Elk TS071 vs Ipad

[KidCalledZero]

I have purchased all my M1 hardware and have started the installation.

Its now time to think about how I am going to interface with the system.

I would appreciate any opinions anyone might have regarding using the Elk TS071 vs an Ipad. I am assuming the TS071 will be easier to program since its an Elk product but are there any opeational pluses of one over the other? Is there anything one can do that other cant?

The closest experience I have to such an interface is programming my URC remote. In that package, you can simply create a button, switch etc. and execute a single command or a string of commands when its pressed or switched. With the URC system, the only limit is your imagination. Is programming a touchscreen similar to that process?

I know very little about either product so feel free to share whatever you may know.

Thanks

Kid

 

[electron]

As someone who had an ELK TS07 and an iPad, I would recommend to go with the iPad (get the refurb iPad 1) and eKeypad. It is much more flexible, updated on a regular basis, plus it looks very nice. Add a nice iPad mount (over 175 to choose from!), and you will have a very flexible setup.

With both systems, no real programming is needed, it just reads your existing configuration, and displays the objects on screen.

 

[KidCalledZero]

As someone who had an ELK TS07 and an iPad, I would recommend to go with the iPad (get the refurb iPad 1) and eKeypad. It is much more flexible, updated on a regular basis, plus it looks very nice. Add a nice iPad mount (over 175 to choose from!), and you will have a very flexible setup.

With both systems, no real programming is needed, it just reads your existing configuration, and displays the objects on screen.

Are the screens on the Ipad programable or are they canned?

To what extent can you program buttons with ekeypad?

Can buttons on the ipad be programmed to trigger (inputs) events in the M1?

 

[tmbrown97]

Kid,

Most of the screens are pretty stock; there is some customization to move things around here and there - and there's a Favorites screen which lets you pick your favorite functions. Jayson basically made it so you could fit 3+ iPhone screens on the iPad at once. I'll attach a screenshot here in a few minutes.

The great thing with the iPad is you can be up and running tomorrow - then if you want something with a whole lot more customization, you can invest $99 in Elve's starter addition and build any screen you want. That's the direction I'm heading right now. eK+ is all I need with my iPhone so it's worth it either way.

 

[Spanky]

We will always be chasing new hardware and functionality. I have a TS071 Touchscreen and an iPad2 in my home for controlling the M1 and automation functions. The TS071 is nice to view the weather and control things, but the iPad2 gives me the same capability plus a whole lot more.

Jason Callaway's "eKeypad for iPad" works great for home automation control and he is adding many new features. You can purchase wall mount kits if you want to install an iPad on the wall.


For in the house control, I like the iPad2 because I can store my music and other applications that I use in one place.

I also have an iPhone with eKeypad and an Android cellphone with Kent William's M1 Droid software.

 

[KidCalledZero]

I will be using my M1 to control both outdoor low voltage lighting and indoor lighting (Lutron RadioRa throug an Elk serial interface). The outdoor lights are being controlled by a series of Elk relays.

I would like to create a lighting screen on the touch screen with buttons that would create different "lighting scenes". In other words, when I hit one button it would energize 4 specific relays for the outdoor lighting. I would have several of these lighting scene buttons on the screen to control both indoor and outdoor lighting.

Which touch screen (ipad or TS071) would be best for this type of application and is ekeypad the right software for doing this?

I also would like to incorporate custom buttons and screens into the touch screen to trigger tasks in the M1 using the M1 programming logic. Again, is one touchscreen better than the other for this?

Thanks

Kid

 

[electron]

eKeypad can do whatever the ELKRMS software (the software running on the TS071) can, and then some. But both products are designed to work out of the box, meaning they can't be customized (from a 'look' point of view) that much. That said, you can control every aspect of the ELK M1 via both systems, including tasks, and everything else you enabled via ELKRP. If you want to design your own screens, then you need to look at home automation software which runs on a PC, and lets you do this (such as HomeSeer, Elve, CQC, etc).

