INSTEON home automation for Windows and Windows Phone (Hidden Gems)

Insteon (often written as INSTEON) has been in the home automation business for a few years, going back to 2010. The company has apps on iOS and Android, but starting a few weeks ago, they released a universal app for Windows Phone and Windows. Even more, they teamed up with Microsoft to sell special kits in the Microsoft Store, complete with Windows Phone branding on the package.

Whether it is controlling your temperature, dimming the lights, watching the world through a Wi-Fi camera or getting an alert when your door opens, Insteon does it all. Because of the completeness of their system, their partnership with Microsoft and the overall coolness, Insteon is today's Hidden Gem. Watch our video review to see it all in action!

Remember, by leaving a comment on this article, you stand a chance of being one (of two) winners to earn your own Insteon Home Kit ($299) as seen in our review!

Insteon – What is it?

Home automation is finally hitting its stride in 2014. With the abundance of smart devices (phones, tablets, computers, watches), Bluetooth 4.0 LE, and ubiquitous Wi-Fi signals, having a connected home is no longer limited to programmers or those with abundant incomes.

Insteon (www.insteon.com) makes a huge line of various accessories that you can purchase for your home to control or monitor the behavior of appliances and services. The Insteon system all starts with the Insteon Hub (~$100 USD), which connects up to your router through and Ethernet plug and is powered by plugging it into your wall. Once enabled, users can then connect up the Insteon app on their phones or tablets to the Hub. Of course, the Insteon Hub is useless without sensors, so you need to pick those up in order to start building your automated empire.

Insteon has no monthly service fees. You simply buy the hardware, and that is it.

When you setup the Insteon network, you can leave it local or setup your router for to port-forward the Insteon Hub. The latter option allows you to monitor and operate your Hub remotely from your phone or tablet.

Insteon Kits and parts

Although you could buy Insteon parts bit by bit, the company has created numerous starter kits to give you all the basics. At the Microsoft Store, they come in three different levels:

Starter kit ($199 – Link (opens in new tab) – INSTEON hub, on/off module, motion sensor, Wi-Fi camera
Home Kit ($299 – Link (opens in new tab) - INSTEON hub, on/off module, motion sensor, Wi-Fi camera, plus thermostat and open/close sensor
Business Kit ($499 – Link (opens in new tab) - INSTEON hub, on/off module, 2 motion sensors, 2 Wi-Fi cameras, thermostat, 2 open/close sensors, 3 leak sensors

If, however, you do not want to go through Microsoft, Best Buy and even the Home Depot sell all the parts and other starter kits, including $119 'Start Here kit' that features the Hub and 2 Dimmer modules. The modularity to me is the beauty of Insteon: you buy what you need, and for just over $100 you can get a pretty snazzy kit to start the process. Do you have an extra $60? Now you can pick up an extra sensor.

Indeed, Insteon has accessories for everything, including in-line wiring if you really want to customize your house. Such optional sensors include:

Ceiling Fan and Light Control
Garage door kit (open, close, monitor)
Insteon bulbs
Smoke Bridge monitor for First Alert
Water leak sensor
Wireless phase coupler
Plug-in Appliance On/Off Module
Wireless Outdoor IP Security Camera with Night Vision
Sprinkler Controller

…and the list goes on and on. The point is, with Insteon you can wire up virtually anything in your home to fit your needs. You can spend $200 or run it up to $5000, depending on how many items you add, but the modularity is certainly impressive.

INSTEON for Hub app – Windows Phone and Windows 8.1

Insteon has two apps for Microsoft produ cts, including Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8.1. The app is universal, so the similarities between them are not by accident. The apps are, of course, free and I have had little issues with them. The Windows Phone app on occasion makes a popping noise and it does not resume so well when sitting in the background (I presume it needs to reconnect to the server). However, both apps are easy to operate and work very well, especially with the wireless camera. Considering they are 1.0 versions, I am satisfied with them so far.

Download INSTEON for Windows Phone 8
Download INSTEON for Windows 8.1 (opens in new tab)

Cortana is coming

As we previously reported, Insteon and Microsoft are bringing Cortana support to their app later this summer. The Cortana integration allows you to tell the Insteon system various commands, including:

Ask Cortana to dim the lights for movie time based on specially created scenes - "INSTEON, turn on 'Movie Time."
Instruct the thermostat to reduce the temperature to ensure that the house is cool upon returning home from work - "INSTEON, adjust 'Living Room Thermostat' temperature down."
Tell Cortana that you're ready for bed - "INSTEON, turn off all of the lights."

Adding Cortana to the mix is sure to make Insteon even more fun to use.

Installation

What about setting up the Insteon system around your home? From my experience, installing Insteon is a lot easier than I anticipated. The door open and close sensor was "installed" within three minutes, and the Hub required even less time. Any problems I ran into were usually my own fault i.e. skimmed over the directions, ahem.

To set up each sensor, the user launches the app, picks the room (or creates one) and adds items from the pre-selected list of available Insteon sensors. The app then walks you through the process, including helpful videos. Overall, Insteon could not have made it simpler. If you do run into a problem, there is tech support to walk you through the process.

My only problem to date is the thermostat. My thermostat is a 4-wire system whereas Insteon's is 5-wire setup (the Insteon thermostat gets power from the AC unit, not batteries). The problem is allegedly solvable by picking up a $35 Venstar wiring kit from Amazon (opens in new tab), which is arriving this week. Alternatively, Insteon Hub does work with the Nest thermostat too.

Additionally, you have 'Scenes,' which you can think of batch scripts for Insteon. In other words, you can set it up so that when you walk through the front door (open and close monitor) the lights come on (on/off module) and the HVAC system sets your desired temperature (Insteon thermostat). Although they are fun, Scenes do take some thinking ahead to plan out, but they do offer plenty of customization for the tinkerer.

Wrapping it up

Watch our video tour of the Insteon Home Kit to see some of the system in action. Overall, I am very pleased with the Insteon system. It does not break the bank, lets users configure their system according to their needs (and budget), and it is a lot of fun to setup. Seriously, grab a kit and take a few hours on a Saturday and have a blast.

What do you think of Insteon and home automation? Is it there yet or are you still waiting for it to get better? Let us know in comments and don't forget to check our other Hidden Gems!

Thanks to Mark Guim for the work on the video review

Daniel Rubino is the Editor-in-chief of Windows Central, head reviewer, podcast co-host, and analyst. He has been covering Microsoft since 2007 when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, laptops, next-gen computing, and for some reason, watches. Before all this tech stuff, he worked on a Ph.D. in linguistics, watched people sleep (for medical purposes!), and ran the projectors at movie theaters because it was fun.

