Uses for a tablet PC

[DeLicious]

OK, so for the holidays, my father-in-law has gotten me some sort of Fujitsu tablet PC (haven't seen it, so don't know what model yet).

I was wondering how other people are putting their tablet PC's to use. I'm likely going to buy Homeseer sometime next year, so does Homeseer have a client that can run on the tablet and connect over my home network to the main machine? Or is the best interface to Homeseer through a web interface (seems unlikely)?

If I put Homeseer on my machine in the office upstairs and have the tablet on the network, can Homeseer issue the sounds through the speakers on the tablet (which will be in a higher traffic area)?

I already have two other laptops in the house which are our primary internet and email machines, so I don't really need to use it for that, especially since it doesn't have an attached keyboard.

I do know that it has an infrared keyboard which I can keep behind the docking station until I need it (sort of like a souped-up Audrey!).

Anybody have any other ideas that I'm missing?

 

[DavidL]

DeLicious,
Homeseer has the "TouchPad" interface which comes standard that runs in a browser and is served from the HS web server. It is not a Client / Server. It is a webserver model. HS doesn't natively support a Client / Server architecture. There are a lot of pro / con reasons in support of both.

There is an optional Maestro interface that works with Homeseer as the "back end". Flash based and also pushed from a browser. Relatively new (under a year old I think), and evolving.

There is the integration with MainLobby via the Homeseer MLHSPlugin that is proven and a very popular combination. This adds a fair amount of software mix to the game, but adds a tremendous amount of flexibility and power. This is a very current issue on AVSForum's HA thread right now.

RE: sound. HS has a "speaker client" software that you would install on the tablet (assuming it is a Win9X / XP OS and not a CE based tablet) that you can route the HS speech to. Also enables VR from the tablet as well.

Since the tablet very likely is a touchscreen, you won't need a keyboard for automation. That is why a touchscreen interface like Maestro / Touchpad / MainLobby comes in so you just touch what you want to control or select or execute. You can use an on screen keyboard for the times that you need to. If it is a TabletXP operating system model, there is hand writing recognition on it too to help minimize keyboard entry need.

 

[IVB]

I also use my 3400 to pull up the CCTV cameras through it's webserver interface. In my case that's embedded in CQC, but you could directly use IE just as easily.

 

[Rupp]

The web interface to HS is actually very fast. I connect to my HS server using my Audrie's as well as my CF01's and it works perfectly. I also use the free touchpad interface and it too works well. I just wish it supported the UPB switches.

 

[DeLicious]

I just wish it supported the UPB switches.

WHAAAAT??? the touchpad interface doesn't support UPB switches? Even with the UPB plug-in?

 

[Rupp]

I just wish it supported the UPB switches.

WHAAAAT??? the touchpad interface doesn't support UPB switches? Even with the UPB plug-in?

No. This free plugin was done a year or so before UPB can to be and the Interface is not being developed further since most users are using either Main Lobby or the new Maestro interfaces.