Polisy reg vs Pro

[Blackbird]

Just wondering if the pro is worth the extra $50

1.  My understanding is that the only hardware difference between the reg polisy and the pro is wifi and bluetooth but software wise they are going to be the same including amounts of nodes and programs.  Is this correct?

2.  What is the function of wifi?  Is it only to avoid plugging in a ethernet cable?

3.  What is the foreseeable practical use of the bluetooth?

Reason I ask is when I bought my isy, I didnt get the zwave pro and wished I did.  Just dont want any regrets this time.

Thanks

[lilyoyo1]

14 minutes ago, Blackbird said:

Just wondering if the pro is worth the extra $50

1.  My understanding is that the only hardware difference between the reg polisy and the pro is wifi and bluetooth but software wise they are going to be the same including amounts of nodes and programs.  Is this correct?

2.  What is the function of wifi?  Is it only to avoid plugging in a ethernet cable?

3.  What is the foreseeable practical use of the bluetooth?

Reason I ask is when I bought my isy, I didnt get the zwave pro and wished I did.  Just dont want any regrets this time.

Thanks

I'm getting my information from Michele's responses in the comments section on the Polisy announcement page. WiFi is there for those who want to use wifi instead of a hardwired connection. It just gives you the option for connecting. Personally hardwired is the best way to be. 

Bluetooth is for nodes servers that require Bluetooth such as presence poly which allows you to monitor proximity devices.

With ever changing technology, I would recommend the pro only because you don't know what you'll do tomorrow. Today and in the foreseeable future you may not need it. A year or 2 now, you might. 5 years ago I never expected to be doing all that I am now. Most people don't. Having the capabilities is worth the extra cost.

[mwester]

Important things like home automation controllers should NEVER rely on wifi -- so mine will be wired in.

 

That leaves the WiFi (and bluetooth) free for me to do all manner of interesting things -- like listen for specific WiFi hot-spots or devices (in a pure "monitor" mode), for proximity detection.  I've a few ESP8266 devices that do interesting things, and when they blow their little firmware brains out and reset themselves to their default empty firmware, they start broadcasting on Wifi as a hot-spot -- listening for that will quickly alert me that one or the other of those devices has gone all wonky again (hey, what do you expect when you pay $5 for a microcontroller with WiFi built in???)  Another though is that right now when the home network goes kerplunk, the ISY can't be reached -- so turning the WiFi into a WiFi hotspot for the sole purpose of letting a browser connect to manage the Polisy is also on the list.  Depending on the chipset used for the WiFi, I think I can do both monitor and hotspot at the same time, but if not, it'd be easy to "mechanically switch" that on, for example by plugging in a USB stick with a special code on it to signal that it should enter hotspot mode.

What can't you do with an open device like this??  Node Servers are great, but they're just the start.

[larryllix]

Support for 3G and 4G is also reported to being thought about.  

WiFi bulbs could be operated directly but the other routers would likely have better reach.

[beninsteon]

Sorry to rain on the parade here but why spend anything on this box when for $35 polyglot runs beautifully on a rpi (with Ethernet, WiFi and Bluetooth connections)?

[lilyoyo1]

22 minutes ago, beninsteon said:

Sorry to rain on the parade here but why spend anything on this box when for $35 polyglot runs beautifully on a rpi (with Ethernet, WiFi and Bluetooth connections)?

Me personally, its to support UDI. For others its not needing to do the work themselves (plug and play), good looking package, long term additional capabilities that a rpi may not have.

[beninsteon]

5 minutes ago, lilyoyo1 said:

support UDI

Agree there. But I think the best way to support this wonderful company is by providing support to users on this forum (as you do lilyoyo1) and recommending their products to friends and family.

[lilyoyo1]

Just now, beninsteon said:

Agree there. But I think the best way to support this wonderful company is by providing support to users on this forum (as you do lilyoyo1) and recommending their products to friends and family.

That I definitely agree with. At the same time, using their products also allows you to learn what they are capable of to help others. 

[simplextech]

I think the long term plan is that Polisy will become the next-gen ISY... For those of us now it's just an rpi replacement on paper currently.  However come release it may be much more and be a fully capable ISY+Polyglot system... which I think based on what I've read is the goal...

[paulbates]

1 hour ago, beninsteon said:

Sorry to rain on the parade here but why spend anything on this box when for $35 polyglot runs beautifully on a rpi (with Ethernet, WiFi and Bluetooth connections)?

