CQC Price Increase in 3 Weeks
- Thread starter Squintz
- Start date
IVB
Senior Member
I noticed on that thread that Cinemar fakes user input for 1way Sage control. Keep in mind that CQC has a TCP driver for sage, so you can have 2way status & control over it. Not only does this allow to you know if you turned on Sage via a non-CQC method (ie mouse or IR remote), you can setup intelligent control over it such as the following command I have in my IR as what should happen if I press the back button. BTW, no coding was needed, it was all point&click. I'm simply pasting in that which the point&click created.
The developer is looking to upgrade the driver over the next few months to import the SageTV recordings, so we don't need to use the SageUI at all. We'll be able to display TV recordings in a custom UI just like we can do currently for DVDs and CDs. That's still vaporware though, so don't make a purchasing decision assuming that it's done.
The developer is looking to upgrade the driver over the next few months to import the SageTV recordings, so we don't need to use the SageUI at all. We'll be able to display TV recordings in a custom UI just like we can do currently for DVDs and CDs. That's still vaporware though, so don't make a purchasing decision assuming that it's done.
Code:
If System::Equals($(familyroom-sagetv-tcp.PlayMode, Play)
Devices::FieldWrite(familyroom-sagetv-appcontrol.TransportOp, Rewind 1)
End
If Devices::DriverIsReady(familyroom-theatertek-ip)
If System::Equals($(familyroom-theatertek-ip.PlayMode, Paused)
Devices::FieldWrite(familyroom-theatertek-ip.Navigation, Left)
End
If System::Equals($(familyroom-theatertek-ip.PlayMode, Playing)
Devices::FieldWrite(familyroom-theatertek-ip.Transport, Rewind 2X)
End
EndIVB,
Correct me if I am wrong but you are running CQC on Fujitsu Tablets correct? I went from saying I cant afford the CQC to being on the fence now. Since I already have a few tablets, a PC I can uses as a server, Sage, 3 Sage extenders, and an ELK M1 I have most of the hardware I would need. CQC might tie it all together but I am a hardware person (mainly for alarms) and this is the weakest area of my product knowledge.
I am impressed by what you have done with your setup and I am now considering the CQC to have everyting play nice together.
Correct me if I am wrong but you are running CQC on Fujitsu Tablets correct? I went from saying I cant afford the CQC to being on the fence now. Since I already have a few tablets, a PC I can uses as a server, Sage, 3 Sage extenders, and an ELK M1 I have most of the hardware I would need. CQC might tie it all together but I am a hardware person (mainly for alarms) and this is the weakest area of my product knowledge.
I am impressed by what you have done with your setup and I am now considering the CQC to have everyting play nice together.
IVB
Senior Member
Yes, me and several others use CQC on Fujitsu tablets as well as other PCs. It certainly is the glue that makes it all work together nicely.Digger said:
There are some areas that it wouldn't be able to leverage cleanly, namely those extenders. Well, by cleanly I mean that if I had 3 of them, i'd leave them colocated with the TV, rather than put them in a central source and use them as distribution sources via IR. That's probably b/c i'm an anti-IR type of guy, but you could certainly do that too.
If you'd like, we can talk either live or via chat, to see if this would actually help you or not. Honestly, the promise of sage being able to tell CQC what it's recordings are is going to be the most impactful thing my household has ever seen. Even more so than the whole-house-audio/etc. Again, this is all vaporware, but given that the developer has already written a TCP driver for it, and that i've told him i'll make it worth his while if he can get it done, gives me tremendous hope. I get giddy just thinking about it, boy I'm praying this really can happen.
Let me know how I can help give you the real deal from an end-user perspective on how it all actually works.
IVB
Senior Member
This post will always have the latest version.
Dean has indicated that it'll be another 2-3 days until the next drop.
Dean has indicated that it'll be another 2-3 days until the next drop.
I see alot of passion for CQC in this thread, and I always like what I saw in the product. I started down the HA road about 2 years ago as a hobby and it has grown into an obsession. I have to say that the setup I have now works rather well and the WAF is really high. If I were going to jump ship on Homeseer and Mainlobby, I have to be sure that what I have will work. Keep in mind that this started out as a hobby so cost has always been an issue. I can't justify spending $100 + per light switch, $30 or $40 yes. So here is the hardware and setup I have and if someone can tell me the CQC can do what I want I will gladly move on.
List of hardware.
