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    Vera vs zee S2

    I am currently a Vera edge user and to be honest I am disappointed with it and fed up of the reliability issues. It's just not a consumer product unless you are wanting slightly more than flicking the switch your self.

    To make Vera useful you need the pleg plug in. Unless you can be bothered spending hours with lua or luup code.
    Pleg is a fair attempt and automating but is clumsy and caused problems.

    I've had Vera lite, Fibaro HCL, BeNext and the Vera edge.
    All have some good points but all fail at being reliable. BeNext was the fastest but not user friendly.

    I've looked at Domoticz and HomeGenie on the pi. I can see potential but can be bothered with all the setup and coding. Plus the wife would never use the mobile apps as they are too geeky. I also don't know how solid they are.

    Up until this week I've been testing indigo for the Mac, it's solid, fast and easy to use.
    I have a spare Mac and aeon zwave stick.

    I thought I'd look at homeseer. It either had to run on the pi2 or be the zee S2 to make sense for me to buy it.

    I can't find anything the gives reviews in depth good or bad. I've looked at the product line up but it's hard to judge what I need from it.

    I want a fast and reliable system with zwave and sonos.
    My Vera is not consistent. At the moment when I'm away from home it's down, don't know why but can't get home to even look. The lights are on but the system is causing havoc. Worked for a week before I left but then off it goes!
    Also when it does work I can sometimes get an instant response to a motion sensor and other times I can be in the next room before anything has happened.

    I want to be able to set up rules that for example have a motion sensor active and the light level low before turning a light on.

    No movement after say 30 minutes and lights go off.

    I want to control my heating.

    All basics really.

    I like the idea of modbus as I have modules I would use but it's no deal breaker.

    Does anyone have an honest review?




    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

    #2
    Sorry I didn't see this earlier! I to am recovering from the hell that is Vera, though I've been free of the plague for a few years now.

    If you'd like my personal review it can be found on the Vera forum. I have a pretty long thread there that detailed my progress with Vera and my eventual move to HS3. I then came back to it after a year with HS3 and gave my experienced opinion. I was an experienced Vera user. I squeezed every last bit of life out of it that I could. HS3 is so much more capable that even after a few years I'm still a complete noob. I highly recommend you check out that thread. It is very detailed.

    In short, HS3 is simply on an entirely different level than Vera and the other systems you mentioned. It has proven to be highly reliable even if there is a bump from time to time.
    Originally posted by rprade
    There is no rhyme or reason to the anarchy a defective Z-Wave device can cause

    Comment


      #3
      I'll just add that I owned several vera's in my lifetime and still have a lite and 2 edges in my possession.

      I have 3 houses and was with vera for 3.5 years, I'm still active on that forum and still have the Lite running at my parents house.

      I upgraded to Homeseer due to the issues I was having at my bigger house with dropping devices and PLEG not holding changes and so on.

      Altho I tested homeseer a year ago (probley when it shows I joined this forum) I only fully made the switch not to long ago and still have another house to go to fully get rid of VERA.

      I can help answer any questions you might have coming from a long time Vera user and short time Homeseer user.

      Comment


        #4
        You are gonna find a few Vera ex peeps on this form. I am one as well. Vera has its positive if you only need a couple things done and stayed on UI5. UI7 went downhill real quick and that is when I moved to HS3 (after much testing and vetting of other programs).

        Personally I have a dev environment on a Pi, but this is mainly for me to learn VB scripting, so its not on all the time. My primary is on a windows 10 box (i bought a low power box to keep power consumption low). To be honest, I have a couple issues here and there, but that is mainly due to me messing with it. If i leave it alone, it just works.

        Couple things, you will find that homeseer is much more advanced over Vera, with this is Pros and Cons. I am doing things in my automation that I could never do with Vera... ever, even with PLEG, but it's taken me a year of messing with it to get some things done. Part of the learning curve, is completely forget the Vera logic, as Homeseer logic is completely different (triggers vs conditions). But once you wrap your head around the event engine, its actually very easy to whip up some basic automation fairly quickly.

        You mentioned user interface for your wife. This is another place where Homeseer has Pros and Cons. Pro being its one of the few (if only??) application that allows for you to create custom screens for your phone/tablet. At an additional cost of the designer application. You get the generic interface for free to get remote access, but to be honest, you will find you want to update it once you use it a bit. The con of Designer is it is a true test in patience to make screens and currently of my tinker time with HS, it probably is eating up about 70 percent of my time to build the interface. Once you have it done though, its really nice to be able to have screens the way you want with what you need in the right places.

