INSTEON back in business! What to do?

[@lordwhitewolf8627]

Chris, very pleased to find this video. It's reassured me that the decision I made a week ago was very sound. I also didn't want to be forced to subscribe to Insteon every year. And I wanted a more non proprietary and future open option. So I've purchased received the basic HomeSeer hub and the Insteon plugin and am about to "migrate" my small Insteon installation over. Plus it's now got me reinterested in exploring some new "smart home" options. Your videos are very well produced and your style/explanations very "user friendly" and accessible. Very well done!!!!

[@handydadtv]

Thanks so much 😊

[@patricknelson]

Answer: Don’t bind yourself to the internet for everything (yay Z-Wave and Zigby, oh, and now Thread). Instead, do what you can to keep your “smart” devices local and funnel it all into just the minimal set of services/devices that actually need to connect to the internet for any reason.

[@handydadtv]

I agree

[@TomsDIYShop]

Hey Chris, thank you for, as usual, being my "source" for staying up to speed on what's going on with home automation. I, like many others, have a significant investment in Insteon devices but have been using the PLM with a UD ISY994i from the beginning. After recently moving, I pulled ALL of my smart tech out of the old house and have been on the fence about reinstalling (20+ dimmers, 20+ outlets, half a dozen in-line switches, garage remote/sensor, 3 - ceiling fan controllers, a couple of six button keypads and a couple of 8 button keypads). I've been very curious about HomeSeer and really like the idea about customizing dashboards, which is something I couldn't do with my Insteon/ISY/MobiLinc setup.

[@handydadtv]

Actually, I found that I rarely used the Insteon app. Just for setup. Then everything was either scheduled, voice controlled, or a push of a device button. Same with HomeSeer. I rarely use that app as well.

[@cyberdude1010]

I installed home assistant during the outage to get everything working properly. I wanted to add some additional light switches I had lying around, so I paid for the subscription. So, right now you could say I’m hybrid. Hopefully, Insteon comes back bigger and better.

[@handydadtv]

I hope so too. 👍🏻

[@johnhelmich8311]

I switched to HA on an Odroid with Nabucasa providing the remote/Alexa functionality. Blocked the Insteon server updates too.

[@StayConnectedEV]

All due respect I’m glad we can move from this topic and go back to the DIY videos. This series was a bit tough for me to be interested.

[@handydadtv]

Thanks for the feedback. I don’t chase trends; I just make videos on things going on in my life and this was a big event for me.

[@irawatson2006]

Hey Chris, When Insteon went dark I took a different route. I ordered a HOOBS box and took my Insteon system into Apple Homekit. This has allowed me to do some new automations with Insteon that I had never thought of before such as having my driveway lights come on automatically when I arrive home based upon seeing my smartphone arriving. Or turning on floodlights in the middle of the night when my cameras see motion. Love these new capabilities. Meanwhile I watched your videos about Homeseer and kicked myself for not going in that direction. Then when Insteon came back on, I debated whether to subscribe. Finally decided I would go with a 2 year plan. This gives me 2 years to help support the new company and see if they can get back to making products. So now I can control my system via Insteon's app or through Apple Homekit. Based on your Homeseer video, I just purchased a Hometroller plus but haven't got it going yet. Based on how well I like it, I may eventually do away with one or the other of my control methods. Like you, I like the idea of being able to integrate other products with Insteon, and I've tried a few new pieces, but honestly my home has almost every switch replaced with Insteon already. It's familiar, reliable and everyone in the house knows how to work it. I especially love the keypads. So really I don't have a lot of room left in my home for more devices. I could see myself possibly buying more Insteon (or alternatives) if I start to have failures. But my Insteon devices have, so far, held up really well with zero failures in six years. I want the new Insteon company to succeed, but I'm not sure how much I'll be able to support them with new purchases and just in case they don't survive, I want to be prepared should they go off line for good.

[@handydadtv]

If you’ve got it throughout your house, it makes sense to stick with Insteon for as long as they last.

[@gugy68]

@@handydadtv Hey, I have a X-10 system (small just one bedroom controlling 3 zones like recessed ceiling lights). Just a wall switch. Do you recommend getting Insteon or should I just replace for something more modern?

