Now that you said it, this is another reason I have up home automation years ago technology was chaining so fast and often that software you were using does not work on the new computers and so on. I found myself keeping an old computer alive as I tried to find a new solution that still work with my installed automation system.
After spending thousands putting equipment in I do not want to keep upgrading as technology keeps moving forward.
An important thing to note is, the Lutron and Insteon hardware that's been sold for years becomes HomeKit compatible when you introduce the HomeKit Compatible Bridge to your setup. This means, you don't necessarily lose your investment in switches, fan controls, etc - if you have those products that work when you set up the new bridge.
Now that you said it, this is another reason I have up home automation years ago technology was chaining so fast and often that software you were using does not work on the new computers and so on. I found myself keeping an old computer alive as I tried to find a new solution that still work with my installed automation system.
After spending thousands putting equipment in I do not want to keep upgrading as technology keeps moving forward.
It is entirely possible we're entering a world where thermostats change on a 5 year cycle.
Here's why:
The thermostats (Nest, ecobee3, Honeywell, Tado... but NOT Insteon) use Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi changes speeds every few years, and it used to be that if you had slower devices on your Wi-Fi network, they could decrease the speeds for faster devices as well. Don't run an 802.11b device on an 802.11g or 802.11n network. Don't run 802.11g devices on your 802.11ac network. Some of this, you can overcome by putting slower devices on the 2.4ghz band and faster devices on the 5ghz band. But at some point, when that old thermostat only does 802.11n and we're on whatever comes after the 60gbps 802.11AG networks (Future™!) what would otherwise be a perfectly good thermostat is probably going to get changed out.
The wall switches get to live a lot longer, as you'll only need to change the bridge.
I'm still thinking we're all going down the wrong path with smart lightbulbs - bulbs fail. The smarts should be in the socket, or an insert that goes in the light socket, with another socket for a dumb bulb. But that's me. Maybe it's a faster way to get people on new tech, by selling bulbs with updated smarts.
It is entirely possible we're entering a world where thermostats change on a 5 year cycle.
Here's why:
The thermostats (Nest, ecobee3, Honeywell, Tado... but NOT Insteon) use Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi changes speeds every few years, and it used to be that if you had slower devices on your Wi-Fi network, they could decrease the speeds for faster devices as well. Don't run an 802.11b device on an 802.11g or 802.11n network. Don't run 802.11g devices on your 802.11ac network. Some of this, you can overcome by putting slower devices on the 2.4ghz band and faster devices on the 5ghz band. But at some point, when that old thermostat only does 802.11n and we're on whatever comes after the 60gbps 802.11AG networks (Future™!) what would otherwise be a perfectly good thermostat is probably going to get changed out.
The wall switches get to live a lot longer, as you'll only need to change the bridge.
I'm still thinking we're all going down the wrong path with smart lightbulbs - bulbs fail. The smarts should be in the socket, or an insert that goes in the light socket, with another socket for a dumb bulb. But that's me. Maybe it's a faster way to get people on new tech, by selling bulbs with updated smarts.
It is entirely possible we're entering a world where thermostats change on a 5 year cycle.
Here's why:
The thermostats (Nest, ecobee3, Honeywell, Tado... but NOT Insteon) use Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi changes speeds every few years, and it used to be that if you had slower devices on your Wi-Fi network, they could decrease the speeds for faster devices as well. Don't run an 802.11b device on an 802.11g or 802.11n network. Don't run 802.11g devices on your 802.11ac network. Some of this, you can overcome by putting slower devices on the 2.4ghz band and faster devices on the 5ghz band. But at some point, when that old thermostat only does 802.11n and we're on whatever comes after the 60gbps 802.11AG networks (Future™!) what would otherwise be a perfectly good thermostat is probably going to get changed out.
The wall switches get to live a lot longer, as you'll only need to change the bridge.
I'm still thinking we're all going down the wrong path with smart lightbulbs - bulbs fail. The smarts should be in the socket, or an insert that goes in the light socket, with another socket for a dumb bulb. But that's me. Maybe it's a faster way to get people on new tech, by selling bulbs with updated smarts.
Insteon is just like that. You have a switch that works with insteon . You can also wire their module inbetween the switch and the bulb or you can just do an insteon bulb. IF you have plug in lamps you use the insteon plugin dimmer module.
Insteon even has low voltage controllers that work via wirein. They even have electrical sockets with insteon built in.
I'm still thinking we're all going down the wrong path with smart lightbulbs - bulbs fail. The smarts should be in the socket, or an insert that goes in the light socket, with another socket for a dumb bulb. But that's me. Maybe it's a faster way to get people on new tech, by selling bulbs with updated smarts.
I think you're right on the money. There are hundreds of millions of homes with existing circuitry, but really new homes should take this stuff into account.
It would be useful to have a consortium to standardize this kind of thing, but that would be tricky I assume.
Insteon is just like that. You have a switch that works with insteon . You can also wire their module inbetween the switch and the bulb or you can just do an insteon bulb. IF you have plug in lamps you use the insteon plugin dimmer module.
Insteon even has low voltage controllers that work via wirein. They even have electrical sockets with insteon built in.