1000 Comments

Remember: Leave a helpful comment about INSTEON, you're entered into our daily contest! Helpful comments include what you like, what you don't like and how it could be made better. Winners will be announced next week, so you can enter in at any time. Multiple comments allowed, but only one will be picked. Contest is open worldwide and the prize will be an INSTEON Home Kit ($299). Need more info about our Hidden Gems series? Read our announcement post here.
I have a dog
I'd like to be able to check on my dogs with a system like this. It would be helpful ;)
I have been looking for something like this to monitor my home and dogs as well. I saw the post about these being in Home Depot and the ability to just go purchase additional pieces makes this much more appealing. I have had to pass up other systems because they don't support Windows/Windows Phone.
The camera has audio output you can connect to an. External speaker, so your dog can hear you talking.
That's not helpful... Tell us why you like INSTEON home automation, and what it, and WP, means to you, and your family... :-)
Is it sometimes pronounced DOG.
Awesome!!! Goodbye ADT... NO thanks AT&T ( I'm a Customer) .. Am I allowed to name Companies??? Ha ha ha. They have been good to me, but Windows has been better( smile)
ADT is more than this. You can't compare.
I'm torn between going simple with something like Insteon and their kits or going all out with something like the HS3Pro Software. Winning this kit will help out :) Thanks!
I seem to remember there was that system called 'X11' or something for Apple devices for switching lights on and off, and also those Philips lights. This looks like an improved version of those, really. Worth 300 USD? Well, we'll have to wait and see.... ;p
X10, which has been around since the 1970s. It is a bit surprising that home automation hasn't been more popular, as most transmission problems that plagued earlier versions of the technolgy was resolved by the 90s. (X10 is a powerline technology, where Insteon is a dual RF and powerline technology making it even more reliable.) In 1997, I automated all our company locations and buildings with X10. It worked brilliantly. I could pick up any extension or even call the system from my cell phone and punch in touchtone commands to open locks, open doors, open windows, turn on/off lights, adjust heating cooling, sound alarms, control music playing (CDs), etc. There were also remote and computer software interfaces to control everything. It is great to see a company like Insteon work with Microsoft to make automation technologies more common and affordable to the average home user. When you think about it, it is silly that our cars have automatic locks and power windows and our homes have virtually no basic automation. Especially when the automation level of technology available rivals what seemed far fetched in even the "New Generation" era of StarTrek. Beyond the kits Insteon is offering, be sure to take a look at the complete range of products and what is possible to automate your home at Insteon's website or even other Home Automation sites that have additional devices that works with Insteon technology.
You would make good salesman. For serious, I could picture you being the genius behind Gilette's intitial pitch to an alien race. "Hey, you could go to the barber, but why do that? The potential for the "huemon" to knick you is too great. Instead, you could do it yourself with our best ever slice, the single blade razor!" Then you'd be lined up for at least 100 years worth of innovative sales. Now who's building that spaceship?
I never automated things to that extent, but I agree that x10 was a great system. This gives me hope for something practical and affordable. I was always so envious of Bill Gates' automated house.
This would be perfect for the new house I'm buying LIKES: I love that it'll work with Cortana, buy hardware and you're done, works with Nest Thermostat
DON'T LIKE: Home kit seems a bit bare, would love for it to include more sensors
IMPROVEMENTS: Have it work with various connected appliances (Refrigerators, Ovens, Washer/Dryers, etc)
Speaking of Cortana, why do we have to state "INSTEON" before using a command. I thought Cortana was supposed to be intelligent enough so I could just say: "Can you turn it down in here a degree?" "can you" = Cortana control
"turn it down" = recognize insteon app
"a degree" = background adjust -1 degree based on measurement setting Fahrenheit or Celsius without opening app Cortana responds, "A bit too warm? Alright, let me turn that down for you." While displaying a glance of current settings adjusting to new settings. Then quickly resuming whatever it was we were doing. Feels too much like Google... Not like what I imagined Cortana to be.
This does not work with today's location technology (one been used commercially) if you have separate thermo controls in different rooms as there is no way to know which room you are in.
Actually, yes, you can get individual room/zone temperature sensors and HVAC vent actuators that allow one to create individually controllable temperature zones. http://www.insteon.com/thermostats.html This Insteon stuff looks really interesting, especially for our new home in the forest. perhaps we can setup one of the cameras as a squirrel-cam?
If you had music playing 'turn it down' could be perceived as the volume as well, it's better to be more specific then have it not work half the time.
Haha, I like that, guess soon it will be implemented like that. Cortana is getting better day by day. I like the concept of home automation but unfortunately both Insteon and cortana not available in India, but there are WiFi lights and cameras, so can build something similar on our own.
I'll love it this can control my shower, flush toilets n control all the appliances ( i know it can control lights n fans) to save energy cost (monthly bills).
And also your toilet paper to clean your ass as soon as you ask Cortana "INSTEON I am all done with shits happening around"
I think INSTEON needs devices with non-specific functions that can be assigned... A simple example would be a door sensor bit give the ability to add a custom label if you use it on something other than a door (more advanced examples would be like water level/pressure switches to operate a pump, etc). My house is in a rural area without access to traditional utilities so i have a number of non standard devices to control.
Not sure about the Hub but with a Controller you can name a device whatever you want
This looks incredible. My dogs might be able to be left alone finally!
I originally started dreaming up home automation plans with arduino. But forget all of that work, insteon made it easy and for a lot less than I thought. I'm on board with any company that is on board with the windows ecosystem!
Yea, I looked into Arduino as well, but that is alot of customization that I dont have time to do. Plus they dont look very aesthetically pleasing.
With a baby on the way this would be super useful!
It would be great to add the option to go wireless, for us apartment dwellers.
I'd love to see the entire system work flawlessly with my Nest, but also am curious if the cameras can work with my Synology Diskstation.
Insteon is a front runner for me. I looked at several disparate systems to create automation, but yeah, this is kitted and slick.
Sounds better than SimpliSafe, in that it seems to allow off-site monitoring without paying a monthly monitoring fee to anyone. BUT, Question: Will Insteon handle outgoing off-site monitoring of alerts (for example to WP 8, 8.1) without an active computer connection, for example via EITHER transmission to WP 8.1, OR transmission to my e-mail, OR transmission / accessing the internet through my wifi hub to my usual nearby (friendly) neighbor??? (Because it is not practical to leave a computer hooked up and running when I am away.)
INSTEON is the gold standard networking technology for the connected home. It is a dual-mesh control and sensing, remote control technology. Lighting control, leak, door and motion sensing, garage door control are amongst the most popular applications. INSTEON’s sister company is Smarthome.com. In business for over 20 years, INSTEON’s creators have more experience and customer feedback than any other team in the world. INSTEON uses a unique, dual-band approach to provide reliability not attainable by single band technologies. Using both the existing wires (power line) in the home and radio-frequency communication, INSTEON adds remote control and automation to lighting, appliance and home control applications of all types. From lighting control to integrated security systems, INSTEON allows you to manage your home the way you want. Easy to install and set up, INSTEON offers the flexibility and dependability to make life more convenient, safe and fun. Over 200 INSTEON products mean that virtually any control or sensing solution in a home or business can be accomplished. Millions of units in the field and the INSTEON’s team’s passion for perfection have led to the highest quality and most reliable product line available.
Wow. I have been thinking about getting at least a home security camera and other security type sensors. My whole gadget ecosystem is Windows and to see someone dedicating efforts to the platform like this is awesome. Great idea about the MS partnership also. I'd love to have one of these kits! With 4 kids and both myself and my wife working this would be the perfect way to keep an eye on the home during the day, especially once school starts again. Though I'm sure I won't win a random drawing, I'll have to try and fit this into the budget soon!
One nice feature to have would be access control such as door locks. But it sounds like a great start and a smart partnership.
There's been some neighborhood kids threatening to damage my girlfriend's house since her family won't let them drive their trucks through their backyard, so this would help keep an eye on them!
I've always wanted to get into home automation, but the entry price has been too steep, not to mention not supporting WP. This has me interested.
This is absolutely perfect for me as an avid WP8 and Windows 8.1 user. I'm moving house shortly and am looking for a security camera system to monitor the back yard.... was planning to get a IP camera and hadn't really thought about the rest, but this is ideal!!! :)
Hi, Is the solution global or just confined to the US? Different countries have different power standards - in terms of voltage, connectors, etc. - so is the kit equipped to handle those differences?
The Windows Phone version of the app will not work with NEST. That is a feature only avaiable to iOS right now. :-(
Finally! A home automation system for Windos Phone has arrived. I've been waiting for one for quite some time. Insteon did a realy great job on their app, considering it is a 1.0 version, and the fact that they made it availabe on windows phone and windows makes that much easier for user to control their chosen "appliances" (i.e. Ligths, Garage doors, Sprinklers, Ceiling Fan, etc.). Can't wait for Cortana integration, that will just improve the useablity of the whole system and will aslo make everything more fun. Maybe Insteon does need to make a few tweeks here and there (on the thermostat mostly) but overall nobody can say that this system is not good, when in reality, it genuinely is a very good home automation system.
Hi Daniel. Have you announced the Hidden Gems 2: Hardware winners yet? I had a good look around the site but couldnt find it. thanks.
Looking at this to replace my DropCam since they don't support Windows Phone. Wonder how useful as a baby/toddler moniter their cams are
The Insteon cameras do have microphones built in with audio in/out port too. It's pretty crazy and you can add as many as you want.
Are the INSTEON cameras just relabeled Foscam-type cameras? They look almost identical, and wondering if the hub will work with my 2 Foscams at home.
They are basically relabeled foscam ones. I picked one up and the interface was almost identical.
Can you clarify though? Were you able to use another Foscam camera (like the FI8910W) within the INSTEON ecosystem, or are they only supporting that one specific camera (which I believe is a rebranded FI8918W, which doesn't have an IR Cut Filter)?
I have the hub and have two foscam cameras and they work with the hub perfectly. You can use them as motion sensors to turn on the lights.
I contacted Insteon support to ask about this as I was hoping to use some of the newer Foscam cameras and their response was that they may or may not work depening upon the specific model and firmware version. They said they didn't have a compatibility list to say what works so I would just have to try it. (I don't have any of the equipment yet, I was just trying to figure out my options)
I'm currently using this as a baby monitor so I can give you some feedback. For the most part it works great. The night vision is awesome, the picture is very clear even in the pitch black. It's also really nice being able to move the camera using the controls. With that said it lacks a few features of dedicated baby monitiors (we've used two different dedicated video baby monitors in the past). The audio is either on or off, it doesn't have a mode that mutes the background noise and only comes on when the baby cries. This is a great feature of a traditional baby monitor but this unit lacks. Also, if you navigate away from the app sometimes the video freezes when you go back. So you just have to go back to the main page and then reselect the monitor to get the live feed again, it's a minor annoyance. Finally, it sucks down the battery of my Nokia 920 pretty bad so you can't use this for a long time with your phone. I've also tried using it while my phone is plugged in to charge and the phone gets super hot and the battery will contine to drain. Hopefully they'll optimize the app so that I can use it overnight when the baby is sleeping. Hopefully this helps.
You can use the (unofficial) BUDCC Dropcam app from the Windows Phone Store. I use it, works like a charm. Developer did a great job on it. Edit: Sorry, not being too helpful here towards Insteon ;)
Won the first Hidden Gems and now about to enter this one. Am I too greedy? Lol :p
Yes! :P Still hoping to win one...
Making home automated or remote controlled is great idea... I like to be able monitor my house from somewhere else.. I also like to be able turn on/off stuffs though being away from home. And I all I need to do that is in my pocket! That's awesome! Just imagine a frosty winter afternoon when you come home, you want a hot shower, but wait! You forgot to turn on the water boiler before leaving! So what now? It's time to let remote controlling do its job, right? Nice product, comes with quite affordable price, however, regional availability is a problem. :/
Yes yes! You're banned from commenting here...hahaha
Lol XD *sneaks away from Hidden Gems 2*
I am really interested in the part about controlling thermostat so definitely the home kit. I think it is a great idea that these are being marketed particularly for those of us that feel no inclination to buy a product owned by Google.
Controlling anything in your house via a mobile device (Windows Phone in this case) is incredible. Also the fact that its available on this rad OS I another amazing fact. Thank you Insteon for being such s cool brand/company. Hope one day I may work for you :)
Controlling everything online is cool, but is it secure from hackers. Just imagine you are not allowed to get inside your house unless you pay the ransome. You are screwed! LOL
I more interested in home lighting automation of the Insteon... It's good to ask Cortana to switch off all the lights of my home when I get to bed... Insteon really makes a home smarter to live in...
Now that's an awesome idea!!!
I'm interested in the thermostat part too. It would have been great if Daniel would comment more about the setups needed for the system to work. One problem I have is that my appartment has too few electrical outlets and the Insteon switches are good just for one appliance per switch. Multi tap would be great for me.
Buying a new house here soon and was thinking about decking it out in automation. This makes me happy to see a higher integration with MS products. May end up going this route instead of rolling my own. And I'll definitely go this route if my comment is chosen for one of those two packs. :)
A very well idea for hone automation with Cortana... Just hoping that ghosts in my house doesn't take control of my phone... It would be scary... Lol...
Just tell Cortana to get rid of the ghosts with home automated anti-ghost machine-guns lol :)
You will want to make sure that your house has modern wiring, not sure what you are looking at. most Insteon deivce require the white Common wire. Also pay attention to how many three and four way lights the house has. It is supported with Insteon but can be a bit tricky to setup at first.
How is this a "Hidden Gem"? It's very prominently displayed and promoted by Microsoft at their Retail Stores.
Because chances are, many people don't live near a Microsoft Store. Likewise, until you see it in action or how it all works, you may not know that this kind of stuff exists. I never heard of Insteon until we wrote about it.
I've noticed it on the store before but never really knew what it was untill you guys wrote about it. Agreed though, nearest MS store to me is about a few hours away lol.
Yeah... India has got no Microsoft stores till now... Shouldn't Microsoft rebrand all the Nokia Stores to Microsoft Stores... Would be so awesome...
I pop into my local Microsoft Store nearly every time I'm at the mall, and I had no idea what Insteon is. Thanks for the review!
Netherlands doesn't even have a MS Store...
I'm pretty fond of my Insteon hardware, but my biggest beef is that the Windows 8/Windows Phone 8 apps only work with the Hub, and the Hub is a cloud-connected thing. Which makes all of it worthless to me. I expect privacy and control over my home automation hardware. Thankfully, Insteon has other control software, like HouseLinc for my PC. But no good mobile solution to connect to it.
Then you should switch to using the ISY994i which is a controiller and supports port forwarding. I almost went with the hub first but decided that the ISY was way more powerful for my needs.
There's no reason it shouldn't be possible to offer this through a PC. It makes no sense to spend $300 on another device.
To me it makes sense because I love the idea of a stand alone device to do its job and nothing else but that is just me. You can also do it from a PC. The same PowerLinc modem that is connected to the Controller and plugged into your outlet can be connected to a PC. Then just use the HouseLinc Desktop software to control devices. There are also a group of guys building a Windows 8 app to control your devices directly from the PC. I can't remember the name of the app they were creating but if it comes to me I will respond with it.
Right now I have a PowerLinc modem connected to my PC. A standalone device isn't ideal, because it's limited. In a best case scenario, well-written apps on a PC should allow you to connect your Insteon stuff with other stuff. For example, by starting a script you wrote based on an INSTEON trigger. Standalone devices aren't flexible enough. Also, as I build new computers, the old ones get relegated to lower power tasks. So, for instance, my home automation stuff is run through a machine that I used to use for other things, but no longer need to.
That is a very valid use case with connecting to other scripts that you have on your PC. I use SnapSwitch to connect my PC and Phone to my controller. I would check with those guys and see if they can add HouseLinc or if it is already supported.
Just remembered the guys making the Windows 8 app are Homeboy Software. Not sure where they are in the develoment but it sounded pretty cool what there were doing. And they were using PC to powerlinc modem for control.
Looks like Homeboy is going the "cloud account" method. :/
Ouch, my bad. Check with the cats at SnapSwitch.
It would prove a very nice alternative to some other costly solutions. Nice way to keep your home with you always.
Two not so obvious things with this: the hub is just a bridge from IP (including your phone) to the world, so you can use it with the HouseLinc software to trigger if-then type automation, and do advanced programming. Also, switches, keypads and other controls continue to function even if the hub dies - and in fact you don't even need the hub, you can just use the switches, dimmers and keypads on their own. The hub just makes them mobile and remotely controllable.
Yup excellent points.
It all went overhead... Just let me get me an INSTEON...
Program it yourself? That's sick! :D
if the hub dies how would i control my devices than the old fashion going up to device? maybe a silly question but for me its not
They sell switches and remotes. You pair each remote with each device by the button on the side of the plugs. I use the remotes as light switches that don't have to be wired. No hub needed. I have the hub plugged in so I can use my Lumia 1020 to turn on the lights.
Sounds like a really good idea. Connected living is a thing that I'm very interested in - if only I could get my mitts on one of these!
As the w8 app is nice id love to see a whs 11 dashboard app
Looks like they have quite a few different sensors. I wonder if they support any other IP camera's other than the insteon branded ones, as it doesnt look like they support PoE.
I wonder if they have warranty on their devices... No detailing about the warranty of the products in app or in article... Or maybe I didn't read it carefully enough...
Probably not...
They support a couple of different ones I am using two foscam ones with the hun
oh Vaya! excelente aplicacion y me causa demaciado interes al sable Que se integra estafa Cortana: D! uno de los Puntos de Encuentro interesantes es que se puede adaptar a los Ingresos de cada persona ! Vamos porción esos Hidden Gems ^ ^
I've never used it before, but I could think of a few situations where it could be handy. I probably would never spend that kind of money out of my own pocket but if given as a prize I would put it to use.
Well... would it help me catch a ghost or a poltergeist???
You can find the starter pack for $99 two plug in dimmers and the hub.
This is definitely helpful for those people who have a simple house setup (no garage doors). The modularity is what makes this system phenomenal. Both low end and high clients are cared for.
There is an insteon kit for the garage door.
It's also great for the renter! When you pull up stakes and get a new pad the system moves with you.
First thing I do when I buy a home, make it smart. Anyway, how good is this wireless? Can it be repeated? Article was a little vague on size of home this will work with.
I have't had too many issues, but if you do run into a problem they do have extenders to boost the signals to the rest of your home.
Awesome thanks... I've had luck with repeaters for everything but wifi. That's why I ask.
Additionally, INSTEON's "mesh" network has every device acting as a repeater -- receiving and sending every message to all other devices on the network. So instead of stressing the network by adding more INSTEON devices, you actually strengthen it.
Most devices use a combination of RF and power line communications for extensive reach. Each device can relay the signals.
I want one of those!!
Guess I'll throw my hat in the ring, too. I'm surprised that a smart home system this mature is also compatible with WP/W8. It always seems like Android and iOS get this stuff first. I'm not sure I'd need stuff like leak sensors but, man, in the winter, I'd love to be able to remotely turn up the thermostat before I get home. That way the apartment is toasty so I can defrost!
Hope it is easy to remove... Renting can be a pain for us future dreamers.
I'm a renter ;) Even thermostats are easy to swap in and out in 10 minutes. I mean, you don't want to be doing inline switches, necessarily, but most of it is super easy to add/remove.
How about the National Electrical Code !!!
I don't think you will have a problem doing so... Coz You are #manofsteel
The kits include plug in dimmer modules. You can buy led light bulb that include the modules also.
Looks to be very well thought out. I could definitely use something like this. Would be especially cool when you're away on vacation; check on the home, turn on lights and ac before you get home, etc...
Now I could definitely use this, I like the integration with MS products. Being able to check the thermostat and all would be useful.
........
If you think you can win with these "comments", I have real bad news for you...(including you're terrible at reading directions).
WHY CAN'T IT READ???
Is this just an American thing, Home Automation that is? Don't really hear much about it in the UK, especially it all being connected and controlled by your phone.
I know right. The idea of home automation is still very new and kind of novel-ish in my country too. But as a technology geek, the ability to control things in my house remotely via my smartphone is super cool. I mean, how awesome is it for us to be able to do the controlling using our voices via Cortana?
It's all very cool, but the old man in me wonders how secure is it all, with everything being connected at home to WiFi. Also lending your phone to a mate could end with you coming home to a house like an oven.
Honestly, it's not particularly huge in the States either. The systems have been around for decades now, but only in the last year or two has it really started to catch on in any sort of noticable fashion. It's certainly a growing field, as evidence by the popularity of Nest, but right now it's definitely quite small. I think part of the more recent adoption is related to the fact that everyone has smartphones now. It'll be interesting to see how that changes in the future.
Wow I would love this, controlling your thermostat from your bed. Never have to feel too cold in the Canadian winter again.
I can't wait to try this out.
Well,I wrote pretty long reviews on all the hidden gems articles previously and didn't win anything(not complaining). Would have reviewed this as well but looks too complicated for me.Sorry but maybe I'll try again next time :)
We never did ask for reviews ;)
I know,we had a long discussion about this before and I even made it in bold letters that I'm not complaining.I'm not angry about it at all,at least not now(maybe I was before).I just commented here just to let you know(if you remember our previous encounter) that I'm still very much interested in hidden gems, prizes or no prizes. Just cant review this one because it seems too complicated for me and something I probably don't need. No hard feelings, I'll be there in the next hidden gems, if the app interests me, have no doubt about that. :)
Always there, prizes or no prizes.WPC FTW! :)
This looks nice. Maybe I should get into home automation. Posted via Windows Phone Central App
I have no experience in home automation, but I sure would want to dive into this stuff! Furthermore, they support Windows Phone! Awesome!!
app has a beautiful design. And kit is just awesome you are going to be able to control your thermostat with Cortana just Wow
I'm a big fan of the different bundles. Haha I wouldn't mind one for my room, my brothers are always "borrowing" things
With all this talk about Apple, its refreshing to see other companies supporting WP. The nice thing about modular systems though is you don't have the replace everything it if breaks. Some vendors out their combine everything so parts become twice as expensive and have to be replaced twice as often.
A friend of mine just started to use Insteon and he is loving it so far, one thing he noted that he would love from the app was the option to schedule different time for the motion sensor, but he is happy with it so far and the app is working on his 920 and his Surface 2. I'm just waiting to get mine from the microsoft store in about three months.
Futuristic but a little lazy. I hate to tell an app to turn off lights instead of going to turn it off by myself.. Anyway it's great for those who are lazy and can't move.
That's where you hook it up to a motion sensor :P But yeah, there is a "lazy" element to all of this too, lol
Just to turn on one light, yes. But instant access to certain times away or other group settings can be handy.
You can use these with remotes that are basically one big switch. No hub needed. Great for adding a light switch with no wiring needed.
I really would love to have one of these. It is very innovative and seems like a great deal. I would definitely use this if I won it
I'm looking forward to changing to INSTEON from Nexia when my current subscription with them is up. Seems like they have most of the devices I need except front door locks.
This would be great! My wife is often freaks out in the middle of the night because she thinks there is someone in the house, and this would go a long way to increase the amount of sleep I get. I like how you don't have to pay a monthly fee. That is a HUGE bonus for me. And with Cortana support coming it just keeps getting better. Now if I don't win all I need is to find some $$ and then I'll be set. Thanks for the contest WPC!
I would love to deck out my home with an Insteon kit. Can't wait to get my hands on one of these sets.
I would love to win this kit. Have been looking for a way to cut costs with electricity and this is a perfect way to do it. Please help a growing family out WPC.
I'm most excited about the Cortana integration. Hopefully, it is seamless and develops as the product gets more mature.
Wifi camera can't wait for the Cortana integration. Technology is taking us forward. Would love something to take and do for me stuff and INSTEON is the way forward
I really like the Insteon setup and their partner with Microsoft. I'm looking to get it for my new home here soon. Price isn't bad at all, but still something I have to wait on. Unless I win it from WP Central of course! I've seen so many good reviews about it and I'm excited to try out soon. Good review WPC!
i would love to have such kit and utilize it for kids safety/monitoring. shall look into more details about it
By chance do the sensors (or any home automation system for that matter) use sensors like iBeacons? I know article explained batch trigger but that's just basic motion sensing, I'm talking Bluetooth\ device sensing.
I am actually looking into developing a device for this exact scenario... Already bought an Insteon shield for Galileo to play around! Now just need some motivation.
Hub app only works with Insteon hub controller and not the popular ISY controller. Wishing the app could play nice with ISY so I don't have to choose between the two.
Wow this is awesome, love all the Windows compatibly!
Been reading about insteon for years now, glad ms started is supporting it, would be great to win a starter set, to get me started
This would make sense for people heavily invested in techie stuff for their house, but I'm not sure if it would help someone who prefers to water the plants, turn on the lights, etcetera manually.
I'd like to see this in action after the Cortana integration.
Looks neat, would work really well controlling my house
Will buy one soon
Home automation, in our near distant future everyone will have this!
Wish they had a door lock, so you could lock and unlock the house from the from phone.
They do... Smarthome.com
Cortana integration incoming is also huge!
Snap switch app already has it!!!
The only thing that I'm not a fan of is the price.
Amazing peace of art.
Non standard and closed source is my biggest concern with Insteon.... If Apple/Google teams up with an open standard.... How long will Insteon be relevant in consumer home.
It's not cheap, but also not expensive. It's one of those things where you can get nickel and dimed to death if you can buying accessories. And those LED bulbs aren't cheap if you have a big house.
I stay in South Africa. Emagine the shipping costs I would have to pay to get a system like thisgoing in my home. Its not impossible, but for the avarage Joe living outside the US, this system is very expensive.
All of the features demonstrated are well and good but I would like to see some stuff that simulates what you do with house keys. It would be really cool if they made replacement locks or something so that you wouldn't need to carry your house keys and enable you to open your doors with your smartphone. Although if you run out of battery... best keep your house key as a backup. hehe Also, integration with IFTTT could also be interesting for numerous reasons.
Take a look at the INSTEON Morning Industry RF Doorknob/Deadbolt Controller. It allows you to use INSTEON-controlled devices to lock and/or unlock Morning Industry RF Deadbolts and Doorlocks.
Any info, if the interfaces are working for all countries? The thermostats work different in US, then in The Netherlands.
That sounds pretty awesome, tbh. I can't wait for a future where we can control everything in our lives through not only a single device, but from any single device. Microsoft's making their services cross platform and is expanding their impact in the internet of things. I wonder what happened to that home automation start up they bought though.
Moving into a more and more connected world, it's nice to see how well INSTEON integrates with Windows Phone. Kudos, guys!
So happy to see this come to our platform! Now we just need Nest!
