Using an Insteon Hub to Compliment an ISY?

[BriG]

So, I have had my ISY and MobiLinc setup running for a little while now, and I totally love the ISY. However, I am not thrilled with MobiLinc. To me, MobiLinc does not allow intuitive organization of objects the way I want to use them: it feels static, limited, and requires more "clicks" to get where I want to go. So, I started thinking about adding an Insteon Hub to my system and using that and their free app to control some objects while I am away. I know the Hub could probably not run an Insteon program, but that is OK. Also, I know that the ISY should be the only device to manage scenes and configure any objects. That said...

 

1) Has anyone here used the new Hub and its app? How does it compare to MobiLinc?

2) Do you know if an Insteon Hub can control a scene that it did not create? (To do this, it would have to poll all its devices and dynamically construct the scenes. Then, any time I changed a scene with the ISY, the Hub would have to re-poll its devices and rebuild its scenes.)

3) Is there anything else about having two controllers on an Insteon network that I should think about?

 

At a glance, if the Hub's app is any good at all, then a Hub would be radically cheaper than MobiLinc over the long-term, and potentially easier to manage.

[oberkc]

While I cannot help with the hub app, I have been experimenting around with the integration of tasker with mobilinc. One thing this allows is the creation of a widget which, with a single button press, allow you to send a command to a device, send a command to a scene, or trigger a program.

 

Perhaps this may help with your (and my) concerns about having too many button presses to execute an action. Of course, this works only with android.

[Brian H]

2. The HUB could not control any module where its Insteon ID number was not in the devices link database.

 

3. One controller will not know what links where added to the devices by the other controller and eventually one will over write the others controllers links. This has happened with someone using HouseLinc's diagnostics to test systems that are controlled mainly by an ISY controller.

[arw01]

And check out with Tasker the Zoom app, I understand it may allow you to make your own "application" with what ever icons and layout you would like.

 

Alan