EZIO8SA or similar, is it any good?

[Bert2013]

I'm looking for a controller that can handle multiple inputs and outputs.

 

I found the Startenit EZIO8SA and it looks pretty good.

And I now also realize that this device works with my ISY994i.

I assume I do need a separate PLM for this EZIO8SA, true?

Does the EZIO8SA nicely integrate with the ISY994i? Is all function available via the ISY994i?

 

Are there other devices I should consider besides the EZIO8SA?

I looked at the SmartHome IO module, but it is limited, and I would need several of them...

 

Thanks for your input in advance. It is great to have such a forum and dedicated people helping out others.

 

Bert

 

[Brian H]

Yes the EZIO8SA uses its own PLM or their EZIComm version of the PLM.

 

You may get more information from EZIO8SA users. I believe there are some limitations on what the ISY994i can do with that module.

[johnnyt]

I personally do not recommend the product. It has several bugs that can add notably to your cost through either lengthy troubleshooting or by having to research forums to find them. Also, the company is not doing anything to fix or improve the product.

 

You'll find a summary of my experience and a suggested alternative at the following post. Also, if you're not deterred, earlier in the thread is one of the key bugs (scenes don't work as intended) to save you some time on that one.

 

http://forum.universal-devices.com/topic/12401-ezio8sa-mysteriously-turning-devices-on/?p=116570

 

[Bert2013]

Thanks Johnnyt.

 

The DIN Relay solution looks interesting. But I don't see a way to extract any info via the networking module. Like you said, you cannot query the state of the relays, nor any other state because the URL response cannot be parsed. Does anyone has a solution to that?

 

In my case, I need sensors also. And that is why I got interested in the EZIO8SA in the first place.

[Cartwrig]

I too would not recommend.  

I had to remove the EZIO 4 and 8 versions that I had in a client's residence, and replace with IOLincs.  Mind you, this was in about 2008/09; so, I don't know if they've improved them since.  However, unless I hear specifically otherwise, I don't think the mftr has.

Yes, that meant many more IOLincs; but, they've performed better.  

I do wish they had DualBand IOLincs...maybe some day!

 

- Rob

[Bert2013]

I did buy an EZIO8SA after all and it is working great.

 

I use it to control and monitor my "water system": well pump, pressure pump, pressure sensors, float switches... So it is pretty "mission critical" and a lot of damage can be done when it misbehaves. But I have enough redundancy built in so that it has not burned up my pumps...

 

I like that it is "self contained", it does not need Insteon communication nor a working ISY to do its job. This is also a reason why the suggested "Din Relays" would not work well for my application. I use the ISY to monitor and to identify potential issues (such as "the pump is running too long", or "the pump has not run for a long time").

The ISY cannot be used to program the EZIO8SA, so I needed a PLM connected to my computer to run the SmartHome Utility software to do that. This is where I had the most problems, but mostly because my Insteon connection to the EZIO8SA was bad and the first PLM I used was giving a "weak" Insteon signal.

 

So overall, I'm happy with the product. I actually don't know of any similar products that have so many input and outputs (In my application I used all the relays and 4 of the 7 inputs).

 

Bert