[@handydadtv]

@OB I won’t tell you what to do, but I have a homogeneous environment right now with Insteon, Z-Wave, and Zigbee, plus I’ve been toying with MQTT. All controlled by HomeSeer. I’m not betting on any single horse this time.

[@gugy68]

@@handydadtv ok thanks

[@ketchup318]

For me, I'll probably go with the year option to see how things turn out. I have invested a lot of time and money into Insteon and would not want to switch over to another company, although the thought has crossed my mind. I started with Insteon in 2007 when it was starting to pick up and I would see new devices come onto market almost quarterly. Picked up a hub, thermostat and many devices throughout the years. But in the last 5+ years, it's been really stagnant and others companies have come online with cheaper and more updated products. Thought about switching to other ecosystems, but Kasa switches don't fit correctly without the raised wallplate, Caseta switches look too 'busy', and I tried the GE/Jasco ones early on but they didn't work well and many prematurely failed. I may be old school, but the Insteon ones look sleek, simple, work well (ie 3/4/5 way switches), and are reliable. Plus Keypadlincs... I still haven't found another comparable product that does all this, so I guess I'm stuck for the time being.

[@handydadtv]

I considered switching to Z-Wave years ago, but those keypads kept me with Insteon.

[@ketchup318]

@@handydadtv Here's to hoping the new Insteon comes back with stock AND new innovative products.

[@creedrocknroll]

My investment in Insteon is too large, all light switches and many outlets in my home are using the technology, now I've been an avid ISY user so I didn't feel the pain that others experienced. I hope this acquisition effort is successful because the tech is great and a lot of people don't know about it.

[@handydadtv]

I’d love for them to continue making devices!

[@mark5368]

Thanks for the video. However, I’m sticking with the Insteon system, mostly because I like it so well and it works great. I was so optimistic that someone would swoop in and turn the business around that I kept my hub hooked up during the brief downtime. I too have a tremendous amount of money and time invested in this product. I want to support the company in its endeavors and paying such a small fee for the service is a no brainer. Ken Fairbanks was not leading the company when it closed its doors and I would like to give him the benefit of the doubt that he can give it another go using what seems to be a more realistic business model. Nothing is free and if it is free don’t expect it to be around long.

[@handydadtv]

I hope he can make it survive.

[@gerardlunow567]

I started out with an ISY99 many years ago and have 994's in my home and office. I never liked the HUB to its limitations the ISY does not have. Did not know the "service" was out. I really hope the devices will be sold again. I will buy a bunch of back ups. You can only expand that much. It has been crazy reliable and only had one switch go bad and a socket that needed to be reset in 9 years.

[@handydadtv]

I’ve replaced a few devices over the years, probably due to failed capacitors that I never tried fixing. These days, there are videos to show how. How many PLMs have you gone through?

[@ILruffian]

Thanks so much for taking the time to make this video. Many people don't realze how much effort this involves. I was getting ready to jump, but the fact that it still uses the hub gives me pause. Have you ever installed any of the Insteon motion sensors? Not a fan of how many times you need to physically push the buttons on the sensors when making even the simplest change. As if that wasn't bad enough, changes appear to commit, yet when you walk by a sensor, the lighting still responds in the original configuration. Insteon is great. But the setup can be horrible.

[@handydadtv]

I haven’t used any Insteon sensors, other than a leak sensor. And that was just for notifications, not for automations. With my move to HomeSeer, I’ve gotten really good at resetting devices. Highly recommended to correct odd behavior.

[@ILruffian]

@@handydadtv Thanks for the reply. Easiest work-around seems to be deleting the responder (switch) from the system and starting over. Pain in the tail, but worth it when you get it working.

[@sholokov]

I started using insteon when they sold the starter pack from Microsoft stores with Lumia devices. I supported insteon through everything while other better brands started showing up. Now, just like Insteon, the underdog is Wyze. Easy, cheap, better, in all aspects compared to Insteon. They are new, but growing fast, unlike Insteon. As of today, I'm turning off all insteon (hub, thermostat, camera, sensors, switches,. etc) and completely switching over. Was already using Wyze cameras before. But Insteon looks like a lost cause hanging by a thread.

