datadaddy

Thanks to everyone for the assistance and thoughts, as a newbie to UDI (and Insteon) I appreciate it

Ok, that helps, btw, I'll probably be one to go thru the frustration and time to make things work with modest cost, as I am a software developer career wise, it may even involve some custom experimentation. I really can't wait to get started, it's just a matter of finding time of course thanks, Scott

Thank you for the reply It seems like there are many options to get started, maybe that's part of what makes it confusing...choices, choices...but it's a good thing You mentioned Hub II in your reply, I cannot find much in the forums about it What is meant when someone says "Hub" vs "Hub II" ? thanks again, Scott

I ended up going down the ISY path because I bought an Amazon Echo, I ended up buying a used ISY994i because of cost factors, since I had a bunch of X10 stuff laying around this is the area I am first exploring Some of the options are a bit confusing, but overall I'm surprised at the cost factors. After buying the ISY994i, I have to spend an additional $50 for enhanced X10 support (which really isn't that much of an enhancement) Now I see that in order to integrate with Amazon Echo I will likely cough up another $50 to access the ISY portal And I think another $50 for the networking module ? Seems like steep startup costs and that doesn't include purchase of any insteon device controllers Ouch, how do you people do it ? oh, and the software is so outdated...but I can deal with that Questions: - it's not clear to me yet if either the Amazon Echo skills or Connected home option works with X10 if I don't purchase the X10 module - when is it required to have the Network module ? (only when I use the isy portal or ?) - what is the relationship between universal devices company and insteon company thanks, newbie, Scott