CQC modules

R

royalj7

Active Member
I was going to post this over on the cqc forum, but then I realized 1) half those guys hang out and post here too :unsure: and 2) some folks might be wondering the same thing as me.

My question is can someone explain the 4? different modules CQC has? Also, I know that the current price for the whole thing is $500, shortly to go up to $900, but is what is the break down for the ala carte approach?

Also, could someone explain where CQC is with the PLC lighting protocols? Not through Elk or another HW controller, but natively.

Thanks a ton!

--Jamie
 
Here's my take on from my perspective:
Modules:
1) App control server: I recommend buying this. Control software apps, ability to remotely startup applications on computers. Now that TheaterTek,SageTV, and ZP all have TCP drivers, this is less mandatory. However, i've found that control via the app control server is MUCH faster than via TCP, so I'm personally using this heavily to control SageTV, using TCP to get the return status.
2) DotNetViewer: If you want non-inhome control, you need this. Pull up your templates on a PDA. Think of it this way: Whereas ML as *LobbyPPC products, CQC just has this single product that allows you to use your PDA with the regular interface editor. This is how I pull up my templates on my cellphone to check on system, remotely control it.
3) CQC Media Plus. New CQC repository. The reason I recommend buying this is that it'll make you a "full license" customer, eligible for stuff I can't remember but Dean can clarify.
4) Events Server. I heavily recommend buying this. It allows you to do scheduled and triggered events, such as on arming security system or scheduled HVAC/irrigation stuff.
5) Web Server. I've never personally used it, I'll let someone else explain the value
6) XML server. Now that I type this, i'm not actually sure if this is needed for the DotNetViewer or not. Dean/Squintz/anyone?

For lighting, i'll defer to someone else who really knows. All I know is what I read on the CQC.learn.supported devices page. That's basically 1 of the X10 controllers, 1 of the zWave controllers, most Lutron controllers, vantage, Insteon driver is in beta.
 
Jamie,

Look at this page for the breakdown of the modules. Actually just the base package cost $495. So essentially you are getting all the additional modules for free until 2.0. If you wait, I believe you still get the base package for $495, but the addons will cost you as outlined on the above page.

As for the PLC protocols, thats X10, Insteon and UPB. X10 is supported today. There is a user written driver for Insteon that is sort of in Beta, it works but there are some issues. You can read the details on the CQC forum. UPB is something Dean is going to do himself post 2.0. He answered that question pretty much in another thread.
 
As always, thanks for the fast replies. I see now in the "Before time runs out" thread there was some info on the lighting support, didn't see that until now. Question on the dot net module. For non-inhouse control, I would want to access my setup from any computer through a web client. What does that take in CQC? Not so much interested in PDA or cell phone access.

Thanks.

Edit:

Crap, just looked at the page Steve pointed to, looks like there are a lot more than 4 modules, I don't know what I was thinking!
 
The DNV is really for PDA's and such. To access your stuff thru the web you probably want the web server stuff like Squintz did. See this post. Alternatively, you could use something like logmein.com to access your stuff.
 
royalj7 said:
For non-inhouse control, I would want to access my setup from any computer through a web client. What does that take in CQC? Not so much interested in PDA or cell phone access.

Thanks.

Edit:

Crap, just looked at the page Steve pointed to, looks like there are a lot more than 4 modules, I don't know what I was thinking!
Click to expand...
If you mean a web client like logmein, don't. Performance will kill you plus it's not that secure.

If you mean a mechanis for a client to access over the web for Interface Viewer access to pull up your templates, use the DotNetViewer module. Absolute simplest path is to install the Desktop DotNetViewer on your remote PCs, access over the internet through a network port that you port-forward on your router. In addition to being more secure, this allows for a level of optimization that is not possible via logmein: If you have the same 3K button image 10x on your screen, the DNV will only download it once. That has sped up performance on my PDA immensely, same theory for a laptop connected to the web.

That path does NOT allow you to change/build your templates offline/in a hotel, but that's not normally a big deal for the DIY crowd. There's other paths that the technically inclined folks have come up with so that they can connect via (VPN?) to do that , but i don't really understand them.
 
CQC has a built in Web server. With a little bit of learning you could program you own customer web site to control you home. It has built in security as well as added support for additional security if you want more. That is not the only option though. The other option is to setup a VPN into your home. This is pretty easy to do and I can help you do it when the time comes. Basically you set it up through network connections in your control panel. You set any system up on your local network as a VPN server and then any other computer can virtually become a part of that computer via an internet connection. From there you can use the .net interface viewer or the standard interface viewer. This would require that CQC be installed on the remote computer. You could also use something like UltraVPN which would provide you with access to your desktop much like Remote Desktop does.

So you have a few options:

1) Custom Web Page
2) VPN
3) UltraVPN or similar software

I personally use the custom web page. Check out http://squintz.no-ip.com/CMLBin/User/Secur...uintz?Page=Home and enter guest as the passwords and username. You will not be able to control anything because the security user level allows me to keep you from turning my lights on and off. However you can send me a message on my betabrite LED display if you would like.
 
Steve said:
The DNV is really for PDA's and such. To access your stuff thru the web you probably want the web server stuff like Squintz did. See this post. Alternatively, you could use something like logmein.com to access your stuff.
Click to expand...
BTW, not sure if steve knows this, there's 2 DNVs: A desktop one and a handheld one.

I haven't actually ever done this remotely using the desktop DNV, i think i'll try that over the next few days to make sure this works as the theory states. I've pulled up the Desktop DNV on my laptop but only within my firewall.
 
I did not know that my self IVB. I am not a .net viewer (DNV) user my self. So that might be another option to add to my list.
 
ok, just realized i cannot test it as the 2.0 DNV hasn't been released yet.

However, from my experience with it in the past, this should work totally fine as that's how the handheld DNV works.
 
Nope, I did not realize there were 2. Only if I actually read pages that I pointed to as it explained there in the description of the module! :unsure: Admittedly I do not use them either but was probably going to get a PDA shortly.
 
I think i'm going to install it on my inlaws PC, so I can check up on the house over their comcast line, turn on the heat/etc without suffering from the 10kbps that is cingular. (i know we got a cingular guy here, apologies if that's you, but dang does my access drag ass).

Presuming I can get this to work, high-performing and secure remote control on trusted computers without intalling extraneous software programs is certainly going to be a major differentiator in the serious HA controller market. A Web Server only goes so far, and requires a completely different set of templates and coding skills.
 
Squintz said:
1) Custom Web Page
2) VPN
3) UltraVPN or similar software
Click to expand...
Quite familar with the UltraVPN or Remote Destop, but I was wondering about using a public computer, so not installing anything, and checking to see the status of my lights or my HVAC setting. Is that what you mean but custom web page?

Thanks,
--Jamie
 
You can also read through the first few pages of the quick tutorial for information on the components (under the Learn tab.)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

penright
Hello From Tuttle, OK
Replies
5
Views
3K
pete_c
pete_c
M
Advice on updating hardware
2 3 4
Replies
56
Views
3K
Mighty
M
pete_c
Who / What done it? Why?
2
Replies
26
Views
13K
pete_c
pete_c
C
Security System Upgrade - ELK/VISTA/DSC
Replies
9
Views
2K
pete_c
pete_c
L
Thinking about cameras
2 3
Replies
36
Views
3K
Linwood
L
Back
Top