Insteon Pros and Cons
The advantages of Insteon are plentiful: it’s fast, reliable and inexpensive, with an Insteon home automation system, you have the ability to control up to 417 devices in the home, up from 256 devices with X10 (link: 13_How does X10 work.doc). This protocol, however, does come with its own unique drawbacks.
Pros of insteon
- Reliability
The primary advantage of Insteon is the dual-mesh technology it employs. The system uses both power lines and Radio Frequency (RF) communication methods, which means it transmits messages faster and with more reliability than X10 systems. Also, on the rare occasion that a command is missed, it is reattempted until it is received.
- Affordable
Although Insteon is more expensive to purchase than X10, it is relatively inexpensive to actually install this system. Often, the time and labor involved in installing home automation systems – and training the homeowner to use it – is what chews through the consumer’s budget, but in this respect, Insteon is simple to install and simple to use.
- X10 backwards compatible
Insteon is backwards compatible with X10, meaning that most Insteon devices can respond to X10 commands. If you’re considering moving from X10 to Insteon, there’ll be no need for complicated or expensive upgrades.
- Simple set-up
The Insteon system set-up is achieved using a web-based interface, via Internet Explorer, on a standard home computer. All set-up information can be safely stored and backed up, and the process of adding or removing devices – or changing trigger events – is as easy as tapping a few computer keys.
- Peer networks
Insteon enable simple devices to be networked together by utlilizing a ‘peer’ system, which means that each device can transmit, receive, and repeat any message of the Insteon protocol. Because every device acts as a repeater, every added node strengthens the home automation network, so Insteon can therefore achieve more sophisticated home automation tasks than X10.
Cons of Insteon
- Signal noise
Insteon has the same disadvantage as X10, in that it can be bothered by the signal noise, which can cause relay problems or create false on/off signals. Devices with switch mode power supplies are frequent culprits, as they output noise in the same frequency band used by X10 (120kHz) and Insteon (131.5kHz). This problem can be addressed with noise filters.
- High volume issues
While Insteon excels in basic signal relays, it faces the same bandwidth limitations that X10, UPB and Z-Wave all face, since it’s based on the same powerline/ radio frequency technology. So, when transmitting data that requires high bandwidth – such as video from security cameras, or streaming TV into multiple rooms – Insteon performs minimally. If this could be a concern for you, structured wiring (link: 26. Intro to structured wiring) home automation systems provide dedicated lines for this kind of transmission.
- Price
Insteon will set you back roughly 2-3 times more than the amount you’ll spend on X10. However, it’s still cheaper than UPB and it’s much more reliable than X10, as it has several layers of protection against failure: two separate communications media, two separate protocols, and several repeats in each transmission.
Why should you get it?
Insteon will set you back at least double what you’d pay for X10, but for that extra investment, you will enjoy a faster, more reliable home automation system with greater capabilities.
Good summary of Insteon Anthony, could you explain the signal bandwidth stuff a bit more?