ROland... Yes, the IBM kit is similar to the activehome starter kit. I think there may be a keychain remote or something like that in the activehome kit that is not in the IBM kit. I actually downloaded activehome software from x-10.com and am using it instead of IBMs. Works fine with the IBM components. If you call the help # from the IBM kit, you get someone working for activehome.

Customer service... what I expect to give up in exchange for a low internet price is handholding and product education (training to use their product). I do not expect to give up customer service and have found that with patience and persistance I don't have to. Any retailer that hides behind a web page and doesn't respond to customer order inquiries, complaints, and refund requests will not be profitable for very long. The web sites I've ordered something from that have not been responsive have lost my business from that point on. The nice thing about capitalism is competition. With a dozen or more other web sites selling the same thing, your price has to be competitive AND you have to provide basic service to your customers. Some sites just require a more diligent customer to get them to give that service.

Dave