In addition to the others comments which resonate with me, my understanding is that you take Polisy out-of-box, plug it in and quickly getting it talking to an ISY and up and running on polyglot and nodelink. No raspbian install, unix config, unix commandline to deal with, etc.

I believe the larger looming ISY audience wanting to adapt V5 Nodeserver capabilities will not want to have learn enough linux/pi to get by to have nodeserver capability (like I did).  When UDI flips the switch on general release V5, I see a lot of people going this way.

I also believe it will be the ISY 994i replacement in the future, and look forward to the day that my HA is running even faster.

I'm looking forward to mine (pro). 

Paul

[mwester]

Having the Polisy side-by-side to an ISY is pretty much like an RPI - that is true.  I'm eager for when the Polisy will subsume the ISY functionality -- for me that will mark the point where node server will really start to live up to their potential.  (The show-stopping issue for me is that the very limited TCP/IP stack in the current ISY is not carefully enough handled in Polglot, so under load messages and updates are dropped).

[beninsteon]

So the argument being may as well get it now while it's on sale since it's the new version of the isy with new features (more program/device storage, improved zwave support, presumed better polyglot support). That's reasonable.

 

I have a few questions in this regard. Do we know if there's a migration path from polyglot on rpi to polisy? Are we aware of any other advantages of polisy over 994i? Can polisy serve as a rpi replacement for other functions (eg. I'm also running homeseer, Plex, pi-hole on my pi)?

[lilyoyo1]

1 minute ago, beninsteon said:

So the argument being may as well get it now while it's on sale since it's the new version of the isy with new features (more program/device storage, improved zwave support, presumed better polyglot support). That's reasonable.

 

I have a few questions in this regard. Do we know if there's a migration path from polyglot on rpi to polisy? Are we aware of any other advantages of polisy over 994i? Can polisy serve as a rpi replacement for other functions (eg. I'm also running homeseer, Plex, pi-hole on my pi)?

On the Polisy webpage (comments section) Michel does state that they plan on having a way to migrate from your current setup to Polisy. At this time, there technically isnt any reason to get polisy if you are already setup unless you want to take advantage of the sale price. The advantages of polisy has already been shared on here. At release there isn't many if you are setup completely with RPI and your ISY. Nodes may be faster due to the system but I dont know how that translates/compares in the real world with separate pieces. The biggest gain will come in the future. What functions are you referring to? 

I cant speak for UDI but I do feel if you know that you will get Polisy when it comes out then take advantage of the sale price if you can. I personally don't see it taking over the ISY for at least 6 months (if not longer). This would give UDI time to troubleshoot and fix whatever issues that may come about during the early stages. Once they are comfortable where things are, I can see a slow migration of the ISY to Polisy via beta testers etc.

Because of that, I wouldnt get Polisy at launch simply to have your ISY on it. That would save you mental frustration from wanting something that isnt available on your timeline. 

[larryllix]

2 hours ago, beninsteon said:

Sorry to rain on the parade here but why spend anything on this box when for $35 polyglot runs beautifully on a rpi (with Ethernet, WiFi and Bluetooth connections)?

$35 always ends up being more like $120++ here.

What does an ISY Pro + a RPi 3 cost though and the box should be a drop-in appliance for a newbie, instead of a Linux pride in confusion puzzle.

[jgcharlotte]

I agree with the Plug n Play rationale of going with Polisy.  Not saying I couldn't figure out the other approach (especially with the stellar support here), heck I learned BASIC on a Sinclair ZX-81 and have programmed many industrial control systems, but that's when I had TIME and/or it was my job! 

[Blackbird]

Sounds like from what all of you are saying is, the extra $50 is worth it now or at least long term.  I just wish the Canadian dollar wasnt so bad right now.  Looks like $35 US for shipping, also.  I wonder how long it will take for the regular price to drop, after release.

[larryllix]

Sounds like from what all of you are saying is, the extra $50 is worth it now or at least long term.  I just wish the Canadian dollar wasnt so bad right now.  Looks like $35 US for shipping, also.  I wonder how long it will take for the regular price to drop, after release.

Yeah...my shipping was pennies under $50 Canuck buck.

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[MWareman]

$35 always ends up being more like $120++ here.

True that. People seem to forget that $35 U.S. only buys the Pi itself. No case, no power supply, slow networking (fixed in the Pi 4), no storage (and very slow storage after you provide your own). Polisy is better in every measurable way...