RF to is each other (so they can bridge your phases). All current Insteon devices, with the exception of he SignalLincs, are PLC-only. But it's very, very robust PLC - way more reliable than X10. I just "threw the big switch" and transitioned from using X10 PLC to Insteon PLC, and now I can control all my devices, where formerly a number of them were in X10 "dead zones".

    - Dennis Brothers

    Comment


      #3
      The idea is; use the RFLincs to first bridge the phases of your power. Then if you have an Insteon dead spot add another RFLinc to the dead area (as long as it is within 100 feet or so of one of the other RFLincs).

      That way you get overlapping coverage. Each Insteon device is supposed to amplify (not repeat) the existing Insteon signal. In practice I have not found this to be the case but my house seems to be very Insteon unfriendly.

      Jon


      Originally posted by brothers
      The PowerLinc is strictly PLC; the SignalLincs will repeat it to RF. Currently, the only things the SignalLincs speak RF to is each other (so they can bridge your phases). All current Insteon devices, with the exception of he SignalLincs, are PLC-only. But it's very, very robust PLC - way more reliable than X10. I just "threw the big switch" and transitioned from using X10 PLC to Insteon PLC, and now I can control all my devices, where formerly a number of them were in X10 "dead zones".

      - Dennis Brothers
      Jon Ort
      JonOrt@The--Orts.com
      (Remove the dashes in the address, spam is getting out of hand)

      Comment


        #4
        Dennis, Jon,
        Thanks. That explains why there can be problemns with boosterlink enabled X10 devices, and why Insteon may degrade X10 performance. I think I will wait a while before going for new stuff. I have a couple of Insteon relay switches I can use in X10 mode, but the other 15 or so are X10 and three z-wave.

        WIll an X10 passive coupler pass Insteon signals?

        Gardner

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by gcyeaw
          WIll an X10 passive coupler pass Insteon signals?
          The simplest type (a capacitor) will. I don't know if any of the passive couplers use tuned circuits (an inductor and a capacitor); if so they'll probably not work well for Insteon.

          - Dennis Brothers

          Comment


            #6
            You know I would have thought that smarthome would have made the powerlinc's RF as well as PLC.

            I wonder why.

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by kevind
              You know I would have thought that smarthome would have made the powerlinc's RF as well as PLC.

              I wonder why.
              Since any sane Insteon installation is going to have at least a pair of SignalLincs, there was no need.

              - Dennis Brothers

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by brothers
                Since any sane Insteon installation is going to have at least a pair of SignalLincs, there was no need.
                Are you calling my installation insane? I have 3 INSTEON dimmers and 2 INSTEON relays working amongst about a dozen X10 switches and have no SinalLincs. What will adding SignalLincs buy me if all seems fine right now?

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by independentpete
                  What will adding SignalLincs buy me if all seems fine right now?
                  A warm and fuzzy feeling, and compatibility with future Insteon RF devices

                  - Dennis Brothers

                  Comment


                    #10
                    I guess my point was that if the Powerlinc was also RF then Insteon signal broadcasting would be...well...instantaneous. Then again...what do I know.

                    Merry Christmas.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Since Insteon uses PLC to communicate, is it really faster than X10? Is it the robustness of the Insteon PLC that insures less retry's, or is it something else?
                      For those of you that have both, is the Insteon really noticably faster?
                      Thanks, Gardner

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Insteon uses a more sophisticated powerline protocol than X10, that transmits more bits in less time, and yes, it is way faster - virtually instantaneous.

                        - Dennis Brothers

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Insteon transmits a single command in about 1/30th of the time. It was designed to be fast over just about anything else, which is one of the things that causes so many problems in HA installations. It isn't very HA freindly.

                          There are cases however where the reaction time is much less as this is a mesh system and the time will go down for each hop that needs to be made.

                          The other downside is that they designed the group commands as fast intitial reaction with a BUNCH of cleanup that takes time afterwards. So even though the initial command is fast subsequent commands on the network can be delayed.

                          Jon



                          Originally posted by brothers
                          Insteon uses a more sophisticated powerline protocol than X10, that transmits more bits in less time, and yes, it is way faster - virtually instantaneous.

                          - Dennis Brothers
                          Jon Ort
                          JonOrt@The--Orts.com
                          (Remove the dashes in the address, spam is getting out of hand)

                          Comment

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