Could A Hub Like Polisys or Hubitat Completely Replace Homeseer?

[simplextech]

Yes thanks I am aware of HS4(already purchased my upgrade license). My point with this thread was that I don't think it is possible to replace Homeseer with any current or upcoming hub based product but because the threat gets thrown around a lot I wanted to see if somebody could show me how it could really happen. While folks here convinced me that products like Hubitat and Polisys are useful to enhance Homeseer, all the hub offerings have gaps in their feature set that prevents them from being a complete Homeseer replacement (at least for me).

 
I would like to clarify something in regards to Polisy.  It is not a "hub".  It is in fact a full mini-PC running an AMD CPU and running a modified version of FreeBSD.  This current incarnation of Polisy is a drop in easy-to-run system for the Polyglot nodeserver environment.  This is the "plugin" system for the ISY for extending features/functionality in the same way HomeSeer has plugins.
 
The Polisy also has USB ports for connecting to external devices and of course a ethernet, wifi, bluetooth.  Today the Polisy is in early stages and the future direction is to embed the ISY functionality into the Polisy which in essence would be like a HomeTroller.

 

[upstatemike]

I would like to clarify something in regards to Polisy.  It is not a "hub".  It is in fact a full mini-PC running an AMD CPU and running a modified version of FreeBSD.  This current incarnation of Polisy is a drop in easy-to-run system for the Polyglot nodeserver environment.  This is the "plugin" system for the ISY for extending features/functionality in the same way HomeSeer has plugins.
 
The Polisy also has USB ports for connecting to external devices and of course a ethernet, wifi, bluetooth.  Today the Polisy is in early stages and the future direction is to embed the ISY functionality into the Polisy which in essence would be like a HomeTroller.

I have a Polisys on order and look forward to seeing what it can do when it is released. Current comments from testers suggest there is a bit more work required to get everything to the "drop in easy-to-run" stage and I hope it won't get delayed again.
 
Biggest gaps I see so far are no audio output jack for TTS and no mechanism to handle analog CallerID. Maybe not much demand for these anymore but they would be an issue for me if I was to try migrating from Homeseer. 
 
I think it is fair to say that we are working with an imprecise definition for what constitutes a "hub" and I agree that Polisys might not fit. "Controller" vs "hub" vs "bridge" vs "gateway" are all used interchangeably at times depending on who you are talking to. 

 

[TrojanHorse]

I have an ISY and just started using Polyglot node server on a Raspberry Pi. And for me it can do most of what I want, although some things take more effort than they may really be worth I think.

As of now, my understanding is that Polisy is basically a box (with better specs than an RPi) with Polyglot already installed and is meant to run in tandem with the ISY. Someday it may replace / combine both the ISY and node server box and make use of the extra specs. Right now I think my RPi can do the equivalent.

Regardless, today (and probably still after the Polisy replaces ISY) you still have the “driver” problem with Polisy that upstatemike mentioned. Without compensation, people generously create node servers to “natively” control different devices with feedback from say an IP controlled AVR or a weather station. So with node servers (on RPi or Polisy or other hardware), the ISY will know the state of a bunch of things that aren’t “originally supported” devices (e.g Insteon, some Z-wave or Elk module). But if the protocol of those devices change, like a weather service for instance, then you either hope the developer updates the node server or you DIY...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[LarrylLix]

Right now, the big difference in the PolISY to a RPi is the licencing required. RPi would need a licencing fee applied to every box sold. FreeBSD doesn't.
 
Other than that speed and I/O resources are big improvements. Once ISY gets moved into it's new house, PolISY will be a complete apartment with all software living behind one door.
 
I have all my self-written software moved over to my PolISY now. Once I figured out how to do the first piece the rest were easy. File ownership and permissions were the hardest part to figure out as I travel back in time to the original unix o/s from the 1980s.

 

[upstatemike]

Looks like there are still a lot of issues in the beta testing of Polisys... how likely is it that it will actually be ready in time to ship this month?

 

[simplextech]

Looks like there are still a lot of issues in the beta testing of Polisys... how likely is it that it will actually be ready in time to ship this month?

 
A question only UDI can answer.

 

[LarrylLix]

I have had some problems with polisy so far. I got into some trouble with a beta version that seemed to inject some setup problem into my machine.
All fixed and running now with a complete clean out, reinstall, and lots of help from forum members.
 
Most of the code improvements will be convenience of install and easier maintenance for users. This is where the beta suckers testers will help the excellent code writers to polish the surface more.
 
This may be a few weeks or months yet but it will still only replace a RPi until they move ISY code over to it. UDI wants to be absolutely sure with polyglot first.

 

[upstatemike]

I have had some problems with polisy so far. I got into some trouble with a beta version that seemed to inject some setup problem into my machine.
All fixed and running now with a complete clean out, reinstall, and lots of help from forum members.
 
Most of the code improvements will be convenience of install and easier maintenance for users. This is where the beta suckers testers will help the excellent code writers to polish the surface more.
 
This may be a few weeks or months yet but it will still only replace a RPi until they move ISY code over to it. UDI wants to be absolutely sure with polyglot first.

 
So it could be weeks or months before they decide to ship Polisys? That would be disappointing. I'm not concerned about them moving ISY  code over since I don't see any real advantage to combining the functions in one box anyway. I do however want the bugs gone and have it pretty much plug and play when I get it.

 

[LarrylLix]

 
So it could be weeks or months before they decide to ship Polisys? That would be disappointing. I'm not concerned about them moving ISY  code over since I don't see any real advantage to combining the functions in one box anyway. I do however want the bugs gone and have it pretty much plug and play when I get it.

Yes. The polyglot code is pretty stable but the famcies to make it more user friendly are not there yet. I am running three custom made ISY support softwares on it, plus polyglot with two NSs now. It works flawlessly, but trying to upgrade caused me some real grief, so far.

 

[upstatemike]

Yes. The polyglot code is pretty stable but the famcies to make it more user friendly are not there yet. I am running three custom made ISY support softwares on it, plus polyglot with two NSs now. It works flawlessly, but trying to upgrade caused me some real grief, so far.

I guess I'll start watching for an email announcing another shipping delay.

 

[LarrylLix]

UDI has noted their LAN card is too short and will be replaced.

Sent using Tapatalk

 

[upstatemike]

UDI has noted their LAN card is too short and will be replaced. Sent using Tapatalk

They are just now noticing this? I thought they had the units in house ready to ship last month and were just holding off to get the software done?

 

[LarrylLix]

They are just now noticing this? I thought they had the units in house ready to ship last month and were just holding off to get the software done?

They did ship out units to approved testers.  We have received test units with the LAN cards out of their sockets. The end clips on the MB sockets didn't hold tight enough. It is thought longer hardware will cure the problem. I think it is fine as long as the box isn't smacked around but UDI is determined to make it perfect.
 
Did you not read my response last night? I guess I wasn't clear that I was running software on my own unit in my home.

 

[upstatemike]

Got the email today. New ship date is December 17th.

 

[LarrylLix]

Got the email today. New ship date is December 17th.

That would be very bold for them to think they can port the ISY software over to polisy also. Maybe it won't come that way? I would think they will want to user test the whole package for a few months before releasing it complete.
 
The freeBSD o/s is like taking a step back to 1980 Unix without all the crazy random syle upgrades done to the linux variations. I have to research everything and then it comes back to me and looks familiar.