Right, the difference is in the physical format. I'm not talking about a plug-in-to-the-outlet dimmer, or a wire-into-the-wall switch, but a socket with male threads / bayonet for the light socket, with a female socket on the opposite side, smarts in the middle. Remove bulb, place my smart adapter in the middle, install bulb in adapter. It seems easier to install to me. Interaction-wise, I don't think you'd notice a difference.
Comments
Anyone used an Ecobee? I'm interested in them over a nest but only know people who use a nest!
Now that you said it, this is another reason I have up home automation years ago technology was chaining so fast and often that software you were using does not work on the new computers and so on. I found myself keeping an old computer alive as I tried to find a new solution that still work with my installed automation system.
After spending thousands putting equipment in I do not want to keep upgrading as technology keeps moving forward.
An important thing to note is, the Lutron and Insteon hardware that's been sold for years becomes HomeKit compatible when you introduce the HomeKit Compatible Bridge to your setup. This means, you don't necessarily lose your investment in switches, fan controls, etc - if you have those products that work when you set up the new bridge.
message me. I had the old ecobee3 on the wall, and am anticipating having the HomeKit one soon.
Anyone used an Ecobee? I'm interested in them over a nest but only know people who use a nest!
Now that you said it, this is another reason I have up home automation years ago technology was chaining so fast and often that software you were using does not work on the new computers and so on. I found myself keeping an old computer alive as I tried to find a new solution that still work with my installed automation system.
After spending thousands putting equipment in I do not want to keep upgrading as technology keeps moving forward.
It is entirely possible we're entering a world where thermostats change on a 5 year cycle.
Here's why:
The thermostats (Nest, ecobee3, Honeywell, Tado... but NOT Insteon) use Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi changes speeds every few years, and it used to be that if you had slower devices on your Wi-Fi network, they could decrease the speeds for faster devices as well. Don't run an 802.11b device on an 802.11g or 802.11n network. Don't run 802.11g devices on your 802.11ac network. Some of this, you can overcome by putting slower devices on the 2.4ghz band and faster devices on the 5ghz band. But at some point, when that old thermostat only does 802.11n and we're on whatever comes after the 60gbps 802.11AG networks (Future™!) what would otherwise be a perfectly good thermostat is probably going to get changed out.
The wall switches get to live a lot longer, as you'll only need to change the bridge.
I'm still thinking we're all going down the wrong path with smart lightbulbs - bulbs fail. The smarts should be in the socket, or an insert that goes in the light socket, with another socket for a dumb bulb. But that's me. Maybe it's a faster way to get people on new tech, by selling bulbs with updated smarts.
Sounds like you might have a business there!
It is entirely possible we're entering a world where thermostats change on a 5 year cycle.
Here's why:
The thermostats (Nest, ecobee3, Honeywell, Tado... but NOT Insteon) use Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi changes speeds every few years, and it used to be that if you had slower devices on your Wi-Fi network, they could decrease the speeds for faster devices as well. Don't run an 802.11b device on an 802.11g or 802.11n network. Don't run 802.11g devices on your 802.11ac network. Some of this, you can overcome by putting slower devices on the 2.4ghz band and faster devices on the 5ghz band. But at some point, when that old thermostat only does 802.11n and we're on whatever comes after the 60gbps 802.11AG networks (Future™!) what would otherwise be a perfectly good thermostat is probably going to get changed out.
The wall switches get to live a lot longer, as you'll only need to change the bridge.
I'm still thinking we're all going down the wrong path with smart lightbulbs - bulbs fail. The smarts should be in the socket, or an insert that goes in the light socket, with another socket for a dumb bulb. But that's me. Maybe it's a faster way to get people on new tech, by selling bulbs with updated smarts.
Insteon is just like that. You have a switch that works with insteon . You can also wire their module inbetween the switch and the bulb or you can just do an insteon bulb. IF you have plug in lamps you use the insteon plugin dimmer module.
Insteon even has low voltage controllers that work via wirein. They even have electrical sockets with insteon built in.
I'm still thinking we're all going down the wrong path with smart lightbulbs - bulbs fail. The smarts should be in the socket, or an insert that goes in the light socket, with another socket for a dumb bulb. But that's me. Maybe it's a faster way to get people on new tech, by selling bulbs with updated smarts.
I think you're right on the money. There are hundreds of millions of homes with existing circuitry, but really new homes should take this stuff into account.
It would be useful to have a consortium to standardize this kind of thing, but that would be tricky I assume.
Insteon is just like that. You have a switch that works with insteon . You can also wire their module inbetween the switch and the bulb or you can just do an insteon bulb. IF you have plug in lamps you use the insteon plugin dimmer module.
Insteon even has low voltage controllers that work via wirein. They even have electrical sockets with insteon built in.
Right, the difference is in the physical format. I'm not talking about a plug-in-to-the-outlet dimmer, or a wire-into-the-wall switch, but a socket with male threads / bayonet for the light socket, with a female socket on the opposite side, smarts in the middle. Remove bulb, place my smart adapter in the middle, install bulb in adapter. It seems easier to install to me. Interaction-wise, I don't think you'd notice a difference.