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Is HS a viable replacement for C4?

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    #16
    Pretty much, if you can think of it, you can do it with HS.

    Seriously, unless you are VERY strange, if you can think of it, you can do it with HS!

    I use Alexa to "Control" most of the things in my home. I use Homeseer Zwave switches and dimmers to set "scenes" or turn off a room (or the whole house) when I leave it.

    HS automates our morning routine by turning on lights before we wake, changing the temp, showing us calendar entries and weather on our marquee (BLLED) and then shutting everything off after we leave.

    HS automates our turtle's habitat based on time and temp. HS reminds us to check the water for our Christmas tree and sends an email if we go too far beyond the checkpoint. HS reminds us to change the little wax thingies in our potpourri warmer dealie after the wax has been heated for its maximum life. HS adds paper towels to the Sam's/grocery list when the 3rd to last roll is removed from the storage cabinet. HS alerts us and snaps a pic of the liquor cabinet when it is opened and neither is home. Same for the beer frig. HS changes the color of our (LIFX) porch lights based on calendar entries. HS changes trick-or-treater's front door experience based on their button choice down by the sidewalk. Etc Etc Etc. AND it can do it with nearly every HA protocol out there. I started with X10 in the 80's and only switched exclusively to ZWave about 8 months ago when we moved to a new home.

    Home Automation is what you make it, and HS helps you make it what you want easier than anything else out there.
    .

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      #17
      Originally posted by lveatch View Post
      Will

      The Controllers are pre-configured appliances you can purchase. They contain both the HomeSeer 3 (HS3) software and computer.

      You can purchase the same HomeSeer 3 (HS3) software and install on your own computer. Multiple OSes supported.

      You will then need to purchase Interfaces to communicate with devices (switches, dimmers, sensors, etc) based on the protocol (e.g. z-wave) your devices use.

      Depending on the Interfaces you use, you may or may need to purchase plug-ins (software to extend the base HS3 software.

      Additionally, you may want to purchase, some are free, plug-ins to simplify your configuration of HS3 events and extend your HS3 system's capabilities (e.g. EasyTrigger, RFXCOM, WeatherXML, BLBackup, etc) - citing examples; not promoting.
      https://forums.homeseer.com/showthread.php?t=162813 , https://forums.homeseer.com/showthread.php?t=183916 and here : https://forums.homeseer.com/newreply...eply&p=1337482 for a trial Linux HomeSeer project.

      I'm sure when you find your way around that simple start up project you will then begin to understand that it's that easy!

      I for one don't consider myself a pro but the crazy one about HomeSeer and that I believe in logic and connecting wires, networking and interlinking systems (IOT).

      Here are some of my projects for inspiration :

      https://forums.homeseer.com/showpost...9&postcount=18

      I call that infinity because it will control a multitude of anything you throw at it.

      Then there is this: https://forums.homeseer.com/showthread.php?t=185697

      I call that awesome IOT! Just when you thought that you can do no more with HomeSeer. It pushes the system beyond infinity!

      NOTE: You can tell from my posts that I'm not a pro. but a follower, restless and have learnt all my tricks from the people on these HomeSeer boards.
      I owe everything to them! So I, like everyone else, we are here to help.

      I hope you will grow to like HomeSeer. Just try it and I promise you.........................



      Eman.
      Last edited by Eman; December 7, 2017, 05:26 PM.
      TinkerLand : Life's Choices,"No One Size Fits All"

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        #18
        The Hometrollers are not powerful enough to handle heavy loads video streaming (Media Server duties), camera monitoring (blue iris). that’s mostly the reason people use separate boxes. Then there’s the philosophical idea that the automation controller should be light and fast. Small volume SSD seem to perform better than larger SSD drives in read write times, and therefore, other than the preparation for catastrophic failure ‘eggs in separate baskets’, the system should perform better.
        How much C4 Zigbee stuff do you have? Because I’m not sure HS can speak Zigbee. Supposedly they’re working on a work-around, but if not many devices, there shouldn’t be an issue. My C4 System wasn’t doing any automation. Not sure if it was a cost thing, or if the local C4 rapists are as dumb as I think they are.

