Which home automation software to use

[ehinkle]

I am starting the home automation process again after attempting it unsuccessfully with X-10 years ago. I am trying to determine what is the best software to use. I have looked at Homeseer, CQC, Elve, and mcontrol?
 
Initially I was going to go with Homeseer but the price is hard for me to swallow for everything I want to be able to do. I am not sure about CQC or Elve because it looks like you have to do a lot of work with interface design. I do not mind so much the programming piece, I work in computer field and have writen scripts before, but not good at design.
 
I started buying equipment thinking I was going to go with homeseer but wanted to know if either CQC or Elve would be a better option. I have been through homeseers forums and some users have complained about its reliability.
 
Some of the equipment I have bought so far is 2 z-wave light switches (evolve and jasco), aeon mulitfunction sensor (motion, temp, humidity, lux), cache wifi rfid extender, z-wave electrical outlet, brultech energy monitor, and a aeon z-stick 2 to control the z-wave devices. I would like to be able to use all the equipment I have purchased but if z-stick does not work with the CQC or elve and they are the better option I can switch controllers.
 
What I am looking to do is below:
 
1. Control lights in house based on different events (time of day, motion in room, door open, etc)
2. Control/monitor thermostat ( will eventually purchase a z-wave unit)
3. Integrate home IP cameras into system to view recorded events as well as live video.
4. Control entertainment system components
5. Setup whole home audio long term
6. Sense garage door open/close and control garage door.
7. Monitor home power usage.
8. Control electrical loads based on power readings (i.e turn of water heater, A/C unit, etc)
9. Ability to control all this via Iphone and android devices.
10. Possible plug into XBMC, chromecast, streaming audio, Sirrius online stream, pandora, netflix possibly.
 
Would like to mount android device in area and stream video content to it and then stop and control equipment if needed. Figured I would setup an old laptop or fanless computer to run all this.
 
Thanks for any information provided.

 

[ehinkle]

I would also like to eventually integrate into my home security system. I have an older Ademco but think I will have to upgrade the panel to get the integration.

 

[IVB]

My advise is to download each product and try it. Each has a different style, one may suit you better.  I don't know much about Elve but I can't imagine there's a "wrong" choice here.

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

http://cocoontech.com/forums/page/home-automation-software

 

[Timoh]

I second the motion to try several and then decide.  We all have different needs, experiences, setups, + + +
 
My personal favourite used to be Housebot.  If you like Windows, it was very powerful.  The downside is you still need to design your UI and it will only run on Windows. 
 
My current favourite is OpenHAB.  The price point is right, but it is still young at just over a couple years old.  However, the community behind OpenHAB is awesome.   There are a lot of people writing plugins.  The current (highly debate-able) downside to OpenHAB is the config.  OpenHAB uses it's own programming language for defining items, rules, UI.  This makes it very powerful, but a much steeper learning curve than most other platforms.  The UI itself, is relatively automatic once you have defined it.
 
Like just about everything in HA, there is no single or easy answer.
 
Tim

 

[Dean Roddey]

Not to be self-serving, but you might want to check the support situation with Elve. In terms of CQC and z-wave, you'd do better with the VRCOP as the Z-Wave secondary controller, but you can use the stick I presume with the Leviton software as the primary controller. Most everything else there should be ok. Streaming movie preview to an Android tablet isn't something that we can support ourselves currently.

 

[pete_c]

Yup; play away.  See what fits. 
 
You know once you have been bitten by the Homeautomation bug and it becomes a hobby; there will be no end to your automation and what you automate. 
 
One thing; important here in my home; is the WAF (wife acceptance factor).
 
Wife is truely patient with me.  Sometimes there are "glitches"; mostly because of my experimenting.  (like computers talking in the wee hours of the morning or lights going on when then should not...little things only)
 
You will learn and aquire a WAF "language skill" which relates to being able to explain a glitch or use some sort of automation to gets you points relating to both more automation and just the right WAF.   Make it one of those "honey doo" lists (all automation stuff).
 
Tell her everything you are doing is for her; and she will let you play and brag about you to her friends; but never tell you.

 

[drvnbysound]

WAF language is interesting...
 
I was recently trying to explain parts of SageTV... specifically that one of my Hauppauge HD-PVRs had failed, and it is causing recordings to be shifted to times other than the original airing time (i.e. later in the night). This was apparently unacceptable, and as such I will be ordering a new replacement ASAP ;-)
 
Following that theme... it was about a week ago that I was telling a friend about my SageTV setup and he mentioned how he downloads so many shows, etc. I explained that we/she watches so many TV shows, that I don't want to put in the effort to have to find and download sitcoms on a weekly basis. He actually tried to convince me to have her view a few episodes of some other series as well. It was after this that I literally asked my wife to name all of the shows that she watches throughout the year... I wrote them down. She listed 23 different sitcoms that have active series; obviously their airing season ranges throughout the year, but I didn't think it was 23!

