Home Automation Options

[Squintz]

Needless to say many of us are looking for alternatives to our current HA setup.

I personally am considering the Elk M1G simply because I have been wanting a security system and now I find out that it supports UPB. So I may be selling my z-wave stuff eventually but not so sure yet. I am going to take the full length of the HS trial before I make my decision and if I choose not to go the HS route then it will probably be a while before I can purchase the ELK.

I am thinking that with the amount that I have spent on the Z-wave stuff if i got rid of it and used the money I could easily buy the Elk and a whole fleet of UPB devices.

What other options and combinations are there. I like the idea of being able to add LCD screens in the future. I like the idea of being able to turn my lights off with a remote. I like the idea of being able to program logic such as flashing my lights at 8:30 and having them turn off at 1am and 8:20am when no body is ever home.

Thermostat control is something that is definately on my list of wants.

gtg bbl....

 

[Skibum]

http://www.x10.com/activehomepro/activehome-pro.html
<_<

 

[electron]

Squintz,

You probably should stick with Homeseer, since you already have so much invested in both Z-wave and RFID, and it sounds like it's all working for you. Of course, I still recommend the M1, since it will complement your HA setup, and the M1 should be supporting Z-wave soon (it's in beta already), so you don't even have to sell your Z-wave hardware. I am fairly confident that any issues HS/HST might be having right now, will be resolved in the near future, but let's not turn this thread into another HS complaint thread <_<.

 

[tech-home]

Exactly WHY I moved to the M1.

HS does offer me the web interface to check on the M1.

Rumor has it Elk is making a LCD display also. <_<

But as far as Zwave and UPB I have no issues with Zwave and won't change. It seems to be more with HS/USB interface.

ELK Zwave module is in beta very soon, though.

 

[AutomatedOutlet]

Skibum, hehe - I know you like a joke as much as the next guy but let's get real!

Brian,

You are right about the touchscreen. We're on the beta team and it looks like there will be some interesting choices too!

 

[Squintz]

I forgot that I even had the RFID system

I guess I will be sticking with HS. Way to much money invested in that system. Oh well I guess HS wins this time but I still dont like it.

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

http://www.x10.com/activehomepro/activehome-pro.html

I have TWO free disks here for the asking!!! (Oh wait, sorry, one free disk, the other one is used to set my coffee on).

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

You are right about the (ELK) touchscreen. We're on the beta team and it looks like there will be some interesting choices too!

I'm wondering how this will all play out with the Elk touchscreen. Is Elk providing their own software?

Also, Cinemar is working on their own Elk plugin. Will this be able to run on the Elk touchscreen? If so, this could be interesting using the Elk as the main HA hardware.

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

I forgot that I even had the RFID system

I guess I will be sticking with HS. Way to much money invested in that system. Oh well I guess HS wins this time but I still dont like it.

[BSR's Wise Old Kung-Fu Master Voice] Grasshopper; you must think before you post! [/BSR's Wise Old Kung-Fu Master Voice]

 

[Squintz]

Sorry kung-fu master, I have been so caught up in the madness that my chi is now non-existing.

"I'll fire aimlessly if you don't come out! "

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

Hehe, just take a couple of deep breaths and you will be fine!

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

You are right about the (ELK) touchscreen. We're on the beta team and it looks like there will be some interesting choices too!

I'm wondering how this will all play out with the Elk touchscreen. Is Elk providing their own software?

Also, Cinemar is working on their own Elk plugin. Will this be able to run on the Elk touchscreen? If so, this could be interesting using the Elk as the main HA hardware.

Interesting, THIS shows Cinemar as an official Elk M1 partner!

Per that site it lists:

Manufacturers of compatible products for the M1 Cross Platform Control

 

[Rupp]

I'm confused as is the norm but Squintz why are you putting so much pressure on yourself when you can still run HS 1.7x without a problem. Why are you forcing yourself to 2.0? It seems to be making you think illogically?

 

[DavidL]

From my recollection, the Cinemar Elk plugin is fully featured and is about to be released. I believe it supports ALL Elk command set. I wish I had an M1 and then can give you first hand response!!!

My other recollection on the Elk touchscreen was the issue of running Flash on that device. I think there are pretty good odds that it would run RDP to a server that is running MainLobby in a Flash environment.

And Yes, Cinemar is an Elk M1 partner.

 

[Squintz]

You know Rupp you are right and I am not sure why I am putting so much pressure on myself. I guess its because I am afraid of leaving the great community that already exist. Face it...The hs Community is the largest HA community available. The way it seems is that everyone is getting forced to either not use HS or upgrade because 1x will no longer be supported. Sure I could stick with 1x and not upgrade but the bottom line is that its only $40 to upgrade. I dont mind paying that. I am just afraid that the community is going to fall apart and I am going to spend a ton of time setting up 2.0 and then the community will be gone and I will have to start from scratch.

Like I have already said. I am going to upgrade even though I dont like the idea. I am just looking for alternatives now before i invest too much time. What I will probably do is purchase the upgrade and then go back to 1.x until everything is ironed out.

I have school starting in sept so I cant be getting all worked up about this.

Another reason I will probably upgrade is so that I can use HS's .net platform to help me learn my college classes easier. The more I practice the better I will be. All of us programmers know that the hardest part about programming is finding something to program. HS is offering that opportunity to me. So even though the product idea is one that I like it doesnt mean that I have to agree with the company. I think they are being retards

So how the weather guys?