Add New Insteon or X10 Switches to existing X10 installation?

[Mitch]

I've got about 70 X10 receivers (dimmers, switches, appliance modules
and lamp modules) in my house today. Almost all of these are Smarthome
(some are Leviton).

I need to add about a dozen or so new modules (some inline modules, new
lamp modules, appliance modules, relays and dimmers).

My question is: should I stick with X10 modules or go with the Insteon
modules?

I have no immediate plans to switch to Insteon, but I'm wondering if it
is wise to get them to give me this option in the future.

I'm also concerned with signal attenuation. It's my understanding that
the Insteon modules suck signal the way the 2-way modules do (but I will
probably add a few 2-way X10 modules anyway).

Thanks for any inputs you have!

Mitch

[Dave Houston]

It's not clear from the documentation that I've read whether the Insteon
capable modules & switches attenuate X-10 when set to X-10 mode. They do
suck X-10 when set to Insteon mode.

Mitch <sumcoolgai@yahoo.com> wrote:

>I've got about 70 X10 receivers (dimmers, switches, appliance modules
>and lamp modules) in my house today. Almost all of these are Smarthome
>(some are Leviton).
>
>I need to add about a dozen or so new modules (some inline modules, new
>lamp modules, appliance modules, relays and dimmers).
>
>My question is: should I stick with X10 modules or go with the Insteon
>modules?
>
>I have no immediate plans to switch to Insteon, but I'm wondering if it
>is wise to get them to give me this option in the future.
>
>I'm also concerned with signal attenuation. It's my understanding that
>the Insteon modules suck signal the way the 2-way modules do (but I will
>probably add a few 2-way X10 modules anyway).
>
>Thanks for any inputs you have!
>
>Mitch

[Mitch]

Dave Houston wrote:
> It's not clear from the documentation that I've read whether the Insteon
> capable modules & switches attenuate X-10 when set to X-10 mode. They do
> suck X-10 when set to Insteon mode.
>
> Mitch <sumcoolgai@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
>>I've got about 70 X10 receivers (dimmers, switches, appliance modules
>>and lamp modules) in my house today. Almost all of these are Smarthome
>>(some are Leviton).
>>
>>I need to add about a dozen or so new modules (some inline modules, new
>>lamp modules, appliance modules, relays and dimmers).
>>
>>My question is: should I stick with X10 modules or go with the Insteon
>>modules?
>>
>>I have no immediate plans to switch to Insteon, but I'm wondering if it
>>is wise to get them to give me this option in the future.
>>
>>I'm also concerned with signal attenuation. It's my understanding that
>>the Insteon modules suck signal the way the 2-way modules do (but I will
>>probably add a few 2-way X10 modules anyway).
>>
>>Thanks for any inputs you have!
>>
>>Mitch
>
>
!evaD iH ;-)

Don't the 2-way X-10 modules have the effect of reducing the signal
level on the line and wouldn't the Insteon switches (since they're
2-way) do the same thing in X-10 mode?

Thanks,

Mitch

[Dave Houston]

They probably do since the TX circuitry is probably always connected to the
powerline independent of whether it's in Insteon or X-10 mode. Are these
also two-way in X-10 mode? That's not clear from the manual and it's
something I didn't think to check when I had the starter kit here.

Mitch <sumcoolgai@yahoo.com> wrote:

>!evaD iH ;-)
>
>Don't the 2-way X-10 modules have the effect of reducing the signal
>level on the line and wouldn't the Insteon switches (since they're
>2-way) do the same thing in X-10 mode?
>
>Thanks,
>
>Mitch

[Mitch]

Dave Houston wrote:
> They probably do since the TX circuitry is probably always connected to the
> powerline independent of whether it's in Insteon or X-10 mode. Are these
> also two-way in X-10 mode? That's not clear from the manual and it's
> something I didn't think to check when I had the starter kit here.
>
> Mitch <sumcoolgai@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
>>!evaD iH ;-)
>>
>>Don't the 2-way X-10 modules have the effect of reducing the signal
>>level on the line and wouldn't the Insteon switches (since they're
>>2-way) do the same thing in X-10 mode?
>>
>>Thanks,
>>
>>Mitch
>
>
The product description says "all the same features as the 2-way X-10
switch..." So, I'm ASSuming they are 2-way in X-10 mode.

The other thing I just saw though is that the "Boosterlinc" products and
other *Lincs with boosterlinc functionality can interfere with the
Insteon devices.

This is sounding less like I should use Insteon?

[Dave Houston]

The BoosterLinc stuff should not bother them when used in X-10 mode and the
signal sucking shouldn't be appreciably worse than two-way X-10 switches.

Mitch <sumcoolgai@yahoo.com> wrote:

>The product description says "all the same features as the 2-way X-10
>switch..." So, I'm ASSuming they are 2-way in X-10 mode.
>
>The other thing I just saw though is that the "Boosterlinc" products and
>other *Lincs with boosterlinc functionality can interfere with the
>Insteon devices.
>
>This is sounding less like I should use Insteon?