Anyone jumped ship from HAI yet?

[ano]

So what is the benefit of the OP2 if you have to use homeseer with it?
 
The OP2 works fine without Homeseer.  Homeseer software is an addendum to the OmniPro2. 
 
doesn't support Sonos, doesn't support Alexa, doesn't support the harmony remote, and the camera integration is also poor IMO.

I used to use OP2 with Homeseer and used to use it with CQC, now I use it with neither, and I've never enjoyed it more.  There is a big difference now. It ALWAYS works. That is much more important to me than the small additional amount these add-on programs provided.  And the days of coming home to a dark house only to find Homeseer froze are a thing of the past. 
 
Its easy to have Alexa control things if you have a spare PC running in your house. Leviton makes whole home audio systems if you need that.  I control locks, blinds, thermostats, zone controllers, lights, Zigbee devices. Everything I need.
 
If you find a better system, by all means switch to it.  But the reason the OP2 has been around so long is because Leviton makes money off the ecosystem as well as the panel.  Look at all the "hub" manufacturers that have gone under.  If they support "everything" but only make money from the original hardware, they won't be around long after they have sold the initial hardware, if there is no money to be made after that. Its basic business. 

 

[pete_c]

Just a note here relating to the OmniPro 2 plugin for Homeseer 2.
 
The very last version HAI HS2 plugin worked great.  I initially disabled the OmniStat functions as it would randomly peg my Omnistat to 90 ° F which was low on the WAF.
 
It was the newer dot net version 2.1.2746.29695
 
Historically compared the speed of texting alarm status of HS2 plugin and central office monitoring.  They were the same speed.
 
Mostly used it with the MS SAPI speech status and welcome home message. 
 
That and I used wav files of attack dogs running down the hallway using the zoned Russound audio or you can configure a self destruct mechanism if you wanted to.
 
Yes and the OmniPro 2 functions just fine by itself 100% with no software adds using the automation lines. 

 

[ano]

I initially disabled the OmniStat functions as it would randomly peg my Omnistat to 90 ° F which was low on the WAF.

That is reassuring.

 

[pete_c]

Last version of the OmniPro plugin for Homeseer 2 worked fine with the OmniStat thermostat. 
 
Using the Homeseer 2 plugin right now as a benchmark for the Homeseer 3 plugin.  (one is serial and one is ethernet).

 

[gf5300]

I built my current home 9 years ago and adopted the OPII and UPB technologies. I will say that it the system has been very reliable but the lack of innovation has finally gotten to me. Analog cameras work well too but I would buy IP cameras today instead for the same reason.
A few months ago, I started using Homeseer with the HAI plugin (which works very well). I was able to expand the functionality of the system significantly. However, since all the innovation seems to be centered on Zwave, my new home (under construction now) will be a Zwave home (lights, blinds, multisensors, flood sensors, etc.). I will have Homeseer control all of it. Yes, the OPII does Zwave but is limited.
With that said, I really can’t justify the use of the OPII. Just like john999 said, the OPII would make for a very expensive alarm panel.
Another plus with going with a Zwave environment is that (unlike UPB and the OPII) it would be easy to switch from one hub to another as the marketplace changes. For now Homeseer gives me about 90% of what I want.
I was always a big fan of HAI but it is time to move on.

 

[picta]

However, since all the innovation seems to be centered on Zwave, my new home (under construction now) will be a Zwave home (lights, blinds, multisensors, flood sensors, etc.). I will have Homeseer control all of it. Yes, the OPII does Zwave but is limited.
With that said, I really can’t justify the use of the OPII. Just like john999 said, the OPII would make for a very expensive alarm panel.

Are you saying you have zwave system currently installed in your home and you had it for some time and it is clearly superior to your old setup? Or you are just thinking that it will be better, or at least on par? Over the years I have seen posts from people who are very confident in the new new thing without ever trying it out, and quite a few would admit (much) later, they wished they have not gone that way. I personally just ripped out the last few z-wave devices out of my HA setup, I had many before. But I may be wrong, please do tell us how things turn out for you in your new all z-wave house. Good luck.

 

[pete_c]

Here have been playing a bit with HS3 touch on my tabletops.  Pushing HS3 a bit have been testing 16-20 tabletops around the house.   Still doing 1-Wire temperature sensors everywhere here and today just doing it on an RPi2 and sending the temps over to HS3.
 
There are three in the master bedroom plus the Omnitouch on the wall.   Running HSTouch in embedded Wintel.
 
Here is an Omnistat page.  Note here I never really play much with the thermostat.
 
 

 
Tabletops run Ubuntu, WIntel, Android or Mac.
 

 

[gf5300]

picta,
Yes I have tried Zwave at home.  Although I do not have any light switches, I do have 3 locks and sensors and light modules.
In my wife business office, I installed Zwave for all lights, locks and sensors (a total of 35 devices or so).
 
In both cases, I have found the devices to be very reliable and a good replacement for UPB.

 

[BobS0327]

I've been using the HAI product line since 1998. At that time, it was the premier HA/security system on the market. Unfortunately, IMHO, HAI has never really kept up with evolving dynamics of the HA (niche) market over the last 19 years.
 
I'm now phasing out a lot of the “old” HAI technology in favor of more up to date technology. For example, I just phased out my UPB lawn irrigation system in favor of an open sprinkler pi solution. I needed a lot of customized lawn irrigation programs. The UPB irrigation system coupled with the severely limiting HAI scripting language just could not meet my diverse lawn irrigation requirements. The new irrigation hardware provides a RESTful interface making it super easy to create a variety of custom programs.
 
