How to become a customer?

[Want2BACustomer]

I've filled out the online form twice in the past 2 weeks and even emailed them directly but no responses. Are they too busy for new customers? Trying to figure out if HomeSeer will work for my current setup and solve my big problem in that nothing I own is really connected. I was hoping I could connect it all through MCE.

Here's my setup:

Computer setup
===============
Dimension 9150, Intel Pentium D Processor 940 (3.2GHz) w/Dual Core running Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition
> 2GB DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHz
> 500GB Serial ATA II Hard Drive (7200RPM)
> NVidia Dual Tuner card

Home built 2tb NAS

APC Net shelter rack

A/V Equipment
==============
Pioneer Elite 50" plasma (model PRO1120HD)
Samsung 37" LCD TV
Aquos 20" LCD TV
Aquos 17" LCD TV
Mitsubishi 55" rear project TV (model WS55907)
2 other smaller TVs
Tivo/DirecTV (Series 1) receiver (model Sony SAT-T60)
Denon AVR-3300
(2) Roku M1000
DVD player: Denon 2200
DVD player: Sony DVPNS700P
5.1 using Boston Acoustics speakers

Multi-room audio distribution
==============================
Niles MRZ6 (room controller)
Niles SI-1230 (amplifier)
(5) Niles RP-9 keypads
(1) Niles Intellipad room controller in master bedroom
7 rooms with Niles in-wall or in-ceiling speakers
Klipsch outdoor speakers (on deck)

HVAC
==============================
I currently have 2 heating/cooling zones using programmable Honeywell thermostats
would like to be able to monitor/control

Lighting
========
3 rooms have ceiling Casablanca ceiling fans with lights
would like to be able to monitor/control

Garages
======
3 garages with (typical) power door openers
would like to be able to monitor/control

Hot tub
=======
Master Spa - would like to be able to monitor/control

My biggest problem right now is that nothing is connected. It would be nice to be able to control as much of this stuff through media center.

Is HomeSeer something that could work with my setup?

[Uncle Michael]

Welcome to home automation. Proceed at your own risk. This is a very addictive hobby!

Clearly, your question goes well beyond becoming a HS customer. That part is easy. Just download the software. The real question, I think, is can you use it productively?

By itself, HS will do virtually nothing for you. You will need a way for it to interact with the devices you have or will obtain. Speaking for myself, but I bet many others as well, a good way to start is with lighting. That is because you use your lights every day, often in very repetative ways that are useful to automate, and because it is relatively easy to automate lighting since your lights are already wired together.

You can control lights with powerline control (PLC) systems of various sorts, including X10 and UPB, or by radio frequency devices like Radio RA or Z-wave. Unfortunately, there is no 'right' answer to the question of which technology to use to do it. That is a question you will have to answer for yourself.

Music systems often require a serial link to the computer running HS. Nearly all systems work better when hard-wired than not, so if your house has lots of Cat5 and coax cable strung that will help, but if not, automation is still possible.

I suggest following some of the threads on this board for a while to get a sense of what is possible and what issues current users are having, especially in the New Users forum and the Powerline carrier forum to start.

[Rupp]

Want2BACustomer,
What emails did you use to contact HomeSeer?

[Want2BACustomer]

Hi Uncle Mike!
Thanks for the info. I guess it sounds like I need to have someone come in and get me all the appropriate pieces to get the units together - then get the HomeSeer software. I thought the HomeSeer people would help with that but perhaps they are more of a software company than a automation design company.

Thanks!

[Rupp]

Hi Rupp!
I used completed the online form at http://homeseer.com/company/contact_us.htm on 2 different days. I also sent an email to mark@homeseer.com which did not kick but has gone unanswered.

Thanks!

Can you send me the mail to greg@homeseer.com and I'll make sure it gets through to Mark. My guess is that your moniker is being eaten by a spam engine. Can you also tell me the email address you used and you can PM that to me if you would rather not put it in the thread.

[Want2BACustomer]

Hi Rupp!
I submitted the online form and also emailed mark at homeseer dot com.