In transitioning to a home equipped with various Insteon products like dimmers and outlets, I find myself without the original Hub due to the previous owners taking it. Given the recent ownership changes and the introduction of a new subscription model, coupled with a lack of available products on their website, I'm contemplating purchasing a second-hand hub from eBay and obtaining the subscription separately. Is this a viable solution, or should I consider an alternative automation system to replace the existing Insteon products? Are there other considerations or potential challenges I should be mindful of to ensure a seamless integration of home automation in my new residence?
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Insteon went through some tough times recently but they are definitely on track with the new management and new products. Given that you have installed Insteon products, getting a Hub 2 (2245-222) is a relatively small investment to see if what you have will meet your needs. It is the simplest way to utilize the Insteon products. Be sure to look up the instruction sheet for each device and factory reset them before adding to the hub.
If you are a home automation enthusiast and want to do more programming of scenes and scenarios, consider the EISY hub instead. It offers a lot more power, flexibility and features but is also more complicated to use (java based admin console, etc). I moved up to the ISY hub years ago and now the successor EISY and find it and the support for it to be excellent. It also is a base for integrating z-wave, sonos, and other home automation.
Yes, you can consider replacing Insteon, I certainly did consider that when Insteon fell apart. I looked at HA, Hubitat, Samsung SmartThings, Apple, etc. I did not find anything that did all that Insteon plus EISY does. If anything, I would stay away from z-wave unless you have a lot of patience adding and configuring devices.
Good luck! -
Andy, what does EISY offer that Home Assistant does not?Comment
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