I'm new to this whole home automation thing. I got this forum from talking to a rep at SmarthomeUSA. I'm trying to find out the best system to do what I was to do. I was hoping to use home automation and have control remotely via my iPhone. Mostly, I'd like to control some lights, have security, webcams, and climate control via the iPhone. I'd also like to have a system that I can add on functionality to control my entire home theather and maybe some motorized blinds that I'm going to get via an iPad. I'd like to use the iPad as a remote for stuff on my home theather and the iPhone for when I'm away. First, is this possible, and if so, second, what is the best recommendation for a system? I'd be willing to pay someone to assist me with trying to figure out what I need to do to accomplish my goals with home automation. If someone is in the Atlanta area, I could meet with them as well. Also, are they making any controls for the Wii or PS3 that would be able to be used through the iPad/iPhone. I appreciate any assistance I can get. Thanks.
Newbie home automation
- Thread starter mm5300
- Start date
Rupp
Senior Member
Just about any server/pc you have will run HomeSeer. Many are running HS on the 1.6 GHz atom processors with 2 GB of ram. Then you can install the 30 day trial of HomeSeer or HomeSeer Pro. The difference is listed on the HomeSeer web site but the biggest difference is that HomeSeer Pro comes with all HomeSeer plugins and HSTouch products that includes the iPhone/iPad/iTouch apps as well as the new Android Touch app.
apostolakisl
Senior Member
You will need a dedicated hardware solution for your home security. This can't be some makeshift combo of stuff, it really needs to be dedicated to security. Elk M1G is what I have and integrates into other systems for the home automation. It will do home automation by itself but is not the most elegant. I don't have homeseer but I understand that it integrates into many other home automation hardware.
ISY integrates Insteon and supposedely will have full Elk support shortly. It is a firmware/hardware solution which avoids having to dedicate a computer running an application and being subject to all of the issues that PC's have. The hardware is a tiny little thing that draws virtually no electricity and will even host a website if you want. It also has IR support and can integrate most AV equipment in that way. It will integrate into your HVAC provided you have the right thermostats. There are a couple of iphone apps dedicated to it as well. ISY does not have any video surveilance integration at present.
On the other hand, homeseer is going to be more versatile as far as your lighting automation, where ISY is only going to control Insteon. If you want to go with Insteon as far as lighting, definitely use ISY. If you decide on some other lighting controller you do not want ISY. ISY has GREAT support and is very stable. Insteon has had quality problems that they seem to have fixed in the last year or two. I hope!!!! Insteon customer support can go both ways depending on who you get on the phone.
You will probably want to go with a power line communicating lighting. Other systems exist and are more reliable, but require special wiring that is not easily retrofitted. If you are building new, you might consider it, but remember that wiring your house like 99.99% of other houses is probably your safest bet and power line stuff does that.
ISY integrates Insteon and supposedely will have full Elk support shortly. It is a firmware/hardware solution which avoids having to dedicate a computer running an application and being subject to all of the issues that PC's have. The hardware is a tiny little thing that draws virtually no electricity and will even host a website if you want. It also has IR support and can integrate most AV equipment in that way. It will integrate into your HVAC provided you have the right thermostats. There are a couple of iphone apps dedicated to it as well. ISY does not have any video surveilance integration at present.
On the other hand, homeseer is going to be more versatile as far as your lighting automation, where ISY is only going to control Insteon. If you want to go with Insteon as far as lighting, definitely use ISY. If you decide on some other lighting controller you do not want ISY. ISY has GREAT support and is very stable. Insteon has had quality problems that they seem to have fixed in the last year or two. I hope!!!! Insteon customer support can go both ways depending on who you get on the phone.
You will probably want to go with a power line communicating lighting. Other systems exist and are more reliable, but require special wiring that is not easily retrofitted. If you are building new, you might consider it, but remember that wiring your house like 99.99% of other houses is probably your safest bet and power line stuff does that.
