Homeseer home troller

[JoshFarr]

I am doing a lot of reading online about home automation and wiring. I am really leaning towards a HomeSeer system to automate everything. So some of the questions I have are

1. Is the home troller better than a computer?
2. Do I have to have a security system to monitor surveillance cameras or can I just use homeseer? I'm just not sure why I would need all the inputs.
3. I am new to this and have looked at control4 but I want to be in charge if I want to change something that is why I am considering homeseer. Is there another alternative that I should explore?
4. Does anybody have a pic of a home troller all hooked up? I want to see how I need to configure my wiring closet.
5. Is there a site or topic that would help me understand how to better grasp all of what homeseer can do and how I can make it work for me?

Thanks for any help

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

People that have the home troller seem to be happy with it from what I have read here and on the HomeSeer Forums. It's more reliable than a plain PC with HomeSeer installed and offers restore features as well.

As far as alternatives HERE is a listing of all home automation software in a searchable index.

I would stay away from Control4 if you are a DIY type as you mentioned above.

 

[pete_c]

I have a friend (end consumer) whom liked my home automation and decided to go with the contractor recommended Control4 system for her home (1.5 million? total?).

3 years later she wants nothing to do with Home automation and wants the Control4 system out of her home. She is computer literate but not a DIY person.

 

[NickTheGreat]

i'd been debating between that and the MiCasaVerde unit. just need to pull the trigger and move on! :blink:

 

[pete_c]

Once you move on there is no going back Nick. Home automation is very addicting.

The Hometroller is a small footprint PC with multiple serial and USB cable connections on the back of it.

I have two PC's running Homeseer today. Both are using mITX low power boards. Both of them are configured in the same manner utilizing one USB port.

I am using one Digi USB hub to two Digi Edgeports such that I have configured 16 serial devices and 5 USB devices all via one USB cable.

This allows for a smaller fooprint. To reduce wiring "clutter" I also went to using RJ-45 to 9-Pin serial connectors for all of my serial connections.

To further reduce the cabling you can take the USB to the network in a similiar fashion using a Digi USB Anywhere. That said though I used a Lantronics USB to network device for the USB to sound card and the Way to Call device.

You can also build yourself a pico PC and run Homeseer software on it if you want to micro footprint.

I also have a MiCaseVerde unit that I purchased to "play" with. Maybe because I was used to Homeseer and biased a bit; I shut it off after a bit and went back to using Homeseer.

Here though I have X10, Insteon, Z-Wave and UPB. PIMs are connected to Homeseer and my HAI panel (except for Insteon).

 

[NickTheGreat]

Thanks Pete. I had been all ready to go MiCasaVerde and discovered the Homeseer unit.

I really just wanted to control 2 or 3 lights in my living room. But it is really starting to snowball! :nutz:

 

[drozwood90]

Pete,

Do you still have the MiCaseVerde? I have a friend who wanted to Z-Wave monitor a lock and control a few lights. I tried to ensure that was ALL the scope, so he might be interested in buying that from you.

--Dan

 

[pete_c]

Dan,

I do still have it.

Not selling it yet; but will probably sell it in the next few months.