[@handydadtv]

I agree. I don’t see how they’re going to thrive.

[@waynekibbler2710]

I jumped to Home Assistant on a Raspberry PI. Cloud can be had if desired @65 a year like HomeSeer and as you indicated with thousands of integrations. Insteon is free until Aug 1 so I hear and like you need to stop updates coming over as well.

[@handydadtv]

Were you able to define Insteon groups in HA? I played with it briefly while evaluating HomeSeer, but it was much too complicated.

[@waynekibbler2710]

@@handydadtv Pretty easy actually the integration found all devices except one switch but I ID'd it by the number / address.

[@PaigeGasker]

I switched to HomeSeer4 when Insteon shut down their servers. Your videos helped me get some of my Insteon switches working. HomeSeer support groups are useless to me - even with sticky notes, finding what you want to know is hit or miss - mostly miss. I would like to hedge my bets and use both HomeSeer and Insteon. I did what you recommended and factory reset my hub. I want to support the new Insteon company in its endeavors and bought a 1-year subscription if only to see if I can get some spare switches to use for future failures. Purchased and received a light switch from the new Insteon Company - only had white but I can switch faceplates with an existing bad switch to get light almond. The light on my hub2 is green, but the PC software doesn't find the hub. Would love a new video from you telling users how to use both HomeSeer4 and Insteon. If two hubs are required, I will purchase a second hub from Insteon as soon as new hubs become available. Thank You for your Video - If I hadn't found your video I don't think I would have ever been successful using the MSN Plugin with HomeSeer4.

[@handydadtv]

You’re blazing a new trail. I didn’t subscribe to Insteon, in fact I prevent my hub from accessing the Internet so they can’t push any software updates. I’m not sure why HomeSeer can’t find it. Can you reach the hub from your web browser? Try username:password@ip-address:25105. You should get a version message back if the information is correct.

[@plutoniumshore]

A little late to the party...the only devices I was worried about was my Fanlinc's for my ceiling fans (since there really isn't a great alternative on the market for them). I went the Home assistant route and since that was working without issue...I didn't sign up for any of the new insteon services. Now...what does that mean if my hub goes Belly up? I guess I'll be SOL (or I can just buy a new Insteon hub and sign up for services at that time?). I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

[@handydadtv]

I’m in the same boat. If the hub dies, I’d probably try to fix it myself before replacing it. They are notorious for capacitors failing and there are videos that show how to replace them with better ones. If that doesn’t work, I’d probably look to eBay before buying a brand new one. Never know if the new ones will force you to use their service.

[@andymok7945]

I would like a few Insteon devices, but where I live, there are no neutral wires in the switch boxes. Luckily, the Lutron Caseta do no required a neutral and they are a excellent unit. The yearly price is reasonable.

[@handydadtv]

I thought you said your home automation is purely local?

[@andymok7945]

@@handydadtv That is correct. The hub is blocked from the internet by firewall rules on pfSense.

[@handydadtv]

Good to know. I have a comp Caseta switch and hub to make a video.

[@danmccoy414]

I still use Insteon but never used their hub, I use ISY994i & like it quite well, I'm sticking with the ISY994 for as long as it still works & hopefully be able to order some insteon devices to replace broken ones.

[@handydadtv]

Insteon is back under new management and they are manufacturing new stock.

[@davebroere9078]

Have you done any newer youTube content re this subject? never used the hub. always used Universal Devices but would like to better understand how the "Hub" fits in the overall Insteon system.

[@handydadtv]

This was my final Insteon video. They still have a following, but it’s a small niche. I used HomeSeer for a while and most recently went to Home Assistant, which has a huge audience. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eYrZhX-tlLyhbKs

[@sdophoto1405]

So interesting. We moved to Lutron Caseta and Aqara Leak Sensors. I had most lights installed and working with Home Kit and Alexa when the announcement came. So I like Lutron much better I find it more responsive. I like Insteon leak sensor better. So we decided to set up our insteon leak sensors and use the Aqara as well and also use our insteon dimmers in the guest room. Are we going to pay the fee..... on the fence. Probably but will I invest in new products- if they create new products probably not

[@handydadtv]

Isn’t Caseta cloud-based too?