SH Insteon 2414 PLC
SH 1132cu X10 PLC
WGL W800 RF receiver
USBUIRT IR device
2 Pyramid receivers
1 Pyramid transmitter
20 DS10A's
30 MS14A's
15 Insteon dimmers and modules
25 X10 dimmers and modules
Sony 777ES 400 DVD changer with RS232 control
3 Zones of Sonos and 1 wireless controller (whole house audio)
Paging amp for TTS announcements (6 spkrs tru house separate from audio system)
WGL Relay8 X10
50" Panasonic DLP TV
Onkyo Surround sound
Sirius Sat Radio
HD Cable box
250 Gig NAS
P 4 2 GHZ, 512 Meg Ram, 2 port Edgeport USB->RS232, Powered USB Hub
ATT Natural Voices Kate and Paul (For TTS announcements.
NETCallerID Box
Applications.
All lighting is controlled by MS14A's and DS10's
Some Examples:
Master Bedroom. I have several MS14A's around the house that determine if the house is dark or light. When the house is "dark" before sundown and you enter MB RM the ceiling cans and changing area lamp come on at full intensity. If you enter after sundown and befor 11:30pm the dresser lamp and changing area lamp come on at full intensity. Enter between 11:30 pm and 7 Am and the dresser lamp and change area lamps come on at 30% intensity. All lights turn of after 3 minutes of no motion.
If someone enters my driveway an announcement is made throughout the house. If it is after sundown the garage outside lights and porch lights turn on also. lights turn off 10 minutes after no motion.
My Home theater stuff is all controlled via IR using the USBUIRT and Pyramids except for the Sony 777es thats controlled via RS232. Click on a movie Thumbnail and all inputs are switched to the proper settings and the movie plays. Also has synopsis of movie. I don't think this is a problem for CQC.
My Satellite radio is integrated into my Sonos whole house audio. The Sat receiver is controlled via IR, The Sonos system is controlled via a UPNP plugin in Homeseer. It also has a desktop controller program. The desktop controller has full 2 way comm with the Sonos. The UPNP plugin is only one way.
When the telephone rings and announcement is made announcing who is calling (custome announcements are made if name is in a known caller DB. If caller is not in list it is added to DB), and mutes any audio that is active.
I do not have any touch screens this is coming sometime in the future. Presently all is controlled by 4 PC's throughout the home VIA a Mainlobby interface. Have spent a bazillion hours on the interface and logic to make this all work so that family members can use all the features. Things work rather well.
The only reasons I am considering changing are: I am using Cinemars Mainlobby/DVDlobby and Homeseer to control everything. I am not bashing these companies but the Homeseer product is great and I like it but it takes forever for new release to become stable. Cinemar used to be just a pretty front end and thats why I went with it. Well they decided to become a complete HA app, and in my opinion they are way behind other products in this area. They have released alot of new hardware drivers that are incomplete and have done very little on improving there the UI except to release alot of new proprietary graphics. I wanted to create simple roll over SWFs to use in ML. These SWFs worked fine everywhere except in Mainlobby. I posted a question asking how to fix this a month ago and have not received 1 reply.
So if CQC can meet my needs I will gladly go that route. From what I read here, CQC is very stable, has great support, and releases and new features keep coming. I just hope CQC remains on this path as Homeseer and Cinemar once had all these attributes but no longer do.
List of hardware.
SH Insteon 2414 PLC
SH 1132cu X10 PLC
WGL W800 RF receiver
USBUIRT IR device
2 Pyramid receivers
1 Pyramid transmitter
20 DS10A's
30 MS14A's
15 Insteon dimmers and modules
25 X10 dimmers and modules
Sony 777ES 400 DVD changer with RS232 control
3 Zones of Sonos and 1 wireless controller (whole house audio)
Paging amp for TTS announcements (6 spkrs tru house separate from audio system)
WGL Relay8 X10
50" Panasonic DLP TV
Onkyo Surround sound
Sirius Sat Radio
HD Cable box
250 Gig NAS
P 4 2 GHZ, 512 Meg Ram, 2 port Edgeport USB->RS232, Powered USB Hub
ATT Natural Voices Kate and Paul (For TTS announcements.
NETCallerID Box
Applications.
