Best Home Automation Software/Controller
- Thread starter lanski
- Start date
Ranger Digital
Active Member
For lighting look at UPB. SUPER simple and stable.
And how are prices for that?
Yes I know. But in homeseer and cqc I need always a PC running.
Deane Johnson
Active Member
John is buried in work creating medical software for all the changes coming in the healthcare field.
Elve Beta 2.0 has recently gone public. Typically for Elve, it's very stable.
drvnbysound
Senior Member
Let me know when you find an automation solution that doesn't need to be running all the time...lanski said:
drvnbysound
Senior Member
The Elk doesn't have to be running all the time? How does that work for security?
Yes, it's not PC based, so you don't need a PC running 24/7, but IT still has to be running all the time... which was my question.
Having said that, depending on what all you want to automate (I think it was a pretty long list of items, but I didn't reference the OP)... I don't know if the Elk will do EVERYTHING that you want on it's own. You may, very likely, end up using both... an automation panel (such as the Elk or HAI) and a software controller (PC based, running CQC, Homeseer, Premise, or whatever other software).
Yes, it's not PC based, so you don't need a PC running 24/7, but IT still has to be running all the time... which was my question.
Having said that, depending on what all you want to automate (I think it was a pretty long list of items, but I didn't reference the OP)... I don't know if the Elk will do EVERYTHING that you want on it's own. You may, very likely, end up using both... an automation panel (such as the Elk or HAI) and a software controller (PC based, running CQC, Homeseer, Premise, or whatever other software).
Ranger Digital
Active Member
Cheaper than any lighting control I have seen. Google is your friend.lanski said:
It depends on your environment. What kind of walls do you have? plastic or metal j-boxes? Do you want to automate thermostats, door locks, etc, or just lighting?<br /><br />I personally use UPB and Z-Wave. High quality Z-Wave switches are just as expensive (if not more) as the UPB switches, but Z-Wave is a little quicker when it comes to remote control, and you don't have to worry about powerline noise.
I want to add a door lock so I am leaning towards zwave. I know with zwave you need a good number of hardwired devices to act as repeaters to create a good mesh network.
AFAIK upb requires you to have a nu or 3rd wire at each switch usaly only found in newer homes. I don't have this but I'm wondering if I can use armored sheathing of old bx cable
If anyone has an answer to the bx cable as a nu or how to cheaply integrate a wireless door lock without a 100+ dollar zwave controller it be much appreciated
AFAIK upb requires you to have a nu or 3rd wire at each switch usaly only found in newer homes. I don't have this but I'm wondering if I can use armored sheathing of old bx cable
If anyone has an answer to the bx cable as a nu or how to cheaply integrate a wireless door lock without a 100+ dollar zwave controller it be much appreciated
pete_c
Guru
You are asking a "loaded question" here lanski.
Here many years ago I went the Insteon route having started with X10 in the late 1970's.
The above noted I also utilized both X-10 and Insteon control of my Insteon switches.
Sometime in the 2000's started to play with UPB and Z-Wave.
Up until this past summer I had about 1/4 of my home at UPB. I was on my way to switching all my wall switches to UPB and procastinated somewhat.
This past summer actually moved the majority (almost all of them) to UPB and changed a bit utilizing many multipaddle UPB switches and dual load switches. One of the PITA rooms here was the kitchen with mutlple sets of three way switches and something like 5 different groups of lighting. The concern mostly here was how it would work with WAF. It did work just fine; in fact I think my wife knows what the paddles control more than me these days.
So here I wrote about mostly UPB. That said I am still playing with Z-Wave and have maybe 20 devices now split into devices connected to the HAI OPII panel and Homeseer. I do not pay attention to logging but rather function. The devices are all working; even the ones at the periferals of my property. Concurrently this past summer added more X10 stuff (regressing from the Insteon stuff a bit) and while I still have an XTB in place added the newest XTBIIR. I also was using xAP for my Zoneminder DVR box and added X-10 control to it this past summer.
Here many years ago I went the Insteon route having started with X10 in the late 1970's.
The above noted I also utilized both X-10 and Insteon control of my Insteon switches.
Sometime in the 2000's started to play with UPB and Z-Wave.
Up until this past summer I had about 1/4 of my home at UPB. I was on my way to switching all my wall switches to UPB and procastinated somewhat.
This past summer actually moved the majority (almost all of them) to UPB and changed a bit utilizing many multipaddle UPB switches and dual load switches. One of the PITA rooms here was the kitchen with mutlple sets of three way switches and something like 5 different groups of lighting. The concern mostly here was how it would work with WAF. It did work just fine; in fact I think my wife knows what the paddles control more than me these days.
So here I wrote about mostly UPB. That said I am still playing with Z-Wave and have maybe 20 devices now split into devices connected to the HAI OPII panel and Homeseer. I do not pay attention to logging but rather function. The devices are all working; even the ones at the periferals of my property. Concurrently this past summer added more X10 stuff (regressing from the Insteon stuff a bit) and while I still have an XTB in place added the newest XTBIIR. I also was using xAP for my Zoneminder DVR box and added X-10 control to it this past summer.
pete_c
Guru
How is your home automation budget divided up there Lanski?
Basically here I have done a little bit at a time in over 10 years of this and that.
I FL I did even slower not starting any lighting automation until 5 years after contruction; and I am still not close and much older these days.
My HA is kind of divided into partly a hobby (money isn't seen much) and a need with a justification (where as money is watched) and a WAF factor (wife always questioned the $50 switch or being afraid to break the house touching a touchscreen).
Basically here I have done a little bit at a time in over 10 years of this and that.
I FL I did even slower not starting any lighting automation until 5 years after contruction; and I am still not close and much older these days.
My HA is kind of divided into partly a hobby (money isn't seen much) and a need with a justification (where as money is watched) and a WAF factor (wife always questioned the $50 switch or being afraid to break the house touching a touchscreen).
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