The cortana integration will definitely add more value to insteon and work great with it
I would love one of those kits. Especially the thermostat control. Mine is junk. It would be nice to be able to change it on the fly like that.
Looks like a great bit of kit. It reminds me a bit of this kickstarter from a UK startup - https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/815934496/lila-the-ultimate-in-blue...
This seems like a Great way to control your home. I mean who wouldn't want to turn off the lights without getting up or watch your security camera through your mobile phone. Sure other apps can do one of these things. But one app that can do both and a lot more for me is a must have. Its clear that if you want to make the most out of this app you'll have to spend a pretty big amount $500 for the full thing. But I like how the starter kit is a much more reasonable $200 for those who don't want to go all in right away. And the upcoming cortana feature should be great and will definitely let you show off to your friends. Posted via Windows Phone Central App
I would really like to try this things, they look pretty nice
It's cool but expensive.
I can't wait to replace my Nest thermostat with this. Nest app for Windows phone is following Google apps suit. Looking forward to jumping ships on home automation to a Microsoft friendly environment.
This could come in handy to protect my animals in my backyard since we had problems earlier when our goats were stolen and also in Belgium there is a person who abuses horses for soms sick reason so any motiondetector and camera could record that situation and perhaps even scare those people off with bad intentions!
Insteon as cool led light bulbs - http://www.insteon.com/267x-led-bulbs.html
Thanks Daniel I may get this for my office and home.
This would be interesting: especially with a 5-yr old & a 2-yr old. Not sure what my landlord would say about it though! xD
Hope that comment enters me in contest
Can it control any window AC units?
If you use the plug in on/off module, sure...
Mi casa and Grasshopper app!
this looks awesome
I love Insteon, had a fairly large setup in my previous house but lost it when I sold and the buyer insisted on keeping it... Fully loaded with dimmers, keypads, isy99 controller, console controllers, media center and harmony remote integration, and my own self built web service... Will come back to it soon I think!
Likes:
-Support for windows and WP.
-upcoming integration with Cortana.
-I can use it to see my home from anywhere in the world.
-And the best of them: You guys are giving two away for free. Dislikes:
Not so easy to install I think.
How is it not easy to install? The $99 starter kit is two plug in dimmers and the hub.
Yes but the sensors aren't and in a house where you have kids anything could break easily.
This would be really handy with our birds, especially with our unpredictable island climate...
I think they do have a door lock, just check on smarthome.com
I stopped by Best Buy today to get a hands on with the components. I noticed the stock they had on the shelves mentioned compatible with ios and android. I hope this applies only to the software. I'm tempted to purchase the home kit online just in case.
Yup, only software. Their hardware is all the same part numbers.
Wont it be awesome when the lights are Off in a room where no one is and On where people are so that energy can be saved. Ofcourse that can be change via the app when u want to dim or turn out the lights. The appliances should also detect how much power is consumed. That would be cool. Go Green!
"The appliances should also detect how much power is consumed. That would be cool."
I'm pretty sure they have that, or at least the monitor bit.
I too agree that this seems like a great Internet of Things innovation! INSTEON looks promising and I look forward to use it :)
This is defintely something I would look into. I honestly never thought of home automation, but with rising electricity and water costs, I would love to put something like this to work. Monitoring the sprinklers, setting timers on our porch lights, and our interior lights for when we are on vacation so people think its occupied. I could finally replace my shoddy garage door opener from 1927. So many times when I pushed my garage door button to close it ended up going back up, only to find out 10 hours later when I got home. With this I could see if it was open or closed! However I am not a huge fan of Wi-Fi for security, and would like the option of wired networking for the security cameras.. The fact that you can buy components individually is an awesome feature. I may not have looked into home automation, but home security has always left me wanting to try it out. Especially with crime rate on the rise in my neighborhood. In fact someone tried to steal my 1990 Dodge Ramcharger, got it halfway into the street and what I will assume was left there because they didn't know how to drive a manual. Cops said they couldn't do anything as nothing was stolen and no witnesses to the attempt.
The INSTEON camera's support wired networking.
Wish this kind of stuff was more affordable. Looks awesome.
Ok, I seriously want to win! It would be really cool if MS made a Cortana Jibo like device for this. I would so buy that in a heartbeat.
Very happy to see MS support. Hands down ny favorite part is how modular it is. I am not sure if was stated in article, but are all parts accessible remotely? Looking forward to installing this.
"are all parts accessible remotely?"
Yup. And they can be put on schedules with SMS alerts.
I would love to install a system like this in my apartment. Having the camera should help me catch the jerk who steals deliveries from my building. WPCentral, help me catch the perpatrator and get justice! :)
Technology is moving at such a fast pace! I would not mind once of these they look sweet! Kudos to the WP central team for supplying these for is for free, good luck to all entries!!!
Love this setup.
friend has it and it works very well
Home automation is the future! I'm really excited to see products like this begin to pick up steam. And finally windows phone support. I'm gonna have to get one of these kits yo! Also, excited for Cortana integration!
Pretty Cool. I wish they had some pool control equipment.
Will this kind of technology ever come to my country. Maybe if I get first prize on contest.
I am currently remodeling my house and have been looking at Insteon and MiCasa, better windows phone support is a major factor in my decision. This certainly leans me toward Insteon.
I really like the fact that you can turn on lights and devices remotely. A few things that bother me are the fact the app is slow to resume and Cortana hasn't been integrated yet. Also, it is somewhat difficult to set up if you want to be able to control your devices when you are away from home.
I've been looking at the Insteon stuff for a few months now. I wish there were some lights like the Hue that were out of the box compatible with the system, but that's a small complaint that I'm sure Insteon will address in future accessories.
Yeah, Hues are on my to-buy list too.
I've been looking for a solution with an app that supports my ecosystem. If I don't win, I'll just get a kit myself. Great stuff!
I am super glad that finally Windows Phone is getting noticed in the home automation space with Insteon. Since we had a break-in a few months back, our only response was installing grills which makes the house looks "very confined". We have been scouting around for some solutions but most are iOS-centric and doesn't offer WP compatibility. Thus, this is really good news indeed and the zero-monthly makes it even better! Just hoping that Insteon scales faster and start looking at outside of the US market by allowing international shipment for their products. There's a vast WP audience that is clamouring to make even better use of their WP and Windows devices within their home ecosystem
They already offer products for the UK.
I was trying to remember the name of this system yesterday while talking to me dad, an obsessive security freak
I'd like to see integration with my Nest. While ill eventually replace the thermostat, the ability to connect to other company's tech would be awesome. (Well insert foot in mouth, just read it does support nest)
Yup! Already works with Nest.
Not yet, only the iOS and Android version supports NEST. INSTEON did say NEST support is coming soon for the Windows platform.
I like the fact that the system is affordable- $500 for peace of mind for your small business is a pretty small price to pay. The only thing I wish this had was a workaround for people who don't have a lot of customizability in their space, like apartments or dorms.
i want that shirt so bad. :(
This would be useful for the garage door sensor. I get halfway to work some days and wonder if I closed the garage as I pulled out of the driveway.
I wouldn't mind having a camera at the front door with this system. I live in a 3 bedroom townhouse. I'm kinda lazy, so having to treck down three floors to get the doorbell is a pain when its just the UPS man dropping off a package.
I'm renting a house right now and don't see myself staying for very long so these systems don't really apply to me yet. But I am excited about the amount of development and availability in the home automation catagory. I'm especially interested in being able to remotely control the HVAC system, that would be awesome. I really like the way INSTEON has setup the equipment and apps to be simple yet very customizable (at least from what I've seen, since I don't have the equipment I can't speak to how well it actually performs). I can't wait until I get a more permanent living situation and can start tinkering with this stuff.
I'm so happy we finally have support for connected products, like this one! Thank you devs who made this and people of this company! The app UI is clean, and has lots of features!
It looks very nice. Also a good home package for starters. I would like it to have more security features, like compatibility with perimeter, and other type of alarm sensors, event-driven triggers and support for strobe sirens.
This looks very cool
I Currently have ADT . I have had it for over 20 years with no break ins( Thank God) . I am a Windows Phone Devotee . 1520 32 GB Current devcie . THIS!!!!! is what I have been waiting for. I love Cortana . That is the icing on the cake. I and everyone I know will own this system.Ha ha ha ha!!!!! Gimme Gimme Gimme ...lol Detroit ( SuperCity) USA!!!
Will these products be available in the Benelux/ Netherlands shortly? I've been waiting for ages for WP8 support.
It would be pretty cool if they could make some of this open source, so developers could add on they own products or own automated code. Also, would like to see the addition of an automated coffee pot
They do. You can buy a kit so you can program yourself.
I previously used an open laptop and remote desktop to monitor my dogs while I'm at work. They used to make a lot of noise and actually got me evicted from my last apartment. Using webcam and remote desktop, there's just too many steps and potential for one thing to fail and the chain breaks. With a system like thus, I could monitor my dogs with peace of mind that I have a reliable system. In addition to streaming and monitoring, does the insteon allow recording, either due to a sensor (e.g high noise) or on command from the app?
"In addition to streaming and monitoring, does the insteon allow recording, either due to a sensor (e.g high noise) or on command from the app?"
Sadly, no. Not sure why they haven't implemented something like that yet, but I'm sure it could be done at some point.
Disappointing, but still a very useful service
Actually I've been looking into the same idea: using the webcams to record any motion detected. A rep said that any sort of scene can be made, therefore I can have the motion sensor trigger the webcam to turn on and then the webcam to record. The webcam is able to save those clips into a folder onto your computer (unfortunately no cloud). I figure I can configure the webcam to save into my dropbox folder and have it accessible that way.
If there is or will be a way to communicate to your house through your phone/tablet microphone while you are gone...that would be awesome. I would love to try out the starter kit.
I think that it's interesting how we're getting closer and closer to the "internet of things" many have already talked about. I wonder what will come after home automation. It would be pretty Amazing to have something like Smart clothing, that sense heartbeat and stuff like that.
Technology is moving at such a fast pace! I would not mind one of these they look sweet, also the Wi-Fi camera would be so handy for me because recently(month or two) someone tried to break into our house(failed :D) and he used the one insecure window so I would love to set up a camera here for when our family is out, we can rest assured some idiot won't break in and if he does it'll be the last house he breaks into! Kudos to the WP central team for supplying these for is for free, good luck to all entries!!!
Which is the insecure window lol jk. Good to you too my friend :D
Going to buy one of these, but getting one for free would be even better.
Wow this is incredible, smartphones are becoming so much more in todays age. Over here in the UK, British Gas has an app for controlling boiler systems, so you can control temperature. Insteon reminds me of this and how incredible the potential of Windows Phone, and by extension Xbox and Windows will be. Imagine telling Kinect, 'Xbox turn heating off' before leaving for work. *mind blown*
"Imagine telling Kinect, 'Xbox turn heating off' before leaving for work. mind blown"
Agree. Not saying I know anything (I don't) but Xbox One is being opened up for developers, and Insteon has a partnership with Microsoft...so they'd be crazy not to be thinking of this too.
I am really excited to get this, but I really wanted to get a hands on before buying. I am hoping they have a simple display at the Microsoft store for me to check out our in person.
I would use this for my home office.
It would be cool to get it. its not listed on the microsoft canada website yet. so it may take some time to roll out to canada. as uaual good luck to the winners :D
Next purchase for this guy! Or maybe not...
there are so many customization options! thats great! ive never thought about automating my house's sprinkler system through my phone, among other options. how clever. :P
Impressive technology although I don't find to be useful for me. The camera looks fun.
I have a very useful comment. I want to know when will it be available in the Dutch Windows Store (we all speak English so no problem if thats the only available language) and will the thermostat work with my type of device because I want to buy one. I am not a thermostat tech guy so it is good to put some information of the kind of equipment that will be supported in the Netherlands because I heard equipment in other Countries might be different. So when I buy one I want to be sure it works.
Since seeing these come up, I have been quite curious to try them out. I like that you can build to suit, I would want to start with a couple pieces and build it as I see fit. Also, since I work in the insurance industry, I think that the smoke/fire?/carbon monoxide?/garage/water leak sensors + security cameras are fantastic and hope that more people take advantage of this tech - it can help save lives and your stuff! I also wish I had something like this a few years ago when someone broke into my place and took my KONA hardtail (still angry about this).
I'll love to own one #INSTEON
Want!
Home automation is a definite factor in the future (and now!), I can picture an open standardised format, as some companies are using now, so you can mix and match to use exactly what you want and at your desired price point. Having said that, INSTEON have got a hell of a lot going for them by making a slick collection that runs smoothly together and backing it up with w8 and wp8 support makes it get my support over others! IMO, the security side that INSTEON covers is far more useful than dimmers etc, although they become useful when combined with 'if this then that' commands A.K.A. Scenes. Most of all having a wireless system like this that is easy to install makes me want it, but despite it being relatively cheap I find it hard to justify! I reckon that will be what holds these system back from the mainstream.. for now.
Thanks Insteon! Because you're the only one actually supporting the platform, I will finally get some home automation. If you weren't on WP/W8, I would continue to ignore these tools much like Nest/etc.
I think the concept is really interesting at the moment and see quite a few uses at the moments. However, what will be much more significant is how this will develop in the future in terms of interacting with other components of our life - especially if it will be possible for 3rd party appliances to be integrated into this. It's a good start, with great potential.
I bought the home kit about two weeks ago fro. A MS Store. This has been available on IOS and Android. I have experience with the old X10 setup. Anyhow, the system is ok so far. Some devices were easy to setup amd some weren't. I had lots of trouble getting the hub to connect and had to move it out of my office into a room with less electronics. Everything worked ok for a few days. I decided to go on vacation and could connect for 4 days. As of yesterday, I can no longer connect to the hub. Probably needs some type of reset. This really sucks!! I now have my thermostat set to 82, and was planning on lowering it before returning home. Now I cant even connect!! I had to call my neighbor and have him manually lower my thermostat. Oh well, more troubleshooting when I get home. I can still access my ip camera which is not dependent on the hub. If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask.
How are you securing your connection when you are away from home? If you port forward, any brute force can get to that port and it is not secured. Are you using a personal VPN and if so which?
I beleive the Insteon Hub uses thier cloud service while a controller would use port forwarding. But not a %100 on how the Hub connects.
If i have ever had a communication issue I just reset the device that usually fixes it.
I'm in Australia and have been using Insteon devices for the past few months which has been great with the following 2 exceptions: 1. Their new windows app won't accept AUS numbers for alerts - major drawback - 2. If you've used anything other than the hub (eg. HouseLinc) to configure devices, particularly schedules, you'll need to wipe all devices and start setup from scratch.
I'm just happy we can get it here in Australia at all, just found out myself after all these announcements. I'm all for something that can use my existing Windows infrastructure....
I need to make my way into the modern world and this would certainly get me start.
I think it is awesome that there is a system such as INSTEON available for the Windows Phone platform, and I believe it speaks volumes about the direction that the platform in general is heading. I love that the fact that with the INSTEON system you can implement either a simple or very complex system based off of your own personal budget, but for me the cherry on the cake would be the ability to view/control a wifi enabled cctv camera....that would just give such piece of mind when I am away from home and my young ones are here. Great product and reasonable prices matched with Windows Phone = win.
Bret , I swear I did not steal your post( despite how it looks) Great minds think alike. You my friend have put it very eloquently !!!!
It's all good my friend :) Great minds do indeed think alike.
About 6 months ago we put in a security system with vivent which includes a mobile app with alarm.com and has many items it can control. Can insteon interface with my vivent. It has modules you can by to expand the system from Lowes and maybe home depot.
I was about to buy the At&t system then saw Insteon a few weeks ago. Leaning towards it now but feel one piece is missing.. The front door push button with phone access. Is there a compatible front door setup that connects with insteon? Also is there any drawbacks to using nest with Insteon over there version?
You can definitely control your front doorlock today with the Morningstar RF keypad and an Insteon RF device. I havent looked deeply into using Nest with Insteon however i have heard there was a way to do it.
I dream a house in which everything from the thermostat to the wc flush is controlled by a smartphone or, why not, a ring: My precious! :-)
What sells this for me is the Instant On plug. While the thermostat controls will be helpful in the winter, I am more interested in switching my AC on when I'm ten minutes away from my apt during the stifling NYC summers.
The only real concern I have at this time is the possibility of the signal from the main hub not reaching an add on located some distance away.
Insteon devices communicate over the powerlines as well ass wirelessly and each device acts as a repeater so this is something you will not have to worry about.
Controlling the thermostat would be a biggie for me. I have two zones of heat and A/C so it would need to be able to handle more than one thermostat, but I can imagine saving plenty on energy costs being able to just kick on the heat or air an hour or two before I get home.
They actually have two types one is wired and one is wireless. You chooses which one is the master!
Way to many people commenting on here when they should be at work LOL
Looking at this the other day, winning one would be cool
Nice
Im getting this!! Thanks for the information WPC!... Finally, some aftermarket accessories for WP with good support!!
This looks like a GREAT product. Regardless if I win the prize, I will be checking this out to see if it can both make my life easier and save me a little money at the same time...
Garage door opener sounds like the best feature to me. The ability to close the garage from my bedroom if I forget sounds awesome!!!
I agree. Garage door combined with Cortana would be excellent.
now that I have custody of my bipolar/schitzophrenic niece.... this could be VERY useful... for insurance and my protection!
Seems like a pretty capable system; although it's still too expensive for me. What I would really like is the integration with Cortana, I've never seen anything else that does that and I think as a personal assistant, Cortana should have the capabilities to do these things to help you.
Very awesome. Have been reading more and more about this system since i cant get support for my honeywell thermostat on WP. The security feature would be an awesome add in. I know what my next purchase will be that gets a head shaken at me.
Some time ago I thought that this was just impossible to do. Now that you made a post and show to the world what INSTEON can do, I just cant believe that. The thing I like the most is that insteon have pretty much any gadget (if we can name it like that) for pretty much anything. I like the one who detects when you come to one room and can do something like turn on the light and I like so much the camera too. What I change on insteon is some visual design of gadgets, I think they look little robust, maybe a little thinner. This is just a thought because it look great anyway. I really could use this, I hope luck is in my side today, =D
I want to Purchase this, I'm waiting to see if they come out with better looking / more "nest like" design first.
Now this is another Game changer... Batter Up !!! I'm in . This will provide increadible ' Peace of Mind".I appreciate INSTEON working with my Smartphone OS of Choice Windows Phone ( 1520 ) It's so crazy to recollect reading in the past that things like this would be in the future.I think I'm showing my age.. ha ha ha
This would be incredibly useful at my house. I could monitor the dogs, set up schedules for my thermostat to kick on when I'm getting close to home (as well as turn off when I leave for the day), and turn off all lights in the house when I'm going to bed. The possibilities sound endless!
It looks great and useful when keeping check on the house when being far away, like on holiday. I would love to have this when i go to France :)
This is awesome. Nice to see great tech like this being compatible with Windows/Windows Phone.
I have been using Insteon for about a year. Overall, I like the product and all the devices. I have been using the Insteon for Hub on Android and recently loaded the Windows 8.1 version on my Dell Venue. I like the app more that the one for Android. I especially like the way that the status of each device is represented with the multi-color tiles. But I cannot figure out how to adjust the fan speeds using the fanlinc device in Windows 8.1. If anyone knows please post. Thanks
Oh... the fun I could have messing with my wife and kids... man do I wish I had some disposable income right about now!
Thanks for reminding me of this kit. I remember when they were first announced and haven't heard anything about them ever since. These should be promoted more. Great review also!
Well, it's nice to see after all these years, the "smart home" concept finally coming to life. I started nearly 20 years ago wtih this powerline system sold at RadioShack, that let you turn lights on/off/dim from a central remote. Then they added more powerful "appliance" modules, then an alarm clock, that turned into an alarm system. Every couple years a new method of control comes out, and now it seems like wireless via phone/tablet is the thing. Lets see how this morphs into something even more powerful next year :)
Wow! I think is a great idea to be able to control the gadgets in your home with a smartphone. I would love to definitely try that out
I want this really bad, but I'm worried it won't compliment/interface with my existing thermostat system that came with my house. It has a website you can log in to manage the temperature/solar information/air venting.
Looking at getting one of these kits for my house. I also plan on getting the new Staples Connect hub to integrate with my current Z-wave based setup and see which one works better.
Sign me up!
With Nest and Westinghouse already well established it begs the question of whether or not this system is compatible with those products. Obviously you could have the operate separately, but as the Thermostats are a part of the Kits, you would be paying for something you get no value for .
Insteon is compatible with nest not sure about Westinghouse.
Im not sure how it could het better. Theyve got the bases must-have covered and made plans for all can-have features. Nice to see such an important app supporting Windows. With such apps I think the term application is deserved.
Does anyone else think of those old cartoons about the house of the future? Still, pretty cool.
This insteon kit is very very cool, is there a part that make me receive a notification if someone breaks into my house (and gets caught by any of the sensors)? That would be awesome!
Looking forward to their upcoming backward compatibility with the old X10 protocol (which is badly unreliable but has been around since CP/M was state of the art)
How does this compare to other solutions out there, to be honest I have disregarded all these products because none really supported windows platforms but now that we are gaining traction I need to catch up. Before making the investment in curious what/how it compares to others.
It is very useful that you can check all your rooms when you are outside
I am very interested in this, any word on if it can lock or unlock doors, or tell you if doors are locked properly? I have been thinking about getting this set up.
This is very interesting for mechanical engineers. But, I would like to see details of how they (sensors) work in different homes.
Saw this at Menards. I was tempted to buy one and try it out.
Tried the Windows Store app. While it is probably very nice with the actual hardware, I would add some info about the portfolio. Because some might download the app, likes the design, and with the catalog there, they might decide to buy the gadget.
Does the lights have several colors, like the Philips Hue? I absolutely love the apps for the Hue, where you can make them change color according to the beat of the music etc. I'd love to see that for INSTEON, since Philips Hue doesn't really support WP. Looks very promising though!
I'm excited for where these products are going. Unfortantly there is a bit of overlap with my current security system (FrontPoint) and I'm not sure which way I should move forward with home automation.
I think it's great that you can smartify your own home without having to spend tens of thousands with other proprietary smart home products out there. Would definitely love to hook this up to my one bedroom when I move out.
Actually looking to build early next year. Cortana support just may tip the scales in Insteon's favor on adding home automation.
I could have used this system when I had teenagers living at home. I would have know what time they snuck out and what time they snuck back in!
i want win yes
Looks like a great system. Thanks for the video
My biggest concern is security. Does it have encryption, does the hub has security audits and bug fixing? There was already a big uproar with Philips HUE system security flaw and several security experts commented on makers not paying enough attention to security.
I like the ability to remotely control the thermostat. We are out of town quite a bit for short weekend trips so it would be nice to turn up the heat about an hour before we get home and come home to a warm house! I would also like the ability to see if I closed the garage door when I left the house, because some morning can be quite rushed...
I have a few Insteon devices in my house working with the HomeLinc software, instead of with the Hub and, overall, they are great. I'm interested in seeing how well the hub works, too, especially with my Windows Phone and with Cortana coming up. As a homebrewer, the Leak Sensor helps put my mind at ease to know that none of my beers are exploding or anything while fermenting away. I've also got some lighting linked up with motion sensors and it works really well. There are a few things I would love to see come to the Insteon lineup though, such as door chimes to pair with the Open/Close sensor and maybe even a doorbell.
I would love to try this. I was especially interested in having my lights come on as I come home, brilliant for my pokey little hallway, especially when I have my hands full. Also, the thermostat controls. The camera would also make a brilliant baby monitor for people with kids. And of course, the whole home security aspect is very cool too. All in all, it looks like a brilliant, very innovative product, whilst at the same time it seems very simple to use. Right up my street. :-)
I really like the modularity and easiness of installation! I've been looking for a home automation system, if not to buy one yet, but out of curiosity. Insteon seems wonderful, but to be honest, I don't have any opinion or development idea before I've actually tried it. I still want to take part in this competition!
So, how about availability overseas?
The future apartment seen in Her may be closer than we thought. It may exist right now! The GUI of app looks Live-tile great, but would love it if they adjusted the spacing of the icons and buttons.Only concern I have is security. How secure are the servers to prevent a bored hacker to turn on all my lights in the middle of the night? Things start to have a real-life effect when we link our digital realms to our tactile world.
This capability is just in it's infancy at present. INSTEON is one of the leading companies to interface home control from afar. I have done quite a bit of reading on this system and on the NEST system. This is something that I will try to install in my home over the coming months. We are about to replace both of our AC units and that'st the time to start. Home is 12 years old and live in AZ so they are at the outer limit of their expected lives. It will be very interesting to see WPCentral follow this over the next few months.
We have a GIRA-controlled door-- with which we're very satisfied-- but a Windows Phone app doesn't seem to be coming. Would it be remotely (yes, pun intended) possible to incorporate our door system into an Insteon installation?
Any other home systems work with win phone 8?
Not too shabby! I would love to see my friends' faces when I use my phone to turn on and off fans and lights. Sprinkler system control and garage door control are both very handy as well. I also really like the 'scenes' feature. Would be very easy to turn off the A/C when I leave the house and have it automatically turn back on. Easy installation is a must to get the masses to adopt so hopefully it is as easy as it sounds.
This is awesome. The future is now.
This is really something I am going to consider for my home. I really like its simplicity. They appear to have done as much as possible to make this work with a very low level of complexity. I can't really say yet what I do not like about it, everything seems pretty solid. It would he nice if there was an in box solution for the wiring issue Daniel mentioned, but seems to be able to be solved with a few other solutions.
I want one
I would set this to watch the sidewalk and see if I can capture the fool who makes his dog defecate on the run. Then I would print flyers to shame him into cleaning up the mess his dog makes all around the neighborhood.
