PLC bus

[Home IQ]

I am automating a 5 bed house 'down south' and have been in talks with a company offering a system using a plc bus platform, i have never heard of this and wondered if any other installers/diyers had come across it? to me it sounds just like x10 using the existing cabling as the data carrier.
On a similar note, is x10 reliable enough for a Home Automation install in a house of this size? around 50 different lighting zones in all, multiroom a/v, networking etc. Being based in leicestershire i dont want/need reliability issues on a customers property over 150 miles away!

Carl

[toscal]

I have heard from people via a few forums who have tried PLC bus are quite happy with it. I think its actually based on some of the same principles of the UPB powerline system, The company that created the PLCBus system actually used some of the info from UPB for their first presentation. Which is where the confusion about it being the same comes from.
Have a look here www.x10bus.com the company also does the X10 two system www.x10bus.com.
There does seem to be rather a few nice looking products, and I do know there is a PC interface in development, and possibly a plugin for Homeseer. Just do a search for PLCbus on the homeseer fourm http://board.homeseer.com .
ChrisDeighton has a good review of the PLCbus on the Homeseer forum here http://board.homeseer.com/showthread...ghlight=PLCbus
Another place to have alook at is http://x10-hk.com/store/index.php Kevin sells a mixture of the new X10 modules and PLCbus stuff. There is also an X10 too PLCbus converter.
On the reliability of X10. It all depends. There is no hard and fast rule here.
But things I do recomend. Use an X10 whole house filter. Some equipment may require extra filtering. The first location of the X10 controller may not be the best location so trial and error is needed or invest in a powerline multi tester. If you go into profesional installs then this is worth the expense. I have an X10 system at home which I show to clients and it always works first time. I have around 10 to 12 X10 modules and about 15 at Christmas. No problems all works very reliably. I have installed three X10 system so far with very few problems. The problems I did have where either programming issues or human generated (not understanding the system).

[AVPS]

install

hey home IQ, we are authorized dealers and installers for PLC-BUS, i am currently in london and mite be able to help you, email me if interested

[pjsmith]

I use PLC-Bus items, mostly bought from Kevin Lo, and am very happy with it. Whilst everything isn't always in stock, he's always been very helpful with any queries I have had.

I decided to use PLCBus from the start in my new house. They've slowly been bringing out new items, and you can always mix in X10 with it anyway via the x10/plcbus interface. The light switches, whilst expensive compared to X-10 are brilliant and really look the part (you need a neutral wire). The USB / PC programmer has just been released and gives you full PC based control. This is the main item I was waiting for. One of the best things for me is that you can read the status of all the switches / lights and they report when switched on, off etc.

PLC Bus commands are pretty much instant and we never get false on - off's etc unless there is a power cut / very funny mains (which happens sometimes on our island). General noise does not seem to affect them much, if at all. I've no filters and apparently filters of some sort are built into most of the units. There is no noticeable delay as you can get with X-10.

In all, I'd thoroughly recommend them from my experience and I hope they gain popularity so that the product line expands some more.