[@sdophoto1405]

@@handydadtv I believe so but I figure they are such a major company that I should be safe.... fingers crossed

[@handydadtv]

Yeah they sell way more commercial products than residential.

[@genghisbunny]

Definitely best to be device agnostic, and have things that work offline. I shouldn't need internet to turn off the lights for bed or adjust my thermostat.

[@handydadtv]

I agree ☝🏻

[@stevencohen4356]

I happily bought the 2 year subscription. I have over 100 devices and 80 scenes so I was dreading switching to homeseer and reprogramming everything from scratch. I also want Insteon to succeed so I am also thinking of my $70 investment as a donation to get them back on their feet.

[@handydadtv]

With that kind of investment, I don’t blame you!

[@stevencohen4356]

@@handydadtv a few years back I had just moved into a large house and the lighting situation was a disaster. 3 ways everywhere and it would take me 15 min every night to turn everything off. Smarthome had a 50% off Black Friday sale and I pulled the trigger. After weeks of installing and programming I can’t do that ever again. I ended up removing 17 switches of unnecessary 3 ways and I now shut everything down with one switch and smile every night. 😊

[@handydadtv]

That’s a great story!

[@swimmer0049]

I think you’ve done the smart thing. What Insteon did was so crappy, I took out all their products and went with other ones. Who knows how many others were like me and moved on. If a lot, who knows if their subscription model will provide enough income to support the company. Last thing I want to do is pay for a year or two and have them still go bankrupt.

[@sdophoto1405]

Yes that is what I have thought about..... in two years time they shut down again

[@handydadtv]

They funded the business based on projections. Who knows if the subscriptions will meet their projections? They’ll also need to lay out a boatload of cash to start manufacturing again. Let alone the supply chain of raw materials. It’s all a huge risk.

[@crisclayton6485]

Hey Chris, I am in need of a device similar to the Insteon Smart Dimmer 8-Button Keypad 2334-222 to add to my system. Is there another company that will work with Insteon, Z-wave or other? I really need it to pair with DIN rail Insteon 2453-222. Thanks for your thoughts.

[@handydadtv]

Zooz makes a Z-wave switch/scene controller. I have one but haven’t evaluated it yet. Stay tuned.

[@TT-nd8sy]

4:47 LOL. Good on you. No doubt they would. Re: signing up: not for anything where I live. The idea of paying someone to send stuff to the cloud and back for no good reason is still absolutely nuts. There doesn't need to be middleman between the couch and a light switch. Seriously, do something useful with that money if you're lucky enough to have it. Hell, donate it someone that could use it. If your one of those people that really needs to turn your lights on and off from remote locations there is _sort of_ a reason to do this. Otherwise, no, no, no.

[@handydadtv]

Thanks

[@edwardsrf]

Thanks for the video. Much appreciated. A few questions. Does Homeseer program the Insteon 6/8 button pads? Also, how does it work with the Insteon fanlinc?

[@handydadtv]

It definitely programs the keypads because I have those and have tested them extensively. I don’t have the Fanlinc so can’t test it, but from what I read on the HomeSeer forums, yes it works with HomeSeer.

[@keithf7351]

Chris, I'm sticking with the Hometroller pi. All my insteon devices work with the following issues. My indoor security camera isn't receiving audio (video only). Also, I haven't figured out how to get push notifications and/or email when a door or window sensor is activated. I should probably ask about these issues on Reddit, HomeSeer or another forum but I just thought I'd see if anyone had answers here.

[@handydadtv]

I got email working using Gmail and an app-specific password. I got notifications working using the HSBuddy app and plug-in (both free). I don’t know if the HomeSeer Mobile app does notifications.

[@kwd57]

I have been using some X10 devices since the early 80's and most of the time they work pretty good, but I have been thinking about trying a few Insteon switches. After watching two of your videos, I am not sure now. I have watched some videos on Lutron and they seem to be a good option also. Do you have any opinion on the Lutron switches?

[@handydadtv]

I never tried Lutron, but I’ve done some research. People say they are very reliable but they’re expensive and hard to find the in the dark.

