Coming from the Commercial Automation world

[ammaddon]

I just joined this forum and another on AVS. Please excuse the redundant post if you belong to both communities. 
 
First, I want to say hello to all, I am excited to be part of this awesome community. 

I'll give some background then look to hear the input from the forum. 

I have been in the commercial automation world for 20 years now, from field installation to engineering. Our focus is on total building management through proprietary hardware and software. The hardware is controlled though field panels or field controllers that work very much in the standard "if,then,else programming architecture", with AI,AO,DI,DO to our panels. I can write programming to control and react based on any event. The field panels work autonomously while the front end server is the gateway to the total architecture, GUI, trending and panel configuration all from this location. The system is agnostic from the hardware it controls as we have slope and intercept programming capability. Now with BacNet, being agnostic of end hardware is even easier. 

So my dilemma, I am researching the correct platform to use with what my expectations are.

-Server and remote connection to local network level, I do not want the security and automation open to a 3rd party. 
-Open field panels that can work with customer programming or open canned logic. 
-Field panels that have the capability to talk with proprietary devices such as Zwave or Lutron.
-Field panels that have local I/O for control or monitoring. 
-Total Home Management System, Audio, Video, Energy Management, Security.
-Switch over or as we call it for cogeneration, "island mode" in the event the system glitches, go back to mechanical control. 
-Future proof. And by that I know everything evolves and new stuff comes out. I mean more on the side of not based on one type of hardware, such as a IPAD for interface, or a Kinect for HI. The system then relies on someone else keeping that widget, if it goes away or the format changes (Apple device connector) your system is obsolete or you have to stock up on back up devices from EBAY. 

In the end, widgets are widgets, some have better reliability, but they aren't the power behind the system, the programming and field panels are the workhorses. 

So, I ask the community for your input on the above expectations are and what you have found to be a good fit for advanced DIY.

 

[Del91574]

Metasys. then bridge the bacnet and then flesh out the front end however you see fit based on the 3rd party. Far more robust and reliable than consumer level. Hell, you'd even be able to talk to the Mercury hardware which would take out the security portion, then same with the FACP via Notifier/NFN/Bacnet. The only item would be the front end to consumer level hardware, which generally offers some sort of serial interface which should be easily driven off the server based architecture.
 
Of course you didn't state what the budget is

 

[ammaddon]

Metasys. then bridge the bacnet and then flesh out the front end however you see fit based on the 3rd party. Far more robust and reliable than consumer level. Hell, you'd even be able to talk to the Mercury hardware which would take out the security portion, then same with the FACP via Notifier/NFN/Bacnet. The only item would be the front end to consumer level hardware, which generally offers some sort of serial interface which should be easily driven off the server based architecture.
 
Of course you didn't state what the budget is

Well, that would be me using a competitors platform for home automation...  
I can always get my companies hardware that has been retired; but that doesn't help in the long run. I need something that is readily available and scale-able, this is my home and I plan on being here awhile. 
 
After spending a little over 4 hours now researching the hardware and software platforms out there, it seems that there is a large gap in consistency, communication protocols, and local automation server solutions. 

 

[Neurorad]

I think CQC would be a good fit for you. Free 30 day trial. Do research on their forum, before downloading, as 30 days isn't a long time. A software solution, it's hardware agnostic and infinitely configurable.

 

[Del91574]

Which manufacturer platform?
 
While it's not for most, pound for pound, anything that speaks bacnet is going to smoke what is available on the home platform. Combined with a server and then putting whatever you need out there from there, hard to beat the robustness and scalability.
 
Inputs and outputs are all you're really looking for, how you control them is the key feature.

 

[Dean Roddey]

Actually, it's been 45 days for a good while now. If you want to use some commercial I/O hardware, a driver is all that's required to integrate it.