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          #19

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            #20
            @brientim

            C4 integrated with Vera before they went on their own path to expand it use of z-wave and other apps that were not fundamentally suitable to design into itself.
            You were not entirely correct with the above statement

            The below are true:

            https://www.control4.com/company


            https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/vera


            Eman.
            TinkerLand : Life's Choices,"No One Size Fits All"

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              #21
              Is HS a viable replacement for C4?

              My statement is correct, but I assume you are reading it differently.

              In 2011 Extra Vegetables released a driver that allows Control4 to communicate (integration) with Z-Wave devices using Vera as the translation tool.

              C4 went their own way and designed its own z-wave module which removed the requirement for Vera integration

              https://www.control4.com/docs/produc...heet-rev-a.pdf

              I had Control4 when it was known as that, then went to Homeseer, followed by Vera and now back with Homeseer

              http://www.connectedhome.com.au/extr...me-controller/
              Last edited by brientim; December 8, 2017, 05:28 AM.

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                #22
                Originally posted by brientim View Post
                My statement is correct, but I assume you are reading it differently.

                In 2011 Extra Vegetables released a driver that allows Control4 to communicate (integration) with Z-Wave devices using Vera as the translation tool.

                C4 went their own way and designed its own z-wave module which removed the requirement for Vera integration

                https://www.control4.com/docs/produc...heet-rev-a.pdf

                I had Control4 when it was known as that, then went to Homeseer, followed by Vera and now back with Homeseer

                http://www.connectedhome.com.au/extr...me-controller/

                Ok,
                I was confused about the age of Vera as opposed to that of Control 4.
                In that regard you are wright!
                Thanks for pointing that out.


                Eman.
                TinkerLand : Life's Choices,"No One Size Fits All"

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                  #23

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                    #24
                    HomeSeer was an early adopter on many things as it has been around probably longer than most of all of the other companies. I have been using HomeSeer for almost 20 years!
                    HomeSeer 2, HomeSeer 3, Allonis myServer, Amazon Alexa Dots, ELK M1G, ISY 994i, HomeKit, BlueIris, and 6 "4k" Cameras using NVR, and integration between all of these systems. Home Automation since 1980.

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                      #25
                      Start fresh with Z-wave and HS3

                      I was in the same boat a year and half ago and started with Vera ($129.00) because the only HA supplier in Australia Highly recommended it. 3 weeks later I swapped it for a Fibaro HomeCentre 2 ($1,280.00). After spending months of adding, removing and then a Update would wipe some moduals or the control unit would just stall after 2 hours and do nothing until reset I got so frustrated I hated the thing. Then They did update that bricked the unit, but wait I have a trusty backup inbuilt I might add Im saved. One small detail BRICKED. So it now sits in the floor of the computer closet and I hockey puck it everyday. Lesson i learned was there system were closed and any new feature or product took months to support. They were so far behind they started dropping quality control. I really researched HS3 and was dubious as everything stated not for the beginner. Well 4 months in running it on a virtual machine on a 16ghz quad core cerleron Qnap Nas and I love this program. Once you learning to use it nothing is impossible. and for me I record 8 analog cameras continuously with no lag. I use a snap shot plugin which takes a picture every 30seconds unless you hit snapshot and the its instant. If i want live streaming I just reduce the snapshot count to 1 second. Honestly there is always a way with HS3 but say good by to your Wife!. Oh lastly I learnt from trying to add X10 modules, go with Z-Wave and by all new modules as the improvements and security will save you hours of frustration.

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                        #26
                        Evolution of "remote":

                        Scene Controllers -> HS Touch -> Imperihome -> Echo Dot.

                        I still use Imperihome - it is much better than HS touch IMHO.

                        Integration with Alexa and the cheap Echo Dot is a game changer.

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                          #27
                          Originally posted by grahamk View Post
                          Evolution of "remote":

                          Scene Controllers -> HS Touch -> Imperihome -> Echo Dot.

                          I still use Imperihome - it is much better than HS touch IMHO.

                          Integration with Alexa and the cheap Echo Dot is a game changer.
                          HomeSeer 2, HomeSeer 3, Allonis myServer, Amazon Alexa Dots, ELK M1G, ISY 994i, HomeKit, BlueIris, and 6 "4k" Cameras using NVR, and integration between all of these systems. Home Automation since 1980.

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                            #28
                            Not normally the VR narrows in on the voice that initiated Alexa and filters out the background noise including other people. This is very useful; especially as I have young children that I know as soon as I initiated Alexa, they will start talking.

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