Best Home Automation Software/Controller

[pete_c]

Personally here I use UPB switches from HAI, SA and Pulseworkx. The newer ones are HAI and SA.  The dual power/load ones / multitoggle ones are SA.  I am playing with the three 1000 watt switches offered by HAI, SA and Pulsworkx today though. (1 or more of each in the house today).
 
Many folks on the forum here have stuck to one brand of UPB switches.
 
In the midwest I am more of a metal conduit / metal box for electrical stuff person.  I do not mind bending new conduit pipe and have actually installed additional circuits and pipe from the fuse panel to wherever in the house in the midwest.
 
I did OK dealing with the plastic boxes in the FL house build and have automated there having run three wire/ground wires to every box; but I don't really like it.  That is me though. 
 
Here the midwest the original building codes were not really specific and I actually paid extra to have my electrical done up with metal conduit.  I have though added circuits using same run/new run conduit here in the midwest.    (Note these are my personal opinions)

 

[lanski]

Thanks Guys,
For all yor Help and Informations so far. ray:
Now i am smarter than before ^_^
 
But i cannot decided on that important stuff ?
Here are the List, maybe you can write, what you want to do in my situation:
 
Controller:
HomeSeer or CQC
 
Protocol/ Switches / Dimmers
Evolve Z-Wave or Insteon
 
Security
DSC or Elk M1
 
Irrigation
EZFlora or Rain8net
 
Water Valve
FortrezZ or FloodStop
 
Thermostats
No Idea
 


 

 

[IVB]

I used Aprilaire 8870's for my HVAC. They are VERY touchy for wiring, I probably have to physically pop out the thermo and pop it back in 1x/month to maintain connection. Only takes 15 seconds as its a snap-off, but I always seem to notice HVAC isn't connected when i'm under the covers and looking to turn down heat. I know its an Aprilaire issue as I have this problem on two different thermos, one I ran with solid wire as I got pissed and I still have that problem. And even a baby little 3.0 earthquake results in me having to pop off the cover, examining the connections, potentially removing/re-inserting the cable.
 
Other than that one super annoying bit they're fine. But if I had to do it over again, i'd ask others what type of thermos they have, and whether they have any wiring sensitivity.

 

[pete_c]

Here many years ago started playing with the Honeywell digital thermostat stuff in the 80's and 90's. 
 
Fast forward to the 2000's I installed first an HAI Omnistat RC80 and it did well for me.  Just in the last couple of years went to the HAI Omnistat2 and its done relatively well.  I am still though wired and wanting to now test the Zigbee / wired model of the Omnistat2.  .
 
The HAI Omnistat though was made for remote control and either local or remote management.  Many of the HVAC companies are just now catching up as it was something that they never paid attention to for residential use. 
 
This above is my opinion.
 
Here part of the WAF HA factor was related to the simple thermostat and remote control of it.  (going back to the late 1990's)
 
Basically the justification of a $50 light switch was easy because it worked just fine. 
 
The justification of an automated / remote control style thermostat is a bit more difficult because if it doesn't work it will really ding your HA WAF efforts.  Its even more of an issue if you want to remote control a home that you are not always at. 
 
Personally I would recommend Elk over DSC; but this is my opinion only relating to playing with this "stuff" over the years. 

 

[etc6849]

Premise has a built in web server and you can access it via Android's browser.  A new beta version for android will be posted in the very near future.
 

How works premises together with android?

 

[lanski]

I can get a hai promos15 kit for $500 is that a good deal?

 

[picta]

what is in the kit?

 

[lanski]

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/dak/ele/3572609919.html

 

[picta]

Good deal assuming it works

 

[lilyoyo]

I'm new to this forum and was just checking things out when I came across this topic. Me personally, I use the Isy for my Insteon setup. I find UD has extremely great support, highly active forums, and timely firmware updates. If your going to be using insteon I'd say go with the isy. With the network module you can integrate GC devices to be able to add home theater control. It can also integrate well with the elk alarm system.

 

[bbrendon]

Thanks Guys,
For all yor Help and Informations so far. ray:
Now i am smarter than before ^_^
 
But i cannot decided on that important stuff ?
Here are the List, maybe you can write, what you want to do in my situation:
 
Controller:
HomeSeer or CQC
 
Protocol/ Switches / Dimmers
Evolve Z-Wave or Insteon
 
Security
DSC or Elk M1
 
Irrigation
EZFlora or Rain8net
 
Water Valve
FortrezZ or FloodStop
 
Thermostats
No Idea
 


 

Regarding your panel. If you want a more of a hardware based HA system go with HAI, if you want more of a software based system, go DSC. I went with DSC+CQC because I wanted a software system and I would use the CQC to do everything HAI could do and more. Also, HAI is a lot more money, and I wasn't interested in anything it did except for the sensors. Also, I used a Webcontrol box for irrigation and a thermostat. Lighting, I don't know much about but I have UPB.
 
I would say if you stick to one brand, things will be easier. Multiple brands will probably get you a "best of breed" type system, but also more work/customization.
 
GLHF

 

[lanski]

OK guys, here is an update on my thread.
I bought yesterday HS2PRO for the half price, with a free update to HS3PRO.

 

[brathnach]

OK guys, here is an update on my thread.
I bought yesterday HS2PRO for the half price, with a free update to HS3PRO.

 
Please post back with how you get on lanski....i for one would like to know how HS lives up to your expectations.

 

[sic0048]

Thanks Guys,
For all yor Help and Informations so far. ray:
Now i am smarter than before ^_^
 
But i cannot decided on that important stuff ?
Here are the List, maybe you can write, what you want to do in my situation:
 
Thermostats
No Idea
 


 

 
I would highly recommend the RCS Thermostats.  (http://www.rcstechnology.com/oldsite/products/stats/)  Their website sucks, but their hardware is great.  They can be retrofitted using the regular 4 wire thermostat wires that are commonly used today.  When looking at the various versions (wired or wireless), this relates to the automation/control aspect of the unit.  Even the wireless models need a hard wire between the controller and the wall mounted "thermostat".  It is the control aspect of the units that are wireless in those models.  So if you cannot run a serial cable from the control unit (which is normally located at the HVAC unit and is not the same thing as the thermostat on the wall) to your automation controller, then you may want to consider one of the wireless options.  If you can run a wire, then get the RS-485 version. 

 

[Dean Roddey]

BTW, someone is just now testing out a CQC driver for the RCS Zigbeen based thermos, based on the XBee transmitter. So that'll be up for evaluation on the forum here soon. We already had a serial one, so I used the same field names to make it easy to transition to these or add one in addition to existing serial ones.