Roomie Remote and eisy

[bpwwer]

I took a look at the RoomieRemote.   It doesn't seem all that much different to me.   Mostly there is just a difference in focus.

eisy/Polisy are more focused on home automation and less on remote control.

RoomieRemote is more focused on media remote control.

RoomieRemote treats the ISY as a lighting controller and that makes sense.  The support things like ecoBee thermostats directly, why would they want to also support an ISY node server for ecoBee thermostats?  Doesn't make sense to apply any resources to that.

Yes, there are devices that UDI supports via node servers that RoomieRemote doesn't and there are devices that RoomieRemote supports that UDI doesn't.  That has more to do with each team applying resources to the support devices that fit with their main focus.

[SSS]

“Just a much prettier interface” this is huge for eas of use…also what about home share, multiple homes, camera support, intercom, custom screens without the need for any PC development platform…why I keep stressing RR is the fact that this is one of the best platform for mass usage development and deployment and if eisy can interface 99% it can easily become a mass platform vs a nice platform for now….revenue can be 2X,3x who knows…all you need is one hub (hub less HA best but almost impossible) and one app to control, view, customize etc, RR+eisy comes very close but for missing node devices which makes it limited to only devices with native support.

Also RR has HomeKit compatibility (besides smartthings) so if you have any devices that are HomeKit compatible you can see them instantly in RR

[Javi]

32 minutes ago, SSS said:

There is no easy compare…it’s on a scale of 1:10 different…just see roomie remote homepage, https://roomieremote.com/

 

Please be specific.  We have many enhancements in the pipeline and we prioritize based on user feedback.  There are also many advanced features which require some understanding of UD Mobile and IoX to accomplish.

Both homekit and roomie are iOS only apps, so UDM is already better if you have an Android phone.  The great thing with the Node Server platform is UD Mobile does not need to include any features for new Node Servers. If a developer creates a Node Server it will automatically work with UDM no matter how unique the status or commands definitions. 

Passion for the one app is mine also, and UDM controls everything in my home aside from choosing content from Netflix/HBO/ect apps.    A/V, Lights, fans,  sprinklers, water control/sensing, security, dog door....... all controlled from UDM but mostly automated in IoX. 

IMHO the "No Hub" is a marketing gimmick.  If you need a router for WiFi, or an iPad on your network...you have a Hub, and one that may require replacement every few years.

[lilyoyo1]

4 hours ago, SSS said:

“Just a much prettier interface” this is huge for eas of use…also what about home share, multiple homes, camera support, intercom, custom screens without the need for any PC development platform…why I keep stressing RR is the fact that this is one of the best platform for mass usage development and deployment and if eisy can interface 99% it can easily become a mass platform vs a nice platform for now….revenue can be 2X,3x who knows…all you need is one hub (hub less HA best but almost impossible) and one app to control, view, customize etc, RR+eisy comes very close but for missing node devices which makes it limited to only devices with native support.

Also RR has HomeKit compatibility (besides smartthings) so if you have any devices that are HomeKit compatible you can see them instantly in RR

How can revenue double or triple when you're literally the only one arguing for RR? Outside of a couple of "Me too" folks co-signing on a couple of your posts and disappearing right afterwards; you have literally been the only one pushing for RR the last few years. 

It's not like UDI is unwilling to work with roomie. They have zero control over what roomie decides to do or in this case not do. This is a conversation you must have with roomie. 

The hard truth is that UDI customers generally aren't the same as roomie customers. We prefer automation not control. 

[SSS]

Ageee 100% it’s upto RR. Re 2X/3X my estimates were based on making it work with all apps (RR, HomeKit, smart things etc..) for all devices native and nodes agreed it’s a great effort and a lot of investment, but UD is the best automation hub and UI (for automation) out there…automation platform + ease of use UI as in a control App is a  killer combination! Unfortunately UD is more of a replacement for ISY console and never match the UI and ease of use of other apps.

