HomeSeer vs. openHAB

[Guest]

Please do not slam me - as I know this forum is for HomeSeer, I would like to ask a general question. A buddy and I were chatting this past weekend, and he is running openHAB on a LINUX Ubuntu laptop. He loves it, and the laptop keeps things which are needed to stay up - while the power is out (yes, I know a UPS would serve same purpose). :-)

I am wanting to know if any of you have tried it? Moved from OH to HS and why? Just asking for broad-strokes. I have read a few postings online over the weekend and both seem to have their pluses and minuses. I ultimately want a system which (if at all possible) does not need Internet to function (albeit do not think that will ever happen if I want ALEXA of Google Home). Unless I can find a way to have "maybe" tablets or some other means throughout my home which will listen and report to HS4.

[ksum]

You do know you could also run Homeseer on a laptop, right? If the (primary) issue is keeping the system running when the power is out, you would have the same option this way. My thought on that, though, is that I have nothing I could control when the power is out and my sensors would be off line. So from my perspective, I do not need the automation hub running when the power is out as I cannot control anything.

[Guest]

You do know you could also run Homeseer on a laptop, right? If the (primary) issue is keeping the system running when the power is out, you would have the same option this way. My thought on that, though, is that I have nothing I could control when the power is out and my sensors would be off line. So from my perspective, I do not need the automation hub running when the power is out as I cannot control anything.

Karl,

I am running HS4 Pro on an IBM Thinkpad - have from the get-go. Just for the battery 'keep alive' aspects. :-)

I agree, not like I can turn lights on and off if the power is out...but my garage door has battery backup, and the SCHLAGE locks on the doors run on battery. I have some automations which 'could' still work.

Curtis

[upstatemike]

Two points why I need Homeseer running during a power failure (my HS3 is currently on a laptop which is also on a ups so double protected).

I do a lot of announcements to give me status when things go wrong like a power failure. I hear confirmation that the utility power is out, generator has started correctly, transfer switch has operated correctly, etc.

A lot happens when power is restored. Many devices reboot and start slamming the dhcp server (by many I'm talking over 100), any system that loses communication with Homeseer has to reconnect, If Homeseer reboots it has to re-initialize all of the plugins and query a couple of hundred Insteon lights and devices to confirm current state. The more of this I can avoid the better so everything that can reasonable be on a UPS is on a UPS. That still leaves things like 40 Echos, a dozen Sonos devices, and things like that which still have to re-initialize after every power glitch.

Not sure your situation but I definitely see value in keeping Homeseer running through a power failure (or more likely a rapid series of short power failures around here) to lessen the risk of something not coming back up correctly.

[brientim]

I was using OH 1.x and tried OH2 for a little while but that was a few years ago and it has no doubt matured significantly and now with V3 .

OH has very extensive integration, 2000+ as it is open sourced and their is lots of development always happening. Everything you implement, once you install the bindings you must customise the integration, automation and at that point the UI to really meet your needs and that is what really provides the flexibility.

OH is completely agnostic and the continual improvement, expanded integration and development really community driven and was always very well supported. Once something new hit the streets you could be reassured someone would be probably developing the bindings.

I already had HS and due to work I just never had time to tinker and maintain changes and beyond that the phone app was in its infancy at that point which didn’t really suit the WAF.

[upstatemike]

Is there a plugin to link Openhab v3 to Homeseer similiar to the way Home Assistant can be linked?

[Guest]

Is there a plugin to link Openhab v3 to Homeseer similiar to the way Home Assistant can be linked?

This I do not know. I know my major concerns are my SAMSUNG Smart Appliances. While the SmartThings plugin for HS3/HS4 does link - but it is cloud based and has to be linked with my SmartThings (Samsung Account)...and still VERY, VERY limited as to what I can do with it.

I am still looking into things like GeoFencing and integration of a 'non-cloud' environment. Every CLOUD app, plug-in, etc. just opens up another door for someone to hack you. Even with 24 char passwords (you have to store those some place...I am good, but even I have limited memory resources to keep up with passwords....LOL).

I ended my 8 year relationship with SmartThings (98%) - I have an ST-3 hub in my home, as that is the only real way to get my smart-appliances to play nice with HomeSeer and each other.

It would HARMONIOUS if all these manufacturers would settle on ONE PLATFORM and build/design for it. Whether it be Z-Wave, ZigBee or Matter. WiFi is too 'unsafe' IMHO.

I mean come on folks...I remember my my old X-10 setup in my parent's house (IN THE 80's-90's). Home Automation has in some cases not grown much beyond some of the things I could do with that. :-(

Imagine what the world would be like if GOOGLE HOME and ALEXA got married?!?!? One AI platform.

[upstatemike]

Maybe the best approach would be to create a spreadsheet. Across the top you can have a column for each platform you are considering, Homeseer, Openhab, Hubitat, Home Assistant, etc. I would also list Alexa and Google Assistants here as well as some connector technology such as IFTTT and Node Red. Then duplicate the same list down the side so you can track which platforms can talk to which other platforms. Below that list all of the things you have that you need to control. Finally below that list all of the future things you are thinking about doing someday.

Now just go across each row and put an X in each platform column that can do that row's thing. Hopefully a platform or combination of platforms that can talk to each other will emerge as the best way to accomplish what you want.