Fiasco
Member
Other systems are more reliable.....
Any system that is not reliable is worse than a regular mechanical switch. Reliable systems exist that don't require special wiring.
Fiasco
Member
It really depends on your budget. Retrofit or New?
Are you a hobbyist or do you want an entire solution?
Lights, climate and shades? Lutron RadioRa2 and Lutron QS wireless shades.
IPad/Iphone control? CommandFusion
Local electronics control? GolbalCache type devices
apostolakisl
Senior Member
I don't really think you need to worry about lights around your house working automatically 99.5% of the time vs. 99.9%. If automatic lighting fails, you aren't worse off than manual, you go over and do it manually.
Consider resale of your house. Don't put anything in there that can't be converted back to "normal". A lot of people won't understand this stuff and will not buy your house if they think they will need to hire a live-in technician to operate it.
You do need to worry about your security/fire/water alarms working 99.999% of the time. Hardwire that with a good dedicated security system. Hardwire any critical pumps, valves, and the like. Hardwired controllers are the only way to go if failure is unacceptable.
drozwood90
Senior Member
I use UPB, and the only time it has not worked was when I goofed up some code in Homeseer. I also use Z-Wave for my Thermostat. No issues there.
I was an idiot. I set some code that looked at the status of a switch. If the switch was slow double-tapped, it would execute the code. I wanted to see if the code was working, so I got the bright idea to toggle the light if the code worked. Yeah...that just executed the code again, which toggled the light, which executed the code, ...etc...etc...
Anyway...now I have a different method for checking if the events are being executed! Use a DIFFERENT switch, or MOST of the time I'll just plug in an appliance module that I can take around with me. Then, when I make the code execute, I just listen for the click-clack of the appliance module to ensure that my timed event is running (I'm not going to wait 10 minutes to see if the thing executed a delayed event or not!!).
--Dan
I was an idiot. I set some code that looked at the status of a switch. If the switch was slow double-tapped, it would execute the code. I wanted to see if the code was working, so I got the bright idea to toggle the light if the code worked. Yeah...that just executed the code again, which toggled the light, which executed the code, ...etc...etc...
Anyway...now I have a different method for checking if the events are being executed! Use a DIFFERENT switch, or MOST of the time I'll just plug in an appliance module that I can take around with me. Then, when I make the code execute, I just listen for the click-clack of the appliance module to ensure that my timed event is running (I'm not going to wait 10 minutes to see if the thing executed a delayed event or not!!).
--Dan
If I were you, I'd use HAI's OmniPro.
I'd get Lutron RadioRA2 for lighting. It's a solid system. It doesn't require new wiring. If you ever move, you can replace the switches with regular switches and take it with you to the new house.
HAI's OmniStat 2 will cover your HVAC.
HAI's panel is designed for security.
HAI also offers security cameras.
You can use the HAI HTX to get IR control via HAI's software.
They have their SnapLink App for iPhone/iPad so you can control your different automation functions.
I'd get Lutron RadioRA2 for lighting. It's a solid system. It doesn't require new wiring. If you ever move, you can replace the switches with regular switches and take it with you to the new house.
HAI's OmniStat 2 will cover your HVAC.
HAI's panel is designed for security.
HAI also offers security cameras.
You can use the HAI HTX to get IR control via HAI's software.
They have their SnapLink App for iPhone/iPad so you can control your different automation functions.
Thanks for the options. To answer earlier questions, I don't have a specfic budget in mind and right now I'm more of a hobbyist. I might get into it more as I progress, but I figured I'd just spend what I could and add on as I went. It will be a retrofit for my existing house, but I can run some wires as I'm somewhat handy, although it would probably be better if I didn't have to (more likely to get done). Is anyone that is familiar with this stuff in the Atlanta area? I would love to meet with someone and go over what my options are and then put it together myself. I'd definitely be willing to pay someone to assist. Thanks again.