Looks very promising. I have a few questions regarding sensors: 1. Can the monitoring sensors initiate recording? 2. Can the system send me an email based on motion sensing and can the motion sensing be setup based on height for people that have pets? 3. Can Cortana alert me on my Lumia 1520 or diall 911. (In case of fire or home invasion)
No on the recording, which is lame...would very much like that too. Not an email for motion detection, but it can send an SMS alert. You can't set it for height per se, but you can control the intensity/range and with the wall mount/bracket, angle it which ever way you want to avoid pets. Also no to #3.
So much want!
If there's a way to get something free, who wouldn't want to miss out? Greed fills the world but honestly, this should go out to someone who needs it... Weather they use it, sell it, or donate it. It should be put to use in a reasonable way.
This is great. I love the fact that it uses an universal app. Should make the updates occur more often.
I love the idea of Home automation and being able to instantly make the devices around my house smart. One thing is that I would love to see more hardware based around my entertainment system. For example insted of just telling Cortana that it's movie time and having her adjust the lights what about her adjust the lights, turn my TV, turn on my surroud sound, and change my input to my Xbox for Xbox Video, or whatever your platform of choice is. I think that home automation is for sure awesome I just wish it would do more things with one command making it worth it for me to unlock my phone/tablet and click a button in the app or say a voice command instead of reaching over to a switch in my house which kinda feels more convient. I'll deffiently be picking up a Starter kit for these Insteon's though seems awesome.
This looks like a great system! I'd love to play with it at the Microsoft Store :)
Very interesting.. We are currently renovating our home so this looks like a nice thing to incorporate. Stuff like this makes me wonder how long it will be until we get to control our households Minority Report-style haha!
I have been meaning to dabble in home automation, but I never liked the idea of a company knowing exactly what is going on in my house. The local setup appeals to me, especially since the system comes without any subscription fees. If I win this I think I will set up a bluetooth system like I have in my car where I can press a button located in a common area (next to a light switch, on an endtable, etc.) and tell cortana (on a dedicated phone just for this purpose) to perform a certain task.
nice to see a company like insteon supporting wp, once this has cortana integration i might acually pick one up
I would love to get a system like this. However, It seems like a large investment, both in time and money, for me when I am only renting an apartment. I would have to "downgrade" the place upon leaving not to mention the feeling that I am modding something that isn't actually mine (the apartment itself). Does insteon have a way to control standalone A/C units? (simply controlling the power won't work.) If so, it may be worth the investment, as that could actually bring a lot of savings off of my electrical bill over the summer. I love projects, but with this it's hard to shake the feeling that things will finally be standardized soon after investing, and that isn't a situation I would want to have bought my way into. It just looks like it would be so cool! ... oh well.
This is a perfect device for pet owners! I would feel safer leaving my cats home alone when I could check in on them on my phone.
glad to see this arrive on this platform. I have some aging x10 products that are due to be replaced with something newer.
This a great idea being able to remote manage your home and security, but I would like to be able to use my home server instead of insteon's.
I like that INSTEON doesn't charge monthly fees. I recently seen a service similar to this by Lowe's which does a monthly fee option to get you to open your wallet more. This would be an EXCELLENT addition in my new home.
Looks like a well-designed app... and Cortana integration is just icing on the cake! Home automation is finally becoming more of a reality, and that's exciting.
INSTEON sounds amazing, especially since they will be supporting Windows Phone. However, don't know how much use one would find when living in a NYC closet studio apartment where everything is at arm's reach! I guess it'd still be cool to control and watch the apartment remotely. But really, it is excellent that such a company is truly committing to this platform and hopefully other's like them will join as well.
Insteon, interesting! From where I come from, things like these are seldom and you won't see it around AT ALL. Still this is awesome especially the thermostat, but does the thermostat controls the air conditioning unit that are of different brands in my home? Just wondering...
Door lock would be nice addition.
I have tried many systems from the old days, e.g Zenith Heathkit etc etc. After dabbling with them, I stopped using them since they never worked well enough. Last year went back in the market for wireless switches to light my outdoor landscape lights from a different location. WOW. Things are getting better. Having key parts of the house hooked up would be grand upgrade that I can control from whereever and whenever!
I appreciate the features, but the aesthetic design is bland and gives off a "cheap" vibe. Maybe I don't like it because the white color gives off an Apple vibe, but each component looks to me like it was made by Westinghouse and can by foound at your local Target clearance section. Maybe I could be proven wrong if I see an actual unit but when you look at the thermostat for example and you put tat next to a Nest, you may see my point....
Can it do things like auto turn-on your Xbox or something? Any programming features. Thanks in advance for your help :)
I've been checking out Insteon for a couple of weeks now. I want it but I'm not sure I need the items they include in their starter kits. I'd like to just start off with the Control Module and a couple of Wall Switches. Maybe one On/Off Switch as well. This is really interesting to me and I hope to start an integration soon.
Nice. It's great that there is only an upfront cost and nothing else, a big plus.
it's good but i would love to see something a long the lines of this my wife is 100% disable we have a nurse that comes in three times a day to see if she needs Demerol injections sometimes its not needed but in between there is no way of knowing how she is doing. i have a cam set up in each room. that i can look at from my work to make sure all is well. what would be nice is a system where as it can tell her time for this med or that rather than her trying to remember because her pain level goes high she tends to forgets what she is taking or when seam to me that this application if fine tuned could be a benefit
Looks like a good product, glad windows isn't left out of this growing home technology market.
Very interested in their sprinkler controller. Wonder of this works with any existing system?
Very cool. Looking forward to automating my house using Insteon through my Windows Phone!
i've been curious about home automation but haven't delved too deep with my research because i still live with my parents. but i think this could be an awesome gift for them especially considering i upgraded both of them to Windows Phones. this would make them feel super futuristic. regarding the product, it seems easy to use and shockingly VERY affordable. i like how everything is a la carte and you can mix and match the sensors and cameras you need. the app also seems great and obviously will improve with updates. i'm definitely interested, i'll check it out next time im at the microsoft store
Hmmm, it seems quite interesting. Can you lock/unlock home doors with these tools?
Yes there are insertion lock sets. Mi locks is one brand.
Been looking for a good home automation system that would work with WP. There aren't many out there that combine the whole lot into one accessible system. This could be a winner.
Looks pretty cool! How does it work outside the US? I live in Sweden. Just thinking about the thermostat thing... Not sure we have the same stuff here. Would still be awesome to try it out, send me one and I'll surely "sell" it to all my friends who uses Windows Phones.
I just built a new home, and I was quite interested in buying a Nest thermostat (and smoke detectors, natch), when they got bought out by Google, killing my enthusiasm. This looks like it's a much more complete (and affordable) solution. With the Cortana support, that just makes this the killer home automation system for me, with no other system that can compare.
Good to see such a great product available with Windows Phone support. I have quite a few legacy X-10 devices and have recently started integrating & replacing them with INSTEON. Looking forward to this app and it's future development.
Gonna check this out. Especially now that I just landed a job at Best Buy and I'll get a great discount in the items.
home automation is the future i can see it been used in every house in the near future it makes your life easier than ever sadly i see Microsoft investment in insteon pointless for me if its not available world wide just like surface Pro 3 / surface 2 / xbox one / xbox music/video subscription . . Note: Don't include me in this contest because its not Lumia or windows tablet ... congratulations to the winner
Is the promotion to win the kit US only?
Sounds great and I would really like to try out something like this. However, to do more than just a couple of things you need to lay out a lot of money. I appreciate that they are supporting Windows Phone but I would like to see a system that is interoperable with other systems so you can mix and match parts. I know there are systems like this out there, but of course being a Microsoft user they are not readily available to me like the Insteon system now is.
I am interested in this, as the current windows phone apps that hook in to wireless ip cameras aren't too great. I do like the scenes feature which can be really useful. Too bad it doesn't record or auto record on motion ... etc. By the way does this work with non insteon wireless ip cameras?
I've been eyeing this system for a while now, and it looks really cool. I'm really curious to see how well it works vs some of the other big players, but the availability of kits seems like a fantastic idea!
Does anyone know if this INSTEON hub is compatible with Windows Media Center and Windows Media extenders? Still using WMC and XBox 360 for cable for DVR and video distribution.
I actually went into my local MS store this past weekend to check this out since I read that they were carrying them in store. This would be a great solution that works with my WP and Win8 laptop so I can monitor the pooch while I'm at work (he's diabetic so I like to check on him as much as possible). Also I rent, so the easy installation is a plus for me since I would think it would ne just as easy to uninstall.
Looks great. Hope it's available in the UK soon. I'm not personally worried about the thermostat integration so the starter kit would be ideal. Any idea what the range is? Wondering if a motion sensor could be installed in a shed/garage? I haven't converted my partner to Windows Phone yet, would she be able to connect her iPhone to the hub?
I'm considering dumping micasaverde for this, but honestly it works well with the grasshopper. I'm just having trouble learning to program the damn thing. I can't even get it to turn on my light at sunset.
Wonder if the Insteon system will be natively supported at some point by the new Almond+ router I have on the way from Kickstarter, with its built in home automation features. Even if not, looks like the Windows/Phone apps are excellent. Sold!
Finally, something that's compatible with Windows Phone (and not just iOS/Android)
I've had X-10 devices for ages and switched to Insteon when the Windows Phone App launched. Insteon seems a bit more reliable than X-10, where for a large house I had to have multiple transceivers. With X-10 I had some really nice wired in switches which I left installed when I moved and had a infrared to X-10 device so I could control lights and blinds in a theater room with a harmony remote. Living with Insteon for a month, a couple issues came up, but overall I'm happy. I picked up a hub starter kit, several light and appliance modules, a Fanlinc for a ceiling fan, an 8 switch mini remote with wall adaptor and several mini remote rocker switches with wall mounts, an outdoor camera and an LED light bulb which I haven't installed yet. The application control the devices except for it's missing full fanlinc support. The Windows Phone app only controls the light kit of the fan, it's missing fan low/med/high/off control that are present on the ios application. Insteon support confirmed lack of fan controls and couldn't give an ETA for a fix. Auto logon to the hub from the app takes severs seconds which is a bit annoying to control a light, and I don't see a way to pin a device to the home screen. Overall it's mostly functional and useful. I also didn't see a way to add a new device from the WP app, but I could have missed it. Their apps seem to have slightly different functionality between platforms and I find myself using WP, iPad and Windows PC for various settings. The devices seem to be good quality for the most part. The mini remotes have a funky click and they don't always fit solidly in the wall mounts. Two of the remotes were defective (wouldn't charge) and I'm waiting for replacements. A support call didn't take long and the RMA process was painless. The 8 way remote could use some labels or pre labeled replacement buttons like the non-mini remotes have. I ordered a suggested button replacement kit with fanlinc buttons, but it wasn't compatible with the mini switches. I like that a timer/schedule is built in. I have a couple lamps that are setup to turn on and off at different times. I also like that it controls X-10 devices as far as on/off/brightness can be controlled so I can repurpose some of my old devices.
Great feedback, thanks!
I saw a kit the other day and was tempted to pick it up... I think the initial cost is still too high for this to go mainstream, but I love that they have a windows phone app!
I'm a huge fan of Insteon simply cause they are one of the first big home automation manufacturers to support Windows Phone. That definitely have some of the greatest variety of equipment options. The only downside is that everything is proprietary - I just wish they also supported z-wave technology too.
Gimmeh!
Yo
Wow, been waiting for something like this.. I think the thing I would use most and really like is the Wireless Outdoor IP Security Camera with Night Vision. I've been looking into getting an IP cam, but it looks like it almost always just has an app for Android and IOS. This is really awesome!
This certainly has a lot of appeal. The risk you run obviously is investing in a particular bunlde of items and then something better comes along which isn't compatible. The Cortana integration is obviously the best part about their approach and it's nice to see that kind of support for the Windows Phone platform. Guess I'll be picking one up at somepoint (or winning one!).
I would love to be able to monitor and yell at my dog via this system.
I really like the idea of putting a camera and leak detection on my large home aquarium, and being able to check that on my phone from anywhere!
I wouldn't mind controlling everything in my home via internet/WP, but I do not think I would feel comfortable having cameras going over the internet from the inside of my home. Too much has been revealed recently.
This product is AMAZING! It definitely does what home automation should do. I dont own it, but have seen it in live motion and it worked flawlessly. These folks have thought of everything and made it really easy to use. You couldn't ask for a better, more complete solution than this.
I've been waiting for this...Awesome! Thanks for the article.
These systems are cool. My fear is that this is the type of system that you could buy into but if it fails to gain traction you could be stranded without support or have limited support in the future. These are awesome systems, and hopefully there is a shared standard set so that the whole idea is pushed forward instead of big companies fighting over establishing a single proprietary set up
Got an Iris system for a self-monitored alarm system with home automation capabilities. It's a nice system, but unfortunately they lack a Windows Phone app. Luckily I haven't invested myself much in the system. Insteon sounds like a great setup, with even more automation options available. And having a Windows Phone app just makes it even better, in my book. I need to check out the site, but I wonder if they offer things like door locks, or an alarm system (self-monitored, of course). If so, it sounds like they would be an absolutely worthwhile investment for what I want to do with at home (as soon a the budget allows me to, at least).
LIKE: It looks very helpful, and it won't bust the bank, great for people like me who can't be bothered to turn lights off manually! Also, it is great to check if the kids have left their rooms for 'snacks' in the night! DISLIKES: The actual hardware doesn't look to appealing... IMPROVEMENTS: opening doors? Also, be able to adjust temperature on ovens and fridges from your phone maybe? Looks very good, would love to win the pack!
Awesome kit :D, I feel it is very useful to make us feel in home
This home kit would be very good for energy saving purposes. Turn lights off when no movements in the room. I am not sure but is there any location based scenes in the app? For example if i will arrive home in 15 min the termostat turn on. That would be great.
Was looking for a weekend project to spruce up my house and I think I have a winner! Hopefully the garage opener isn't too expensive!
I love the concept of keeping an eye on my property without monthly service fees.
When I told my wife about this system, the first thing she asked was "how much is it monthly?" I'm glad there isn't any subscription fee.
The app itself is great, has a lot of controls, usable on windows and windows phone, allows certain level of customizations. This home automation kit is really nice, but I think it would cost a fortune if you want your whole house hooked up. The kits don't give you much, you will probably have to buy extra sensors etc if you want some automation in every room.
It's funny, I was just looking at this in-store. I am SO glad companies have finally started offering private wireless based monitoring. Now that home-monitoring and automation is freed from prohibitively expensive monthly subsciptions I may finally get something like this (it wouldn't hurt to get started by winning it too!)
I think this system would be perfect as a very good baby monitor/security system. i have a need for both I wonder how the system works for motion camers, and IR cameras. Even to have the ability to look at a monitor and see who is at the front door and not getting up if its a unwated visitor would make this system well worth the cost.
This is really cool! I would say Home automation is where it needs to be. I like the fact there is no monthly fee. Just buy what you need and set it up. I like the option to get the Garage door opener. Also the thermostat would be an awesome feature to save money during the day. So many cool features to this. You're right Cortana would make this awesome and enjoyable! I would be willing to give this a try esepcially when the Cortana features become available. I wonder if it is possible to setup up multiple accounts? So you know who opens what and turns off what. That would be a nice feature to have.
A water leak sensor acutally has me interested. I have this irational fear that my Sump Pump is going to die one of these days and flood my basement.
I want one.
Waw this is amazing ! Was just thinking of getting a security camera at home but i think this will do ! So impressed with all these connected accessories \o/
This is so amazing. George Jetson eat your heart out!
Woowww I like the idea of controling my house that way ... Exelent !!!!
Finally we can join in on home automation and Cortana is going to be a game changer. If you are thinking of picking it up try Costco's website they have some good deals on the kits.
I'd love to win this! I've been in the market for a way to automate my house. I'd love a way to be able to set the temperature of my house from my phone! That way I could start to cool the house a couple of hours before coming home.
OK lets get this started! I still can't believe I missed ALL of the previous Hidden Gems! Anyway I would like to have a smart house and Insteon may be the one that jumps start me. One of my concern is my thermostat is relic, I may need to buy some converter like Daniel mentioned. Other than that, hmm.. the Windows 8 app seems bare looking. If that's due to universal app, then I hope OneCore will fix that.
I find it fascinating that we, as a society can really use these devices. I have a big family and safety is of the utmost concern, for me. Being able to monitor my dwelling efficiently is a must. Using these services can and will cut out the middleman, like ADT. Using my phone when I am away to see what is happening in my household would bring me peice of mind. :)
I will love INSTEON alot it will make my all life so easy and without getting up but it have one major disadvantage I will get even more lazy because I will do everything by sitting on my couch or bed but it will be awesome to have my whole house Automatic. It can be better if it have burglar alarm which will ring on our mobile phone instead of on my burglar alarm with that burglar won't even know I know that he's in my house and I can confirm that it's thief on my camera and call the cops.
I think this is probably one of many that aim to provide a similar but tailored service I like the fact its here on windows where it belongs because it safe and secure and needs only few secure permissions which means surely there is less to go wrong!? Updates will be few and far between due to sheer volume of products and complexity in the build and my god we've waited for fluency in control like this since Clifford fired up my car from the college window many many moons ago I must say im excited :)
Seems cool. I like the kit idea to give you a reasonable base of accessories from which to start.
I love the idea of these systems. I thought the Xbox one would have it as a feature. Being able to set up themes and scripts is top quality. How safe and secure are the web cams? I hope they are hack proof.
Looks promising. I hope the extend this out to more modules and keep the cost down.
I love these products. X11 was all the rage in the 80's but it's really dropped out. Insteon looks like a worthy successor. Awesome they have WP support!
Though having everything connected to the internet may be a good thing, it might be risky as well considering everything has some or the other security holes in it.
I am REALLY interested in these. Question/suggestion: Do these scenes or any automated actions work via location based initiation? So will a scene start based on your location?
This sounds pretty cool, congrats to the upcoming winners.
This looks awesome! One question about the cameras... I have foscam at present. Will this work with the cameras I already have?
I can see the thermostat adjustment very handy for when you come home from work early, sick, or a vacation day. Anything outside a normal daily program. Also turning the lights on and off during vacations would be very helpful.
This would be perfect as I work away from home lots, would be great to be able to check on home and have a comfortable atmosphere to come home to.
This looks really cool. Kind of a shame that the wireless camera is indoor-only, it really begs to be used as a security camera outside the front door. I suppose it should be easy enough for Insteon to eventually add an outdoor camera module, given the modularity of the system.
I started using the App for my foscam webcams. I am so cloe to pulling the trigger on thea kit in the next few weeks.
No monthly fees seals it with me. Plus they partnered with Microsoft, even better. We should get great support and we won't be left out in the cold like EVERYTHING else that has applications for the other app stores. Very refreshing. And the price is a great selling point along with the add more items on as you go. I'm very happy.
This sounds like it would be great. Just being able to adjust lights as people are using the rooms would be a huge win for us. Add in the door sensor (for other reasons than turning on lights), and things like the water sensor and ceiling fan controls and this could have a lot of potential to save us money on electricity. I don't know that we'd break even, but the concept is really cool.
Sounds awesome! I'd like to have some new high-tech gadgetry in my house! No more low-tech, get up to adjust the temperature, mumbo jumbo!
I have been researching their products for a bit now and am quite impressed with what I have seen. I am saving my pennies to get this setup in my home. I can't wait. I love that they have jumped on boared with Microsoft. I can't wait for Cortana integration as well. I am excited to see what else they come up with next.
Sounds like a really interesting product, who pretty neat to try
Insteon is great, not even because it supports WP but the modularity lets me get only what I need. I really would like to win this kit. Starting I could use it with my pets, I have 3 dogs and the temperature in my city is too hot I would like to set up my thermostat remotely also the open/close module might work for me.
I have been actively using Home Automation solutions since Windows Media Center, HomeSeer, Nexia and happy to see Insteon come on the seen with a Microsoft solution. However, it seems all the modern solutions are all missing one piece of the puzzle. In the case of Nexia its home irrigation since they added the Garage Door solution this week. In the case of Insteon, its a major one with the lack of door lock solutions that prvide two way communication/status to the portal. Sadly, they are all 'almost' complete solutions.
This is the product I've been dreaming of. The ability to check on the pets when away on holidays and being able to check if an appliance is on and turn it off when out when my girlfriend freaks out she may have left the iron or stove top on is a big life saver, she worries all the time about this stuff.
I could use this for a cocktail maker....
I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't turn on the air conditioner. (Noooooooooooo!)
Lol. +929
This could be one of the best tech gadgets to come out in a while! Especially on Windows phone!
The Cortana integration sounds awesome to have along with the home automation.
Good to read the hands-on. I went to a Microsoft Store (Costa Mesa, CA) a couple weeks back and asked about the product. I was told they had it in the back (they actually brought it out for me), but they had nothing on display. How are they going to sell the product without a store display??? Maybe soon... I have my home wired with Lutron Radio RA2 for lighting, and HVAC (no WP or Win 8 support). Since I dont' have security cameras, I was thinking of checking out Insteon. Daniel, did you test the security camera with night vision? You did make a mention in your review. How clear were the daytime and nightime displays on your Surface?
I have always dreamed of having my home automated. I love the fact that you can turn P of the lights and adjust the temperature. Things I don't like is the home kit seems a little bare I would love to have this!!
I love the partnership with Microsoft. So it can be integrated in my whole family. And I would really love to see Cortana in action. Unfortunately it is not available for me now but I like to see others playing with it :D
Awesome... Time to spook the guests ;)
I love to see some of the love coming to Windows Phone with these home products. It is definitely something I am considering as I will be able to control it with what I have.
It sounds like the first step for the future automated house and using Cortana to controle my home appliances.
this is a great solution especially if you live alone and travel often. it's good to be able to keep tabs on your home to make sure that it is safe and that you didn't leave the stove on. I'm thinking you can get the INSTEON 2634-222 and use that to cut off electricity on your electric oven to prevent a fire or overcooking dinner. Of course, the convenience of managing your home's life support systems aka A/C while away is an added benefit. We all know that would help to save on utility bills AND make sure the home is either chilled or toasty when you get home, depending on the weather outside. ...now, if it could only open and close the blinds and windows...
Looks great.
Sweet, love this stuff :)
Actually, I think the "Business" kit is appropriate for my home as well
And I really like it because technology always made me feel safe, good to know I have an affordable option that integrates with my phone!
Even if I don't win, I'm eyeing this for my home. The possibilities are exciting, and the security assuring. Please keep up the innovation and support.
I think wnat I like about the system is that its not overtly comoplicated and since the cellphone is always with me, itsd very practical and safe for my family... while im out i can check on my baby grandaughter and when i come in late, the automatic features is like having another set of hands...
I've started converting switches in my house to insteon and love it! I've run into some switch boxes with must 2 wires instead of the normal 3. Anyone have luck with the insteon led bulbs our have another suggestion?
Amazing news and the app looks super stylish. It's also incredible that they are already targeting the future with Cortana integration. Can't wait to see what they come up with next!
I've been waiting for these to come to the Microsoft store in my area. I have some x-10 devices and the insteon is supposed to be compatible. I've had my x-10 since my Radio Shack IBM computer LONG ago, so it will be nice to update it with Windows Phone support and some additional devices.
Seems a bit over the top; people can't turn on the fan with a normal switch?
I like the fact that the Hub turns your windows phone device into a home automation controller using an app. The Hub is the central controller for whole home automation systems and you can connect to it using applications on your smartphone or tablet from anywhere in the world where you can get an Internet connection.
I also like that by using the Hub, you can control all sorts of devices within the home that are equipped with Insteon controls such as light bulbs, wall switches, outlets, thermostats, and more. I love that you can get e-mail or text message alerts from the Hub if motion is detected in the home, a door is opened, a window is opened, or from water leak sensors while you're away.
I think that feature may be particularly appealing to people who travel a lot and parents. For instance, parents could receive an e-mail when the door opens to notify them that their child is home from school. You can also use the alerts to know if your maid showed up or the repair man.
And just who couldnt do anything else but be excited about INSTEON's integration with CORTANA? :) I dont know about you but i would like to call a day off by saying, "Insteon, im going to sleep , close lights, open them all up in 4 hours! "
I only dont like that the price does not include a lot of sensors or switches to automate your home and is only for the central controller, which by the way is the brain of a home automation system. You have to buy them separately from yourself. Other than that, Insteon is of great use and i would be glad to implement it to my house too asap! :)
One other thing that i think can be changed to make insteon better is regional availability.
Also, the insteon guys, should explain better how our privacy cant be breached with this cloud based program. A lot could benefit but are too afraid of using an internet connection with cameras at their house in and out , info about almost everything on their house etc.
Im surely taking it though! Endless possibilities, it can only get better with our help, and make our homes and the world an easiest and better place! :)
Insteon looks like Tech that could push Home automation forward, that being said the #1 thing I love about this is the DIY of it. I love putting things together and doing projects, this is just another project that I could add to my list. I've had a couple of companies quote me for home secuirty and that alone is a couple of thousand and it doesn't come with all the bells and whistles that Insteon does. Even if I don't win this Im almost willing to pick a couple of the stand alone products myself and try them out.
looks amazing kit!!
Well, i want a kit like that. Would really improve my living room. :D
i have insteon installed on my phone and tab just waiting till i saved enough money to make a purchase
I'm really looking forward to seeing how well the Cortana integration turns out
Verified that this was not for US only after a quick check on insteon homepage. Please Daniel put in the article that this works both also in Europe and more places.
