BraveSirRobbin
Moderator
I will see if Dan would be willing to create a sub-forum as that's the best idea I've seen.
Another android touchscreen for your switchbox (kickstarter)
- Thread starter az1324
- Start date
tmbrown97
Senior Member
More on topic of the actual original post - I'm in a split camp between the bRightswitch and something POE. POE is great to put someplace separate and potentially up higher; where 120V is great for several specific applications in my current home (basically every bedroom) where I could replace the useless outlet switch with a bRight switch.
That said, I like the intended open architecture and intent of this switch, but like the look, features, and pricepoint of the bRightswitch. I couldn't care less about the bRightswitch's Z-Wave and bluetooth capabilities - I just want the touchscreen and OS so I can do HSTouch or something similar on it.
This hio looks like something we'll be able to find in pieces on Adafruit one of these days and so far doesn't seem like it'll have nearly the fit & finish that the bRightswitch shows in their prototypes.
That said, I like the intended open architecture and intent of this switch, but like the look, features, and pricepoint of the bRightswitch. I couldn't care less about the bRightswitch's Z-Wave and bluetooth capabilities - I just want the touchscreen and OS so I can do HSTouch or something similar on it.
This hio looks like something we'll be able to find in pieces on Adafruit one of these days and so far doesn't seem like it'll have nearly the fit & finish that the bRightswitch shows in their prototypes.
wkearney99
Senior Member
I can see both sides of the power source argument.
On one side there's the notion of putting one of these into an existing wall box, that already has AC power present. That's a pretty large segment of the market.
On the other there's the low voltage boxes, arguably a MUCH smaller number of existing locations. I'd venture most of those are 2-gang anyway (Russound, Crestron, etc). Most of those are being served with CAT5 and use a variety of voltages (few at PoE levels).
Now consider the new install possibilities. Just what're the percentages on either side? Which one represents the most profitable avenue to pursue?
Me, I'd be fine with a 2-gang unit fed via CAT5, as that's what I've had installed in several houses. None of those 2-gang boxes were ever far enough away from an AC power source to preclude pulling wire to it. Most of the time the 2-gang boxes were right above or below existing AC powered wall switches.
On one side there's the notion of putting one of these into an existing wall box, that already has AC power present. That's a pretty large segment of the market.
On the other there's the low voltage boxes, arguably a MUCH smaller number of existing locations. I'd venture most of those are 2-gang anyway (Russound, Crestron, etc). Most of those are being served with CAT5 and use a variety of voltages (few at PoE levels).
Now consider the new install possibilities. Just what're the percentages on either side? Which one represents the most profitable avenue to pursue?
Me, I'd be fine with a 2-gang unit fed via CAT5, as that's what I've had installed in several houses. None of those 2-gang boxes were ever far enough away from an AC power source to preclude pulling wire to it. Most of the time the 2-gang boxes were right above or below existing AC powered wall switches.
BraveSirRobbin said:
So far, i'm 1 for 2 in my crowd source projects. I funded the Piper and that one delivered and is now purchased by iControl so i'm assuming they'll have continued development. Product is as advertised so not too bad for my first try
And then another one is said to have delivery date of April, still a bit skeptical but they theoretically have a working prototype at the time and the concept isn't difficult, simply an Android based HA zwave/zigbee controller, kinda like SmartThings and the like, seems like a simple enough concept so I went for it.
Just curious though, what are the issues with Ube and Almond +?
I did finally hear back from Hio today, but they didn't really address anything in my questions particularly regarding price. Really bummed. I've got Cat5e run all over the place with nothing to use it with. 
I can't speak to the Ube but I did back the Almond+. They kept running into delays, some of their own doing to change the hardware and make it better, some not. They've shipped the dev and beta units I think at this point.