 

[tmbrown97]

eKeypad can do whatever the ELKRMS software (the software running on the TS071) can, and then some. But both products are designed to work out of the box, meaning they can't be customized (from a 'look' point of view) that much. That said, you can control every aspect of the ELK M1 via both systems, including tasks, and everything else you enabled via ELKRP. If you want to design your own screens, then you need to look at home automation software which runs on a PC, and lets you do this (such as HomeSeer, Elve, CQC, etc).

To add to that - technically you can get the ElkRMS designer to customize the screens on the TS071 - but it is a pricey option. I guess the advantage would be that there's no PC or additional control hardware required.

That said, I do like the idea of the iPad way better - and as I mentioned above, you can use eK+ for support immediately; and if you want to make your own screens, you can take your time and throw something together via another platform like Elve. You really can't beat that $99 intro offer.


Below are some screenshots of eK M1 on the iPad. I love the way it all lays out on the iPhone, but I'm not as thrilled with the iPad screens - but the fact that they work out of the box is awesome.

 

[Ira]

Where are the keypad function keys on eKeypad when used on an iPad, and how many does it show?

Ira

 

[KidCalledZero]

What hardware does the Elve software run on?

 

[tmbrown97]

@Ira - The keypad functions will follow whatever keypad you tell Elve to follow. You must have one real keypad for it to emulate. And if you have a KP2 with only 4 function buttons, you can only use those same function buttons on Elve - there's no way to magically get 5 and 6.

@KidCalledZero - honestly it'll run on just about anything that runs Windows. It's built on .Net and will run on any of the Windows OS's of the last 10 years. For hardware I find very little impact on the machine load so far, though I'm admittedly not taxing it at all. For me I have it running on my HP MediaSmart Windows Home Server. I have plans to someday move it to a bookshelf or otherwise ultra-mini PC like a Fit2PC or something super small and low powered.

 

[KidCalledZero]

Not to appear thick but can someone answer the following questions in regard to the TS071 and Ipad with Ekeypad.

Can I create a custom (completely designed by me) screen (on either pad) that has several buttons that when engaged, initate an action on M1 (opening and closing a series of relays)?

If niether of these pads are capable of this, is there a product(s) (software and hardware) that is?

I have a number of number of relays (about 30) controlling both outdoor lighting and irrigation. I want to be able to press a single button on the screen that will activate several relays controlled by the M1. Pressed again (or a separate off button) to deactivate the relays.

Thanks.

Kid

 

[michelkenny]

Not to appear thick but can someone answer the following questions in regard to the TS071 and Ipad with Ekeypad.

Can I create a custom (completely designed by me) screen (on either pad) that has several buttons that when engaged, initate an action on M1 (opening and closing a series of relays)?

If niether of these pads are capable of this, is there a product(s) (software and hardware) that is?

I have a number of number of relays (about 30) controlling both outdoor lighting and irrigation. I want to be able to press a single button on the screen that will activate several relays controlled by the M1. Pressed again (or a separate off button) to deactivate the relays.

Thanks.

Kid

It has been mentioned several times in this thread already that if you want a custom screen you will need to go with a full blown automation software, such as Elve, CQC, Homeseer, etc.

As for the TS071 and the iPad / eKeypad, it will present on the screen whatever is configured in the Elk. Your 30 relays (outputs) will show up as 30 buttons. You can however create a task in the M1 to trigger multiple relays, which then would show up as one button. eKeypad lets you create a "favorites" screen where you can pick and choose which button / status / etc you want to see.

 

[KidCalledZero]

Thanks for the response.

None of the previous posts were definitive in their description of how custom a screen could be. Nor did they mention that any task defined in the M1 would automatically appear on the screens. This was all very helpful.

I appreciate everyones responses.

Thanks again.

 

[scottgoodman]

I am very late to this thread, but I will soon be in the same position.... how does the iPad talk with the M1? Do I run a Cat5e wire from the iPad to the M1 or is it wireless? What accessory do I need to buy if it is wireless?

Thanks