Normal
Aeon-Labs USB S2 stick is a cheap way to add controller function to a PC/Pi/etc. (or wait for 500-series chipset Philio USB controllers) www.homegenie.it = open source + open hardware, run by single Italian developer, but large active forum by users, and it is what I started out on, it is simple in design, but extremely powerful, and supports a GUI wizard, C#, javascript, python, etc. to expand scene scripting. It runs on a PC, or a Pi/etc. www.openhab.org = open source + open hardware that runs on Java. It adds Z-Wave secure command class support (which is what I need for my Schlage Z-Wave deadbolts), as well as Nest thermostat support (via Wi-Fi/IP). I got it installed via 64-bit Java and running, but then found out the OpenHAB designer needed 32-bit Java, and I stopped when I got errors, but plan to give it one more try. www.homeseer.com = closed source, and expensive, but they have a 50% sale going on right now for month of May (check their twitter page for coupon code info). Their "controllers" are simply rebranded Gigabyte Brix NUCs, which I can buy cheaper myself, and the 30-day trial runs amazingly fast on a E350 mini-PC I still had. They were the very first to make Z-Wave work, and have a giant active community. It still has a big "Geocities" feel to it (best way to describe it), as it clearly is a product created by developers without much design flair. Still the whole idea of home automation is that you configure it once, and then it runs automatic (well that's the idea anyway). The HomeSeer Designer app allows for user custom designed interfaces, and this comes included for free with the HS3Pro version ($300 right now due to 50% sale), or $100 by itself (with $125 for the HS3 version). My neighbor actually purchased the HS3Pro (also has a Vera3 like me), so I might be able to go cheap and get just the HS3, and use his designer app I also right now use an awesome Android app called ImperiHome to actually control/monitor my network on the Vera3, as the included UI7 interface is slow, and not very customizable. Z-Wave, and Z-Wave+ are backward, and forward-compatible, so there is no risk in getting older modules. In worst case you have to like hook it up to a PC via USB to update the firmware if a bug gets fixed (but once it works, it works). That is why I bought a bunch of Aeon-Labs 1st generation appliance switches, when they have just released the 3rd generation. They are 5x larger in physical size, but I have them all hidden anyway, and Z-Wave can add up very quick in cost when you go crazy PS: Trust me, once I experienced lights going on automatic when I walk into a room, I went bat-shit crazy on adding home automation. A slow 5-year plan turned into me blacking out, and waking up to a ton of packages delivered, ohhh and an empty bank account -- still consider it best tech investment ever made
Aeon-Labs USB S2 stick is a cheap way to add controller function to a PC/Pi/etc. (or wait for 500-series chipset Philio USB controllers)
www.homegenie.it = open source + open hardware, run by single Italian developer, but large active forum by users, and it is what I started out on, it is simple in design, but extremely powerful, and supports a GUI wizard, C#, javascript, python, etc. to expand scene scripting. It runs on a PC, or a Pi/etc.
www.openhab.org = open source + open hardware that runs on Java. It adds Z-Wave secure command class support (which is what I need for my Schlage Z-Wave deadbolts), as well as Nest thermostat support (via Wi-Fi/IP). I got it installed via 64-bit Java and running, but then found out the OpenHAB designer needed 32-bit Java, and I stopped when I got errors, but plan to give it one more try.
www.homeseer.com = closed source, and expensive, but they have a 50% sale going on right now for month of May (check their twitter page for coupon code info). Their "controllers" are simply rebranded Gigabyte Brix NUCs, which I can buy cheaper myself, and the 30-day trial runs amazingly fast on a E350 mini-PC I still had. They were the very first to make Z-Wave work, and have a giant active community. It still has a big "Geocities" feel to it (best way to describe it), as it clearly is a product created by developers without much design flair. Still the whole idea of home automation is that you configure it once, and then it runs automatic (well that's the idea anyway). The HomeSeer Designer app allows for user custom designed interfaces, and this comes included for free with the HS3Pro version ($300 right now due to 50% sale), or $100 by itself (with $125 for the HS3 version). My neighbor actually purchased the HS3Pro (also has a Vera3 like me), so I might be able to go cheap and get just the HS3, and use his designer app
I also right now use an awesome Android app called ImperiHome to actually control/monitor my network on the Vera3, as the included UI7 interface is slow, and not very customizable.
Z-Wave, and Z-Wave+ are backward, and forward-compatible, so there is no risk in getting older modules. In worst case you have to like hook it up to a PC via USB to update the firmware if a bug gets fixed (but once it works, it works). That is why I bought a bunch of Aeon-Labs 1st generation appliance switches, when they have just released the 3rd generation. They are 5x larger in physical size, but I have them all hidden anyway, and Z-Wave can add up very quick in cost when you go crazy
PS: Trust me, once I experienced lights going on automatic when I walk into a room, I went bat-shit crazy on adding home automation. A slow 5-year plan turned into me blacking out, and waking up to a ton of packages delivered, ohhh and an empty bank account -- still consider it best tech investment ever made
