Introducing the CastleHUB powered by CastleOS, now on Kickstarter!
- Thread starter ChrisCicc
- Start date
nicholass817
Member
So what is the difference between this and another W8.1 PC? Is it just the castleHUB software?
123
Senior Member
Chris,
I still would like an idea of how a DIYer would structure a whole house solution using CastleOS. i.e. use a 3 bedroom house with TVs in each BR and one in the living room (4). How would CastleOS (and your hubs) be used to implement a bottoms up solution including Voice control, lighting, security, HVAC, TV's etc etc. throughout the home.
How many PC's, what type of wiring, what systems would you recommend for a blank slate and what existing systems would it work best with (Elk, RadioR2, UPB, Zwave, Zigbee, etc etc) and more importantly NOT work with (HAI, Hue?). Do I need a kinect in each room? Do I need a Hub in each room?
Give us the rundown on exactly HOW your system design comes together. I would not be able to tell how many CastleOS hubs I needed right now to even consider Kickstarter.
I like the idea, I like the hardware, but need some direction how to approach implementation so I can design to meet my needs. Then I can evaluate if its a solution I can use.
Its crazy,
I still would like an idea of how a DIYer would structure a whole house solution using CastleOS. i.e. use a 3 bedroom house with TVs in each BR and one in the living room (4). How would CastleOS (and your hubs) be used to implement a bottoms up solution including Voice control, lighting, security, HVAC, TV's etc etc. throughout the home.
How many PC's, what type of wiring, what systems would you recommend for a blank slate and what existing systems would it work best with (Elk, RadioR2, UPB, Zwave, Zigbee, etc etc) and more importantly NOT work with (HAI, Hue?). Do I need a kinect in each room? Do I need a Hub in each room?
Give us the rundown on exactly HOW your system design comes together. I would not be able to tell how many CastleOS hubs I needed right now to even consider Kickstarter.
I like the idea, I like the hardware, but need some direction how to approach implementation so I can design to meet my needs. Then I can evaluate if its a solution I can use.
Its crazy,
- CastleOS seems like it may be approachable but there is no information on how its system design comes together or what it actually can do.
- CQC I understand and appreciate the power and how to design a system with it, but it feels unapproachable to me.
- Homeseer to me feels like its always "almost" able to do what you want, but with issues every time.
roussell
Active Member
123 said:
I like those boxes (spheres?) I had looked at them a few months ago when considering doing a hackintosh build on one or using it to try out OpenHAB. They seem like solid little performers and the shape is different and fun. Good call Chris.
Deane Johnson
Active Member
Chris, what's the range of the Kinect in terms of voice pickup? I assume it goes without saying that one would need a Kinect in each room.
ChrisCicc
Active Member
Announcing our first stretch goal!
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/506540480/castlehub-universal-smart-home-intelligence-by-cas
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/506540480/castlehub-universal-smart-home-intelligence-by-cas
pvrfan
Active Member
ChrisCicc said:
I'm catching up after a while away...
Chris, I think the thing you fail to understand is Apple's objective with HomeKit. They don't want to participate in the existing home automation market. They want to sell more iPhones, iPads, and soon more Apple Watches. Their opportunity--and the elephant in the current home automation room--is security. Security is weak to non-existant in most current home automation technologies. HomeKit is designed from the ground up with secure pairing and encryption. They _can't _ permit wide-open interoperability with existing products because it would open too many holes in their security model.
BTW, you've mentioned several times that HomeKit isn't available. In fact, the initial version of the HomeKit software framework was shipped with iOS 8 last fall. Right now, there are probably 500,000,000 iOS devices with HomeKit support baked in. (And the number grows every day.) None of them needs to pledge anything on KickStarter or anywhere else. No need to purchase a hub. They can start with a single accessory device. Minimal cost and risk to dabble their toes in the HomeKit water. Even a tiny fraction of half a billion users is an enormous market. There were a number of product announcements at CES 2015 and some of the products are supposed to be on the market soon (eg April 2015):
http://9to5mac.com/2015/01/07/homekit-running-list/
So, I think you owe AZ an apology. Your initial response to the question of HomeKit support made no sense and he probed you to explain. You'd have been far better to say 'we're going to explore supporting HomeKit'.
Craig
PS Apple's marketing might is behind Apple Watch, right now. Perhaps HomeKit will get a bigger push after the watch hits the market.
elvisimprsntr
Active Member
Have you considered adding support for Rheem EcoNet. I have a Rheem water heater with the EcoNet wifi adapter. The API is publicly available and EcoNet is advertised as Wink ready.
pvrfan
Active Member
ChrisCicc said:
The fact of the matter is that you were asked about HomeKit and you unequivocally stated that you would support it. Clearly, at that point, you knew next to nothing about HomeKit. You weren't being trolled--what you suggested didn't fit with any of the known facts about Homekit. Since then, you've back-pedaled but never apologized. No one said that you intentionally tried to mislead us. But when you inadvertently tell a whopper, the right thing to do it admit it. Not attack those that have corrected your error.
Craig
potts.mike
Active Member
ChrisCicc said:
You can count me as someone that will never purchase your product.
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