What Software do you use to control your lighting?

[Aaron]

I'm trying to get a feel for what people are using.

Please particiapte in the poll and then post...

What you use today
Others you've used in the past
A short explanation as to why you now use what you do and/or why you changed, if you did.
A short summary of the technologies you use with it and how
- Example:
-- 5 X10 motion sensors, 20 Insteon dimmers, 10 appliance modules, Windows Mobile 6.0, iPod Touch, etc
-- complex events based on conditionals, multizone audio based on winamp, etc

 

[MikeB]

I use an ISY-99/IR Pro automation controller in my home to automate my lighting, thermostats, security system, wholehouse audio, etc. (of course)

- 80+ Insteon devices (dimmers, relays, lamp modules, RF motion sensors, RF trigger, thermostats, etc.)
- Elk security panel
- Russound wholehouse audio
- Panasonic webcams
- interfaceGO NK8 running on Nokia for a wireless touch panel (of course)
- etc...

 

[Digger]

I used Insteon (Horrible reliability) and tried Powerhome and Homeseer to make up for the Insteon shortcomings. Both Powerhome and Homeseer are great but I did not think they made up for enough of the Insteon problems. I tried the ISY (Awesome) but it also was not enough to make up for the Insteon problems (although if you are going to use Insteon the ISY is the way to go for a standalone controller) so I ripped everything out and went to UPB. UPB just works the way its supposed to and I kind of forget its there since there are no issues.

I control the UPB with the ELK M1 and it just works the way is should. Again I forget about it since there are no issues.

 

[fcwilt]

HomeLogic

 

[hobbes487]

vCrib

I use it because it is free and I can easily create plugin apps that support any kind of HA technology.

 

[Lagerhead]

Elk M1 and some additional homebrew software controlling X-10 (mostly Leviton).

Used to have a Smarthome 1132CU doing some control. The first one failed in service. The second was unreliable so I totally eliminated it.

 

[TonyNo]

I run PowerHome and had previously tried HouseBot. IIRC, HouseBot did not support the web for control outside of the home. I also run eHome as a front-end on my main touch screen.

I have 12 Insteon devices, 3 lingering X10 devices, 9 X10 RF motion sensors, 5 X10 RF door/window sensors, W800RF32 for wireless, USB-UIRT and Powermids for IR, multi-zone audio with Winamp, and an RCS X10 thermostat.

 

[Steve]

The poll is flawed - it asks only about software, when many people use a hardware controller. And you list Cortexa, which is primarily a hardware solution (you can't run their software on its own). That being said, I answered CQC because I do use it and have a lighting screen, but the actual control and rules are currently being done by Elk M1.

 

[Aaron]

The poll is flawed - it asks only about software, when many people use a hardware controller. And you list Cortexa, which is primarily a hardware solution (you can't run their software on its own). That being said, I answered CQC because I do use it and have a lighting screen, but the actual control and rules are currently being done by Elk M1.

I wanted to mainly focus on software since a hardware controller is a bit of a different animal, in functionality and price. It seems I cannot amend the options.

I hope people choose Other if they are using hardware to do to events/rules/etc.

I was focusing on the back-ends, not front-ends. Maybe user interfaces will be the next poll

 

[stacyh3]

I use custom software that I wrote. It runs on my Windows Home Server. I use if for lights, irrigation, comfort and convenice features, etc.

 

[jhdale]

Custom software, used to be all X10 (CM11A) and now also Insteon (PLC/PLM).

Function is actually an interactive game, using lights (Insteon), motion sensors (X10 wireless), pressure pads (IO Linc), strobes/flashes (appliance controller), sound effects (software), Nerf (appliance controller), etc. Layout changes from session to session, gradually building up the functionality.

 

[Aaron]

I use custom software that I wrote. It runs on my Windows Home Server. I use if for lights, irrigation, comfort and convenience features, etc.

Custom software, used to be all X10 (CM11A) and now also Insteon (PLC/PLM).

Function is actually an interactive game, using lights (Insteon), motion sensors (X10 wireless), pressure pads (IO Linc), strobes/flashes (appliance controller), sound effects (software), Nerf (appliance controller), etc. Layout changes from session to session, gradually building up the functionality.

You guys ever consider sharing the apps with the community?

 

[miru]

Wrote my own, runs on Linux, uses a 1132CU and a 1132B when the USB one goes down and vice versa. There are 5 X10 dimmer switches for outside lights. a 10 station sprinkler system a pondcontroller and a poolcontroller (both home brews) that communicate on X10.

 

[123]

What you use today:
Premise Home Control

Others you've used in the past:
MisterHouse

A short explanation as to why you now use what you do and/or why you changed, if you did.
Same price (free) but with a superior architecture, better documentation, cleaner programming model, reliability, etc.

A short summary of the technologies you use with it and how:
Integrated security using ELK M1
Lighting (X10 and UPB)
Music
Photos
ELO and 3COM Audreys for touchscreens
CallerID
Weather (Environment Canada)
Top 5 News Stories (CBC)
Secure remote-access (HTTPS)
etc

 

[roussell]

I run PowerHome and had previously tried HouseBot. IIRC, HouseBot did not support the web for control outside of the home. I also run eHome as a front-end on my main touch screen.

Actually Tony, HouseBot does support web control. It has an activex component that works with IE and vbscript so you can do pretty much whatever you want over the web. There is also a .NET plugin SDK now that allow to to extend Housebots functionality with C# of VB.net in addition to the already-existing vbscript and C++ plugins. A member has also written an iphone interface for it.

I have used Misterhouse and Premise in the past and have tried others Homeseer, CRC, Indigo, and Powerhome for the trial periods. I've never been able to justify the price difference and the functionality offered over what I get with Housebot.

Terry