 

[tmbrown97]

I'd skip Elve... yeah, it's the one I bought, but it doesn't have any full time development or support efforts.  It's the least mature of the options and likely to stay that way.
 
If you don't want to mess with UI design, you can accomplish a lot with off the shelf systems and their web apps; I do a ton with an Elk and eKeypad natively; but once you get into media/entertainment, it gets harder.  Perhaps set a budget for some help?  There was a forum member on here that helped a couple people out with some nice designs; that's probably the route I'll go once I finally get my screens the way I like functionally.

 

[drvnbysound]

I'm in the middle... I too use Elk and eKeypad and am able to do 99% of the things that I want, including being able to view my CCTV cameras from the eKeypad app; it's nice to be able to do everything from a single interface. On the other hand, I also have a media server - SageTV. I know there are people who have done further integration using either CQC or Homeseer... but I honestly don't mind using SageTV as a stand-alone media server via the HD200 extenders that I have installed.
 
Not to mention the additional complexity of what you use (device) for control when you add a software aspect to it. Do I really want to use my iPhone (or another dedicated touch device) to change channels? Not really. That said, I'm kinda in a lull... and not really sure where I want to go next - if anywhere.

 

[ehinkle]

Not to be self-serving, but you might want to check the support situation with Elve. In terms of CQC and z-wave, you'd do better with the VRCOP as the Z-Wave secondary controller, but you can use the stick I presume with the Leviton software as the primary controller. Most everything else there should be ok. Streaming movie preview to an Android tablet isn't something that we can support ourselves currently.

You said VRCOP as the secondary controller with the Leviton software as the primary controller, CQC cannot act as the primary controller with a zwave communication device to control things? In my testing with homeseer I am able to add the z-stick as a controller and homeseer would control adding devices to the zwave network and turning lights on or off.

 

[Dean Roddey]

The primary controller really isn't about controlling things, though it can. It's mostly about managing the network of modules. With the Leviton setup, the Leviton software and a stick are the primary controllers (and you only want one primary), and the VRCOP is a secondary controller, which is what CQC uses to talk to the network. Actually, even if you used our native Z-Wave driver (which is basically deprecated now) it also used the stick as a secondary.

 

[drvnbysound]

I have an Elk, and it also uses the VRCOP (secondary controller) for primary communication. The VRSUB was only used for setup.

 

[pete_c]

Just a quickie note relating to controllers/PIMs I utilize today.
 
1 - UPB - Using PCS, SA and HAI switches with SA and HAI Pims, HAI repeater.  Two UPB pims connect to two devices and one UPB PIM is a floater.  UPB is primarily utilized for in wall switches in about 90 % of the home.  I do have metal conduit and metal gang boxes in one home and romex in another home. I prefer the conduit run electric over the romex relating to my "updating" HV electrical stuff. But that is my personal opinion.
2 - Insteon - I have one Insteon PLM on line used with a few insteon legacy switches
3 - Z-Wave - here using VRCOP / Leviton PIM and a Homeseer Z-Troller and a mi casa verde z-wave controller - 3 smaller Z-Wave networks on line.
4 - X10 - Using the original XTB, newer XTB IIR, CM11A9(s) and three W800's.
 
HAI panel connects to UPB, X10 and Z-Wave ( 2 OPII panels in two homes)- Omnitouch legacy 5.7's, new Omnitouch 5.7e's and now playing with Omnitouch Pro software on "other touchscreens"
 
Software connects to UPB, X10, Z-Wave and Insteon (now some three servers, two running HS2Pro and one running HS3 test mode).  HSTouch software on some screens, propietary custom HS software on other screens using "other" HS touch software screens.  (Have XP, CE, Linux and Android right now)
 
Always playing here though in my automation sandbox (house). 
 
Which is it I like the best?
 
Personally all of it right now.  Looking forward though to giving Zigbee a run with the new Almond +.

 

[ehinkle]

The primary controller really isn't about controlling things, though it can. It's mostly about managing the network of modules. With the Leviton setup, the Leviton software and a stick are the primary controllers (and you only want one primary), and the VRCOP is a secondary controller, which is what CQC uses to talk to the network. Actually, even if you used our native Z-Wave driver (which is basically deprecated now) it also used the stick as a secondary.

 

Dean,
 
I am new so forgive me if I sound stupid. If I have the leviton setup with a stick wouldn't CQC have to be able to communicate with it to tell the lights to turn on or off? I would think the z-stick is just a bridge to the z-wave wireless network to allow CQC to controll the devices. But you said CQC would need to talk to VRCOP as a secondary controller, so I would still need VRCOP, shouldn't I just use VRCOP as the main communication channel for CQC and the Zwave network? Also if the Z-wave driver deprecated should I not use that?
 
I noticed in the forms people saying they are using ELK and some other devices as the controllers, but I think ELK is a security system for what I have seen. So if people are using ELK and other home automation controllers to automate the house, CQC is not needed to controll anything correct? Isn't the ELK or other devices actually controlling the lights and other items.