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Is HomeTroller Zee 2 Right For Me?

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    Is HomeTroller Zee 2 Right For Me?

    I've been using HS2 running under Windows XP on a small PC for about 5 years. It works great, but I want to upgrade to HS3, and I want a smaller "footprint" for the controller. The HomeTroller Zee 2 looks like a good fit, but I'm not certain yet.

    Here are my questions:
    1. Does the Zee's Insteon interface support the 2441TH thermostat?
    2. Does the Zee support the DSC plugin? If so, how does it physically connect to the DSC IT-100?
    3. Is the HDMI interface used at all, or is it purely a web interface?

    Thanks,
    Jim

    #2
    Originally posted by jasdev View Post
    I've been using HS2 running under Windows XP on a small PC for about 5 years. It works great, but I want to upgrade to HS3, and I want a smaller "footprint" for the controller. The HomeTroller Zee 2 looks like a good fit, but I'm not certain yet.

    Here are my questions:
    1. Does the Zee's Insteon interface support the 2441TH thermostat?
    2. Does the Zee support the DSC plugin? If so, how does it physically connect to the DSC IT-100?
    3. Is the HDMI interface used at all, or is it purely a web interface?

    Thanks,
    Jim
    With respect to 1, the Zee's Insteon support should be no different than any other HS3 setup. That is, so long as you can run the plug in, you get all the features.

    The Zee does support the DSC plug-in and the EnvisaLink version. Your limiting factor with plug-ins generally (besides the max # of 5) is that they have to be Linux compatible.

    The HDMI interface is basically unused. I have an old "version 1" of Zee, and the only time I had to use HDMI was a weird scenario where I did something and HS3 would automatically boot up, so I had to plug in a keyboard and an HDMI monitor to see what's going on.

    In general, I wouldn't think of the Zee as being "different" than regular HS3's, but rather as a number of plugins-limited *Linux* HS3. You will be limited in what plugins you can use, since only Linux-compatible ones work.

    I upgraded from a Zee to an SEL. The speed was noticeable for me when doing configuration stuff. But for the actual usage of the system, the Zee and the SEL are the same.

    Comment


      #3
      Another point to keep in mind is how comfortable are your with Linux. Several users have opted for a Windows based unit only because they weren't comfortable with interfacing with and managing Linux servers.
      💁‍♂️ Support & Customer Service 🙋‍♂️ Sales Questions 🛒 Shop HomeSeer Products

      Comment


        #4
        Rupp - There's really not a whole lot of management with the HST Linux controllers. The only time is if you want to do some tinkering. Otherwise, they run for days on end with very little issues.
        HS4Pro on a Raspberry Pi4
        54 Z-Wave Nodes / 21 Zigbee Devices / 108 Events / 767 Devices
        Plugins: Z-Wave / Zigbee Plus / EasyTrigger / AK Weather / OMNI

        HSTouch Clients: 1 Android

        Comment


          #5
          Yup; relating to the Zee-2 it is a static Linux configuration set up with a partition configured for DR should something occur to the running partition.

          You do not have to update it what so ever. I have not updated my irrigation ARM CPU / software OS in two years and it's running fine.

          Same with the new Z-Net device.

          Very plug n play.

          Personally here have always used Windows and Linux. I am currently typing on my Laptop with Ubuntu 64bit on it. It is configured to run VB's in XP/W7 and runs a bunch in Wine today. I like that I can today use the best of both worlds on one laptop. I also have a custom tablet PC here that boots up to iOS, Android, Linux or Windows 8.1 that I use for this or that. I do have one RPi that I am testing KODI with. I only control this box with the IR remote control.

          The current HS3 Pro box is running both Linux Ubuntu 64 bit and Windows server and gives me what I want right now running base Homeseer 3 in Linux and some stuff in Windows Server. It is sort of a hodgepodge mix that works for me now because of how the new Homeseer 3 is built today.

          I've been using HS2 running under Windows XP on a small PC for about 5 years. It works great, but I want to upgrade to HS3, and I want a smaller "footprint" for the controller. The HomeTroller Zee 2 looks like a good fit, but I'm not certain yet.
          You can also run Homeseer Standard or Pro on an RPi2. Note that the Zee-2 version of Homeseer 3 is limited to 5 plugins where as the Homeseer Standard or Pro is not plugin limited. Curious how many plugins, scripts and variables you have configured today with your Homeseer 2 boxes?

          Is the HDMI interface used at all, or is it purely a web interface?
          The desktop is a lite limited function GUI which will let you manage a bit the box. That said the Homeseer interface presentation is just the web interface. The gui also is utilized for DR should a mishap occur. Personally here have my RPi2 in the attic with a POE cable providing power to it such that I never utilize the HDMI port on it.
          Last edited by Pete; September 4, 2015, 10:57 AM.
          - Pete

          Auto mator
          Homeseer 3 Pro - 3.0.0.548 (Linux) - Ubuntu 18.04/W7e 64 bit Intel Haswell CPU 16Gb
          Homeseer Zee2 (Lite) - 3.0.0.548 (Linux) - Ubuntu 18.04/W7e - CherryTrail x5-Z8350 BeeLink 4Gb BT3 Pro
          HS4 Lite - Ubuntu 22.04 / Lenovo Tiny M900 / 32Gb Ram