Fantastic great idea
This looks pretty sweet... I've actually been debating going with an offering from AT&T for home security which provides similar functionality with the camera and whatnot with an app for Windows Phone. Perhaps this would fit the bill instead.
Jesus I would like to get my hands on one of these kits. This is the friggin future!
Awesome never heard but would love to try it out, home automation is pretty cool.
In the name of Allah This automation must do something to absorb more and more attentions: 1- Mustn't be depandable to Home Electricity System (Natural disasters are always ready to do power cut from source to destination), instead there must be some battery to hold power in emergency situation. 2- This must control the core appliances, (Washing machine, Cooking systems[oven, stove, etc.], Refridgerator, Cooling system, heating system, Furniture, Cleaning rooms), not just some sensors to turn something on or off, or turn something to this side or that. 3- There should be some safety programs to switch to self control or automatic mode in accidents(Playing games at home, turning the microwave oven on via phone, speak to your friend in the yard, put the phone on the table, Low battery! Phone is off, and your kitchen is burning; Why? Forget to set time, put it in manual mode to turn it off yourself.) 4- if it malfunctions, there must be some prevention possibilities to help safety. The above mentioned points at first glance are funny, but the most important problem of human being is Time. The first week You are too curious for every point of any functions, The first month You believe that knowing everything about the system, After 3 month of usage it's like other tools, You even don't pay attention to the function, whether it did the duty or not. (Human is in danger with his highly trust taking which ends in ignorance which is the source of dangers.) If they put safety mechanism in their Kit's firmwares, It worth having it as assistant gadget. I myself for business view have something in my brain with some of its kits, but for HOME, It's too early.
I like that everything doesn't have to be wired. It makes it so much easier for old home installation.
I always wanted to make my house "smarter" and always let down by the idea that only Ios and android get this stuff, so I like the idea that insteon shows some love to WP
Since I never used I don't can say stuff that can make it better but this is certainly one of the best options out there for home automation
I like that Insteon systems are actually compatible with Windows Phones. As opposed to a lot of other home automation systems (ADT Pulse, Nest, etc.)
Amen to that!!
It's nice to see that home automation prices are coming down. Not quite low enough for me to jump in, but Insteon is on the right track
The best thing about insteon is the variety of their products and compatibility for international consumers... Automated/smart areas are the next big thing
Cool, been looking for something with alarms and cameras that would work with my Windows Phone
I have an old home alarm / automation system that was installed by Monitronics (I believe it's similar / the same as some of the older ADT equipment). Does anyone know if the INSTEON system can talk to those older sensors? I have no problem retiring their old control panel (in fact, I can hardly wait to do so). Anyway, I'm just trying to figure out if I will be needing to replace those sensors or if I can use those along with the ones that come with the kit (and available as add-ons). This is going to be fantastic once they release the app update for Windows Phone with Cortana / voice control.
For those with two or even three levels in your home it would be nice if they offered intercom support, both internal and external.
I would LOVE to be able to control my house from my NL 925. I can see some people making the argument of home automation being further laziness of the human race, but the convenience would be outstanding. And so would be the bragging rights :)
I think what I'm finding difficult with choosing home automation systems are the security options available to protect the system being installed.
I always used to feel bad reading most articles on Connectedly.com, cause every home-automation system excluded WP from it's list of supported OS. It's so great to see WP gaining so much support recently in all aspects, and this is another big example. I'd definitely buy one of these Insteon kits if it's made available in my country. It'd be so cool showing off this amazing system that can do so much, using my windows phone. And if cortana is added, that'd make it even more awesome. I wonder if the prices could be a little lower though.
Going to look into the home kit for my Mother who has mobility problems, would be a great help.
Thought recently to buy an Arduino to do that by my self, but guys, this is a good alternative that I could get... Home automation is the future. Just hope that this won't turn on a ctOS like in Watch Dogs :D
Nice integration with WP and Cortana.
INSTEON looks pretty awesome. I just built a new house and need to replace my thermostats and get some automation equipment. Likes: Windows Phone is a first class citizen! Cortana integration is going to be wicked cool. Their products seem to be easy to install and use. They offer a wide range of products, so customers can get a large chunk of their automation solutions from one company. This also means only one app is needed, instead of several from different vendors. Dislikes: I'm not impressed by their security cameras. They need to offer cameras with HD support. They REALLY need cameras that support Power Over Ethernet. Its not practical to require an outlet, especially for outdoor cameras. They need to offer dome cameras as well. No sex appeal. All of their products are very plain looking white or black plastic. They don't exude the same stylish high quality feel as Nest, Dropcam, Lumia, iPhone, etc. This is a very important factor. If it weren't for the Windows Phone and Windows integration, I probably wouldn't consider them just because their products don't feel cool.
I like the home package bundles, And that you can buy the automation tools seperatl and add more!
Been waiting for updates on this as I'm wanting to get one as soon as possible. I wanted to start using these even before the windows support was announced, but I refuse to buy ipads and android tablets because they don't have the real world functionality that I need. Windows 8/phone 8 support is perfect for me and I really want to get started. I love the prospect of setting up scenes in different rooms (ie. movies, lights on when walking in rooms, controlling with cortana to turn things off at night etc) to work around my schedule and use. Haven't checked yet to see if they offer door locks, if not then I'll need to stick to NFC door locks and a NFC ring :) Please help me out with a win!
A year ago I bought Nest learning thermostat, and soon after they were bought by google. Now it appears that Insteon offers something far superior. I will surely be trading in my nest, but Insteon should update their design and at least offer a black thermostat. The build quality of the nest remains superior to the Insteon.
I picture a work where everything including a stove, microwave, fridge, and other appliances all from your windows phone. I hope this is the direction we are going into. If it is I hope it is all integrated into the experience
It is pretty amazing all the stuff we can do from our phones/tablets and computers. The idea of home automation and the act of controlling light switches, thermostats, fans, web cams is awesome. I love the idea of using Cortana to control INSTEON. I hope that Microsoft evolves Cortana beyond the phone and we can have a central computer in our homes that will respond to passive voice control, like the Xbox One. I would love to try out INSTEON in my house!
I've browsed the home automation aisles at Fry's for several years now but there wass always something missing in what I saw and in what was needed to make the products usful in my home. Now that Insteon has chosen to make their products work with my mobile devices, and have packaged their products in these "starter ktis," they've filled in the blanks for me.
The reviews of Insteon are not that great, while it is awesome they have a Windows Phone App, if the system itself has issues MS has done itself a disservice.
It would be great to have this system when im on a business trip to check in on things at home!
I'm really happy to see this type of support for our platform. I am really looking forward to getting my hands on one of these kits some day.
Looks like I will be getting store credit for my nest to get the insteon kit
I have the Phillips bulb, hue I think and it does not even support WP. Wish I knew about INSTEON before. I would have not bought those bulbs. This looks incredible. I might think about getting one. Well if my roommates agree. LOL
I can't afford this, hopefully I can win it
This is one of the best things to come to the platform. They need to get support for others as well, like Iris.
I actually hadn't even considered home automation before seeing this INSTEON kit. For some reason, I always associated home automation with home security, and thought that it was a luxury that I wouldn't use. However, seeing how it can control things like lights and appliances makes it attractive. My wife always tells me stuff like, "You forgot to turn off the lights on the stairs." Then I have to get up out of bed and turn them off. It would be much more convenient to just grab my phone and turn them off.
Interested to see how they flesh out this type of home automation into an extremely useful platform.
That system wuld be PER-FECT for my bedroom! Looks pretty simple and efective! Love the night vision ability on the cam! To bad I can't afford it... maybe next year!
Once I buy a home, I'm picking up some insteon tech. The modular aspect is pretty sweet and the fact that they are all in on Windows is quite nice.
This is totally cool. I would ditch my current home alarm system. It is not monitored anyway because the monthly monitoring kept going up (and I no longer have a land line). And the city wanted to charge me for false alarms. So the system now is not much more than a noise maker. This would be great with far more functionality than our traditional alarm system with the abilty to turn on/off lights, adjust the thermostat, video montor and more! And since both my wife and I have Windows Phones and Tablets, being able to set it up on all our Windows devices is a great plus! +Icon, Dell Venue 11 Pro
I hope that i am one of the winners here, i would love to be able to control my household essentials on my Windows Phone!!
I am really interested in these home automation systems. I am glad to finally see one that has windows phone support
This looks very interesting. I love the fact that Cortona integration is coming. Going to key my eye on this one.
I would love one of these! Finally home automation that is in tune with windows phone.
Now this is something I'm definitley going to look in to! Especially love the idea that you don't have to go wiring the house, like the old days, which in turn makes it basically portable. Which for me will coome in handy in about a year when I move.
It seems really good especially with cortana integration. I like the modular way that it was build. I would love to use it for my home.
How does this product compares with Google's Product "Nest"? What are the advantages/ Disadvantages of this over other?
I know that connected homes are the future but I am concerned about the security of these systems. I would not want a hacker to control my house, especially that camera, simply by hacking my Wi-Fi network. Insteon and others can't open doors or windows yet, but it's only a matter of a few years.
Sadly, this is only available in the US. So tired of this. What is so difficult about selling products in Canada? Anyone heard of NAFTA?
GOOD: this can replace those expensive ADT security kits. BAD: need to add more products such as windows sensor, sliding door sensor, garage opener, Door Lock/Unlock.But scary part is that my home will be wide opened for anyone who found a way to hack into my phone :) I am defenilty going to buy one of those for my new home, which is about to complete in three months (fingers acrossed).
Super excited to see wp8 support! I suggest www.arrtech.ca for Canadians looking for insteon products. Would love to see some kind of Kinect integration. "Xbox water the lawn"
Love that there is no monthly fees and that it not the expensive.
I'm looking forward to companies like insteon increasing their presence in the UK market. Seems we're a bit behind in the home automation area.
This so does seem very useful- lighting presets and a multitude of controlled makes this a very nice addition. However, from personal experience setting up this sudden ru work on the go is not as simples plugging in. Your router needs to be programmed to accept the connection, with does require technical knowledge. Once it's set up though, this could be insanely useful, especially for patented with forgetful kids :P
This would be so much fun to use to mess with people especially when they are watching a scary movie or something. Wait for the scary part and BAM! out go the lights and the heat!
oooooh pretty.... me want please!
I've been contemplating getting something like this. It's always intrigued me, but options like xfinity home are limited for me due to having a windows phone. Obviously the first thing I like about insteon is the windows support. Otherwise it just seems to be a round about of excellent products, and the buy as you go model is awesome. You can prevent being bogged down with gadgets you don't want/use, but pick them up later if you desire too. I'll give it a serious though.
I know it's not a sexy comment, but I like the leak sensors'. A dry basement is a happy basement.
I've heard great things about Insteon from friends who have been using their products for a couple of years now. I live in a rural area and would like to put a camera on the entrance to my driveway, but is a ways from the house. How do the cameras and other sensors communicate with the Hub (wired, wireless, over AC lines...)? Does anyone know if there are water pressure sensors? I have trouble with high water pressure and my pressure regulators tend to fail from time to time causing all kinds of problems!
The garage opener would be nice because I park my car outside my parents' place and don't want to leave an opener in the car because people have been breaking in, stealing them and then breaking into houses later when no one is home. This would help me so much if I could afford one and not have to worry about standing in the rain and trying to get the code right on the first try. Not to mention the aid in security with these burglaries happening around my neighborhood.
I've definitely been looking forward to one of these systems for my house! An excellent piece of software for homeowners! I love the windows phone integration.
I also love that if on windows phone
Definitely love the windows phone integration! Looking to add something like this to my house.
Please also consider support for all devices including those with 512 mb of RAM. Also, please also have a panic button where you can automatically dial '911' incase of an emergency. Thanks for the awesome product!!
I just hope they keep updating the app beyond the purported Cortana addition. It is BARE BONES right now.
I got grumpy because I couldn't find it in the Microsoft Canada store, but then happily discovered that Canadians can purchase the INSTEON products at Best Buy, Future Shop, etc. Not sure if the selection is exactly the same, but at least we have options... www.insteon.com/wheretobuy.html Happy automating!
It'd be great to see this developed into a home entertainment solution as well. I'd love to use the hub to stream music to a receiver.
Would love to have such systems here in pakistan...i likeed the ways the are told they interact with appliances...there must be a way to manage usage of electricity and also user must be able to pay via these device/WP's app to make more ease and attract more people
That's just the thing I need I never have to move a muscle if I have the kit after setting it up... Wanted to know whether its voice activated
Just glad to know that it works with WP/W8 Microsoft is updating wanted one of those lets see how lucky I am
After the first article on Insteon and being available WP8 & Win 8.1 I researched the system and the modules. They have extras like one to link into home security, low voltage panels etc, even automated louvers to allow the HVAC to send heat/cool to specific rooms when room temp sensors installed. Add multi-function panels to control multiple sensors from one location and AC switch and outlet control, this system has a ton to offer in customization. Now having components available at HD, this is my next home project.
though expensive and still in "novelty" status, i think having this app (which is wonderfully designed btw) is great because it allows Windows Phone to enter the age of the internet of things!
i was looking for an ip camera to monitor my house during holidays. But after i knew insteon and its capability i want one!
This is something i can use in my home. normally when i go out i leave a light on for security purposes but it being summer this isn't exactly eco friendly and can use a lot of electricity well before night time hours. The camera would be an excellent addition to my home for added security by which i can view it straight from my mobile to ensure there are no intruders or i can simply check that my cat is ok and not doing anything it shouldn't be. I also like the fact that i can add to it should i wish eg light bulbs, thermostat controls, remotes for my devices, dimmers and other sensors. To be honest i think the possibilities are endless and more additions could be released in the future. Finally being able to let my friends or family members control the units without the possibility of them disabling anything would be a real boon as i would retain full control and make changed should i wish too. Overall this is something i would be interested in trying out.
This would be awesome to freak out my family who are stopping over this summer for my wedding!
Wow, this looks very good! I already have a Surface tablet and Windows 8.1 PC. Just bought a Lumia 1020 to go with it, and also bought my very first own house :-) As a 'tweaker' I'm already planning to see what I can do with home automation in my new house. This Insteon package can be the perfect start for that! I really like that you can add modules for your own demands. Also, the apps look really good. Would be great to control my house with my Windows devices. Really exited about that!
I've been trying to do this by myself for years, and since I am not an IOS or Android fan it wasn't really working out - every piece has its own interface and issues. Nice that I can get an all in one system that will work with my 1520 and my Lenovo ThinkPad tablet. Looks pretty good!
Feature request: deadbolt/lock add-ons. It would be incredibly useful to be able to remote unlock my front door for a repairman, monitor their progress, then lock the door again when they leave.
This has a lot of potential.
Wow this is awesome! I'm going this weekend to Home Depot to get one. It would be better if it had 4 cameras on that one and then spin 360 degrees. Also I saw a mic on the screen, can you talk through it? If not then they should add that as well to make it better. I would if it was me and my product.
I am thinking I might have to stop by the Microsoft Store and check this out.
I love the Cortana integration and that it brings yet another cool app/function to WP8 that is on Android and iOS. I would like to the see the app get updated with fixes and improvements just as regularily as Android and iOS and hope that we don't have to wait months for them to "get around to it."
Now here's a worthy prize. I'm particularly interested in seeing how the Insteon system would do on my old wired farm house here in sunny western Europe, to comment on the usefulness of it on an unlikely scenario, and probably unlikely setup too!
I really like the idea of using scenes to automate everything. Looking further into it those scenes look really awesome and complex being able to control the speed in which the lights turn on so you aren't suddenly blinded. I'm glad that they are already set up in Australia so they are less likely to be a system you start up, get hooked on and then you can't expand because they are no longer available which happened with TiVo in our house. Anyway this system would be really conveniant for so much but mostly bridging that gap between my bedroom light and my bed.
I have been interested in insteon since I saw their Microsoft partnership, thanks for the video
Looks pretty sweet, will definitely have to do some research into INSTEON and use in my home and guest house!
I really wish they offered a starter kit with a thermostat instead of the camera. It would make serve more customers needs and offer a competitor to Nest.
I'm very excited about getting into this, I've been looking to automate lighting and cooling in my condo. Tying on/off to motion could be a good way to manage my utilities bill.
Does anyone know if the cameras record video or just provide a live feed?
This is a great thing for the WP world. Having a good home automation company backing Windows and Windows Phone is great. When I get some extra income, this is the home automation company I will be putting my money behind.
Damn *-*
I need this.
Very interested in this, be nice to have an officially supported thermostat for windows 8/windows phone!
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Saw this as a review on thier site, has it been implemented yet?.. "So far this is a great system. We had some issues with certain things, like a door sensor and the thermostat not being recognized by the hub so we moved the hub away from our Wi-Fi router and everything worked great after that. The only issue I have is I wish Insteon would allow us to have a "Home" and "Away" feature because every time you open a door or walk into a room with a sensor you get an alert. I did call the company and they said it's the #1 requested issue so hopefully they will be doing something about it soon. Other than that, it's great!"
I am just moving into a house and would love a starter kit!
Oh God, this is completely amazing. Me and my girlfriend would be pleased to have our home automatized and any of us could control it since we both have WP.
I wonder up to how many WP it is able to sync at once to control it.
Along with Cortana this couldn't be any better.
Great work, guys!
It's a good start but a few gaps or integrations from making it a complete solution. Hopefully they have or release an API.
This seems like the kind of thing that won't catch on for another few years. It's been gaining a little momentum, however not everyone has a need for it. I imagine most people who have home security like this find that they only use it once in a while. The fact that there is a Windows app for this kind of stuff is incredible. It's great to see that there are companies out there who are willing to put the time and effort into this ecosystem. I like the ability this app gives the user. However, I'm not a fan of the design of the app. It seems way too simple. The icons are meh. I'd like to see some more refinement. But this isn't a software critique, this is about the hardware. And the hardware looks stunning. Well, maybe only the main hub. In my opinion... Overall, nice execution.
Kool!
INSTEON seems to have more features, and options than the WeMo home automation by Belkin ( www.belkin.com/us/Products/home-automation/c/wemo-home-automation ). The mere fact that INSTEON has an official app for the Windows/Windows Phone devices is even more enticing than Belkin's product. I asked Belkin if they have any plans to bring a Windows/Windows Phone App. I never got a reply. Obviously they are heavily invested on the IOS and Android platforms.
What a gorgeous looking UI. What makes me happy first and foremost is to see apps like this on the platform. I would gladly buy this product but it definitely would contribute to my laziness factor. Haha. This technology is absolutely amazing :)
This would be great for my home and I would buy it without hesitation, however: not available in my country... Come on, I live in Portugal, an EU member, not lhe freacking desert..... Lots of stuff don't appear: all Xbox services, direct lumia phones from MS (Portugal is one of the most selling smartphones countries in EU), Cortana in portuguese (did you know portuguese is one of lhe most speaked languages in the world?).... Even Google has all their services available, even nexus phones directly from their playstore... I changed my android for a Windows phone, please do not make me regret this....
They do so make an EU version. Look on their website.
Great to be able to set a HVAC before leaving work, also like the idea of leak and smoke sensors that are available being in the fire and water restoration business I see many homes damage from water when owners are absent i.e. summer homes. Great job guys keep up the good work and looking forward to more updates.
This is also compatible with some limits with the older x10 devices. I hope Microsoft just buys Insteon before someone else does.
Heads up to anyone installing. There are some options in the Windows Phone and Windows 8.1 apps missing. I tried to install a FanLinc and struggled with it for hours. I then switched to using an iPad and the installation was a breaze. If you run into any troubles while installing try using an Android or iOS device.
I've always loved the idea of home automation ever since I first discovered the X11, and it's great to see a company develop hardware and natively support Windows Phone right out of the box, finding that is extremely rare and I hope others follow suit
The fact that its modular and doesn't have a monthly fee makes this awesome.
I was just looking for a remotely controlled thermostat for my house. This would be perfect turning AC on or off when the garage door opens....while you'd open the same with the phone. Cool. The modular expansion is great.
Like what I'm seeing so far. A definite plus to have Cortana integration. App feels a little on the simplistic side, but maybe I just have to dig into it a bit further.
As a homeowner who played with X10 home automation in the '90s and found it lacking at the time, I'm really interested in trying Insteon in my house and seeing how far it's come. I'd love to win this and do up my place. My biggest concerns about it are on the signal strength to the hub, whether one hub would be enough to cover my entire house, and also on how long the sensors would last on a set of batteries, as hardwiring power to them would be challenging, to say the least.
The plug in dimmers act as repeaters. They also have bulbs with the insteon stuff included. Not sure about the motion sensor batteries. I know they sell a plug in kit for the motion sensors.
In India most of the time there is issue for electricity. Power cuts and all, and poor Internet connection. I am afraid that such Hone automation will work in such condition. I think we should powerup those sensors and camera using some Inverter Supply if the Current supply is not available...
INSTEON looks to be the most promising of the home automation tech. Especially coupled with Cortana.
Hope they roll it out to the U.K. soon.
This would prove very useful to me. Imagine having a home theater and just hitting a button to film the lights once everyone is comfortable. Or I'd a child is in another room and needs a night light bam just hit a button. Or they can use the proximity sensor and the light will come on so they can find their way to the bathroom. This system has so much potential.
I've invested about 700 into getting the system setup for my home. Everything was pretty straight forward to setup. The only complaints I have are the app crashes alot and wont respond to all commands right away, nest only works with insteon if your using IOS, and there should be more customization allowed. For example when I open my front door my entrance light comes on so I can see inside The house, but the moment I close the door it shuts off. It would be nice to be able to have that stay on for a few seconds after the door has closed so I can see as I walk to the hallway.
@duncanstives when you set up a sensor you can rename it whatever you like.
Having a second (weekend) home at the lake this is really intriguing. I have a taste of the experience having a Honeywell thermostat with RedLink hub. Allows me to see the outside/inside temp/humidity and control the temp. So I can kick on the heat or cooling when I hit the road and arrive to a comfortable home. And temp/communication alerts are critical for peace of mind. I would love to extend this capability futher with camera's and leak detection in case of a frozen pipe in the winter. Would also be great to be able to remotely operate a water valve. Any idea if INSTEON can integrate with the Honeywell RedLink system? How about a way to control power to a directly wired appliance (such as the well pump). I need to leave water on when we're away for water treatement system regeneration and these are missing pieces to a very important puzzle. Guess I'll head to their website for more info, thanks for sharing!
They have kits that get wired to appliances and pumps and fans and things . Go to smarthome.com and check the insteon section.
Insteon + Cortana = smart home!
@DWTRUMP Yes they work I've done that
I'm curious to know if an Insteon kit like this can be integrated with other systems. I have a Kiwkset Z-wave lock I have contolled by Homeseer software (though my license has expired), and an investment in some z-wave switches I think look nicer than the Insteons but I never installed. I suspect the windowsphone software, for example, can only work with the Insteon devices?
We're hoping to buy our first home in the next couple of months and I've already been looking at these and other kits, but once I found out that Insteon had signed the agreement with Microsoft I was pretty keen to get involved in that ecosystem. The system even looks simple enough for my technologically challenged wife to get to grips with
I've thought about trying Insteon, but I already have my lighting covered by Philips Hue, and I've never quite managed to convince myself that the other things you can plug into Insteon beyond lighting are worth the cost, though to be fair, all the home automation modules out there tend to run similar costs, so I suppose my issue is less with Insteon and more with the product category not having matured quite enough, from my perspective. I wouldn't have even done the lighting, if I hadn't received the Philips Hue starter kit as a present, and currently live in Hawaii, where my electricity is three times more expensive than when I lived on the continental USA, and the savings from using LED lights were easily recouped within a couple of months of replacing all my fluorescents with Hue bulbs (electric bill was reduced by $60/month...yes, electricity in Hawaii is utterly insane; so it took a year to recoup the cost of the 12 bulbs I purchased....probably would have taken a lot longer if I lived back on the mainland). Still, I definitely think the connected/smart home is the future. I just think it needs a little more maturity before it manages to be a mainstream thing. Prices seem very first gen, when you think about what an on/off switch actually consists of (probably the most useful home automation module, and Insteon and similar companies sell them for ~$50 an outlet). Hopefully, those prices will fall rapidly in the next few years. It's great to hear that Insteon has an official app for Windows Phone though. That's more than can be said for most of the other players in the home automation space (though many do have apis available for third party app developers...but WP seems to be lacking in competent app developers...my Philips Hue third party app for WP works, but leaves a lot to be desired compared to the third party Hue apps I use on my ipad and Nexus tablet...point being that an official app is a fantastic point in Insteon's favor).
The INSTEON integration with Nest is very helpful especially with there not being an offical Nest WP8 app!
It is a amazing aplication for wp, I hope that in the future wp be able to be recognized better. This useful aplication are neccesary by our life.
I love the functionality and the mobility of this alarm system way better than Brinks would love to take it for a test ride.
I didn't win the previous one :'(
Great!
But, just wonder wheather the system sitll work magically in the event of power failure ;)
I'd love to have something like this but haven't really looked into it although this looks very enticing. You'd want firmware updates fairly regularly though unless they've come up with a way to wrote foolproof code
Cortana integration will make it an awesome tool!
I'm not familiar with INSTEON, but I'd like to learn! I have been intrigued with home automation for more than twenty years. The only thing we're using now is a WiFi thermostat--and I'm sure INSTEON's is better.
The future for home automation seems to bright. Cortana integration is quite a step in that the direction. Geofencing is something that could be put to good use as well. And when we eill be able to call up Cortana with just our voice, the experience would even more fluid.
