Software, Decisions...decisions.....

[Dtperk]

[Msekelsky]

Well, I can't compare to the "P" product as I don't know what it is, but I can tell you how ended up with HS.

I started with X-10 years ago with a CP-290. After many steps I eventually ended up with a program (still out there today) called ECS. ECS had, and still has, more power than I have the ability to use. But the user base was too small. Mark (owner) eventually had to put ECS aside to focus on other income streams. Although Mark eventually was able to come back to ECS I made a decsion to move on to another plartform.

At the time I looked at HAL and HS. To be honest I was so rooted in my ECS paradigms that neither was very intuitive for me. What really sold me on HS was the user base. HS has, for what is still really a niche market, an awfully large user base. And this user base knows how to make HS fly. I mean, you can post an idea about darn near anything and somebody here is going to figure out, if it has not been figured out already, how to automate something. Some gripe about the cost of plug-ins. Hey, you don't want to buy a plug-in live wihtout it or write your own. Plus there are lots of free plug-ins and dozens and dozenz of great scripts.

For the couple of years I've used HS Rich and company have kept pace with technology. I really can't forsee HS not being able to do anything I want it to do.

[Dtperk]

Thanks for the input!

>At the time I looked at HAL and HS. To be honest I was so rooted in my ECS >paradigms that neither was very intuitive for me. What really sold me on HS >was the user base. HS has, for what is still really a niche market, an awfully >large user base. And this user base knows how to make HS fly. I mean, you >can post an idea about darn near anything and somebody here is going to >figure out, if it has not been figured out already, how to automate >something. Some gripe about the cost of plug-ins. Hey, you don't want to >buy a plug-in live wihtout it or write your own. Plus there are lots of free >plug-ins and dozens and dozenz of great scripts.

You are absolutely right about the support for HS. I've seen the community support HS and it's absolutely awesome. I do [also] like the the fact that the interface is "open" and something can be written for just about anything.... I think that is what has me coming back and posting this post.

>For the couple of years I've used HS Rich and company have kept pace with >technology. I really can't forsee HS not being able to do anything I want it >to do.[/QUOTE]
I don't doubt that HS has kept pace with technology.... It's clearly evident that the "strides" are in the right direction. However, I've I'm going to spend $200 of my hard earned money, why should I purchase HS?

The other product (as I mentioned in the first post) boasts tight integration wth IP controllers. Is it true? Does the other product really support that integration? Has anyone done some of the same integration with HS without a ton of fuss?

Please chime in if you have... Again, email me direct if you like.

Thanks much,
dtperk

[Dtperk]

Well, I can't compare to the "P" product as I don't know what it is, but I can tell you how ended up with HS.

I started with X-10 years ago with a CP-290. After many steps I eventually ended up with a program (still out there today) called ECS. ECS had, and still has, more power than I have the ability to use. But the user base was too small. Mark (owner) eventually had to put ECS aside to focus on other income streams. Although Mark eventually was able to come back to ECS I made a decsion to move on to another plartform.

At the time I looked at HAL and HS. To be honest I was so rooted in my ECS paradigms that neither was very intuitive for me. What really sold me on HS was the user base. HS has, for what is still really a niche market, an awfully large user base. And this user base knows how to make HS fly. I mean, you can post an idea about darn near anything and somebody here is going to figure out, if it has not been figured out already, how to automate something. Some gripe about the cost of plug-ins. Hey, you don't want to buy a plug-in live wihtout it or write your own. Plus there are lots of free plug-ins and dozens and dozenz of great scripts.

For the couple of years I've used HS Rich and company have kept pace with technology. I really can't forsee HS not being able to do anything I want it to do.

BTW... IMHO ECS was well ahead of it's time (back in the day)
-dtperk

[Rupp]

What is the P product?

[glt]

Rupp,

I'm assuming "Premise". I'm only aware of them because they were bought and then sold by Lantronix - a penny stock I watch, using the HOMESEER stock script you helped with.

I'd sure read up on their recent past and projected future before I bought their system.

GLT

[toscal]

This forum is one of the main reasons why I picked HS over any other. With over 11000 forum members it is one of the largest. Premise has about 760 members.
Not only do you get answers from other members but also from Rick and Rich at Homeseer. And quite often its within minutes, not days.
When I had problems with XP I went straight to this forum posted my problem and within an hour I had answers.
Also if you need a plugin to control a certain box then there is always somebody here that can help or point you in the right direction if you want to write the plugin yourself.
I could go on and on. But I will say that Homeseer is probably the best Home Automation Software out there.

[TZD]

Premise is a Motorola product according to their website.


I just bought Homeseer after running the trial for three weeks. Best software I've seen.

Now I can buy a whole bunch of toys to play with!

[Dtperk]

Thanks everyone.

I've loaded up the demo and am impressed with the ability to configure things. Looks to be pretty powerful.

I've also loaded (yes, Premise) and like the interface.

As TZD said, there seems to be much more support for HS than Premise. I'll play with it for a few weeks and probably purchase.

Any other input welcome!

Dtperk

[AutomatedOutlet]

Dtperk,

I went to a Premise training class last year at one of the trade shows. It does look like a powerful package. The biggest issue I had with it is that it wasn't very user friendly and took a great deal of work to set up. I think that software is designed for the professional installer that wants to invent the time into it and then try to repeat configurations over and over again.

[cadillackid]

a year ago I knew zero about home automation.. my "home automation" was the fact id bought an RCS thermostat with a serial port and wrote a little utility that let me change it settings over the internet... i ran across HS by surfing.. installed the trial, bought some modules and off I went.. posting what were probably very lame questions to the users of this BB.. nevertheless the questions got answered. and I began learning and for all that I do with HS it is very cheap.. as far as user friendly? sure it is.. so user friendly to the point you can write your own complete user interface in whatever flavor you want.. write a plugin with the API.. write ASP pages, oruse MainLobby, so the end result when someone sees your home automation system isnt "oh that looks like that software tom, and joe, and george has" it is all your own look... and im finding now that ive taken some real time and effort that it isnt super hard to do.. and more that a post here usually sent me in the right direction if not totally solved my problem.. this message board is the greatest source of information.... thats what sold me on HS....

-christopher

[Dtperk]

a year ago I knew zero about home automation.. my "home automation" was the fact id bought an RCS thermostat with a serial port and wrote a little utility that let me change it settings over the internet... i ran across HS by surfing.. installed the trial, bought some modules and off I went.. posting what were probably very lame questions to the users of this BB.. nevertheless the questions got answered. and I began learning and for all that I do with HS it is very cheap.. as far as user friendly? sure it is.. so user friendly to the point you can write your own complete user interface in whatever flavor you want.. write a plugin with the API.. write ASP pages, oruse MainLobby, so the end result when someone sees your home automation system isnt "oh that looks like that software tom, and joe, and george has" it is all your own look... and im finding now that ive taken some real time and effort that it isnt super hard to do.. and more that a post here usually sent me in the right direction if not totally solved my problem.. this message board is the greatest source of information.... thats what sold me on HS....


-christopher

Christopher / Martin and others....

It's a bit more than a year later and I've been running HS. I'm happy to say that I'm very satisfied with my choice and you were ALL right! Thanks for pointing me in the right direction! -Cheers