Homeseer HSTouch Touch Screen Software

[upstatemike]

The new Homeseer HSTouch touch screen software is described as "IP enabled" and able to run on Windows or Windows CE systems. Does this mean you could load it onto an Elk TS07 touch screen?

 

[electron]

Do you have more details about HSTouch?

 

[Techno_Goof]

This is all they put out yesterday.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 1, 2007

HomeSeer Unveils HSTouch™ Touchscreen Software

Bedford, NH – HomeSeer Technologies announces its new HSTouch IP-enabled touchscreen designer software. The new program provides an easy to use, family-friendly graphical interface for all HomeSeer home automation systems and will run on in-wall, stand-alone, portable, handheld and wireless touchscreen devices. HSTouch integrates tightly with all HomeSeer-based automation systems and the screens are fully customizable to work with virtually all backgrounds, buttons and graphics.

Unlike other programs of this type, HSTouch is IP-enabled and may be used to monitor and control remote HomeSeer installations, including secondary residences. HSTouch is also designed to run on both Windows® and Windows® CE platforms ensuring compatibility with the widest range of touchscreens currently available.

“Touchscreens have become very popular control ‘”portals” for the modern home and HomeSeer dealers and users have been clamoring for a HomeSeer touchscreen solution for some time. HSTouch should satisfy this need very nicely!” said Mark Colegrove, HomeSeer’s sales director.

HSTouch debuts at CEDIA Expo 2007 this month and is slated to begin shipping Q4, 2007.

For the past nine years, HomeSeer Technologies has been creating some of the most popular and robust automation systems available. HomeSeer Technologies’ software and hardware controllers have been installed in over 11,000+ residential and commercial sites. HomeSeer has won numerous awards including TechTV’s Best of CES, HomeAutomation top 50, TechLiving’s HOT LIST, and was recently selected as a central integration component in all episodes of the hit FOX TV show “Renovate My Family”. HomeSeer Technologies web site is HomeSeer.com.

About HomeSeer Technologies
HomeSeer Technologies is a leading provider of home control software based in Bedford New Hampshire. Our software and hardware controllers give users the ability to integrate and automate everything in their home, including lights, appliances, thermostats, audio/video, and media content. Our software is IP enabled, giving users remote access from anywhere in the world. Visit www.homeseer.com for more information.

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Do you have more details about HSTouch?

 

[upstatemike]

Do you have more details about HSTouch?

Nothing more than the announcement techno goof posted. I guess more details will be revealed at CEDIA Expo 2007. I am curious to see how this will be positioned in relation to MainLobby.

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

FYI, I sent an Email to Mark Colegrove of HomeSeer asking for more details about this product!

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

Mark did state that this product will run on an Elk TouchScreen

He also stated:

The program is not quite ready for beta testing but will be functional and on display at our CEDIA booth this coming week.

More will come!

 

[upstatemike]

Mark did state that this product will run on an Elk TouchScreen

This opens up an interesting upgrade path for Elk users... Start with an Elk panel and some TS07 touch screens then eventually add Homeseer (with the Elk Plugin) to expand your system's functionality using the same screen hardware.

 

[rjh]

As Mark stated, it will run on the Elk, and it should work on any CE device. We also have a Windows client. The sytem uses a seperate piece of software that runs unders windows that allows you to design the screens. We have not been happy with HTML or flash interfaces for touchscreens, so we wrote native applications for the touchscreen hardware (Windows and CE). This gives us much more flexibility on the individual clients. The only drawback is that it only works on CE and Windows systems. We may look into a Linux client in the future. The designer software integrates tightly with HomeSeer so you can assign button actions to all your devices and events. Its totally 2-way so any changes in HS are reflected on the client instantly. All communications is over TCP, so the client can be on your home network, or on the Internet. Any number of clients can connect to HS at the same time. It will probably be a couple more months before we have a beta available.

 

[upstatemike]

As Mark stated, it will run on the Elk, and it should work on any CE device. We also have a Windows client...

This is cool. Now all we need is a Windows CE version of the HS Speaker client and an Elk TS07 could become the ultimate Homeseer interface combining touch screen, audio feedback and announcements, and even voice recognition!

Touchtronix with full Windows might be another option except I don't think they support audio in their screens (you can run the HS speaker app... you just can't hear it!)

Any other choices for an IP connected touch screen that would support both Homeseer HSTouch and the Homeseer Speaker app?

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

Touchtronix with full Windows might be another option except I don't think they support audio in their screens

They have (pre-amp) audio output in their units.

 

[upstatemike]

Touchtronix with full Windows might be another option except I don't think they support audio in their screens

They have (pre-amp) audio output in their units.

Cool. Does each touch screen session act as if it has it's own sound card? In other words, if I have a PC running 3 Touchtronix touch screens, can the audio output at each screen be different? Can each session be running it's own instance of the Homeseer speaker app?

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

Does each touch screen session act as if it has it's own sound card? In other words, if I have a PC running 3 Touchtronix touch screens, can the audio output at each screen be different? Can each session be running it's own instance of the Homeseer speaker app?

I'm not sure on this answer and don't want to take a "stab" at it in case I'm wrong.

You should send a PM to DWAYNE with this question so your are insured of a correct answer.

 

[DavidL]

Each Touchtronix unit appears as a unique sound card to windows. So, you can then route the audio to that sound card via J River Media Center, or MainLobby's new MLZoneAudio plugin.

 

[rjh]

We don't need a speaker client for CE, we send the audio directly over the network to the CE client. The mic audio is also routed over the network and back to HS for VR. This means the speaker client runs on the HS system.

-Rich
HomeSeer Technologies

 

[upstatemike]

Each Touchtronix unit appears as a unique sound card to windows. So, you can then route the audio to that sound card via J River Media Center, or MainLobby's new MLZoneAudio plugin.

Good to Know, Thanks! Sounds like the ip touch 170 could make a pretty nifty little table radio (if it were just a little bit cheaper). The IP touch 170 is still my top contender for touch screens apart from the price point.