I have some older x-10 stuff that gave up the ghost some time ago, and I have been looking into Zwave wave based home automation and security. The security part I’ll leave to upgrading my older Vista Panel that spoke X-10, to a newer panel that speaks Zwave, and leave the Home automation to Zwave for the most part.
Most if not all Zwave can be found on Amazon for a good price, with great reviews, and a lot of security panels trigger Zwave devices into action upon alarm. But I have not found as yet a panel/system that the Zwave via talks to very well and through Smartphone (Android/Apllel Os) etc.
Got my vacation home setup with the Vera system. Really needed it to monitor and control the temperature in the house. Have some security and motion sensors setup. Had everything up and running in a few hours. Getting certain devices sync’d is a pain the butt but once its locked in, works flawless.
The PC software tool is very buggy and slow to respond but I only use it to setup, modify new devices. The app is excellent once the system is up.
I installed a HAI OmniPro II system in my house back in 2002. My house got struck by lightning a couple years later and set the panel on fire! The board was literately on fire! Insurance paid for the replacement, but then another lightning storm fired that one (not a direct hit but I close enough to crap out the board) so I replaced that with a Omni IIe. Needless to say, anytime a storm gets close I shut down the panel. I don’t do too much with it, maybe 20 lines of programming, but it’s nice to have the thermostats, doors, windows, and some lights all interconnected.
Anyway, I’ve have mixed success running some X-10 light switches. I really don’t do too much with them, the outside lights and the interior hallway and foyer light have X-10 modules. About the only commands I do are to turn on the interior lights when the system is armed and the garage door is opened (never walk into a dark house) and if the fire zone is tripped to turn all lights on. I do have my post light flash when I arm the system via the keyfob. But again, the reliability of the system is questionable.
I only plan on being here another 2-3 years. Already have plans for the next house and still deciding how much to automate that one. I was thinking of using an Elk M1 system. Not really too fond of HAI being bought out by Leviton. I was thinking of keeping any sort of lighting control separate from the automation panel, just so I would have a dedicated system and hopefully more reliability. I don’t know why, but never been really into anything “wireless”. Rather just hardwire to it and be done with it!
The newer Lynx panels communicate with Z-Wave devices very well. I’ve also found that the ademco turbo panels work well with it you may want to look into the tuxedo touch keypads for it though.