I initially tried to develop a cloud based system for my OP II panel to capture HVAC data in order to optimize my HVAC system but soon discovered that “smart” thermostats already provide all the info I need. So, there was no need to “reinvent the wheel” thru a very kludgey solution when current technology provides all required data. Thus, I replaced two HAI thermostats with Ecobee thermostats. Also, my local utility company provided a $50 rebate per smart thermostat installed.
 
UPB has proven to be reliable for me but it doesn't appear to have much support other than HAI and Elk in the HA world. If my OP2 were to fail today, I wouldn't have much of a choice for replacement panels other than HAI or Elk. So, I am currently evaluating GE (Jasco) zwave devices as a replacement for the UPB devices. To reiterate, although UPB is reliable, it just severely limits replacement options for the OP II.
 
My OP II panel is slowly but surely becoming only a security panel but as others have indicated a very expensive security panel.
 
 

 

[pete_c]

Yup; here concurrent to the introduction of addition automation protocols I just incorporated them in to my home stuff always doing stuff a la carte and never putting all my eggs in one basket.  Automation is evolving.
 
Many of us here have been around automation from the get go.  Many leave it alone and it just works.  Many folks tinker.  Here my home is a sandbox and while I tinker I keep everything functioning.  Many times I have played with stuff only to get it working fine then deciding I do not like it and move on to the next endeavor.
 
I am using all of the serial ports on my OmniPro panel.  I personally prefer my OmniPro wired sensors over any wireless with battery sensors.  I use UPB only for light switches here and it works fine.  (have X10, ZWave and Zigbee connected to the OP2).   With HomeSeer added 1 USB wire to 1 Digi 7 port USB hub connected to a few USB controllers and 8 + 8 serial controllers which did all talk to different things and all managed by Homeseer with it integrated to the OP2 board; well and today HS MS SAPI talks in tongues (domestic english flavors plus non english international flavors  - to bug wife mostly).  IE: The Amazon Alexa is known in the house here as only one voice / speech font; what fun is that?
 
It really too is what folks see as automation today more related to eye candy (no meat) than function or if the phone app is available is sometimes all that matters. 
 
I accept that it is easy peasy to be able to utilize the cloud for automation while concurrently my preferences relate to efforts to keep that automation at home with little or no dependencies on external resources.  That is me. 
 
A side comment here....just because....
 
Unrelated got involved in a back end banking project (automation) which started in the 1990's It and still today being tweaked (wife is a banker - many over dinner discussions about what was agreed upon with the Matrix).  The bank at the time did decide to name this back end "The Matrix".  It is a bit of an AI mix into a decision tree process which removed the human aspect of banking to automating hard set rules which from the outside (client or user) made it easier and faster while concurrently on the inside the motive was pure profit and it has been and it take out (literally) that human touch.   She also got involved a bit having to travel internationally relating to international call centers which did sort of provide a voice as long as the trainees only did what the Matrix told them to do; easier said than done.
 
From the get go relating to irrigation wanted to get out of the primitive timer stuff (Rainbird) so went to using Windows software (well a Homeseer plugin) in the early 2000's.  It worked and was very flexible and had all of the bells and whistles.  The software got better and I was able to miniaturize the footprint to a 2" X 2" embedded computer which sat in the old Rainbird box.   The thought of using UPB / X10 / Z-Wave / Zigbee for irrigation was not ever considered; IE: from the get go it was some AD mechanism or board with software / firmware control.  If I were to do this with the OP2 it would be in the same fashion using the wired analog in and out of the board; never X10, UPB, Z-Wave or Zigbee.  I wanted more than timer and a timer is a timer is a timer...

 

[AlexaMakeMeASandwich]

I'm actively looking for a replacement. I've had my OPII for 11 years now, and it's increasingly frustrating for me being unable to integrate with everything I use. As others here have already noted, my OPII is now just a slow, overpriced security system.

 

[picta]

I'm actively looking for a replacement. I've had my OPII for 11 years now, and it's increasingly frustrating for me being unable to integrate with everything I use. As others here have already noted, my OPII is now just a slow, overpriced security system.

It sounds from your post that you like cloud-based automation, in that case OP2 is definitely not the right controller. I can integrate my OP2 with anything I wish, with the help of a software controller. I personally use Homeseer 2, but there are others, like Homeseer3, CQS or Haikuhelper. I don't want the cloud to control my house and monitor my life, so for me the OP2 works very well. I am yet to come across something I wished I could add to my HA system, but could not. Most recently added Roomba 980, it only runs when no one is in the room and returns to the base if someone enters, HAI issues commands to Homeseer to run the robot.

 

[john999]

Preach. I'm interested to hear how your search goes.

PS I will likely have an OPII and a bunch of UPB switches for sale soon if anyone is interested...

 

[john999]

Picta, it sounds like you really have a HomeSeer system, not a HAI system. That said, using HAI as your primary controller requires so many extra add-ons to make it work with the newer modern equipment. All of these add-ons add extra points of failure. Hate on the cloud all you want but with the proper encryption and passwords, it's likely to be far more reliable than 99% of the setups most people have in their homes.

 

[picta]

HAI is my primary controller. If Homeseer goes down (which it does), or the internet is down (which also happens), my basic HA functions continue to operate. All lighting, security, HVAC, water shut-off valves, window shades,intercom,cameras,driveway sensors and gate, and even A/V systems will be functioning normally. All I'll be loosing is the stuff that is "nice to have". HAI is by no means perfect, but it  is a hardware controller, and if you want your HA to be 100% reliable in core functionality you will need a hardware controller.