What is the current state of the Home Control side of things?

[mgraves]

It seems like this area is slowly dimming. What is the present state of the art? What should I be looking at if I want to go beyond my existing X-10 light modules?

Michael

[thiggins]

I think this area has some promise, but not as much as data networking. Hawking's products have not been well received and Actiontec still is not shipping the product they announced in January.

I have not had much success in getting the attention of the vendors, so haven't had much product to review.

The short story is that for home use, Z-Wave based products seem to be the way to go. But getting them to work is largely still a dedicated hobbyist venture.

[mgraves]

I have this dream of a more full fletched home control system. Then I'd provide control through a combination of IVR/DTMF from my Asterisk box and a web application on some SIP phones with large LCDs.

All I really need is:

1. a gate/door phone/intercom with electric latch release
2. a trigger capability for the driveway swing gate
3. a trigger capability for the garage door opener
4. ability to fire lighting scenes for existing X-10 modules

Michael