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    New To HomeSeer

    I am new to HomeSeer and I am trying to decide between Software (installed on a dedicated i5 computer) vs. S6 Troller. Any comments would be greatly appreciated. Sorry for such a BASIC question.

    #2
    I run mine on a rack server with massive ram and storage. WAY WAY overkill, but I use the same server for many things. Just simpler to me.

    You can HS on almost anything, it really has very little overhead. My first installation ran on a fanless box for months with about 2gb of memory and worked fine for months... All depends on what else you want to do with the same machine.

    If I was to do it over I would probably use an Intel NUC box, couple hundred, fanless and fast.

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      #3
      Here run HS3 Pro on an iSeries / 16Gb of RAM using a LAMP server plus virtual box configuration. HS3 Pro runs in native Linux where as Windows things run in virtual boxes.
      I am using a PicoPSU and a standard laptop brick with it; works fine.

      The Zee-Lite boxes are on smaller machines with 2Gb of RAM; one being ARM based and the other is AMD based. IE: Pine64 / Xi5a mini's.

      All of the hardware remains on the racks here today except for the remote Z-Wave device which is POE connected in the attic (and does a small 1-wire network). The Raritan 16 port KVM is still utilized today but I rarely sit by the rack as all managment these days is via the network or web gui. Only one of 3-4 NAS boxes has an interface (command line terminal) that I can see with a video monitor.

      It really depends on how much you want to do with Homeseer. You can start out with lite hardware then over time update.
      - 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

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        #4
        Originally posted by ggrw1011 View Post
        I am trying to decide between Software (installed on a dedicated i5 computer) vs. S6 Troller.
        Welcome to the Board.

        As others have said, HS itself is not very demanding, so the determining factor will be what else you want to do. In my opinion, dedicating a box to HS is the most robust solution for someone just starting out and without substantial knowledge of computer management, but many people run HS in parallel with other applications, either on a single instance or on separate VMs.

        If you provide your own HW and buy HS as a software program, it's fairly easy to move your installation to a new computer if necessary. That is what convinced be to go that route, and that is what I'd do if I were starting from scratch again. (I've run HS on at least a half dozen different boxes in the last 10 years.)

        A HomeTroller is a good starting point, though, and if you know that your installation will remain limited in scope, it can be a very attractive option.
        Mike____________________________________________________________ __________________
        HS3 Pro Edition 3.0.0.548, NUC i3

        HW: Stargate | NX8e | CAV6.6 | Squeezebox | PCS | WGL 800RF | RFXCOM | Vantage Pro | Green-Eye | Edgeport/8 | Way2Call | Ecobee3 | EtherRain | Ubiquiti

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          #5
          I would suggest a dedicated, low resource WIN computer.

          Especially recommended Win. I know many are biased against MS, but HS3 was developed using and for MS .net. Linux version is an after thought that seems to be working well for many, but with restrictions - some hard to find documentation for.

          tenholde
          tenholde

          Comment


            #6
            I also recommend a dedicated micro computer. I use a Dell 3050 Windows 10 microcomputer. It's inexpensive and super reliable.

            Over the years I have been down several roads. At first I thought a single desktop computer was the way to go. But I quickly learned that this approach became incredibly complicated when trying to use multiple Home automation technologies. There were cables and boxes everywhere. It was a nightmare to trouble shoot.

            I then tried using a virtual machine to run HS2 on Windows XP virtual on a laptop which was dedicated to HS2 and my security camera system. I got everything working but found that virtual XP was inherently unstable. It would only run for 7-10 days. Rebooting was a nightmare. Drivers and COM port assignments would constantly change. After a year of hard work, I gave up on the virtual machine approach.

            When I upgraded to HS3, I started running it on a Netbook computer. Low power with a built in battery backup was very appealing. For a year, I ran HS2 on a dedicated desktop in parallel with HS3 running on the netbook.

            Shortly after Windows 10 was introduced, there were several microcomputers introduced that included Windows 10. I opted to try the Dell 3050. I loved it and quickly moved HS3 from the Netbook to the Dell microcomputer. It is a great computer. Plenty of processing power, small footprint, low power, super reliable, fully compatible, well supported windows 10 platform. I am completely happy.

            Another important factor: I think a dedicated HA computer running 24/7 is a much safer environment than a "do everything box". In today's hacker infested world, I feel more secure knowing that somebody in Russia might be able to turn off my lights, but they will have a much more difficult time getting into the PC I use to pay bills and store my personal stuff. I keep this computer turned off when not in use.

            Steve Q


            Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
            HomeSeer Version: HS3 Pro Edition 3.0.0.368, Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 - Home, Number of Devices: 373, Number of Events: 666, Enabled Plug-Ins
            2.0.83.0: BLRF, 2.0.10.0: BLUSBUIRT, 3.0.0.75: HSTouch Server, 3.0.0.58: mcsXap, 3.0.0.11: NetCAM, 3.0.0.36: X10, 3.0.1.25: Z-Wave,Alexa,HomeKit

            Comment


              #7
              If you do go with an i5 computer, two additional suggestions:

              1. Make sure you have a backup APU that will keep the server running for a period of time even if the power goes out.

              2. Make sure your BIOS supports the ability to automatically restart if you have a power loss or if windows shuts down the computer after an update. This is especially important if you have a power outage that lasts longer than your APU. Very useful if you are away on vacation on your power goes out for an extended period.

              I learned this the hard way :-)

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                #8
                An additional thought. I have my HS3/BI server powered thru a Wemo outlet. Should HS3/BI/Windows/RemoteConsole fail such that I can't control things remotely, I can turn the server off and then back on with the Wemo outlet and the Wemo app on my phone. It is my last ditch fix for server full outages. Never had to use it.

                Comment


                  #9
                  New To HomeSeer

                  Welcome to the forum. So, for non-technically-savvy people that just want to get started with home automation I would recommend the hometroller route.

                  If you just purchase the HS3 software it is pretty lite. As an example I run HS3 standard for Linux on a raspberry PI 3. The i5 you mention is a good deal more processor than the little quad core 1.2Ghz ARM CPU in an RPI 3. There are some software pre-requisites you have to ensure are in place to get things running smoothly. If you get stuck, post on the forums. We will help you. You have to understand that going this route is a learning process until you get stable.

                  You will need to chose an interface technology for your HA devices. Personally I chose Zwave (though I also do monitoring via network connections too). I am also considering adding RFX. Personally, because I have limited system resources I don't run more than 7 or so plugins.

                  Lastly, in either solution you want to make sure that you have a stable environment to host HS3. Meaning
                  1. clean and backup power with a backup UPS
                  2. Backup routine that you can test to verify validity.
                  3. Good notes on your setup.



                  Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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