[@ftldny]

This is from an email a couple of days ago from the new Insteon's CEO, Ken Fairbanks: Replenishing inventory - We are working with the factories, and we expect to have our first order placed tomorrow. On-hand inventory - We now have access to the existing product inventory. We had hoped to uncover a secret stash of products to start tapping into, but unfortunately, we have a very narrow list of products. We are working on the logistics to be able to take orders.

[@handydadtv]

It would have been good if he said what was being ordered and when they’d expect to start shipping. They’re building a brand new company with a old product line that failed to sustain the previous company. It’s going to be an uphill battle, for sure.

[@ftldny]

@@handydadtv I think they're hoping that the annual subscription for cloud and app access to the hub will provide base revenue.

[@handydadtv]

Call me skeptical, but I seriously doubt it will cover their operations.

[@ftldny]

I'm waiting to see what happens. By the way, thanks for your series of videos covering the various alternatives. I've been using the Universal Devices ISY994i for years, so didn't even notice when Insteon went down, but it's useful to have other options.

[@stevencohen4356]

@@handydadtv what do you think it costs to keep the servers/app running yearly?

[@jimspy1001]

Hi there, just discovered this channel today. I have been using Insteon & legacy technology for 37 years. In fact, I'm so old I go back to BSR System X-9! But one thing is, I'm completely hub-ignorant. All I use is HomeSeer and a wall-outlet PLM, on a dedicated computer. Everyone else seems to have hubs, what is the attraction? My system works fine without one. Anyways, since the shutdown of Insteon, I've been looking at Z-wave. Will that require some kind of hub, or do they have the equivalent of a plug-in PLM? Is that what the HomeTroller is for?

[@handydadtv]

I started with X-10, maybe 30 years ago, to automate window candles in my first house. The HomeSeer HomeTroller hub is just a lightweight Windows computer that I leave on 24x7. But it’s not needed if you have another company constantly running. I use a combo Zigbee/Z-Wave USB stick with HomeSeer so I can use both kinds of devices, plus Insteon, in my house.

[@jimspy1001]

@@handydadtv Ah! So just a dongle. That I can live with. So I assume its RF only and not PL. I have window candles too, but mine work with matches!

[@handydadtv]

Zigbee and Z-Wave are RF only.

[@yousef725]

Hey there, great videos. I just stumbled on your channel. After two hubs went out on my Insteon hub due to bad design of the capacitors, I gave up on buying more hubs as those are plagued with the infamous capacitor issue. Is there anything I can do to revive my hub and use the alternative method with home seer. Is there anything you would advise? I have tons of Insteon devices just sitting idle,including an expensive auto shutoff valve that is tied to multiple leak sensors.

[@handydadtv]

You need a hub or PLM to use any home automation with Insteon, whether it’s HomeSeer, Home Assistant, whatever. If you know how to solder, you can repair the hub by upgrading the capacitors with better components. Should never fail again. kzbin.info/www/bejne/h3ivh2VtrrJlsJo

[@yousef725]

@@handydadtv thank you, very helpful and very prompt on the replies! Subscribed!

[@yousef725]

@@handydadtv thanks for the tip. I replaced the capacitor and have power (red light on) but now unable to connect to the hub or my account. I had replaced my router since the hub stopped working so now trying to start from the beginning. What is the next step? Factory reset? But if I can’t access my account, how will I detect the hub again and set it up? Is there any tutorial you can point me to Kris? Thx in advance!

[@handydadtv]

If you didn’t buy an Insteon subscription, you will only see a red light and you won’t be able to login. I use HomeSeer to control my Insteon devices without the Insteon subscription. See kzbin.info/www/bejne/lYXVmYSnr8l1Ztk

[@jfraz6246]

Haha enjoy the internet block on the device. “Push me an update will yah!! Nah says I!!”

[@johnhelmich8311]

The only gotcha will be if newly-produced devices are somehow modified to require an updated hub. Hopefully not but it is theoretically possible.

[@handydadtv]

Yeah anything is possible. But that would be a deal breaker for me.

[@leanuchi674]

I lost my password on my old account in roblox but lucky me I have a another account better then the old one!

[@handydadtv]

Good for you