I want to start integrating automation into my home. My current needs are to control lighting, climate control, have TTS, and monitor my washer and dryer (the W&D are in the basement so I want to know when the cycle is done). I am going to use z wave lighting. I may expand in the future but dont really think it will be any time soon. I have heard a lot of good things about CQC but have also heard that HS and HAL are nice. I dont have any programing experience so a drag and drop software would be ideal. I dont think I really want to go with M1 right now seeing that I would rather use a software. What software do you think would be best suited for my needs? Thank you.
Which software?
- Thread starter jls944
- Start date
Rupp
Senior Member
I'll let others answer that question. I have only used HomeSeer for several years. One of the nice benefits of HomeSeer is the extremely active bulletin board where there are hundreds of ideas flying around at all times. It amazes me what some of these guys do with HomeSeer.jls944 said:
Have a look at http://board.homeseer.com
IVB
Senior Member
In the end, look at both the UI to setup your system, as well as the UI you create to interact with your system. It doesn't matter if the UI to setup your HVAC is easy, if it sucks to use it on a daily basis.
Fortunately, CQC excels at both.
It's drag&drop interface means that a healthcare exec (me), or a lawyer (another CQC user), or a federal officer (another CQC user) can all use dead-simple UI to do both the back-end device control and create the GUI that we want. And trust me, our GUI's all look very different.
Here's some screenshots I literally just took to show you how to add a new button in CQC. You use an interface editor to create/modify a GUI. This example starts with me opening up a GUI in the interface editor, and adding a new button to set the target cool temp for my HVAC:
First off, if you want to add a new command or display a different field, right-click and select what you want. Here I selected new command button.
It then brings up a dialog box. You choose what action you want to perform when the button is pressed, what text you want on the button, what the image is, etc., all using this UI.
There's many more things I could show you, but let me see what questions you have first.
Fortunately, CQC excels at both.
It's drag&drop interface means that a healthcare exec (me), or a lawyer (another CQC user), or a federal officer (another CQC user) can all use dead-simple UI to do both the back-end device control and create the GUI that we want. And trust me, our GUI's all look very different.
Here's some screenshots I literally just took to show you how to add a new button in CQC. You use an interface editor to create/modify a GUI. This example starts with me opening up a GUI in the interface editor, and adding a new button to set the target cool temp for my HVAC:
First off, if you want to add a new command or display a different field, right-click and select what you want. Here I selected new command button.
It then brings up a dialog box. You choose what action you want to perform when the button is pressed, what text you want on the button, what the image is, etc., all using this UI.
There's many more things I could show you, but let me see what questions you have first.
IVB
Senior Member
Frankly, I think CQC is right for anyone looking for a commercial-level high quality package where there's back-end devices to be controlled and stability is a criteria. The combined ability to do back-end device control & front-end painting is just too powerful to contend with.
Learning the interface really took no time at all. Within a week I was churning out interfaces. Within a month I had converted my whole setup to CQC, even though I had no plans to do that. The hardest part is deciding how to set the widgets/screens up to do what you want, as when you learn how much more it can do [or when new features get added, which seems to be monthly], you want to do more with your setup.
Also, the nice thing is that now we have a user systems forum on CQC where people post what they're doing, and you can get ideas about how to setup your system to suit.
FYI: I've got a downloadable skin up on www.myhometheaterpc.com/downloads. You can start there, and just delete what you don't have/don't want. Granted, right now it's media-mgmt centric, but I'm about to order an Elk M1, just ordered some IR curtains, will do lighting last [waiting for protocols to stabilize a bit more]. At that point, i'll also create HA downloadable skins.
I'm actually revising that skin right now - here's the rough sketches of the look&feel I'm doing. I'm looking for some better buttons, but you get the picture. Within a week, the whole skin will be updated to this look.
Learning the interface really took no time at all. Within a week I was churning out interfaces. Within a month I had converted my whole setup to CQC, even though I had no plans to do that. The hardest part is deciding how to set the widgets/screens up to do what you want, as when you learn how much more it can do [or when new features get added, which seems to be monthly], you want to do more with your setup.
Also, the nice thing is that now we have a user systems forum on CQC where people post what they're doing, and you can get ideas about how to setup your system to suit.
FYI: I've got a downloadable skin up on www.myhometheaterpc.com/downloads. You can start there, and just delete what you don't have/don't want. Granted, right now it's media-mgmt centric, but I'm about to order an Elk M1, just ordered some IR curtains, will do lighting last [waiting for protocols to stabilize a bit more]. At that point, i'll also create HA downloadable skins.
I'm actually revising that skin right now - here's the rough sketches of the look&feel I'm doing. I'm looking for some better buttons, but you get the picture. Within a week, the whole skin will be updated to this look.
looks great!! I have a question that kind of off the CQC topic. I am doing some research and have been reading about z wave and intermatic. What are the similarities with there 2? Is it just that they both use RF? Is one better than the other? And does CQC support intermatic products? Thanks.
toymaster458
Active Member
Z-Wave is a Protocol where as Intermatic is a Manufacturer that uses the Z-Wave Protocol in there switches.
jls944 here are some more examples of what can be done with CQC, I did these templates in just the past 2 weeks and there will be many more to come in the next few months before my home is finished.
I found CQC pretty easy to learn and when I didn't understand something I usually had answers within 30-60 minutes of posting questions on their forums.
Click here!
I found CQC pretty easy to learn and when I didn't understand something I usually had answers within 30-60 minutes of posting questions on their forums.
Click here!
BraveSirRobbin
Moderator
There seems to be some linking problems with the thumbnail house images (image doesn't match thumbnail):
http://www.touchscreengraphics.com/index.p...id=14&Itemid=31
I also agree, nice screen shots. I especially like the "template".
http://www.touchscreengraphics.com/index.p...id=14&Itemid=31
I also agree, nice screen shots. I especially like the "template".
I agree, those screen shots are really nice.
I was looking at a remote (Harmony 890) that is capable of controlling z wave products. So, theoretically it should control intermatic products since it uses the z wave technology?
I think I've decided to go with CQC. In order to set up TTS to a speaker in my kitchen, what would I need to purchase to get the job done? Also, I wanted to used a wireless sensor on my washer and dryer so I could tell when they are done with their cycles. Any ideas for this? I presume this would be script intensive?
I was looking at a remote (Harmony 890) that is capable of controlling z wave products. So, theoretically it should control intermatic products since it uses the z wave technology?
I think I've decided to go with CQC. In order to set up TTS to a speaker in my kitchen, what would I need to purchase to get the job done? Also, I wanted to used a wireless sensor on my washer and dryer so I could tell when they are done with their cycles. Any ideas for this? I presume this would be script intensive?
BraveSirRobbin
Moderator
Great screen shots and please continue to post them. If possible, try to keep the images no wider than 800 pixels though or else the thread gets "expanded".
(IVB: I downloaded your screen shots above and changed the size, then uploaded them to our server so this thread doesn't have that expansion problem).
Thanks,
BSR
(IVB: I downloaded your screen shots above and changed the size, then uploaded them to our server so this thread doesn't have that expansion problem).
Thanks,
BSR
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