[Pete]

I used Openhab 1 for a while here and was happy with it. I ran it mostly to manage the OmniPro 2 panel OpenHab plugin. The author then sold his home with the OmniPro 2 panel and quit supporting the plugin. I had helped him a bit with testing the plugin for some time. When he quit supporting the plugin I quit tinkering with it and moved on.

There are a few users on the Cocoontech forum that are still using newest Openhab with their OmniPro panels and are very happy campers. Around the same time that I started to tinker with Openhab I also started with HA and other opensource automation software coming from the EU. Domoticz was one of them that worked well for me.

One opensource automation program called HomeGenie used Mono and resembled Homeseer a little bit in the beginning. It still runs on my ZNet like device in the attic but I do not really use it much.

Here is a list of Opensource Home automation software.

[brientim]

Is there a plugin to link Openhab v3 to Homeseer similiar to the way Home Assistant can be linked?

Not as far as I know however the options maybe MQTT, NodeRED or BIG5 > OpenHAB API

The link below is a recent blog on this subject
https://www.diysmarthomehub.com/openhab-vs-homeseer/

[Guest]

Thanks everyone for the comments. I started looking into NodeRED - looks like I can do a lot with it too (with both products).

Does anyone know if the HS SmartStick+ is dedicated only to HS, or would it work in OH?

I am still trying ti figure out what all the little 'child' devices are when I add something to HS - my Schlage door locks (add like 7 child items). Some are easy to recognize like lock status and battery, but the others - I am clueless. Also the LINKED DEVICE option - makes no sense to me.

I really wish there was a 'true' manual for HS - which described every aspect, setting, feature (not the plugins - except those by HS) - in full detail. :-(

[brientim]

Thanks everyone for the comments. I started looking into NodeRED - looks like I can do a lot with it too (with both products).

Does anyone know if the HS SmartStick+ is dedicated only to HS, or would it work in OH?

I am still trying ti figure out what all the little 'child' devices are when I add something to HS - my Schlage door locks (add like 7 child items). Some are easy to recognize like lock status and battery, but the others - I am clueless. Also the LINKED DEVICE option - makes no sense to me.

I really wish there was a 'true' manual for HS - which described every aspect, setting, feature (not the plugins - except those by HS) - in full detail. :-(

The Smartstick+ is like any other and can be used for any hub.

Not all devices have the same controls so you will see different child device I.e some switch have power reporting and other don’t

Have a look at HomeSeer’s YouTube video on Linked Devices and that should help

[kwieto]

my $ 0.05 for running after power failure:

You can run your computer on UPS, that's the simplest solution.
In my configuration I have 12V powered mini PC connected to so called "buffer AC/DC adaptor" designed for security systems. It can run for couple of hours (if not days) in such configuration. In the past I had Vera (also 12V DC) with the same solution.

As for comments "I will not have any devices to steer" that's not really true. Most sensors are battery powered, sirens as well (if you think of using your system for security).
For critical devices you may put them on UPS as well, though probably they weren't lights
But valves and some stuff like that is manageable that way.

[kwieto]

Not all devices have the same controls so you will see different child device I.e some switch have power reporting and other don’t

I think the question was about something else. I'm also facing such problem with child devices. For example one of my temp/humidity sensor has a child device named "notification".
No idea what is the purpose of that child. Surprisingly, the other (same manufacturer and model) doesn't have such child device.

One of my door/window sensors (Fibaro, if that matters) created a set of about 10 child devices each of them is "unknown type". Surprisingly, the other didn't, both are the same model, though they report slightly different firmware version.
Especially Fibaro is prone to various "strange" child devices (like second light in a dimmer, probable because that dimmer has two inputs to control it), but not only.
For example Repeater and wallplug switch from Aeotec, both having status lights, have full set of child devices controlling colour, as they were RGB lights

Some devices have childs like "system notification" or "Application status" (with default info "Status was reset"), and I have no idea what they are for as well.

[Guest]

I think the question was about something else. I'm also facing such problem with child devices. For example one of my temp/humidity sensor has a child device named "notification".
No idea what is the purpose of that child. Surprisingly, the other (same manufacturer and model) doesn't have such child device.

One of my door/window sensors (Fibaro, if that matters) created a set of about 10 child devices each of them is "unknown type". Surprisingly, the other didn't, both are the same model, though they report slightly different firmware version.
Especially Fibaro is prone to various "strange" child devices (like second light in a dimmer, probable because that dimmer has two inputs to control it), but not only.
For example Repeater and wallplug switch from Aeotec, both having status lights, have full set of child devices controlling colour, as they were RGB lights

Some devices have childs like "system notification" or "Application status" (with default info "Status was reset"), and I have no idea what they are for as well.

kwieto,

AGREED - Many of my devices have 'children' of UNKNOWN or "other" names - it would be nice if there was a list / table some place -- "hint hint HomeSeer" ... as to what they are, what they do, etc. I know if it has nothing to do with HomeSeer or anything I can do with HomeSeer - I would like to HIDE them.

Application Status - no idea what it is, what it does ... but I see many time changes in the device list which shows it was 'RESET"

My SCHLAGE ZWAVE DOOR LOCKS have a Power Management Notification - which always shows "Unknown" - what is this - what is it's purpose? It also has System Notification - which always shows "Unknown" and Access Control Notification as well as Home Security - Always show UNKNOWN (something)


Curtis