Beginner questions before purchase

[paintguy]

I have been looking at different Home automation solutions that do not require a computer to be on and I have some questions before I purchase.

 

I am looking to control lights, get alerts for door/window sensors and alerts for environmental sensors.

 

1-Is the user interface easy for someone to setup without having to know code?

 

1-Can you receive text alerts from triggerlincs?

 

3-Are there an issues with hooking up to a Fios Actiontec router?

 

Thanks

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi paintguy,

 

1. You can get alerts from sensors (IOLinc/TriggerLinc)

2. What environmental sensors did you have in mind?

3. User interface does not require knowing code BUT it is not an easy UI if you do not know the basics of INSTEON, scenes, controllers, and responders. You may want to checkout our wiki @ http://www.universal-devices.com/mwiki

4. No issues connecting to FIOS ActionTec router. To setup internet access (to access ISY remotely) you will have to create manual port forwarding rules

 

With kind regards,

Michel

 

I have been looking at different Home automation solutions that do not require a computer to be on and I have some questions before I purchase.

 

I am looking to control lights, get alerts for door/window sensors and alerts for environmental sensors.

 

1-Is the user interface easy for someone to setup without having to know code?

 

1-Can you receive text alerts from triggerlincs?

 

3-Are there an issues with hooking up to a Fios Actiontec router?

 

Thanks

[paintguy]

Michel,

 

I have been using Indigo for Mac for a few months and I now want to go to a standalone solution without a computer running. Is there a wiki page showing how to use the device on a mac? The environmental sensors I was referring to were water, freeze,heat.

 

 

Thanks

[Michel Kohanim]

Hello paintguy,

 

The best resource is our How To Guide: http://www.universal-devices.com/mwiki/ ... w-To_Guide .

 

The interface is the same for Windows and MAC since it's based on a Java applet with the following notes:

1. You need Java 1.6

2. The Network Module has some issues on MAC

 

After you setup your devices/scenes, then you no longer need to access the Administrative Console which is Java based. You do have a variety of interfaces to choose from for monitoring and control including multiple inexpensive iPhone native applications (around $10.00). To check these out, please checkout our third part section:

http://forum.universal-devices.com/index.php?c=7 .

 

As far as the sensors, I have not seen any that are supported by INSTEON. Do you have product links?

 

With kind regards,

Michel

 

Michel,

 

I have been using Indigo for Mac for a few months and I now want to go to a standalone solution without a computer running. Is there a wiki page showing how to use the device on a mac? The environmental sensors I was referring to were water, freeze,heat.

 

 

Thanks

[MikeB]

As far as the sensors, I have not seen any that are supported by INSTEON. Do you have product links?

 

Smarthome offers various sensors bundled with their IOLinc. For example:

 

http://www.smarthome.com/24950A8/I-O-Li ... Kit/p.aspx

 

They seem to have pulled their water/leak sensor kit (or I can't find it on the site anyway). I know some users were reporting issues with the sensor not reliably triggering the IOLinc.

[Brian H]

Last time the water/leak detector kit was listed. The page basically said on hold for improvements. Then it just disappeared. Maybe it will come back if they can get a more reliable sensor.

[Illusion]

Paintguy,

 

I was in exactly the same situation as you before getting my ISY. I am on a Mac and was using Indigo but did not want my computer on all the time.

 

I do not regret going the ISY route at all, but there are a couple of things to be aware of.

 

1. The ISY will control X-10 devices and can hear X-10 signals and respond to them, but the user interface is not anywhere near as friendly to X-10 as Indigo.

 

2. While the ISY is incredibly powerful for such a low power device, it is not in the same league as Indigo when it comes to running AppleScripts, email notifications, email based control, variables, and super simple GUI.

 

3. Because of the less simple GUI, and the way you write programs in the ISY, it is vastly more powerful than it first appears. While we talk "Code" here, it is not at all like "Knowing Code". The basic framework is locked into If, Then, Else statements that you put values in from various drop down menus. You do not write anything except comments if you like.

 

4. I am on a Verizon Fios Actiontec router and it works great. If you look into the forum post on this subject you will see detailed step by step instructions on how to set up this exact router.

 

5. I cannot say enough good stuff about this product and company.

 

Michel,

 

This whole thread gives me an idea: I talk about my ISY and Insteon to people out in the world all the time. It used to go in one ear and out the other. Then I set up internet access and because people could see my devices on my iPhone, they became very interested. Then the other day I logged into my Admin Console to show someone how to program it, and I had 4 people really fascinated by the interface and all the possibilities it opened up.

 

I know you guys are not the most marketing focused group, preferring to spend your efforts on continuous product improvements, but there may be a real opportunity here. How about a website or simulated Java Applet that lets someone interface with a fake sample system? We take for granted knowing how the interface functions, but even the most rudimentary simulation would answer dozen of potential customer questions and put them at ease. You could include this "Demo" on Smarthome or any other distributor. It could be a great sales tool.

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi Illusion,

 

Thanks so very much for the feedback. And, YES, you are very much correct. We should have a sample system allowing people to play with all the functions within ISY.

 

As soon as we get some free time, we are going to work on it.

 

Thanks again so very much,

 

With kind regards,

Michel