My beef with them was that they promised a local cloud where we would have access to all the data locally (which is the main reason I backed it). This was discussed here in a chat session. Unfortunately it didn't seem that or an API was going to be given any priority and wouldn't be available any time soon. Apparently there has been some movement on that front recently however. I just didn't see how a product that was demoed over a year ago still needed a lot of the code written to do the home automation functionality when that was what they were touting it as. They had already made a router before the Almond+.
Anyway, we'll found out soon how good it really is.
I can't speak to the Ube but I did back the Almond+. They kept running into delays, some of their own doing to change the hardware and make it better, some not. They've shipped the dev and beta units I think at this point.
My beef with them was that they promised a local cloud where we would have access to all the data locally (which is the main reason I backed it). This was discussed here in a chat session. Unfortunately it didn't seem that or an API was going to be given any priority and wouldn't be available any time soon. Apparently there has been some movement on that front recently however. I just didn't see how a product that was demoed over a year ago still needed a lot of the code written to do the home automation functionality when that was what they were touting it as. They had already made a router before the Almond+.
Anyway, we'll found out soon how good it really is.
mdesmarais
Active Member
Would a small module that was cat 5 POE on one side, and USB charger on the other be a useful product?
wkearney99
Senior Member
Given that things like in-wall transformers exist (our Nutone doorbell uses this one) it seems like separating power from the device is certainly something to consider.
You mean like this http://www.amazon.com/WS-POE-USB-Kit-Tablet-Remote-charger-Ethernet/dp/B00AH5XCLC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1397679372&sr=8-1&keywords=WS-POE-USB-Kitmdesmarais said:
or this one which is way too expensive https://www.vidabox.com/power-over-cat5-poe-like-chargers/vcharger-power-over-cat5-poe-like-usb-charger.html
mdesmarais
Active Member
Yeah, after I posted that I went and looked around... the first one is not really POE, more what I would call an injector. The 2nd is a real POE device- more like what I was thinking about. I have to think that there are cheaper knockoffs of that type around. I do it for my day job, so I have the circuits at my fingertips- I like the Silicon Labs 3402- but I doubt I could do it cheaper than what must be out there....Automate said:
pete_c
Guru
Relating to the Almond +.....
Yup; here been playing with the Almond + and some Zigbee devices for a couple of weeks now. I have also paired a few Z-Wave devices to it. I am doing baby steps getting familiar with it more than anything else right now.
There is some tweaking going on and an updated firmware release is do any time now. The local cloud stuff is coming.
I did create another hardware network / interface with direct internet connection on the PFSense firewall making it a bit easier to test.
To date the cloud application is looking good and recently they have added a sample Android application which talks to the cloud application (well it looks very similiar).
Some of this (tweaking) relates to using OpenWRT and integration of OpenWRT to the GUI and the use of the 802.11 AC stuff and (and) stuff relating to being able to talk to all of the Z-Wave devices (well so far I have not had issues with my bin o Z-wave box o stuff).
Yup; here been playing with the Almond + and some Zigbee devices for a couple of weeks now. I have also paired a few Z-Wave devices to it. I am doing baby steps getting familiar with it more than anything else right now.
There is some tweaking going on and an updated firmware release is do any time now. The local cloud stuff is coming.
I did create another hardware network / interface with direct internet connection on the PFSense firewall making it a bit easier to test.
To date the cloud application is looking good and recently they have added a sample Android application which talks to the cloud application (well it looks very similiar).
Some of this (tweaking) relates to using OpenWRT and integration of OpenWRT to the GUI and the use of the 802.11 AC stuff and (and) stuff relating to being able to talk to all of the Z-Wave devices (well so far I have not had issues with my bin o Z-wave box o stuff).
pete_c said:
I think a lot of us were excited about the local cloud stuff (including myself, which is the primary reason I backed it). Unfortunately there doesn't look to be a public API to hook into it any time soon so if you want to integrate it into an existing simple there isn't going to be an easy way.
I am disappointed I ended up backing it. By the time they get that functionality in there it probably won't even be cutting edge any more.