          HS4 Pro - V4.1.18.1 - Ubuntu 22.04 / Lenova Tiny M900 / 32Gb Ram
          HSTouch on Intel tabletop tablets (Jogglers) - Asus AIO - Windows 11

          X10, UPB, Zigbee, ZWave and Wifi MQTT automation-Tasmota-Espurna. OmniPro 2, Russound zoned audio, Alexa, Cheaper RFID, W800 and Home Assistant

          Comment


            #6
            So long as the plug-ins you need are available on Linux, and you don't need to engage in any huge customizations of your set up, my belief is that the new version of the Zee is a steal, and should satisfy the vast majority of users of HomeSeer. For the price, you're basically getting a Z-NET with HS3 built-in.

            I had upgraded from the Zee original version to the SEL just to get plug-ins, but did so before the new version was available. If I had to do it now, I'd get the new version of the Zee.

            I'm not a Linux expert by any means, and haven't found any need to "drop" into Linux to do anything really. For custom icons I'll SFTP files in, which is just a bit more difficult than simply copying them if I were running Windows.

            Comment


              #7
              Yeah, the Zee2 comes with the z-wave controller built-in at $199. Rupp's mention of Linux administration is simply not a factor for HST's controllers. Heck, 3 out of their 5 controllers are Linux and their flagship Z-Net is Linux as well.
              HS4Pro on a Raspberry Pi4
              54 Z-Wave Nodes / 21 Zigbee Devices / 108 Events / 767 Devices
              Plugins: Z-Wave / Zigbee Plus / EasyTrigger / AK Weather / OMNI

              HSTouch Clients: 1 Android

              Comment


                #8
                Just to note that the Homeseer DSC IT-100 plug-in may not work in this environment. It did not work for me. It kept crashing the system. The good news is that the BLDSC plugin works. You will need a USB to RS-232 to connect to the IT-100.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Thanks everyone for the information. I will look at the Z-Net controller, and the BLDSC plug-in.

                  Jim

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by jasdev View Post
                    Thanks everyone for the information. I will look at the Z-Net controller, and the BLDSC plug-in.

                    Jim
                    Note that the Z-NET is effectively built into the Zee2. No need to buy the former if you are buying the latter.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Any way to get beyond the 5-plugin limit on the Zee S2?

                      At minimum I want Insteon, ZWave, and HSTouch Server. However, also want to add Nest, RFXCom, IFTTT, Weather, and some others.

                      Just curious if this limit was a technical decision (i.e., device limitation) or a product decision (i.e., to differentiate from HomeSeer SEL)?

                      Thanks!

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by homerjay View Post
                        Any way to get beyond the 5-plugin limit on the Zee S2?

                        At minimum I want Insteon, ZWave, and HSTouch Server. However, also want to add Nest, RFXCom, IFTTT, Weather, and some others.

                        Just curious if this limit was a technical decision (i.e., device limitation) or a product decision (i.e., to differentiate from HomeSeer SEL)?

                        Thanks!
                        I'm guessing a little bit of both, although five is probably arbitrary as opposed to six, seven, etc. I will say that I have an SEL, and it is a wonderful piece of kit. Much faster than the Zee in boot up and restart. Although in operation no different than the Zee.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by homerjay View Post
                          Any way to get beyond the 5-plugin limit on the Zee S2?

                          At minimum I want Insteon, ZWave, and HSTouch Server. However, also want to add Nest, RFXCom, IFTTT, Weather, and some others.

                          Just curious if this limit was a technical decision (i.e., device limitation) or a product decision (i.e., to differentiate from HomeSeer SEL)?

                          Thanks!
                          I believe a degree of it came from memory limitations, the Zee S1 could not have any additional plugins and it was limited to 512MB (and each plugin IIRC took a minimum of something like 20MB), now with the S2 the memory is 1GB but to safeguard installing 20 plugins and expecting good performance the five plugin limit is probably a good way of minimising any risk of memory running out.

                          You will likely find some functionality you might be able to get around with scripts or the like, IFTTT is part of the HS core, weather data can be read in with a script and others might be similar. Failing that you can probably install HS3 on a Pi (using the Linux release, although not sure how the Z-Wave interface functions) and run what you want but you will probably end up in an unsupported corner and if there are issues you may find yourself on your own.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            I'm running 5 plugins on a pi2. Check my sig line for specs.

                            Sent from my SCH-R970X using Tapatalk
                            HS4Pro on a Raspberry Pi4
                            54 Z-Wave Nodes / 21 Zigbee Devices / 108 Events / 767 Devices
                            Plugins: Z-Wave / Zigbee Plus / EasyTrigger / AK Weather / OMNI

                            HSTouch Clients: 1 Android

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Originally posted by rmasonjr View Post
                              I'm running 5 plugins on a pi2. Check my sig line for specs.

                              Sent from my SCH-R970X using Tapatalk
                              Thank you.

                              Do you have any performance issues running 5? Also, do you think you would run into any issues running more than 5 plugins?

                              What I'm trying to figure out is if the HomeSeer Zee S2 is software limited to 5 plugins or whether this this is a 'soft cap'?

                              Comment

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