If you're just getting started in home automation or looking to upgrade from X10, this article is for you! Home automation systems can become large systems over time since the process of adding on "one more thing" is much of the appeal. Choosing the right system from the start can save headaches and wasted money.
There are many systems on the market today that all claim to help you automate your house, and they all do to some extent. Some systems have relatively little in the way of devices, and after you purchase you may find out that you are limited to certain types of lighting or expensive third-party partnerships.
Determining if the system you are looking for has all the parts for everything you might do in the future is a daunting task however, which is why universal modules take away some of the stress in this regard. A universal module allows you to wire any two-wire combination to it's contact points and it will act as a relay and I/O device from the wires. Opto-isolation is even available on some modules (specifically the EZIO for Insteon).
The basic two communication techniques used by home automation are RF and powerline phase shifting. If you are coming from the X10 world, RF is used between the wireless remotes and the base station and powerline communication is used for all wired devices. Each type of communication has its pros and cons, with older houses seeing more benefit from wireless while more dense living conditions (ie apartments/condos/townhouses) see less interference from powerline communication. One technology does both, and this "dual-phase" approach is described more in the link below.
We've just scratched the surface of selecting a system, but for more information check out this Insteon vs X10 comparison and iPhone enabled Insteon review at LiveAutomatic.com
Whats On My YouTube Today?
Here Are A Few Items From Amazon You Might Be Interested In.
| Account limit of 2177 requests per hour exceeded. |
Items recently purchased on this site:
Thanks for visiting!