HomeSeer issue

[BobS0327]

Last night I purchased Homeseer software HS3-PI and HS3Touch designer. I downloaded both products and attempted to install the HS3-PI software.  I ran into several issues with the HS3-PI software. First, I realized that I could not simply connect using SSH, i.e Putty nor could I use Remote Desktop.  So, I called HS tech support this morning and explained my dilemma.  Found out the only way to connect is thru a HDMi monitor and keyboard.  Unfortunately, I have an older monitor that does not have HDMI.  Tech suggested that I use my HDMI TV.  So, I used my TV as a HDMI monitor and could not connect to the RPI3.
 
The tech worked with me for about 20 minutes and finally told me "I can no longer help you, you should purchase a HomeTroller Zee S2 instead of the HS3-PI software". So, I asked for a full refund and the tech promptly issued the refund. 
 
After the tech hung up, I again attempted for several hours to get the HS3-PI software to work.  I was just "pulling at straws" to get this software to work. A last ditch effort was to install the image on a 16GB microsd card instead of a 32GB microsd.  Viola, that worked and HS3-PI was up and running.  IMHO, the HS3-PI software is nothing more than a backup/restore procedure being marketed as commercial product.  That's probably why the tech wanted to upsell me to the hardware version.
 
Right now, after this experience, SmartThings is looking awfully good.
 
 

 

[neillt]

I can't speak the Pi version of things... but the Windows install went without a hitch and has been working fine for me for some time.
 
Interesting to hear about the 32 GB SD card issue.  I am wondering if my Pi3 would have an issue booting on a 32 GB card (not Homeseer, just Raspbian)

 

[BobS0327]

I initially installed the HS3-PRO Linux 30 day trial version on Raspian lite.  The installation was super easy and the product worked great.  So, I decided to pull the trigger on HS3-PI.  I'm told that the only functional difference between HS3-PI and the HS3-PRO is the number of drivers available.  Since I needed less than 5 drivers, I felt the best option would be HS3-PI
 

I am wondering if my Pi3 would have an issue booting on a 32 GB card (not Homeseer, just Raspbian)

Your PI3 won't have an issue with Raspian or Raspian Lite on a 32GB or 64GB.  I have a few RPI3's with Raspian installed on both 32 & 64GB microsd cards and they work fine.  I'm assuming the HS3-PI software was backed up from a RPI3 with a 16GB card installed.  Thus, the reason for it to only be successfully restored to a 16GB card.

 

[pete_c]

HomeSeer for Linux is just a directory that can be anywhere and HomeSeer utilizes current release of Mono.
 
There is no GUI nor any need for a GUI such that optimally you can run Stretch Lite or Ubuntu Server.
 
I prefer to run Homeseer on Ubuntu server 64 bit. 
 
Relating to the Zee2 it is just a lite version of Homeseer 3 that runs only in Linux.  Originally the Zee was sold with a 4Gb card then it was sold with an 8Gb card (today).  Here initially started with a 16Gb MicroSd card then a 32Gb microsd card.
 
I have read on the forum that the HS3 Script that writes the Zee2 image has issues with 32 or 64 Gb MicroSD cards.
 
What I did is just write the image to an 8Gb SD card, copied out Homeseer to another new build of RPi with a 32Gb SD card. 
 
DR recovery is easiest relating to removing the SD card and backing up an image of the SD card using a USB to SD card dongle in Windows or Ubuntu.  As mentioned Homeseer is just a directory and that is easy to back up.  Mine is around 256 Mb in size.
 
In as quickie synopsis Homeseer Lite, Homeseer Standard or Homeseer Pro will run fine on an RPi2-3 ARM CPU, Intel CPU or AMD CPU.
 
My current ARM computer is a Pine64 2Gb RPi like computer except that it has 2Gb of RAM such that it'll run 64 bit Ubuntu 16.04.
Currently using a 32Gb micro SD card on this machine.
 
Second HS3 test machine is an Xi5A which is a mini cube computer running with a dual core AMD / 2Gb of RAM and a 32Gb SSD drive. 
 
Before that it ran on Jessie Lite and an RPi2.  The Zee2 build is a two boot DR recovery build where as the emergency boot will reformat and rewrite the OS based on a script.  It'll just recover to a new image.  If you have not backed up your HS it will not auto recover it.
 
Most important about your HS3 box is that you have a back up of the Homeseer directory.
 
I communicate to all of the HS3 boxes in Linux via SSH.  Never have seen the desktop GUI such that there is no monitor connected.
 
The default directory that HST uses for Homeseer is the :
 
/usr/local/HomeSeer
 
Many users use:
 
/opt/HomeSeer
/home/user/HomeSeer
/Homeseer
 
@bob earlier you mentioned the use of a ZWave USB stick.  I have historically used USB stick and currently favorite methodolology of ZWave use is via an RPi GPIO card.  It has a larger antenna and sits inside of an RPi.  Mine is configured on an RPi2 POE connected in the attic today.  It's been like this for over 2 years now.  I have added a 1-wire 9097 stick and SDR stick in the last year.
 
Relating to a Z-Wave GPIO card I would purchase this one if I was tinkering today with Z-Wave..
 
Raspberry Pi Z-Wave Plus Daughter Card RaZberry2 by ZWave.Me
 
You can also purchase another RPi2-3 and put the ZWave card in it and make it a dedicated ethernet ZWave controller which will work fine with Homeseer 3.
 
Personally I do not know how familiar the HST support folks are with Linux as historically Homeseer only ran on Windows.  They are very familiar with Homeseer 3 and Homeseer 3 is almost the same in Linux as it is in Windows.