icerabbit

No problem. I was scratching my head on the math and had this slight oh crap moment as I'm just endeavoring into ISY + Insteon that I may have bought the wrong thing

Thanks for the quick responses and re-assurances, LeeG and Xanthros. Especially that a scene counts as one. I do recognize that over a dozen keypadlincs would be an extreme example. But the user paauto said he had a pro and surpassing that limit was some math that didn't add up and made me doubt this little black box with a 256 limit. A KeypadLinc is really a 6-in-1 or 8-in-1 switch. I plan to have two. So instead of counting as 2 devices it will count as 12 or 16. No biggie. From an outsider's view, it might be nice if they'd put a footnote in to include nodes and publish a list somewhere for reference. I think that's a detail that should be out there up front.

Sorry to jump in, just got my regular ISY delivered today. Did I just buy a very limited product? Reading the above, you are saying that with just 60 devices and 15 scenes, a user can surpass the pro's 1024 limit? Right? But online it says: Model Comparison IR Support Max. Devices/Scenes Max. Programs MSRP ISY99i No 256 300 $229.00 ISY99i/IR Yes 256 300 $279.00 ISY99i PRO No 1024 1000 $269.00 ISY99i/IR PRO Yes 1024 1000 $309.00 Not a single mention of nodes, devices counting as multiple devices, scenes counting as multiple scenes, ... So a device - a physical addressable insteon hardware unit ( xx.xx.xx ) - does not count as one? And, a scene ( software command to various lights) where you press button a on device b and items xyz come on, does not count as one scene? Or am I misunderstanding it? Can you clarify further?

Thanks Lee and OberKc for the additional information. I will do plenty of reading before getting started, and I will likely go the ISY route for the programming benefits. The hopeful part is basically some reservations that after doing a little bit of research online, it doesn't seem to be all roses and sunshine when one embarks on the insteon endeavor, between some failing modules, lack of documentation, environmental complications etc. The house that we live in is above average in size and has some additional complexities with its several mechanical systems. If the typical house has one electrical panel and maybe a sub panel, this house has 4. So more distance for signals to travel both wireline and wirelessly. Oberkc, I had thought about switchlincs on the inside of the house to control the outdoor items, but that would limit me to one function on that line. I need for instance to be able to have independent control over a pond pump and a pond light separately on the same 110 line.

Thank you for your reply oberkc. I am aware of the dual phase issue and hopeful that the insteon dual band devices will overcome that hurdle with semi-strategic placement. Crossing fingers the dual link devices will do their thing as designed, without me needing to invest in more equipment. Setting up the remotelinc shouldn't be too bad. It was just an idea, that if I programmed the 8 button controller by the front door in a certain way, that I maybe could copy the commands from button a to a, b to b, ... rather than starting over for the remote.

I'm considering getting some Insteon Linc devices, primarily for the control of outdoor features like several sets of landscape lights, lamp posts, pond pump, pond lights, pool lights, ... and also have control via iPod/iPhone/iPad. Have individual on/off toggles and maybe a couple scenes, front yard on/off, back yard on/off, all on/off. [ I may look into additional uses later down the road, but have a less common situation where many lamps or lamp sets can be controlled from three locations via a low voltage relay circuit (they are not 110v switches) ] I would install several ApplianceLincs outside ( several existing 110v outside lines would each serve two or three different independently controlled functions ) and inside the house have one 8 button KeypadLinc and a RemoteLinc2, so that front garden features can be controlled from the wall near the front door, then at the back of the house/garden there could be an 8 button RemoteLinc to duplicate the KeypadLinc. Noting that the different outdoor circuits are pulled from three different sub-panels in the house, but I believe Insteon would cover that base. If need be I believe could install some repeater or second KeypadLinc to cover distance or bridge phases. Or have the ISY central in the house, in the basement? My questions regarding ISY: Considering this is a new setup and multiple insteon devices would arrive as well as the ISY. Do you do any programming through the units? Or does everything get done through ISY? Specifically can ISY program or reprogram the buttons on the keypadlinc and remotelinc? Can ISY copy the programming of a keypadlinc to a remotelinc? ... as looking at some ISY setup video, it seemed there was a fair amount of "busy" time as each individual change is made. A quick look at some of the manuals for the insteon devices shows it involves a lot of pressing & back and forth to get things linked up. For my remote functionality, I think I could get away with the free iphone app and their smartlinc. But, I question the programming aspect ... and think the ISY could help, despite the added cost to the system and maybe increased complexity. Additional question regarding time keeping & sunrise/sunset. I read that the smartlinc loses time but may have some sunset/sunrise functionality ... is that something I'd need the ISY for? To say this group of exterior lights on at sunset and off at 23:00? Thanks for your help.