        There is also a huge cost difference between Vera and Homeseer. I will tell you though, you get what you pay for. Yes the plugins are expensive for homeseer, but they are better maintained and much more functional from Vera plugins. Also i was initially concerned with the cost of the software, but after you sit down and add up the cost of the hardware you have bought and plan to buy, you will find the software is just a very small portion of that, and also there is something to be said about a marriage and HA stability .

        Do the 30 day trial, see what you think. The people on this forum are helpful. If you like the software, keep your eyes out for sales on the software. They happen all the time.

        Comment


          #5
          Now that ImperiHome works with HS3. Do you still feel like you need HS Touch as much? I'm pretty new to HS but have been using ImperiHome with Vera for a long time and now am using it with HS. I don't really see much a need for HS Touch. I could be wrong though, because as I mentioned, I'm pretty new to HS.

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by jumper4000 View Post
            Now that ImperiHome works with HS3. Do you still feel like you need HS Touch as much? I'm pretty new to HS but have been using ImperiHome with Vera for a long time and now am using it with HS. I don't really see much a need for HS Touch. I could be wrong though, because as I mentioned, I'm pretty new to HS.
            HS touch is way more powerful and has alot more features and device support.

            Imperihome is just easy cheap and good for basics.

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by jumper4000 View Post
              Now that ImperiHome works with HS3. Do you still feel like you need HS Touch as much? I'm pretty new to HS but have been using ImperiHome with Vera for a long time and now am using it with HS. I don't really see much a need for HS Touch. I could be wrong though, because as I mentioned, I'm pretty new to HS.

              You never NEED HSTouch. You don't need any of this home automation stuff. HSTouch is pretty cool once you take the time to get it up and running. It took me almost 2 years to bite that bullet. I should have done it a lot sooner. It took me a few days to get the hang of it and it's been all uphill since. No joke, last week I picked up a woman with my custom HSTouch project. No, I am not making this up! It's for the kitchen tablet but I tossed it on the phone, because, why not?
              Originally posted by rprade
              There is no rhyme or reason to the anarchy a defective Z-Wave device can cause

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by S-F View Post
                You never NEED HSTouch. You don't need any of this home automation stuff. HSTouch is pretty cool once you take the time to get it up and running. It took me almost 2 years to bite that bullet. I should have done it a lot sooner. It took me a few days to get the hang of it and it's been all uphill since. No joke, last week I picked up a woman with my custom HSTouch project. No, I am not making this up! It's for the kitchen tablet but I tossed it on the phone, because, why not?
                lol, well if it's THAT good, then maybe I'll start playing with it too... Could we see a screenshot of this tablet interface that helped you pick up the lady?

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by jumper4000 View Post
                  Now that ImperiHome works with HS3. Do you still feel like you need HS Touch as much? I'm pretty new to HS but have been using ImperiHome with Vera for a long time and now am using it with HS. I don't really see much a need for HS Touch. I could be wrong though, because as I mentioned, I'm pretty new to HS.
                  ImperiHome and HSTouch can't even be considered in the same game in my opinion. I like them both and both serve their purpose well.

                  I would use ImperiHome on my phone because it's basic and I can quickly put on the main screen what I usually get to. But Designer is for my tablets around the house that are stationary and those tablets were bought for only one purpose and that's to control things in that room. I need the ability to control the screens automatically and look somewhat professional, which ImperiHome lacks.

                  Originally posted by jumper4000 View Post
                  lol, well if it's THAT good, then maybe I'll start playing with it too... Could we see a screenshot of this tablet interface that helped you pick up the lady?

                  If you can find a woman that likes HA as much as we do, you better marry her on the spot as you found the unicorn.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Alas, this unicorn of a woman and I didn't work out... so it seems!


                    But today I had a similar result with another woman. Similar but not the same.


                    I'm trying to keep things PG here friends.

                    My screens aren't very special. I posted them in the thread about custom HSTouch projects.
                    Originally posted by rprade
                    There is no rhyme or reason to the anarchy a defective Z-Wave device can cause

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Here the old house had TTS in the 1980's such that it has been around a long time.

                      The TTS was on a combination alarm/security panel with X10 built in way back.