All lighting is controlled by MS14A's and DS10's
Some Examples:
Master Bedroom. I have several MS14A's around the house that determine if the house is dark or light. When the house is "dark" before sundown and you enter MB RM the ceiling cans and changing area lamp come on at full intensity. If you enter after sundown and befor 11:30pm the dresser lamp and changing area lamp come on at full intensity. Enter between 11:30 pm and 7 Am and the dresser lamp and change area lamps come on at 30% intensity. All lights turn of after 3 minutes of no motion.
If someone enters my driveway an announcement is made throughout the house. If it is after sundown the garage outside lights and porch lights turn on also. lights turn off 10 minutes after no motion.
My Home theater stuff is all controlled via IR using the USBUIRT and Pyramids except for the Sony 777es thats controlled via RS232. Click on a movie Thumbnail and all inputs are switched to the proper settings and the movie plays. Also has synopsis of movie. I don't think this is a problem for CQC.
My Satellite radio is integrated into my Sonos whole house audio. The Sat receiver is controlled via IR, The Sonos system is controlled via a UPNP plugin in Homeseer. It also has a desktop controller program. The desktop controller has full 2 way comm with the Sonos. The UPNP plugin is only one way.
When the telephone rings and announcement is made announcing who is calling (custome announcements are made if name is in a known caller DB. If caller is not in list it is added to DB), and mutes any audio that is active.
I do not have any touch screens this is coming sometime in the future. Presently all is controlled by 4 PC's throughout the home VIA a Mainlobby interface. Have spent a bazillion hours on the interface and logic to make this all work so that family members can use all the features. Things work rather well.
The only reasons I am considering changing are: I am using Cinemars Mainlobby/DVDlobby and Homeseer to control everything. I am not bashing these companies but the Homeseer product is great and I like it but it takes forever for new release to become stable. Cinemar used to be just a pretty front end and thats why I went with it. Well they decided to become a complete HA app, and in my opinion they are way behind other products in this area. They have released alot of new hardware drivers that are incomplete and have done very little on improving there the UI except to release alot of new proprietary graphics. I wanted to create simple roll over SWFs to use in ML. These SWFs worked fine everywhere except in Mainlobby. I posted a question asking how to fix this a month ago and have not received 1 reply.
So if CQC can meet my needs I will gladly go that route. From what I read here, CQC is very stable, has great support, and releases and new features keep coming. I just hope CQC remains on this path as Homeseer and Cinemar once had all these attributes but no longer do.
upstatemike
Senior Member
I don't think you will be doing any Sonos muting from CQC. (I haven't seen it in the supported hardware list).
IVB
Senior Member
according to this thread,support for the sonos won't be anytime soon. Something about uPnP making it hard to do a driver, which probably means something the techies among us.upstatemike said:
Also, for TCassio: I don't know about Insteon, so i'll have to let others make that call. Keep in mind that CQC doesn't do flash (that's what SWF is, right?).
Those may/may not be deal-killers for you off the bat.
upstatemike
Senior Member
I would also note that the new CQC features are often home theater related. Not much focus on networked music (Sonos and Slimserver) or telephone functions (no equivalent to way-to-call or Stargate sound card) no support for VWS if you have a weather station, etc.
CQC is a "prosumer" product more than a hobby product so it does what it does very well but doesn't stray too far from controlling lights, security, tstats and home theater systems via touch screens. Perfect if that is your focus but take a couple of those key things out of the equation (in my case security, touch screens and home theater) because you have different priorities, and you may find Homeseer is a better fit.
Also don't forget ECS and some of the other options out there.
CQC is a "prosumer" product more than a hobby product so it does what it does very well but doesn't stray too far from controlling lights, security, tstats and home theater systems via touch screens. Perfect if that is your focus but take a couple of those key things out of the equation (in my case security, touch screens and home theater) because you have different priorities, and you may find Homeseer is a better fit.
Also don't forget ECS and some of the other options out there.
IVB
Senior Member
Better than the opposite - no limits, cheap price, but doesn't work. Can someone say X10...
And, depressingly, You have just described everything I have ever encountered in life.
Now off to understand why the wife thinks $35 zWave light switches are too much money but a $5K range hood fan isn't. (not the actual range, mind you, just some shaped aluminum and a fan). Talk about doing what you do well but with limits and at a price...
Dean Roddey
Senior Member
Actually there is a new Slimserver driver being tested out by a few users, and they seem very happy with it.
upstatemike
Senior Member
Maybe if the devices page had an "In Development" heading for things like Insteon and SlimServer it would give a more accurate picture?Dean Roddey said:
Similar threads
- Article
