Introduction - Northern VA

[viroid]

Hi folks,
 
  My name is Chris, I work full-time in the IT industry and also volunteer with a fire department, rescue squad, and search and rescue group.
 
  I've always been interested in home automation and have kept up on the technology side of things for the past decade or so.  Recently though,  I've spent a lot of time catching up on the 'details', trying to figure out what system(s) I would want to install now that I have a house.  I believe I've settled on a HAI OmniPro II to start with, still unsure about which HA system I'll stand up in addition to the OPII, but I should be able to get by for a little while with just the OPII while I work on renovating the electrical system and installing the low-voltage system throughout the house.
 
  The house is a recently purchased brick cape cod (2 story, unfinished basement) in a small town in northern Virginia about an hour and a half west of Washington D.C., I'm rather excited about all the 'stuff' I can do since I'll be completely renovating the house.  It was built in 1945, and everything is dated; fortunately the structure (with the exception of the old 4x4s holding up the main beam in the basement) is in excellent condition.  I'm planning to replace the old warped and rotted 4x4s with pressure treated 6x6s and then move on to some fun stuff like completely replacing the electrical and plumbing systems before the house burns down or I spring a leak.
 
  I'm happy to answer any questions you might have on networking, and or IT in general.
 
...v

 

[dgage]

Welcome v.  I'm also in the IT industry but there is a nice mix of people with varying backgrounds and interests that in my opinion help make this a great forum.  This varied background also reflects in some of the diverse discussions that take place.
 
Regarding a "system", I also decided I will purchase an Omnipro II at some point in the future, primarily due to flexibility in whole home A/V although Elk is a great system too.
 
Regarding software, the main ones you've probably already read about include Homeseer, CQC, Elve, Premise (open-source), as well as a new one in CastleOS.  I decided on CQC because it is the only one that currently supports my lighting choice of Lutron's RadioRa2 2.  Which leads me to my thoughts on software, figure out what you want it to do or which devices you want the software to support and pick the one that fills that need best.  I believe CQC has a "step-up" sale coming up around Presidents Day, which is when I plan to buy.
 
David

 

[electron]

Welcome to CocoonTech!

 

[viroid]

David,

I'll probably look at Premise and CastleOS, but I'm leaning towards HomeSeer for HA, from what I have read the OP2 and HomeSeer seem to be a pretty powerful combination that supports a rather wide range of equipment.

I'm planning to do all low voltage lights when I replace the electrical system, still need to do some research on which system would support said design and the best way to wire for it.

...v

 

[tmbrown97]

Welcome!  That should be a fun project - enjoy!
 
One of the nice advantages to automated light switches is the dimming that's sort of inherent; keep that in mind when you go to LV lighting; there are ways to still get it, with the right dimmer-compatible power supplies.  I'll be curious to see your progress as I think there are some great LV options and I can't wait to see where the market goes.

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

I'm planning to do all low voltage lights when I replace the electrical system, still need to do some research on which system would support said design and the best way to wire for it.

 
Curious why you would go this route.  Are you planning on solar later on?

 

[Dean Roddey]

David,

I'll probably look at Premise and CastleOS, but I'm leaning towards HomeSeer for HA, from what I have read the OP2 and HomeSeer seem to be a pretty powerful combination that supports a rather wide range of equipment.

I'm planning to do all low voltage lights when I replace the electrical system, still need to do some research on which system would support said design and the best way to wire for it.

...v

 
Any particular reason you aren't at least considering CQC? Feedback is welcome, and maybe we can close whatever gap there was there for you.

 

[viroid]

Curious why you would go this route.  Are you planning on solar later on?

 
Overall I'd like to reduce my reliance on the grid as much as possible; this will include using low voltage systems where applicable, wood stove heating during the winter, a rain-water collection system, and perhaps solar water heating. I've been looking at solar, wind, and TEGs (or Thermoelectricgenerators).  
 
Ultimately this will reduce overall energy consumption and monthly expenses, but it will also be beneficial during power outages
 
I think a HomeAutomation system goes hand in hand with any good 'reduced energy consumption' design as you can ensure that you are not using energy unnecessarily after hours and or when the home is not occupied.

 

[viroid]

Any particular reason you aren't at least considering CQC? Feedback is welcome, and maybe we can close whatever gap there was there for you.

 
I am considering CQC, I just hadn't really had a chance to look at it  I've done a bit more reading on it as of this point and I will be considering it.  At the moment, I don't have anything to control with it so playing with any software is out of the question at the moment.  I've been watching the OPII's on Ebay, they're going for about $600.

 

[picta]

A word of warning: Homeseer plugin for OP2 is not very well supported, it may work fine for a simple setup, but if you want to add omnistats or will have a lot of devices there are known issues.