Jay M Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 The ISY is awesome for me in many ways. It's super powerful, and for what I'm doing now, easy enough to use. I basically use it to create scenes, set switchlink preferences, and create programs. I also use it as my IR to Insteon interface. The next step for me seems to be too complicated with the ISY. The two things I want to do now: -Echo integration -security notifications on my iPhone and Apple Watch. Adding the portal service which costs about as much as a refurbished Insteon Hub, appears to be a very complex process. Whereas the Insteon hub already has Echo and iPhone integration built in. I have not tried the Portal service yet, but after reading about it, it seems way more complicated than it should be. Watching videos and reading about setting up the Hub looks as easy as I would expect from any modern connected device. Would you agree? What I really want is a way to get notifications from leak sensors and door sensors that pop up on my iPhone and Apple Watch. An email or a text isn't what I want. I can almost imagine having the Hub do only security and the ISY do only lighting. But I would like the ISY to also be able to make use of the door and motion sensors. When use the term "security", I mean light monitoring. The area I live in doesn't really require a real alarm system. Am I asking for trouble by having both the ISY and the Hub in the same house? What are you thoughts? thanks, ~Jay Link to comment
stusviews Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 The protal is a bit complex to set up. but it's a pleasure to use and can run programs, too. And lots of help setting up the portal is available on this forum. Start here: http://forum.universal-devices.com/topic/18015-amazon-echo-isy-step-by-step/?hl=portal Link to comment
Teken Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 Jay, I am not sure what you mean by *notifications* unless your speaking about *Push* alerts. If so, you can use the iOS Prowl smart application and it will send you push alerts which obviously gives you badges to select from. Link to comment
Jay M Posted January 13, 2017 Author Share Posted January 13, 2017 Thanks for the replies. I don't know that technical word, but in iOS, there are setting for things called notifications. For instance, at my moms house she has a system called SkylinkNet that will send a notification banner to my iPhone every time she opens a door. I would buy the same system for my house, because it's inexpensive and works very well. But it doesn't have the ability to interact with Insteon. Integration with Insteon might be useful in my house. Does the portal include an iOS app to control things and send notifications? I already own Mobilink Pro, but some days it works, other days it doesn't. I think it works about half of the times I try to use it. I would like an app that works every day, or at least 90% of the time. ~Jay Link to comment
Teken Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 Thanks for the replies. I don't know that technical word, but in iOS, there are setting for things called notifications. For instance, at my moms house she has a system called SkylinkNet that will send a notification banner to my iPhone every time she opens a door. I would buy the same system for my house, because it's inexpensive and works very well. But it doesn't have the ability to interact with Insteon. Integration with Insteon might be useful in my house. Does the portal include an iOS app to control things and send notifications? I already own Mobilink Pro, but some days it works, other days it doesn't. I think it works about half of the times I try to use it. I would like an app that works every day, or at least 90% of the time. ~Jay Hello Jay, Yes, search for Prowl in the Apple Store and follow the steps outlined in the UDI Wiki. This will offer you those push notification *Pop Up* badge alerts your Mom has and see's. http://wiki.universal-devices.com/index.php?title=ISY-99i_Series_INSTEON:Networking:Mobile_Notification Link to comment
Scottmichaelj Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 Thanks for the replies. I don't know that technical word, but in iOS, there are setting for things called notifications. For instance, at my moms house she has a system called SkylinkNet that will send a notification banner to my iPhone every time she opens a door. I would buy the same system for my house, because it's inexpensive and works very well. But it doesn't have the ability to interact with Insteon. Integration with Insteon might be useful in my house. Does the portal include an iOS app to control things and send notifications? I already own Mobilink Pro, but some days it works, other days it doesn't. I think it works about half of the times I try to use it. I would like an app that works every day, or at least 90% of the time. ~Jay Use Pushover with the API its great and reliable. https://wiki.universal-devices.com/index.php?title=ISY-99i_Series_INSTEON:Networking:Mobile_Notification Link to comment
Jay M Posted January 16, 2017 Author Share Posted January 16, 2017 So I decided to take the easy way out. Amazon has the Hub + 2 lamp modules for $48. The setup was really fast and easy. I really wish UDI could make the ISY so easy to use. It took less than an hour to install and set up the Hub, drill and mount 2 hidden door senors, add and place 4 leak sensors. It took a few minutes to figure out how to get notifications to my Apple Watch without also getting email, but it's done. It took about 30 minutes to get Alexa to turn on my kitchen lights using the Hub. I wasn't sure if having Echo integration was worth the hassle, but I got goose bumps the first time I was able to speak and see light turn on! Now I can see the benefit of having the Echo work with the ISY because of all the scenes that have been so carefully created. The Amazon echo scenes kind of reminded me of the old X10 days where one light at a time would respond. So I think I'll continue to use the Hub for notifications, and then try to figure out the ISY for Echo integration. One shortcoming of the Hub is that it is really difficult to get old devices to work with it. I don't mind its limitations for how cheap it is and how easy and fast it is to set up, but it really should work at least as well with older devices as the ISY does. ~Jay Link to comment
Teken Posted January 16, 2017 Share Posted January 16, 2017 Hello Jay, Keep in mind the HUB II notifications only work if the device is locally controlled. Meaning if someone uses a smart application to operate the hardware the system will not send out a badge alert of its On-Off activation. Link to comment
Jay M Posted January 16, 2017 Author Share Posted January 16, 2017 thanks for the heads up. I'll let you know how this progresses. ~Jay Link to comment
Jay M Posted January 17, 2017 Author Share Posted January 17, 2017 So I bought the portal. It's more steps than I like, but it's works REALLY well! Now I need help with a new program... maybe it deserves it's own thread... I create a new one. thanks! ~Jay Link to comment
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