Way to go!
Not selling at my country also...
Thermostat is nice and most often useful but an IR transmitter for those of us with window AC would be awesome. Still, when I get a house... this will be in it.
I wonder if I can install this in my car... Perhaps a future product idea for Insteon? Looking inside and out, it can monitor theft and accidents. I know the dash mounted cameras are very popular in places like Russia.
This is just the first step to full automation. Im hoping that with the partnership with microsoft, they can really drive this home. Let's say im leaving work, i open the app and remotely tell my house to turn the lights on in 30 minutes, turn my electric blanket/air conditioning on, start my Xbox One and get it ready for some gaming. In this busy world, surely having things ready when you get home would help to alleviate it.
It would be awesome if a future update would allow programmable camera positions triggered by sensors, i.e. door opens = camera aims towards door; window opens = camera turns to window. Loving what they've got going so far tho!
This is really cool. My friend has something like this he even has a speaker that he can speak through using his phone too bad its a little too expensive for me.
The Scenes function seems pretty great. Also, being able to use Nest for your thermostat is nice. Hopefully other third party connected devices will be able to connect to Insteon in the future if they don't already. Price is pretty high, but reasonable compared to competitors I think. Hopefully the prices for at least some of the products come down to make it a more obvious choice over unconnected products.
This app looks awesome. I would use the temperature settings everyday. Now all I need is the hardware for it to work.
I was actually looking at this today. I'd love to have one to control the lights, so I don't have to get up every time I want to watch a movie and I don't have to worry about them when I go to sleep. I wish the kit had more light sensors, and while I was looking at Insteons website, I was a little bit confused by their naming conventions. They mentioned this "Insteon Hub" a few times, which until the third or fourth mention I assumed was the app. And they have a "compare" matrix at the bottom of one of their pages, comparing the Hub to a bunch of different products (And losing!) the other products, after investigating, were also Insteon, even though the Hub was the only one with the Insteon name. Everything had wildly different logos and naming conventions, so it looked like it was a chart comparing their product to their competitors. I think those two aspects of the website should be improved.
This looks amazing. And I can think of fun ways of using it. Since I am renting a house, and don't own the house, I don't think I'll be retrofitting lights and thermostats, etc.. however the webcam looks very useful to point out of the front window and catch neighbors relieving their dogs on my lawn and not cleaning up afterward. Or maybe catch people on the sidewalk either gazing at my UPS package, wondering if they should take it, or actually taking it. Or I could point the cam at my cricket traps, and when one is caught, I could show my coworker on the screen here at work..hey I caught one! Or I could get that cat that I've always wanted, and I could just turn the web cam head around, and see what the cat does.. ( I think I'd be needing another webcam, however, if I try that. ) I'm seriously thinking of getting one.
very nice to have WP support and cortana integration will be great. i think however it can be very expansive to set up a big house. although i don't feel the need for home automation, i'm sure if i tried it i would miss it if it was gone
Home automation and voice command. They'll soon be selling portable Time Travel Machine and Do-It-Yourself Spaceships
I am so in for the contest. I'd love to set it up here!
This technology is very timely and this should be inside every homes and even apartments.
I would like it to recognize me when i get home... And if I happen to have a lady friend, start playing some Barry White.....oh yaaaaaaa!
Hello.
We have multiple floors so walking up and down the stairs to adjust the thermostat is a pain -- that's the main reason this is cool (for us at least)
This is something I absolutely would enjoy. You know how much fun it would be to mess with the kids!
Really modern way of having a connected home. Looking for it.
I've really wanted to get into Home Automation but i simply cannot find a way figure out what i want and can do for a reasonable price. The initial barrier to entry for me has just been too high for a "That sounds cool" item. I think it could be really awesome, but I can't figure out which path to take so I'm just too risk adverse where home automation is concerned.
As soon as Dropcam went Google, and Insteon was partnering with Microsoft, my decision had been made for me. Would love to get this starter kit to save me some $$$ when I setup my entire house.
What I like about Insteon and this system in particular is that it doesn't claim to be anything more than it is. I've seen other systems that try to do too much and end up being almost useless because of the complexity. To me, this is one of those times when doing less but doing it perfectly is the way to go. On top of that, this is advanced technology and still doen't break the bank, it's expensive but not so much so to not be worth it. Just on a side note, I love the deep integration with the Microsoft ecosystem. That alone ended up making me like it.
This would be perfect for my place. Three kids and a crazy puppy, it would help to know what I was walking into before I arrived!! The fact that pretty much anyone can get in on the action is awesome too!
I've really been waiting for a good home automation solution. While this seems pretty good at this point I just can't afford the price.
Finally companies coming up with home automation system which can be controlled by windows phone! I would like to say that the product needs to be released worldwide so that other people can also use it!
This is a very elegant looking system, and from viewing a number of the videos on Insteon's site, it looks very promising in how simple it is to set up, and add additional items to the system.
The wall switches and light bulbs especially, would be great to have.
It would be great to see outdoor/weatherproof, motion activated cameras introduced (if they don't already have them), for exterior home monitoring. Where I live, in the north desert of Arizona, I get a lot of critters making their way through my yard at night, and it would be kind of cool to see who's "tresspassing" in the middle of the night. Not to mention the convenience of being able to monitor the perimeter of ones home for various reasons. Very happy to see MS partnering with Insteon, and bringing this to WP and Windows!
I need it!!
Is the thermostat as good as a Nest?
Been waiting for a comprehensive review of this.. my biggest question is how many "devices" can be used with a single hub. Teh other systems i have looked at only have about 6-10 per hub. also how is it compared to the staples brand whihc promises to integrate with lots of other devices.
I would love if this system worked with other brands like Nest.
I've been looking for such a house manager app for a long time and I am glad Insteon has been highlighted today on the Windows platform through Hidden Gems. I like that the app is similar to the Windows version and pretty simple to use, all I would ask for is that a little bit more sensors are added to the system, as well as 3rd party apps if possible. The Cortana integration sounds extra convenient as well, impressive overall.
I really enjoyed the video. Great job there wpc! I categorized my thoughts about the home kit in software and hardware, as I think those two should be seperated: Software: 1. Cortana support would be nice, obviously (but no worries here, as it will come in the summertime...) 2. Is there some sort of API? (It's not curcial, but it would be nice for developers, like myself...) On the other hand this would allow stuff like running a face detection on the camera output, which might lead to some cool setups (e.g. if person 1 comes home turn on the coffee machine / if person 2 comes play music) 3. Online Platform with mail alerts / log functionality? Hardware: 1. Some sort of generic controlled device would be nice, so that people who have the ability to build own home automatisation stuff can do so (GPIOs anyone?) (the on/off switch is a nice start, though) 2. What about things like open windows? (Yeah... I am lazy :P) What I like: On the plus side I do like the extensible concept and it is always nice to see big companies like MS partnering with smalller ones ;) Conclusion: I really like the system. However it would be really great if you would make it hackable for users. Other than that the tech-enthusiast inside me wants to play with the kit, so I do think about getting one...
Huge windows fan and love how this will incorporate our phone/tablets to home automation. Been looking at different products to work with my windows, but haven't found any that are compatible all around.
Live in Oakland. Need this.... haha
Is it possible to have multiple users on line for the hub?
It's great they're supporting Windows, and even better they supported Windows first! Could definitely use a thermostat adjuster, but the Wifi camera would be nice too. Last I checked, they didn't have the Outdoor camera, just the indoor.
I'd love to win one and make my house truly a Windows phone house!
One of the greatest things about this product is it is on everything! I have a windows phone and a surface, and my wife has an Android (wont switch because WP doesn't have the Kim Kardashian game) and this system works on all three!! With Cortana and live tile coming soon, this product is killer!!!
Saw products in their website. Products are really not that expensive to buy. Its grreat to replace your hone from ordinary bulbs to insteon bulbs.
Insteon is on my list for must-have things, but not until we move into a new house. We're hoping to move soon, so spending the money on our current house would be a waste. But the starter kit would be nice.
Nice app and nice concept. Keep the good work!
I was just looking at one of these kits at my local Microcenter store.
that is very good feature i like to control everything with nokia lumia
I thought Insteon was the company that had components that was easily hacked into through the web? I'm still skeptical.
I have to admit this is impressive.
This is very helpful and I would like to see how Cortana worlds with it.. Everything is in my hands and there is no need to on/off any particular appliance as INSTEON can automatically turn off.. This is my best feature... Thank you Insteon for bringing the home kit to all users...
I like the choice between keeping things local or opening it up for remote monitoring. The absence of monthly "monitoring" fees is also awesome!
Home automation and security molded into a neat, accessible, mobile friendly package. The only thing it seems to be lacking is an option for third-party monitoring of safety equipment such as motion sensors and smoke detectors.
What I liked???
Everything.. so there is nothing like I didn't liked!
Lets move.
I would like a security mode in the kit and app which kinda alerts me when sensing any suspicious activity.
Should add a text to phone( as sometimes many users are out of there WiFi zones or data connection, so texting on suspicious activity would help a lot.
I would also like to see something like the treasure tag with the actual location based sensor helping me find my little things easily.
A watch dog function would be also helpful as it can be connected to a speaker so , thereby sensing the dog doing mischiefs it automatically plays the recorded voice saying the dog to stop!!
And choking up with more ideas!!
A note to developer:
Try adding a connection strength meter( as in many places the speed is bit low some of the of the time) of our WiFi thus telling us how to control it when we are out of our house.
I have been using Insteon wall switches for a few years now. It made me happy that Microsoft picked them as a partner and there is the Universal Apps for WP and Windows. I don't have the hub yet but that is my next part that I will add to the device. Can not wait to see the integration with Cortana. Got Insteon Turning my porch/outside lights on at dusk and off at dawn. Depending on the time motion sensors will turn lights on 80% (dusk to bed time) or again depending on time turns them on to about 10%. (Bed time to dawn) There is a sensor for a smoke detector, a module with input and output contacts and a module for ceiling fans. Best of all it has been wife and family friendly. The one thing I wish Insteon had or could do to be better is to get something for deadbolts.
I was looking at purchasing a Honeywell WiFi Smart Thermostat. For a little extra money, you get many more features work the Insteon. Plus Honeywell does not have an app for WP. Anyone have any experience with Insteon's thermostat?
im getting this, ive tried it on ios and surely giving wp a try. fun!
I'm actually stoked about owning this appliance. I'm all about automation and the conserving energy. I'm currently working on replacing all my lights with LED lighting.
This is the future. I like that they have accessories for everything. I don't like the prices as much.
My husband would love one of these!! It seems very easy to use...even I might be able use it!!!
I would really like to be able to set my lights turn off/on times with my windows phone! Would be great.
But do they offer a pre-wire kit for new construction installations?
Easy enough to sign up. I would prefer an option for a dark theme. The potential for easily deployed remote control for the home is incredible. I think this is the beginning of something great. I can't wait to get more devices connected.
I was looking into the Insteon Hub just last night and was pleasantly surprised to find there's no subscription fee for remote access! Still not sure if it's worth price when I could get a 7 day programmable thermostat for $20.
Does this require dedicated storage on a computer or does it use the cloud for the video recordings (or is just just live feed only)?
I've been researching Insteon for over a year and they look like the best home automation solution for us Windows Phone users. Priced what it would cost to fully automate my lights, doors & windows two weeks ago (~$1,600), this kit would give me a good jumpstart and add in the thermostat as a bonus.
As a father of 2 kids and since I work at night, I've been really thinking about getting a home video camera to just monitor stuff. I love that they support Windows Phone since we aren't switching anytime soon. And someday when we own a house, I really, really want to control my thermostat with my phone! Being able to talk to Cortana and direct her to turn things on or off or change settings for me is probably the coolest thing I can think of. Good job, Insteon! Keep it coming!
I would love the peace of mind knowing that my home is secure. Being able to check for garage door up or turn the light on remotely from across the country to make it look like you are home would be way cool. I could show people on my Icon, "see I'm George Jetson", and turn on the front light & see it with my outside camera. When I get some extra money I am so getting this!!!!!!
Any one know how the thermostat compares to the Honeywell Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat? The Honeywell does not have an ASP
App for Windows Phone. The Insteon sounds like a better alternative, plus the Wi-Fi camera and sensors seem awesome I know my Apple friend wants to do something similar and would be jealous of I win the package.
I wonder how wait is to install? Living in an older home, not sure of the ease of apply the technology.
This is cool thanks
I need to get me this... I have control4 now, but am looking for something more compatible with Windows devices.
Not familiar with INSTEON but liked the automation technology controlled by windows phone
I love it since it can save my monthly elelctricty bill :)
I would love to have any assortment of Insteon Kits/Sensors, but as I do not own my own house (living at home for college), it probably would work that well for me. But, the designs of the apps and the sensors are very clean looking and installing it sounds easy from what Daniel said.
Then you can get the $99 kit on amazon. Includes two plug in dimmers and the hub. You plug in the dimmer then a light or device into the dimmer. You can then control that device through your phone.
Ya, I haveATT Digital Life that uses Zwave... too bad Z-wave doesnt have this setup. I will have to move over to INSTEON.
I have been looking at the various Insteon starter kits. With a handicap relative living with me, the automation and motion detecting would work wonders and help lower the electric bill by using motion detectors to turn on lights rather than just having to leave them on.
This is super exciting! Home automation linked to mobile devices?! Seriously... this was the stuff of science fiction and it's happening! Wow, deeper implementation is going to be so much fun. The pricetag is hefty but worth it, IMHO. Even just the safety of a webcam from the starter kit. I imagine though that your wallet is the limit. I am curious what sort of compatibility there is to worry about with existing home technologies...
This looks amazing, I live in a bad neighborhood and have been wanting to get a camera for my front door and cars for awhile and this seems like it would be perfect. It would also be great for saving energy when I'm to lazy to get up to turn the lights off and fall a sleep with them on.
I really hope to win! Insteon technology is amazing!
Seems lazier... Soon we'll be having suits powered by ARC reactors.
Isn't this like the only company making products like this & supporting Windows Phone?
This would be a great system to own
I love my insteon kit. I have the hub,2 dimmers ,an on off module, and a remote. I also have foscam cameras setup with it.
The Home automation is really going to take off with systems like this. The main problem will be trying to integrate all the various options out there and provide adequate connectivity for all the devices (and keep them powered up).
I don't know if the cost justifies what you can do with this. How long do you think the pay back is? Do you just buy this so you can say look what i can do with my WP. If I only had a job. I do have a WP so it would be nice to win this Insteon starter kit.
A Dilink Lan/wifi Camera.....a RJ connector.....Windows Phone....Cortana(optional).....Arduino...some C++ commands. Magic can be created!
I need one of these to keep an eye on the wife and kid also she drives me nuts with thinking she left everything on as soon as we leave the house.
It's really good for me, especially door sensor that making more easily to turn on the light.
I wish I could afford Insteon, but my whole house is x10. Maybe someday....
The future of home automation is very promising. Everyone knows about how it can be useful.
I'll talk about how it can be more reliable and improved.
They should implement geo fencing support in the apps. The sensors on the doors of room switch off/on the lights when we close or open the door. But sometimes we forget to close the doors of the rooms. What can be done is by geo fence implementation in phone app, when we are out of home, all the desired electric devices( LEDs, ac etc) get switched off and camera sets to recording mode automatically. And when we get back at home, camera gets switched off automatically. Also, when the app notify us that we left these devices switched on when we get out. This would all be hassle free automation. Totally futuristic, isn't it.
Looking forward to nest support. Wish modules were a little less spendy though.
Maybe it will help me to control my house, and it will help an old man too! But if i can control it from outside, it will be much better..
I really like seeing a company like this giving Windows some love. Especially with the Windows branded kits. Trying to do the math in my head how much it would cost to buy one of the kits and enough add-ons.
Good that finally the smart home solution comes to Windows Phone. The good thing is that it also support Windows. You can now control your smart home from anywhere as long as you have either Surface / Windows Phone :) But 1 Question, does it ship to Malaysia?
This is really helpful to have an eye on your home and also appliances maybe you can conserve energy
This is a rather intriguing approach to home automation, and might just get me to give it a go. The Windows Phone app looks well-designed (based on screenshots posted with this article, anyways), and the modularity of the system makes it flexible enough to fit the needs of most families. Regarding the comment about it working with Nest: does that mean the Nest is controllable from within the app? If so, I could ditch my non-Windows phones entirely,
If I win or not, I still prefer the INSTEON system anyways. For 3 reasons.. 1, its already geared around Windows Phone and Windows systems. 2, of the top 3 wifi thermostats available it is the most cost effective. 3, it has a main hub interface to chain other home automation devices to it.
I really want to try out home automation sometime, insteon looks nice. Does anyone know what the advantages of it are over smartthings?
I left a comment but I don't see it in the list.. Testing to see if this qill show.
Controlling insteon through cortana is definitely helpful to non-geek users. Also gives the endless possibilities for improvement. Just by telling cortana 'im coming home', she can detect room temp and adjust thermostat based on ur location and the time u might take to reach home. Wow.
I want this.i want to try this out.
At least my home will listen to me.
I would love to hook up a couple of thermostats and the electric fireplace (on/off switch) with Insteon. If only there's a good sleep sensor that would be the master sleep control to turn off all the lights, turn down the thermostat, etc. I'd be all set! :)
This seems like a necessity for my home. I've always loved the idea of a smart home. I got a D-Link camera for my home last year and it works pretty great. It allows me remote access to make sure my dogs are staying out of trouble and to check on the security of my home. This Insteon kit seems like a perfect starter bundle for someone like myself that finds this type of technology integration exciting and Insteon does it in a sleek form factor. The movable camera and the scene creation settings are by far my favorite features. I'm definitely considering saving up for this kit.
Why did I go with Nest? I wonder if there will ever be cross compatibility? I hope so.
That was a great overview. At first I thought I would never use something like this, but now I can see there are uses that aren't just geeky.
I am a huge fan of Insteon. Hope to start connecting my home to the intent of things very soon. This Insteon kit would be a great start
It would be excellent for the safety of my home
I like how modular the system is. Wouldn't needed the thermostat option but the summers and camera options look good. Plus being on each mobile platform is great no mastery what device I user that day.
I am very interested in purchasing a unit with a few modules. Only improvement I can think of at the moment is further cortana integration ("When I get home, do this" - "When I leave home, do that", etc).
"Insteon has two apps for microsoft PRODU CTS" :)
I loved the part when u came to the hall & lamp turned ON .... it acted better than you :P
Night vision is a plus point.
Hope it was there when my home got robbed :| ..Overall a nice product.
How much energy does a system like this use?
I like the simplicity of the system, and how it is comparible with WP. I don't like that the price, while cheap, is still enough to make me think and not just impulse buy :) (Yes, I'm cheap) It will be made better when we get that Cortana integration.
Wish if it have been available here at India, would have really tried one
Glad to WP finally getting some attention.
I really like the idea of controlling my whole house via my laptop or mobile and also really like how the price isn't to high for such awesome tech , for me there is nothing not to like about it but would really love that they can make another handful of appliances (like my fridge for example)
Controlling your home from your windows phone gives you a kind of rich and prestigious feeling :) Insteon please release it for India with atleast one of your sales and support office at Mumbai. Be the first to win the race of India. You won't regret :)
this is the sickest system I've seen in a while. I'm interested in this or the phillips system but this looks to be a cheaper and more feature rich system
is there a way to make it so the motion sensors only work at certain times? i think this would be helpful. having the ability to shut down certain aspects of it while leaving others on.
Can I just say Im soooo happy they're finally releasing something like this for WP! I need this!!
Really great that more companies are joining WP... Would use it to check my house when I'm on a trip ... And the sensors look cool too!
It sounds sweet and I like that Insteon is paying attention to WP. As far as helpful, while I read the article, without actually having the experience of using the system I'm not quite sure what I can say one way or another as I lack appropriate data. But again Insteon, thank you and I hope that WP customers treat you well and buy your products.
Does this work for Indian air conditioners to turn the temperature down? We don't have thermostat tech here in India, very rare.
I think it wil be better if wil support 4 wired thermostat, maybe more cameras. Thank you
i think it would also be nice to see a record of how you use certain things and how often, to show how much power/energy savings you wold gain from it. like "this month you had your lights off for 30 minutes more than last month and your average thermostat temp was down 2 degrees from last month." Just something to gage your usage
now i can look after my sweet mother :-) when she is alone thanks ... insteon
and the app should be updated ... it is slow;P
Really looking forward to getting a bunch of bits and getting my house online. :D
I wish ms can creat a hub like game for this kind of apps
Wow, that the future! I love it, it covers almost everything at home, new things like regrigerator other stuff will be even better in the future. For now INSTEON looks awesome, cortana integration will be rad, I totally want it!
Wow, this looks really cool. I can't believe how easy and affordable this makes home automation look. The apps are gorgeous and appear to cover all the bases in terms of functionality. Cortana would be a very cool addition and put Insteon ahead of the pack. Extra kudos for making the app universal! Will definitely want to try this out when I get my own place. Great review, guys.
The only thing missing is an IR blaster to control some other electronic equipment.
This would be great to win.
I don't like the quality of the cameras it would be nice if the cameras were better quality
The UI is pretty chic and color ful , but what I missed was Cortana integration. And sadly it sells only on US
Very interesting I have been looking at the ATT Digital Life for a while but was really turned off about the fee, especially being tiered per device and I am using my own data.... This looks like a nice option I may pickup after I school shop for kids.
I'm really interested in the garage door capability - looks great!
Insteon, wow. I hope there could also be like a centralized mic system which is also connected to your windows phone so that even you don't pick up your phone and ask cortana to close the lights or turn on the tv, you can do so by just saying the command. Of course there should be some kind of code to start listening the command like 'hey, cortana' or a wireless headphone could do the job with a button that activates cortana to start the command.
The best scenario for me would be coming in and being able to set the temperature of the house and turn my lights on after a a hard days work
Not available in India, but something I think I would really like. Maybe, this would help me get myself a pet :)
To be frank, I live in a country where this takes at least another year to be fully accepted by people. Anyway, if the insteon could itself switch off the lights and ceiling fan or shut the main powers off (in case of emergency, of course, it would need a battery then) or voice activation ( like a hands free controller) for an add-on. It should monitor the weather and optimise the thermostat as such. If cortana is being employed then it should 'understand' the owner activities.
This is fantastic. This can help with both ease of access and energy consumption. It seems like one could use it for anything!
I like the fact that its on windows and windows phone and the fact that everything looks like its been really well thought out. Its seems like it could start to get expensive with all the adds on though but it makes sense because not everyone has a home with multiple bed rooms, etc.
It's great to see the windows phone support. Love the way you can keep adding to the system by picking up a new sensor
INSTEON hub looks great. Years back, my friends and I used to automate LED lights in response to music using Arduino. I think if you buy 5-6 of INSTEON lights, place them strategically in a room, and then link them wisely to the genre of music that’s being played (using Scenes probably? I’m not sure how much control those batch scripts offer), you have your very own automated music-light system. Moving from the fun part, INSTEON seems pretty useful too, and way more reliable than X10. Not having a monthly fee is kind of expected, because you aren’t availing any monitoring services. The home kit for $299 doesn’t seem very expensive. I like that you can buy parts separately and build your own system the way you want to. A friend in US reported the same “slow resume” problem with the app as did Daniel. Another(probably useful) information is that the included webcam seems pretty much like a foscam. So, if you already have one, you can use it with the INSTEON hub. However, I have two questions: 1. Is there an INSTEON alarm that can be coupled with the motion detector? So, you know, it sounds off when motion is detected? 2. Is there a way to capture and store images/video on a computer, whenever motion is detected, using INSTEON?
i currently have a foscam for a baby monitor. there is a third party widows phone app, but it sucks. Also the app for my surface sucks too. There is a web interface, but it also sucks. I am super excited about this insteon camera, i will have to check it out!
this quantified self/house/appliance trend seems really fun, do you really find it saves a significant amount of energy? or just better interface?
Insteon does make home automation sound easy. I couldn't watch the video as its hosted on YouTube (blocked in the country *bummed out*), but I did read a few reviews online and it does seem to be the ideal product for getting started with home automation. Unfortunately for me, as much as I'd like to take advantage of such a product, I would say that it doesn't serve much purpose here - with regular power outages and relying on a backup UPS to keep some of the critical accessories running, insteon would probably be rendered useless at times. However I would have to say that it intrigues me, especially the motion sensor - could it be used in terms of monitoring/securing your home? Now it would certainly be useful once I've migrated to another country (currently in progress) where I can easily purchase additional add-ons in the future and more. So I am most definitely bookmarking this for future reference... P.s. Not complaining, but I feel like WPCentral is kind of slipping when it comes to editing/proofreading. I counted at least three mistakes in the article. But then again, you guys are doing a great job nonetheless... So keep it up! ;)
It would be cool if insteon can control stereos similar to sonos, and have different music in different rooms....
I'd like to see live tiles for the Windows Phone app. Perhaps flipping to the last photo and then to the temperature of the house for starters. The thermostat honestly needs a little work (look @ Nest/Honeywell/etc) before it's up-to-par, but the functionality is there.
Might have to look into this, sounds pretty slick. I really enjoy Remote Desktop and VoiceWake when I'm not at home. With this system, its like I've never left...
Oh wow, now this is something everyone with a Win device needs. I was looking for some automation for my windows phone, and my current security system does not have an app for the Win phone. This looks like something I will have to get when the money situation gets better. Thanks for the heads up!
i will sell my zwave atuff for this.
I want one.