                      I did notice one day in the last 3-4 years that during a conversation relating to automation here that TTS appeared to be new for wife.

                      For her it was totally new when presented on a women's syndicated talk show.

                      Personally I like to tinker with this stuff.

                      Wife accepts my tinkering and I do explain things that happen or methodologies of access. I do not go out of my way to make it simpler as it would be counter productive for me.

                      Well like the automated $50-$200 light switch. Really how do you justify it when comparing it to a $10 manual light switch?

                      Personally here I just installed the switches as I have done in the old house. I did explain what the switches did but didn't go beyond what they did for justification of the purchase and installation of the switches.

                      Vera's original firmware base was based on a router / OpenWRT.

                      Vera is not a PC rather it is a 400Mhz single threaded CPU (made for a router/firewall) with just a tiny kernel and very little RAM such that it was/is a controller of sorts with limited capacity. That said what has been achieved with this is great stuff but limited by the hardware.

                      There is no comparing it to Homeseer automation software (or any automation software). It is an apples to oranges comparison.

                      I am today playing with a microRouter that is about 2" square than has a faster CPU and more kernel memory and RAM than the Vera and running much stuff using LUA and LuCi. I am impressed with what I can do with something a bit larger than my thumb. I can compile stuff now using GCC on it which I couldn't do before.

                      I am looking to play with a similar device that is actually the size of my thumb with more CPU, more ports, larger kernel and more ram on a board that is about 1" X 2"'s. I could put this in a bigger box so it looks like a regular computer if I wanted to or just put an RJ-45 connector on it and make it a network automated stick.

                      Well too the cost of said device is less than $10 which is cheaper than the $35 RPi2-3 which does run circles around it.

                      You can do a bunch more with software like Homeseer or if you want free automation software (copied a bit from Homeseer running in Mono) then just utilize HomeGenie. It is very simple to use software and does run circles around any Vera device today. Like Homeseer it will run on Wintel, Linux or MAC OS.

                      Up until this week I've been testing indigo for the Mac, it's solid, fast and easy to use. I have a spare Mac and aeon zwave stick.

                      From the get go of Apple; the interface or conduit was written such that you didn't need to be technical at all to understand it. That was the way it's always been.

                      If the direction and interface to your automation is related to the simplicity of the interface and WAF then just use it and move forward.
                      Last edited by Pete; March 18, 2016, 06:47 PM.
                      - 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


                        #12
                        Vera vs zee S2

                        So is the zee worth getting?

                        One thing I can't work out is what 5 plugins you get.

                        Can you choose?

                        I would have the following I think if I can choose, I'll never use x10 for example.

                        Zwave
                        Modbus
                        Sonos
                        Imperihome
                        Rfid


                        Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Can you choose?

                          No; that is up to you.

                          Here have and utilize Homeseer HomeTroller Zee S2 and Homeseer Pro.

                          I am biased a bit as I have utilized Homeseer since the beginning of Homeseer many years ago.

                          I am still in a learning mode with Homeseer 3 going baby steps.

                          Talking X10 (still today), UPB, Z-Wave and soon Zigbee (via the HS3 OmniPro 2 plugin).

                          I am not familiar with the Modbus, Sonos or Imperihome plugins.
                          Last edited by Pete; March 18, 2016, 07:17 PM.
                          - 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


                            #14
                            I am a recovering Vera user as well. I struggled with it for a couple of years, learned a bunch of Lua coding etc but Vera always ended up crashing inexplicably and was a huge time sink.

                            I migrated to HS2 5 or 6 years ago and have found it to be a very stable and reliable platform. 2 years ago we gutted our house and I migrated to HS3. There was a bit of a learning curve but again it has been running reliably with few problems.

                            The biggest advance for me personally has been echo integration which has been evolving over the past few months. With the release of the API recently the language used to control various devices has been simplified, and the WAF and FAF (family acceptance factor) has increased tremendously.

                            There is a lot of ongoing development for various technologies. I have sonos in several rooms and a camera system, but I haven't spent time trying to integrate them with HS (although it is possible) because I just don't have the time to mess with it. Same with HS touch: I just use the basic setup and it works fine but is nothing fancy. Others have customized their HS touch setups tremendously.

                            I have HS3 on a dedicated low powered PC (win 8.1). It's more expensive than Vera but it has saved a lot of headaches.

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