Nice, i love this home automation. I like: 1. Fan & light control with garage door kit 2. Smoke monitor 3. Water leak sensor 4. Wireless Security camera with night vision 5. And most of all it's windows phoe app :) 6. Easy to install (or uninstall) and maintain 7. Pay only for what you like 8. Device schedule and alerts And for Dislike: 1. Cortana integration could be much more improved, especially instead of asking "INSTEON, ..." why not let us choose what do we want to call it, like use custom name instead of "INSTEON"! 2. Still not available in all countries. No local repair or service center. 3. Needs to track my position in rooms, so it can check if i leave the room, then dim the light and if i am in the room then make it bright. Improvements: 1. (don't know if it is present or not) The Starter kit should be programable, so that i can make some tweaks. 2. Connect other home appliances, like refrigerator and oven, coffe maker and a lot, 3. Make it smart, so it can tell by scanning my fridge items (eggs, milks, and other stuffs) if i need to shop anything! (this idea seem a bit insane)
I bet even my least tech-savvy friends would drool when I came into the room and the lights adjusted to my personal taste. Even better: getting out my Windows Phone and controlling the environment with it.
Add me!
How exactly does a well advertised app and hardware setup sold in retail outlets and reported on by major media outlets count as a hidden gem? Oh that is right, you all make your own rules.
I'm loving that companies like this realize they need the Windows ecosystem as well as the other two. Kudos to Microsoft for trying to make WP users able to do all that Android and IOS can. Either way I love the idea of cortana integration incoming, "Cortana, turn on kettle & turn on the hallway light" as I roll out of bed in the morning. The future is here.
I've been looking for a home security system, but with the wire-in modules and IO cards, the Insteon looks like the best option on the market. I would like to know more about the encryption, if any, the system uses.
It is safe?
This sounds really awesome! Being someone who is very paranoid about the state of his house everyday when he leaves to go to work, this stuff could really put my mind at ease!
I really want to try this. I was close to buying a nest but no offical app for WP in a house of iOS users. I think this is a better option with room to add more devices/sensors.
After Reading the article and comments, I think it’s something which can create interest in windows phone user. I am not really very sure about the practicality and the end result. I have certain doubts about how the overall thing will work and is there any support team available at my place (I mean India)??? I really don't know how to install it on water tap, lighting, door sensors etc. What I perceive is it will require a specific kind of hardware i.e. electronic fittings and plumbing equipment. I don't see the same is answered in article or the review above. Before making toll claims and raising expectations of the users, I want the Insteon and Windows to come up with video where they can show us how compatible it will be with the current hardware installed in average home and what extra capital investment user needs to make apart from the purchase of Kit. I hope all the buyers get into details before getting too much excited and den getting largely disappointed over the additional cost they have to incur and/or on not getting desired/promised results. Also no mention about after sales service and support for the product, are they available globally??? Do they have service centers/support centers all over the globe?? And if no, how they are going to tackle this issue. All in all exciting product, but need some basic clarity before jumping into the wagon.
I like the idea, and the Scenes function. I like to see they are working together with Microsoft, and bring great a Windows and a Windows Phone app. But I think the HUB is a bit expensive. They can improve their product, if they would bring this stuff to more regions, like Europe, because I couldn't find any store where i can buy it.
It's invention at its highest point coupled with affordability, flexibility, creativity and purpose. As we go forward, I know it will be used to control lots of equipment. How about starting the car in the morning to warm it up before I leave the house?
I will love to have one of this product.
I would love to monitor my daughter and my newborn from work and make sure they are safe and doing well.
Great to see automation getting some ground and that on Windows platform too.
Wow wil it also work in combination with a Philips hue hub?
These home automation systems have always intrigued me, quite futuristic, and now these companies are finally jumping on the Windows 8/Windows Phone train... awesome! Hope to see more companies follow INSTEON's lead! Really digging the app designs too btw
Cool. Wonder what my capabilities are being in an apartment building...?
Insteon is incredible. It would be nice to have. We are entering into the age of internet of things* I don't know about the pros and cons because not having cameras or hub to connect. It would be pleasant if I won and implement insteon in my home. If I won, I would be the first person in our town to use incredible insteon... Thanks to wpcentral ...
I like all the different types of modules supported by Insteon (I've been using their light switches for years now) and new improvements they keep making. I also like their multi-platform support. However, it would be nice if they let you pick and choose ("customize") modules in their starter kits so you start with exactly what you need instead of potentially something you don't need.
Like science fiction, but its not the future, I really love it. 10 years ago I used my skype to check my room through my webcam and I love the remote control systems, like Teamviewer but the Insteon is more than this stuff. I have a wireless thermostat system at my home but I can setup only local. I'm curious how can Insteon working together with my heating system. I would like to win it, but in other case I will thinking about to buy one kit.
.... You have to scroll way down to leave a comment for an awesome product as this ....
I really like this app,finally an official one :) and it is for Cortana ... But it will be for no use for me because I don't have any INSTEON kit. but are there bulbs included? Cause this is the most helpful thing to me
2:00he look like Messi
I would love a system like this! Does anyone know if they offer deadbolt locks that can be unlocked simply by walking up to them? This kit would be great for monitoring my home while away. Even living in a small town you're not safe from break-ins, both my girlfriend and I have had our vehicles broken in to while we were home sleeping
Good app, logged in,working great...
Suggestions or improvements i would like to give or see:
1) Dark theme for the app (black background) instead of white background.
2) Pin to start options for devices..etc..
3) Live tiles for the main app and also for the sub-pins
4) Nest support.
5) Action centre support.
6) Cortana support.
7) And mainly transparent tile for WP 8.1 start screen. The app crashes when resumed and have to relaunch it everytime.. So please fix it.
Thank you!!
When you live in South Africa you need as much security systems in place as possible!
And this is why our Windows Phones come with Kids Corner. I think that's a great feature to prevent other users from accessing sensitive apps like INSTEON and banking apps. Too bad WP requires password to access Kids Corner. It would have been perfect other wise.
The most impressive advantage of insteon uses mesh network in which the more you devices we connect the more stronger the network. Its totally amazing and free of monthy payment ...
Given that I sometime leave my house unattended often when I am on business trips, this sounds like a cool solution to me.
I would love to have one of these, especially the scenes thing - sounds cool to be able to add conditional events! My only gripe at the moment would be where to put it, I've got one more year of uni (away from home) and I don't think my parents would be able to cope with it on their own haha. I presume it's able to 'move house' after being installed once..? Or does it have to remain a permanent feature of the first house you install it in?
It would be really unique and new but of course there would be security problems that is "possible" to breach.
Stuff like this make Hollywood films a dream come true, a small step to achieving a technological innovation greater than most of us even imagined!
It is awesome as it is now but I would love it if INSTEON works on its hardware and software to allow integration with the switch boards so that we can switch off anything via our phone from anyplace.
This is amazing. Now we can turn our home into a smarthome. But it's kind of expensive.
*insteon app should be even more smooth, there is some lag.
* insteon should be able to work with an average home in countries like India.
* insteon needs future support for washing machines, smart refrigerators, etc.
Insteon can controlled by the insteon app in windows store but what happens when we lose the phone ?and one more are they controlled by voice recognition method?
Likes: Futuristic concept. Looks cool. The app also looks good and the best part is, it is a universal app. The idea is great. I always wanted something to control my home. Dislikes: They could have added more features to this to make homes more smart. Idea is good. Need some more work. Hope they have more innovative ideas. For beginning this is great. We are heading to a world where everything will be controlled by our smartphones. Love the idea.
I have never won these types of sweepstakes. Let's have a try...
It's nice to see a kit that is designed to work on Windows and Windows Phone 8.1. I'm considering getting this myself for home use. My boilers timer is broken and so the heating is either on 24/7 (barring the thermostat cutting it off) or switched off at the boiler. One of thses would mean i could control that properly with timings and then also adjust it on the fly if i'm gonna be home from work late etc, or its that bit colder/warmer.
I like that you can pick and choose what you parts you want. I think it would be great if it also had a weather station so that you could see what the weather is at your house from work or wherever. It could also use the weather information to help control the sprinklers (when it's been really hot turn them on for longer, or if it has rained recently don't turn them on or turn them on for less time).
I love the idea of home automation. Insteon is the first fully featured home automation system for Windows phone that's official and hopefully it comes to Dubai. I want to be able to turn the lights off when I'm going to sleep without having to get up
Insteon would be very useful for the ones who are lazy like Myself.
A small use of your fingers and your done. :D
It's nice to see windows phone get some TLC. Nice article. Posted via Windows Phone Central App
This seems like a great system, and support for WP is a great addition. It seems this type of support is the last thing missing in the WP eco system, as most apps either exist or have equivalents on the platform.
Being able to combine things together - IFTTT - seems like a good idea, though so more tinkering with the opoen/close sensor would be good as lights would be going on and off all the time as me and the misses leave for work and get in at different times - would it turn the lights off on her when I leave and then turn them back on for an empty house when she does?
Some sort of geo-fencing would probably be the next best thing to add, the ability to tell when a device is either within the perimiter, or maybe connected to the local network, and then altering lights/heating as appropriate.
Overall, the modular nature seems great and the starter kits don't break the bank compared to similar products.
The thing I love about INSTEON is that it includes a lot of your house in to one system. This way, the possibilities are not limited because of the products having different brands. I could see INSTEON or other home automation brands partnering up with Samsung or similar, to get control over the lot of your smart-devices.
This looks like a great product but not including WiFi capability in the hub seems a fairly obvious omission.
The home kit looks perfect, just what I need to properly secure my bike shed from peskt thieves!
I like that INSTEON is on my Lovable Windows Phone. I don't like that it is not available in India. Hope Cortana will come sooner to India. By that time I expect INSTEON to support Cortana.
I will love to use this at my work
Insteon home automation...lets start with the unique name which i likes....I basically don't prefer going to switch on or off lights and to change the fan speed so its a good choice for me while lying on the couch I'll control these things..I like Insteon integration with Microsoft products I don't think any product like Insteon will be as much affordable... And yes a lot of people are talking about Cortana integration I also wanna saw that.. Thats all from me
Insteon parts requires battery or it gets connected to our main switch of our house
Lets start with name.. Yup I like the name .. I really don't prefer to go to turn on or off lights and to adjust dimmer I'm now able to control these stuffs lying on my couch with a Microsoft powered device...a lot of people are talking about Cortana integration yeah i also want that.... For me the price of such thing is nothing(home unit).. Thats all from me.
This looks awesome! A developers heaven...
Insteon will be great for the elderly. Especially when they are not as mobile. Definitely amazing when it's sync with Cortana. Can't wait.
Lets start with the name INSTEON which is pretty good...i really don't prefer to go to turn on or off lights, adjust the dimmer so this is what i really wants...I really love the temperature controller.... Lying on my couch I'm able to control such stuffs with a Microsoft powered device for me the price of Insteon home unit is nothing... One more thing is that a lot of people are talking about Cortana integration so it'll be good.... That's all from my side
Lets start with the name INSTEON which is pretty good...i really don't prefer to go to turn on or off lights, adjust the dimmer so this is what i really wants...I really love the temperature controller.... Lying on my couch I'm able to control such stuffs with a Microsoft powered device for me the price of Insteon home unit is nothing... One more thing is that a lot of people are talking about Cortana integration so it'll be good.... That's all from my side.
Lets start with the name INSTEON which is pretty good...i really don't prefer to go to turn on or off lights, adjust the dimmer so this is what i really wants...I really love the temperature controller.... Lying on my couch I'm able to control such stuffs with a Microsoft powered device for me the price of Insteon home unit is nothing... One more thing is that a lot of people are talking about Cortana integration so it'll be good.... That's all from my side
I think the Scenes feature is really cool. Sort of like an "If This, Then That" for your home. I could definitely see myself spending hours seting up loads of complicated (and possibly even pointless) scenes just for the fun of it. I'm not sure what use I'd have for the camera though. Does it record while you aren't viewing it?
I liked the 360 degree camera and its infrared mode very much.I think a security camera attached at the door would be a cool idea. It should get activated when someone rings the bell and show us the live video of the person.
Smart move by Insteon, especially when Cortana comes to all Windows devices and then all Windows services have one core.
Now thats fab! I would like to use such automation with the aid of cortana. I would like to turn the camera on when the doorbell rings or auto-locking the door. Light and fan controls are my favourites.
Great looking system with a great selection of accesories. It looks as if though for the moment at least its catering only for the US market. Which is a pity I would love to use it here in South Africa
I like the simple easy setup and especially the wifi camera..The best part- NO monthly rental :D
With Cortana integration, this will become the mother of all home automation systems :)
This looks really nice, also Windows (Phone) support is just awesome. I really wish I could use and test this. I really like modern technology, but haven't the money to do buy it. Must be fun to not to have to stand up to switch my rooms lights of when I'm going to bed :P
I wonder if this kit is also works in Europe, if the hardware is compatible and if the software can change to the metcis system. If so this seems one of the best solutions I've seen so far.
I like the idea of in-line wiring accessories. I'd want to keep as much as possible hidden. And they even make them for Australia and New Zealand.
It looks awesome.
this is verry nice. looking to build something like this. but does this also work with other types of gear like zwave hub etc? would be verry nice since some stuff sells for realy cheap prices .:)
Amazing idea but it would be better if you can enable user to have it's own hardware and just integrate with app as curren model limit app to only some places and hardware
Cool :-) Does it work in the US only, or in Europe with our 230V systems and EU plugs?
Definitely very cool! I am probably going to start setting this up in my house. Going to be expensive as we have quite a big house with many rooms and lights as well as lots of stuff. :) There are also quite a few people living there so it is going to be fun to set up. Has anyone tried this in a largish house with more than 6 people? I see in the video that the light goes on when you walk into the room, but goes off when you go out, does this work with two people? Two people walk in, light on, but only one goes out. And the remaining guy is working at his PC. Can the sensors pick up if there is someone still in the room, even when there is little movement? Other than that, this looks like future :D
Nice! This app is an example for all- every app should have cortana integration!
If I had this beautiful hidden gem, I would be able to see what my niece is doing in the living room while I am doing the household chores. Awesome!
I want to marry with Cortana. But...with boy voice please ;)
Just read I won the previous contest, nvm my comment! Thanks WPCentral!
I was looking for Insteon products in India.... but seems they don't sell their products here. May be I should get one via wpcentral
WHY AIN'T IT POPULAR JUST NOW is because people still think of it as an unnecessary expense and NOT REQUIRED as it just does the basic things,,REQUIRES BRAINS for the initial but only setup(referring to the middle and lower segments of the society),,IT CAN FAIL at some point of time in it's life due to unexpected reasons....BUT THINK how useful it can be to the specially-abled people and to the old population!! Normal/basis tasks at their fingertips(or mostly probably a WP running Cortana!!) It will make their lives dramatically easier..Forget the old or people with disorders/diseases..It may be a lot helpful to even me or someone else who has just returned from school/office and is dead tired to even switch on the fans/lights/ACs/bathtub taps :P Now when am actually writing a review of it..I am giving a thought to it..To it's uses and importance to masses in the coming years than when I was just swiping to the next article earlier on whenever I came across articles on INSTEON..A hearty thanks to Hidden Gems(Daniel+WPC team)!! EXAMPLES FOR WHAT I THINK ON INSTEON----
NEGATIVE-Returning home from work late at night and want hot water/AC turned on before you enter you house..Suddenly you release that(any one can happen)-
1)-There is no electricity for Insteon and other components to function.
2)-No battery left in your WP,,so no orders can be passed.
3)-Various other unknown factors beyond our control.
POSITIVE-An old granny who can't even sit upright or can't walk and is alone at home and no one to help..But she can-
1)-Press the Cortana/Search button and give commands.
2)-See for intruders through the cams connected and protect herself!!
3)-Her family who's out for a little trip wouldn't have to worry about her well-being back at home!!
4)-The granny would be less bothering to her family when she could do the petty stuff on her own!! :P :P It has more uses to it and there will be more when ideas and plans are implemented and am sure we all would be using it in our later lives just as we all are using WP!!
INSTEON will become necessary from an accessory soon!! Not being rude but this is just my thinking and I don't want any contradictory or "explain or educate me'omm
Been waiting for something like this for a while. Everything just goes normally to ios and android.
I like that they made an uwa, so there aren't many differences between the windows runtime und the wp app.
Insteon, excelent job. Thank you wpcentral for the information.
I am really interested in the Insteon. Thanks Daniel for the post
I would like to see a full demo of this system because I can't find info about the Ceiling Fan and Light Control. This in sync with the Thermostat should be the perfect solution.
Air conditioning control would be awesome to include - a number of kickstarter projects have surfaced lately. Linking to the aircondition via infrared is much easier than connecting to the heater in many cases; e.g., many old apartment buildings in Europe have central heating - there is not much you can do with that, but controlling the air condition could be much more useful as a product.
This looks amazing. I've always wanted a video monitor so I could check in on my house randomly. Would be awesome to use this as a substitute for nest as well. No monitoring costs is a big plus, but I guess you get to do the work of notifying police if an emergency arises.
Sounds like a great app and system. Glad to see more and more moving to Windows phones
Would be great if this was available in the UK. Nice to see things like this coming to Windows Phone rather than just being iPhone.
Dam, a contest?
I just like it, and want...
I don't know, maybe for track my refrigerator door, or turn on the backside lights of my house without have to wake up at total dark to turn it on ...
It's a great first step. Hopefully it can lead to a fully automated Windows Phone home!
Seems to be a almost needful thing for all house owners.
I want to request a secure password for accessing this over port forwarding. This may be my next by if it can be secure.
My family makes trips to vt regularly. We live in Maine. It would be nice to know our house and cats are safe from far away. Also with cortana integration and future Xbox integration the living room becomes much more theater like too.
What a fantastic system. I would love to be able to view what is going on in my home and adjust the thermostat whilst I am away. The ability to control the lights remotely would give the impression that someone is at home. To be honest, this is the type of system i would 'find' uses for!
Very cool! Might even be worth getting for my one-room dorm, especially with Cortana integration coming!
I've been reading about INSTEON in the last few months, and I have great expectations. Me and my wife have been looking into the home automation trend lately, but here in Brazil, unfortunately, it's still pretty difficult to find anything really meaningful. There's a lack of brands, and the few that are sold here are extremely pricey, and even then, they're still hard to find.
I like it very much. I was thinking of buying or building a home automation System. I'll consider this one.
It would be cool to have a pet door that you could lock or unlock with this system.
A very nice automation app if you have all the kit
This seems interesting. Happy that Insteon and Microsoft worked out together to bring such a nice product for home automation.
The products that Insteon is offering is really great and i would like to see some more products from them. I don't think i will be buying the automation kit but I'm really happy to see many companies working with Microsoft and helping them build Windows phone/Windows platform into a bigger one. :)
Since my daughter was born, I have been looking for a system with Windows and Windows Phone support. I will be saving up to get one of these in the near future.
Outstanding!! I can't wait to try out insteon...I was wondering how long before we could have home automation with windows apps. Integrating with Cortana is also a major differentiator. In regards to devices, would like to see integration with regular ac splits forbpeople that don't have central home ac units.
nice news.. and amazingg kit
It looks amazing. If the installation is as easy as it appears, I could throw it together on a weekend day. NFC adaptive commands would be a pretty neat addition. Simply hovering my Windows Phone over a tag that could run a batch command through the app.. opening the door, turning on lights, and sending commands to other sensors as desired in one fell swoop would really be a killer functionality.
Should have bought this instead of a dlink camera!
What I liked:
-You can look at all your devices on a screen and favorite the import an ones.
-Also you can turn on automatic sensors that light up when you are in that room
-microphone camera and the ability to move the camera is awesome
-the fact this works on a windows Os is the icing on the cake. What I think could get improved
-unfortunaly I dont have a windows tablet so if this app isn't already on a differs os like android or apple maybe they can add it
-my biggest fear is someone hacking this hub and just unlocking my doors and walking right in. I didn't notice security settings for the hub
-live title should show quick alerts or even what the camera is displaying
- maybe we could add a phone line to the hub so it could dial into 9-1-1(not too practical)
-cabinet locks for baby safety
This looks like a great system, definitely something to talk about with the wife, since we both travel frequently for work. Really seems like a well thought-out system. My only question, and maybe this was covered but I missed it, would be if there's a way to access this through a web portal, for when you don't have or can't install an app on your computer? Example: My work laptop runs Windows 7 Professional, would I still be able to access this?
I think the basic backage should have 1 dimmer and 1 light bulb instead of 2 dimmers.
Nest control... I may have to try this out!
Looks very promising. I think more of the home automation DIY kits are just what the tech community needs instead of paying monthly fees to larger companies.
Whether I'm one of the winners or not, I'm looking into this product. Love the thought of home automation integrated with Cortana
Runnig a MiCasaVerde system now with Z-Wave plugs. And Home Controller and Grashopper apps, but I'm seriously thinking about switching to INSTEON. Looks like a job done very well. Off-topic: where can I get that Windows Phone 8 trainer shirt? Any place to buy it?
The amazing part of this is that you can also link two Insteon devices manually. A basic system can be installed without a PC but you can install one later, limited options! You can also save the config with some of the devices as well. In any event, a first for WP is a great move and I would love to have one of these.
Sounds great. Would this work with an existing X-10 based system?
it would be awesome to try this. and the integration with cortana sounds great :D
Though expensive, this is the future.. Would be awesome if lights dim down when night mode on phone enables, or lights blink when you have a call if phone is on silent mode, possibiities are infinite.
I am wondering if systems like this help or if they are more overhead to productivity. While the thought of scanning all my receipts so that I have them may be a good idea, it is just as easy to put them in a folder and then save them for the required IRS time and delete.
Testing 123...
Wow, this is amazing! I don't know if it's already like this, but it would be even better if the system worked with both Android/iOS/Windows Phones. Have never heard of Insteon before this, but it sounds like they're off to a great start on WP! One thing I think the app could use is being able to pin certain things as live tiles, which could be used to monitor whether your lights are on or off from your phone, or pictures from the cam at intervals jsut to check on your house, or even just a toggle to activate frequently used modes. I would love to win or buy this, but does the module work universally (eg. my country follows the UK plug)?
I ordered my hub and a couple lights today. I can't wait for them to arrive. The hub might be a little more expensive then other options out there, but no monthly fees, and full integration with Windows Phone 8? I couldn't resist.
wow, looks really awesome!:D
This is a great product and idea. I like the fact the second tier gives me the thermostat, however i don't necissarilly need the wifi camera, i can do without, give me a couple additional on/off modules and i'll be all set.
I'd love this system in my apartment. I'm glad to see devices being created like this for WP8. This would be convenient, since I travel across the Tristate area often.
Finaly some Windows Phone love. interesting solution but would like to see merger with a system loke SimpliSafe Home Security System.
I really want something like this, but unfortunately my landlord will not allow it, which makes it next to impossible for an apartment dweller to have a system like this. Once I own a home again, this is definately on my check list of things to purchase. Great idea.
Looking at their website, the one thing that jumped out at me is they say they can NOT control heat pumps. There's some kind of add-ons and such, but that got a little too confusing for me. I'm not an HVAC engineer, and I don't know much about thermostats, but it is worth noting that the home kit doesn't have the capability to control a heat pump.
Been looking at Insteon for a while. Haven't pulled the trigger yet.
My girlfriend is always leaving lights on in the apartment when she steps out for extended periods of time (work, dinner, etc.) - I'd love to tie that into the door sensor so that she doesn't even have to think about it. When it comes time for a baby, I will appreciate not having to carry anything else around (I always have my phone on me, even at home) to check in. Obviously network cameras have been around for a while, even specialized as baby monitors, but the benefit here is that you'd already be in the app to control all of the other functions. Really quite a compelling product at an accessible price point.
FINALLY! It is nice to see a product that does not just offer supporting apps for iOS and Android! I have been looking for a home automation/security solution that has support for the Windows ecosystem and looks like I have found it. The hidden door sensor is outstanding, and the Cortana integration is a bit of a differientiator as well.
The app looks very tidy, and the scripting capabilities look very nice - It would be neat if there were an easy way to share them.
Ok, Had to check... tried to leave a comment from phone app yesterday and it did not take. Regardless of an opportunity to win an INSTEON System, I am sold on it anyways. My reasons are as follows. 1. It is the only system designed to work with the Windows Eco System out of the box. 2. Of some of the top WIFI Thermostats it is not the least expensive nor the most, however what it has going for it is its universal hub system. (for instance, NEST is a standalone device and so is Honeywell, so that puts in a class with EcoBee and ZWave other HUB systems) 3. because of the Hub system it allows for Infinite Expandability with other Home Automation devices.
Awesome, this review answered a lot of questions I had about this awesome product. I can't wait for Cortana to control my house
Has anyone heard if there are any plans to integrate Insteon Products with the Xbox One? That seems like a killer combination to add Audio/Video controls into the system. Either way, I will definitely be picking one up to control lighting, heating/cooling, and security system.
This looks awesome, this kind of stuff is the missing piece for Windows Phone (apps to integrate with home automation systems, vehicles, DVRs, so on and so on). I'm happy to see Microsoft getting involved with someone to bring something like this to market, or at least help distribute and promote it. The system sounds great and I will definitely be checking it out.
Got to say, Insteon has it all. I was worried about controling other homeautomation device I have in place, but they got bridges and all. One thing I do not like with today's tech, is that everything is ment to be control from the phone. When watching TV for example, it's 5 times more time consuming to use my locked phone vs my Harmony remote, but add the IR receiver and your good to go. I thing I would probably like to see is a shade motor, very small that can go inside the roll or a version that hook on the chain.
Sounds perfect for making sure the home is comfortable for the master-of-the-house, aka, the dog.
Looks like a good system, would be fun to set up
This is awesome. I hope this works outside the US
Great. I like the opportunity to spy anyone who's in my house. :) Furthermore an update that brings a live tile and the option to add a interactive camera to it would be nice. I only hope that the installation will not be to complicated for me.. ;D
Mister Snowden: Watch your back B-)
Dibs! This is exactly what I've been waiting to come to the Windows Phone platform. So glad to see more and more interest by comapnies and developers in creating quality apps and products! Keep them coming!
Even the most expensive package costs less than a most basic security system for 1 year. Granted you don't get police/fire notifications, this package gives you most of the same value and more in some areas. In addition, it looks like it supports some of the other automation standards.
Pretty amazing idea, but not much of a use, yet - living in a 600 sq. ft. NYC studio there is nothing I can use of it, except the cameras...but still - central AC, cameras on each floor and elevators, no garage (and no car)...but I see the potential, cannot wait for some other features...
Other than privacy concerns, the idea of home automation is a great one. And, from reading this review, it looks like INSTEON is doing a great job. One Q though: I am assuming the parts are connected wirelessly to the hub, so any idea about the range? How far can these parts be away from the hub?
We bought the home starter kit this week plus bought a water sensor. The installation was quick and easy. In fact it surprised me how easy it was to install. The whole process took less than a half an hour. I plan on buy a few more plug ins plus another water sensor and an out door camera and two thermastats. The only thing I would like to see in the future is the ability to record video from the cameras. Also it would be helpful if multiple phone numbers and email addresses could be entered for text alerts. I was impressed how seemless the whole process was and the windows phone app is great too.
Wonder if Insteon can connect with my Lorex wi-fi cameras? Having used my wi-fi cams for a while now, I know that the 2.4 ghz band gets eaten up pretty quckly, so I hope Insteon allows you to use 5 ghz. My security cameras use a rolling channel (more secure) so, they cover (eat up) the whole 2.4 ghz band. I am unable to use the 2.4 ghz for anything other than the camera at this point.
Had a quick look at the application itself (though I don't own any of the hardware), UI seemed simple and to the point, but the apps responsivness wasn't great when signing up for an account, had to tap a few times as I wasn't sure (no feedback) if the tap had been recognised or not!
The part i like the most is the lack of monthly fees and customizability of your set up. if it works as advertised i will definetly be setting my house up in the near future.
It is great to have a system where you don't have to break the bank to get some high end features. How fancy and complicated you want to get is up to you and you can customize to any size house. Are the open/close sensors weatherproof? Could you put them out on a fence gate to monitor them?
Looking forward to buying this. Various retailers can ship to where I live without a hitch (made my research). Will check the Microsoft Store too (good to know!). Brazil here. I have a little daughter, so the wi-fi camera will do a nice job. Win such an Insteon Home Kit would be amazing! Long live wp! And nice that this is an universal app! Cheers!
I don't have Insteon equipment to give it a full test, but a feature I really liked is the video demonstrating how to set up the cameras. The way it pauses automatically so you can complete the steps is genius.
This product looks awesome, and it supports Windows Phone, what more could you want. Hopefully I could win to further my home automation goals.
Insteon and other apps similar to it is the future of housing and realty! Though not available as widely as it should in my country (India), I'm sure it's going to make a good debut! Really helpful while on-the-go, no more switch boards, keep a check on babies,grandparents,pets etc. Maybe one day I hope to have it installed in my house! Keep up the great work One love
I am excited for the integration with Cortana plus it will work will all my old X10 stuff.
Helpful to know it works with the nest thermostat. I may have a new home improvement project soon.
I started using Insteon last December and absolutely love it. The one thing that is missing and should be pointed out is that the real power of Insteon comes when you start using programs which their hubs do not support. When folks are really ready to step up their Insteon home automation you will need to get one of the ISY99i controllers. They have different versions and price ranges with the main difference being the amount of devices you can use. In my house bathroom fans and closet lights turn off after 10 minutes of running automatically. Also not only can I change the Insteon thermostat anytime I want I actually can create vacation mode and home mode programs via that manage the temperature differently and has actually saved me money. You can also do things like when the ac comes on run all ceiling fans for 5 minutes or every night at 11pm turn of the front light and lock the door. The point is using the hub is just a beginning and if you have the money get a controller instead. I couldn’t be happier to not have to use ADT or any other monthly subscription to manage my house. And another commenter nailed dit there are other devices that exist that work with Insteon but are not Made by them. For me I have a RF doorknob that can accept signals from Insteon and have on numerous occasions had to remotely unlock and lock the door for friends that were picking something up from my house. By the way, I’ve mentioned this before I am already using Cortana to control my Insteon devices.
For me, or atleast where I live, this system is out of the world. Even with this amount of integration would prove irrelevant. Although it looks awesome, the features are good, and supports windows phone what else you would want.
Cool technology!
Very nice review. I saw the app come out earlier this month and thought it would be good investment. I've wanted to automate some portions of my home during the past few years, but didn't want to spend the many dollars to get it setup. Insteon has always been at the top of my list. Now that they have a WP app as well as their iOS app, this may be a good starting point for home automation. I'll have to budget for it and look set it up this fall. One question that doesn't seem answered by the review is the thermostat. Did you replace your thermostat with an Insteon one? What thermostat did you have? I have a programmable Honeywell one that works very well and would prefer not to replace it unless the Insteon one is much better.
Damn Daniel, you sold me. The scenes bit seems to be the most important factor. Turning things on and off manually is fine, but being able to script automated actions like if Ileave the house at night, turn on on the outside lights and turn them off when I get home, is awesome.
I like how Insteon has enough simple and complex hardware that its accessible to the average consumer but effective for the home automations contractor.
I really liked the way all the sensors communicate with each other and can be controlled wirelessly or even remotely plus there is no trouble with installation, you just plug it in! What I don't like is that it isn't available worldwide and it is really expensive to import to other countries. Cortana support is going to be amazing, being able to control your entire home just by speaking into your Windows Phone, I mean how cool is that?! Also, in a future version is INSTEON it the sensors could be smaller... They are already very good and effective but noticeable and sometimes, for security reasons, you really want to be able to hide that camera and still be able to see it all... But for now I thing it is really innovating!
Granted I bought the Insteon setup from Costco, but the components are the same as the Microsoft bundle. I really like the Phone App and the Windows App. Very nicely laid out and easy to use. I was less impressed with the hub itself. Granted the wiring in my house is a mess, but sometimes the hub would see a switch and sometimes it wouldn't. I set up scenes in the hub, but it would not run them automatically. I could manually run it and it would usually work, but running autonomously, the scenes wouldn't run. I was disappointed enough that I returned the equipment to Costco for a refund. I guess if I were to win one here, I'd try it again, but I'm not sure I'd be willing to pay for it.
The scripting functions here are what really have me intrigued... Rather than pay for a traditional alarm system in my new house, i'm considering just setting up some Insteon equipment and self-monitoring!
Wow control AC Temperature and home security at same time! Good way to keep track of home away from home :)
INSTEON is doing their own home kit giveway on their social media. The contest ends tomorrow. Enter on their FB here: http://bit.ly/1ucT04m
This is fantastic! Would be excellent to keep an eye on my two kids and help them sleep safer at night knowing Cortana has an eye on them!
I have two home network cameras but would love to have something that is a little more streamlined with Windows 8 and 8.1. Insteon looks like it would do just that. I would definitely pick up some more accessories to go with the home kit.
InsteON has surprised me! Home automation is finally there, getting more affordable. I am a student and Home automation was one of my recent projects which really made audience go "WOW". I added features to it and maybe, if possible it can be incorporated in insteON. We can 'update' insteON with efficient features, for example a motion sensor or a thermo sensor which can actually detect if the person is in a room or not, if not, the lights will be switched off, thus saving energy! Secondly, Music control can be added so as to control the music playing in your home, which makes it more interesting. Also security features can also be added, for example, a voice control, you say to Cortana "insteON! Going out!", and insteON automatically switches off lights, and locks the doors. This would be pretty amazing! Good luck to everyone (Including me) xD :)
I have been looking to add something like this for pool pump control. About time someone actually supported MS.
I will look into it. In 1978 I had an automated system that used my OSI 8P and X10 modules. My OSI computer had Votrax voice and could answer my phone. I then entered a code to control things. I still have the computer sitting in my garage. How times have changed.
This is a nice setup. Insteon beats the heck out of the old X10 of years ago.
I like the modularity of it so that you can grow your investment in the sensor package over time. Any plans to incorporate any external monitoring sensors? I like to set something up on my gate that is within range of my wifi.
Among other things, this might be a way to operate the waterfall pumps on some decorative ponds we have. My wife oftens turns them on and they stay running all night when she forgets to turn them off. It would REALLY be helpful if the software lets you see if the on-off module is on or off via the phone's app. I have a Windows (928) Phone but she insists on keeping her "more stylish" Apple Phone. Does anyone know if the hub can be set up to be controled by two different phones with different operating systems?
I have a cat
I purchased the "home kit" based on cross-platform compatability and availablity in Microsoft Store figuring to add pieces after testing. Although i prefer Windows i also tend to like "works on anything" not ecosystem-limited hardware. The rave reviews of insteon as well as business & cunsumer features makes it that much easier of an investment in a platform. The windows phone app (running 8.1 preview here) is really good - as is the windows 8 metro app which i used to setup the device from a desktop PC (you could setup the entire device without a PC in fact). The WP app loads fast and all connects instantly when connected (wifi) to the network. It resumes quickly also. The app opens to "sensor status" which is useful (monitoring leak status). Connecting via LTE is quick also. Clearly the app was well designed and is pretty feature filled. A newbie (such as myself) to Insteon will have no trouble and it lets you add and manage devices, rooms, favorites, scenes and do just about everything. The only peculiarity is there seems to be no way to change your acccount password from any app (maybe using "lost password" resets it) as i want to use a more generic password for sharing with family. Overall this is a great system and thanks to Insteon for giving such a strong software effort to match what looks like great hardware. The camera works well, water sensor providing intant alerts and the outlet on/off switch also is a push button away. I'll be adding the thermostat once I confirm compatability.
I'm interested in this product for real when I got to go to their website and see their products. The most I like about Insteon is that it's modular and expansible. It's not a one trick pony like certain thermostat named after a bird's house and it's truly cross platform. I look forward to trying out this product somehow. Posted via the WPC App for Android!
What I like about this product is that it is modular and expansible. Insteon is also cross platform and isn't a one trick pony like some thermostat named after a house that a bird makes. I look forward to trying out this product when I get the chance. Posted via the WPC App for Android!
This might just have me make the just to home automation. I'd like to see this work with my Xbox One so if I was to say Xbox dim lights the lights would go down for a movie.
Hmm I'd have to think about this. On the one hand, I could see it as a replacement for the baby monitor we're about ready to buy. It's not that much more of a cost acutally. OTOH, I don't want to have to leave my phone on to use it accordingly. I'm also the least handy person around, so if it requries getting all up in my electrical system I think it's not for me. (But if I can just plug in my garage door to it some how, and ditto for other applances I might be set. We just got a new thermostat, I don't know if it's 5 wire or 4 wire (but I do know it provides power from the furnace, so I'm guessing 5.)
There was a really interesting article in Times magazine early this month featuring Insteon. Would definitely suggest that anyone who wants to learn more checks it out.
I ordered the Hub from Amazon, and one dimmer switch to test it out the system a few nights ago. The Hub was extremely easy to setup, plug it in and then fire up Windows Phone app. The dimmer proved to be a more difficult, if you have a 3 pole setup (two switches controlling the same light), you need to replace both swtiches for it to work correctly. Also there is a 3 wire dimmer and a 2 wire dimmer, you need to make sure you check and order the right dimmer to replace the right switch. This could have all been addressed with a little more research on my part, but I ended up ordering 4 more switches last night just to be done. The self discovery of the switch was extremely easy on the app and if I had the right swtich to begin with could have been up and running in under 15 minutes. I am looking forward to having it done by the end of the week.
Looks really cool. Does the Hub also act as a router or is it just to communicate between all products?
This looks pretty cool, and like a great Windows-based home automation solution. I can see the thermostat being really helpful for hot, Memphis summers. 2 things I don't see in the list (might be on their site) are remote door locks (can't tell you how awesome that would be for friends watching our cat when we leave) and a Carbon Monoxide Detector. Also, the camera would be awesome in the nursery. Other awesome use:
"Cortana, play Marvin Gaye" followed by "Cortana, lights off"
I am particularly interested in the potential integration with Xbox and with Nest. My needs are for home security and for energy monitoring/efficiency. Convenience and automation of lighting scenes are less important to me.
this is internet of things
This system looks really fantastic. I may eventually just pick one up as the price isn't terribly expensive. But, I would be thrilled to win one! *hint hint*
The ability to monitor the dogs and cats in the house, especially when we're on vacation is incredibly useful. We can ask the pet sitter or neighbors to take action if anything happens before it's too late. The modular approach is the way to go as not everyone will have the same needs. Just pick and choose what fits your needs.
Instantly on. Clever.
Well... I love how the whole sistem looks and works just have a few things I would love to see... 1.- Make this starter kits available in stores like home depot or lowes in México, at least sell it online, I dont really care about the language although it would be awesome to have it in spanish (for my mom) 2.- The app looks really simple, but maybe adding a map or "floor plan" that you can build and once you select a room and then you see all de options for this room... I think this would add a nice experience. 3.- Add another kind of sensor so we can manage individual air conditioners (mini splits) where I live (Sinaloa) its like hell in earth but electricity is expensive so usually you just use the air conditioner of the room that you are in. I have one that automatically turns it on at 7:00pm so my room is at a nice temperature when I arrive so this sensor can exist. Other than that I think the system is great and at a great price... I would love to have one to control my lights, doors and some other things around my house... I will definitely buy one in the near future hopefully without having to pay and overprices charge to have it deliver in my home.
I need this
This sounds like just what I need to secure my car in a rented garage. I've been wondering how to do it but a movement sensor, night vision cam and maybe a door sensor and Im laughing :) Finally getting some compatability with Windows Phones for home automation is excellent too. So many ideas, so little money ...
I am torn about getting the Insteon system or a z-wave system. I have some old X-10 devices in my home already and I know that the Insteon system is compatible with X-10. But, I also have a Nest thermostat, that I don't want to replace, and I would like to automate turning on a ceiling fan based on my house/room tempeture.
I like the Insteon price tag! Controlling the thermostat is cool! Camera could be used to check on the dog. I wish the open/close sensor was smaller.
I saw this earlier but really didnt give it much thought. Now that Ive researched it (IP Camera Record) Im thinking this just might be the cat's meow for what I need
No idea about the experience of the app because I don't own as automation system... Hope I can win one
This looks pretty awesome. I've been toying around with the idea of getting into the home automation thing, but I was hesitant because of all of the competing products out there. I didn't realize that Insteon was such a complete solution. If it ever gets the ability to connect to devies from other brands (like it does with the Nest) that would be fantastic. Their system looks pretty complete, but there are always going to be other things that other systems can do (like Hue lights) that this one doesn't yet support. That being said, I'm definitely going to consider picking up a kit sometime in the future.
The thermostat does not look like it has the standalone features like the radio thermostat or the 3M version.
As an apartment dweller and building manager, I think my home automation needs are rather modest. I think I'd be in the market for a thermostat. The pricing doesn't seem that off either. I just had a tenant's thermostat replaced with a "dumb" digital one and it was $239. I bet that I could get the owner to start using something like this instead and that would be a benefit to tenants without any cost increase. First to get them to pay to replace MINE, which isn't broken. :)
I think this would be interesting, but i worry about the security issues. Could a skilled hacker eventually have easy access to my home with garage open/close functionality?
i currently have an X10 system that i can only use when I'm at home. this would be a great update
I gladly take one! I've been looking for something like this!
Sweet.. I hope INSTEON takes some of these suggestions. Here are mine: Start looking hard at using Kinect 2 for Windows. I would love to use a Kinect for person recognition, gesture control (ie, "Turn on that light" while pointing, or putting my finger to my lips to mute the music), security, etc.
This kind of setup is just what I've been looking for. Buy sensors in pieces in local stores as I am able, good app support, and no monthly fee bondage. This is the best approach! But we hear nothing about it elsewhere other than wpcentral.
So the lights can be controlled if you use a lamp and plug it in to the on/off module, but how does controlling the lights work anywhere in the rest of the house that has standard light fixtures? I'm interested in the home kit to get the door open/close and thermostat!
This would be an awesome win!!!! Cant imagine all the possibilities ....
Even if I don't win, I'd definitely look into buying some of this gear. A mixture of being a tech lover and super lazy means I wouldn't be able to resist! The thermostat and light switches/dimmers seem the coolest. The app will look great on my shiny new Lumia 930, which should arrive tomorrow morning
I've been waiting for something like this. I don't like the monthly fees or the requirement that you pass through a vendor's website in order to access your home that a lot of other providers use. Being able to control who has access, or limiting it entirely to your home network is a nice choice. I like that it is also modular which allows for being able to start small and build up, as requirements allow. I didn't see any parterning with lock companies to make smart deadbolts and other locking mechanisms in the article so I hope that is something to look forward to. Cortana integration is very nice. I can see people really tinkering with scenes and customizing their homes.
I'm really looking forward to this. I really could use the video cam as a baby monitor. I already have two kids and i survived the baby time without baby monitor but i decided that future will be different... Also if there could be chance to cut some money from the heating bills with the thermostat, wow!
I'm really looking forward to this. I really could use the video cam as a baby monitor. I already have two kids and i survived the baby time without baby monitor but i decided that future will be different... Also if there could be chance to cut some money from the heating bills with the thermostat, wow!
Atleast home is something I will be able to control. Nothing else is :(
Great! I'm going to look into setting this up!
So cool. I have been eyeing home automation kids for several months now and this news certainly swings things favorably in their direction.
What an awesome and informative video Daniel. I've been fascinated with Home Automation products since having to do a case study for a college course a few years back. It looks like Insteon has really nailed it here, especially by giving some much needed love to the Windows 8x and Windows Phone platforms.
I am buying my first home and I wish to add some home automation. Considering I will have a tight budget I might not be in condition to buy any of these for a while.
It seems there is not a remote lock control but the rest on offer is very tempting.
I will also need to learn how those thermostats work, I might actually need more than one as is seems that with the roof heating all rooms have indipendent thermostats!..
With this new technologies I am often very tempted but when I buy too early I am often disappointed as they don't work well or with all the systems they should.
Moreover, these kits (any brand out there) are very expensive. It takes very little time to become obsoletem I don' t want having to spend a lot and end up having to replace too soon.
The Scenes Feature Implementation is what turned me into it..
To me it's a always ON way of watching my home.. wherever wherever I'm worried.. it's like Agents of Shield Level 7 Access!!
Super Se Uper... .Cortana. I'm waiting. .I think the app needs a beauty update!
This is really great! I was already looking for something like this to be accessed and controlled via my windows phone
If the Insteon setup would have a micropohone (for example the camera's) which accepts voice commands it would be possible to directly active scenario's without picking up your smartphone! That would be useful for those romantic moments ;) and give a futuristic feel to it.
Perfectly timed advertisement; I was looking into using Manythings to make a simple security cam system but this seems much better.
Nice. I could use as baby monitor.
I've always wanted some kind of home automation. This would be wonderful!
Seems like an attainable home automation system for the average buyer with a less complicated installation and easier operation.
Great deal. Can't wait to have Cortana activation.
Este tipo de hardware es genial porque nos permite monitorear todo
Esto es fabuloso para manejar cámara y de mas aparatos inalámbricamente pero integración con Cortana esto es mucho mejor
Tenia miedo de que esta tecnología se volviera demasiado costosa pero veo que están bajando de precio
I am impressed! Currently I have a fixed home automation system that quite dated. I will most likely upgrade to this and not only benefit from the portability, but integration into my phone and tablets! Great product!
The potential for Insteon is numerous. Be it from monitoring loved ones like aging family members to the sometime necessary need to facilitate a nanny cam. *********************
Because when it comes to our loved one's, having the ability to check in on them from afar is just the right convenience needed in a world that is often busy, chaotic and ever increasingly unpredictable. Being able to do this from any place at any time adds a much needed peace of mind. ******************* Plus, using your phone to control appliances in your home is quite fun. ****************** So with Insteon, you not only get the pleasure of near instantaneous access of your home fixtures, you also get the peace of mind knowing that you can be sure your loved ones and property are both safe and secure.
I really like the branding of the package, but I think the home version should offer a little bit more for the price or up the price and make a full featured home version.
This would be awesome! Would be fantastic to have a Wi-Fi cameras and motion sensor for security reasons. It going to be very interesting to see where the whole Internet of things takes us!
I really love the modularity. This really helps keep the price down. There's so many systems like this out there but they're so expensive! I also like that there is no subscription. I'm definitely going to be checking this out!
This is what I have been waiting for. I have been looking into home automation for some time now, and this set up seems to be able to give me a lot of the options I would like in a pricepoint I can deal with. I like how it is moduler in a pretty simple way. Would like to hook up several cameras around the house for security. And since my daughter refuses to stay little and is growing up...a few more cameras for daddy's ease of mind will be nie too!
Currently there's a bug where the Windows Phone app doesn't set the time properly so schedules don't work properly. Also a fun fact, if you want to use the thermostat you need to have a 5 wire furnace feed. If you have the old style 4 wire like I do you have to get a bit creative.
I find the idea interesting but I feel like some of they stuff is over priced
I really like the idea of being able to control all the lights in the house remotely or timed - A bit of faking you're in while on holiday.
This is great! I can't wait to get a kit up and running. This will be perfect for my home theater and shop. I would like to see an app for the Xbox w/ Kinect voice commands.
I really like the idea of controlling the lights remotely or timed - faking you're in while on holiday.
(typed this once but it didn't seem to post)
I would really enjoy this product. It is one of the best home automation systems I have seen.
It's good to see some of these new systems have a windows phone app. It is very encouraging
I love the fact that you can get started for cheap and build on with other Insteon devices as needed. Definitely looking more into getting this system and setting up the flood sensor in my basement, just in case the sump pump goes out again!!!
My parents wouldn't get it if I'd automate our home :P
finally some love for windows phone... thinks like this are the ones that sometimes never come to wp.
Looks awesome!
I'm somewhat of a technophile and I love the trends of home automation that I've seen over the past couple years. I like the Nest thermostat and the Phillips Hue light bulb network, but before I knew about Insteon I didn't know there was a way to combine both concepts in one easy to use package for Windows Phones. I'm away from my home quite a bit of the time being in the military, so being able to quickly check on things or set up the house if I'm not coming home is an awesome capability. I will definitely be investing in the Home Starter Kit once I have the cash, but I would still like to find out prior if it integrates with my Phillips Hue Hub.
I think I like the fact of how expandable the INSTEON system can be. And the fact that Cortana support is coming is pretty awesome. I would like to see (if they dont have it already) automated door locks. I would love to automate my lights, locks, and appliances! Posted via Windows Phone Central App
Perhaps this was addressed already but there's a lot of comments to sort through... How does this system compare to building your own security/automation system using zwave devices? I customized my entire house with and then contracted alarm.com to do the monitoring for 29.00 a month. Does this system allow you to hook into a monitoring service?
First step to home automation.
I love the fact that they plan to include cortana integration. It will be amazing to say something like "turn on the lights in the dining room" and have the lights turn on. Posted via the WPC App for Android!
To me, this looks nifty from the simplicity standpoint. I bought a DVR system two years ago and I've only hooked up one camera, simply because the cameras are wired and there's the matter of having to run the cables for them. This would simplify things a lot, and maybe I'd actually get it installed. Anyone interested in a zmodo 4-camera DVR system?
I just had an ADT guy come and bother me last week. They want $50/month for a minimum of 3 years. No thank you! This sounds like a solution I'd be very interested in. No monthly fees, just buy what I want and use it. Guess I'll see if I happen to win one first before I buy.
Insteon has some nice features. I would prefer if they'd make it more of an open standard like zwave. There's 200 insteon products, mostly from SmartLabs, vs. more than thousand Zwave. However the Zwave mesh networks can take a loooong time to update when adding or losing devices and, not being as centrally controlled, they don't always work with all zwave controllers.
I really like the look of the interface and all the different sensors that is available.
While I like the idea of home automation, I've never taken the plunge. I have always envisioned being able to control a bunch of appliances from my bed or on the road, and this might be the system that I can try to use.
I got the Basic system from the MS store online a couple weeks ago. I also ordered an extra door sensor and the wi-fi bulb. The hub was easy to set up except the wi-fi cord (hub to router) is fairly short as is the power cord and they dont recommend using an extension cord. I was hpoing to place the hub higher up but had to settle for desk level. When first setting up the camera you need to plug it into your router. In order to do that I had to choose between unplugging my printer or my Verizon extender to be able to have an open port. Once the camera is set up you can unplug it from the router and it runs via wi-fi. The door and wall plug-in modules were easy to set up. The motion detector is a little challenging to set up because the motion states are not defined well and you have to contiually remove and relpace the battery cover to reset the motion detector while your trying to figure it out, which is a pain in the ass since it also has a set screw. The wi-fi light set up easily as well. At home within my wi-fi network, everything works well on my desktop and WP. I havent tried installing on my Surface RT yet. I havent been able to get the system to work over the Internet yet though. I'm scared to do the port forwarding thing and havent gotten a chance to call support for help. Otherwise, I'm looking forward to adding more cameras and sensors once I figure it all out. I wish it was just a little bit more plug and play-ish. My only other wish is that the cameras had recording capability. I would be willing to pay a small monthly fee (like dropcam does) if I could store 24-48 hours at a time.
I have been researching home automation for years and played with X10 for a while. I was so excited when Insteon first came out. They had some initial problems with modules and such, but it seems like the kinks have been worked out and the system is matured. I bought a couple of Insteon light switches a couple months ago, and plan on adding more. The integration with Cortana is very exciting. I had researched doing a DIY voice control system, but it's incredibly time-consuming. Anyway, awesome products... Thank you SmartHome.

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