Edited May 22, 2023 by SSS

[lilyoyo1]

6 minutes ago, SSS said:

Ageee 100% it’s upto RR. Re 2X/3X my estimates were based on making it work with all apps (RR, HomeKit, smart things etc..) for all devices native and nodes agreed it’s a great effort and a lot of investment, but UD is the best automation hub and UI (for automation) out there…automation platform + ease of use UI is a control killer combination! Unfortunately UD is more of a replacement for ISY console and never match the UI and ease of use.

UD is the company that makes the isy not a replacement. They have zero control over what apps they work with since they don't own any of those companies. UDI has some control over working with homekit but Apple could make things easier by lowering the cost of implementing homekit. Outside of that though, none of what you say is within Udi's control

[Michel Kohanim]

@SSS,

It's really easy for any of the third parties to contact us and ask for help. I even offered a loaner that they could play with then send back. Have not heard back from them. As such, I am not really sure what you are expecting us to do.

With kind regards,
Michel

[SSS]

Appreciate all the efforts from your side…guess not much one can do here. However as it stands from the blog discussions, third party nodes may or may not work depending on how they are developed and ported…so nothing is broken correct? So even if third parties get the eisy there is nothing much they can do. As outlined before, all native devices in eisy work as expected in RR, Hoobs, UD mobile, Mobilinc and UD web access…and HomeKit via Hoobs home bridge 

Edited May 23, 2023 by SSS

[Rob]

I dropped RR 3 years ago because I got no traction with the developer. Switched to Homeseer and later Home Assistant.

Respectfully, you should decide which is more important to you, Roomie or ISY/EISY, and adapt accordingly.

If RR hasn't fixed it by now, they aren't going to. The Home Assistant and Homeseer ISY authors frequent this board and are quite responsive.

The RR developer favors Lutron RadioRA.

 

[SSS]

Agreed, but the argument still holds nothing is broken correct ?

[MrBill]

11 hours ago, SSS said:

Agreed, but the argument still holds nothing is broken correct ?

Nothing is Broken, what works is what RR has chosen to include.

[SSS]

Yes all is good with Native devices, but as I understand it’s impossible for third party APPs to support PG3 nodes. Bottom line is if devices are recognized in eisy it should seamlessly transfers to third party APPs which support eisy as is.

Kudos to UD for UD mobile can recognize all PG3 nodes but that’s the only app l have see so far…all others (RR, Hoobs, Moblinc) doesn’t work and even if the third party is willing to work, it will be a nightmare to go after and implement test etc all 100 of PG3 nodes, that’s why kudos to UD mobile team they can make it happen, but UD Mobile is as good as it can get to replace ISY console and a true HA app…like RR, HomeKit and others with great ease of use UI etc…including multi rooms, home etc…

Edited May 23, 2023 by SSS

[lilyoyo1]

1 hour ago, SSS said:

Yes all is good with Native devices, but as I understand it’s impossible for third party APPs to support PG3 nodes. Bottom line is if devices are recognized in eisy it should seamlessly transfers to third party APPs which support eisy as is.

 

Are you actually reading what is written by people or just making things up as you go? Where was it stated anywhere that it's impossible for 3rd party apps to support PG3 nodes? 

2 developers chimed in on here and specifically stated: Pretty much no third party product that integrates with UDI has ever supported node server nodes.  I've written one such product (HomeSeer ISY plug-in) and I don't support node server nodes in that either.  While it is possible to do so, it is a lot of work because node server nodes can't really be handled in a common, generic way like Insteon or Z-wave

As well as:

Node servers have been available for years (4, 5, more?).  There were discussions with third party developers and as @Javi said, it is possible to support them.  Most developers of third party integrations chose not to.

In addition to:

Supporting PG3 Node Servers and/or ZMatter Nodes will require them to make changes. I believe their integration is of our firmware version 4.x versions, 5.x added new device types.  There is not much we can do if they do not upgrade their integration. 

[SSS]

What I meant with “impossible” was not technically but due to all the other factors that you outlined…including the biggest of all,  not many use cases, hence lack of interest , unfortunately my wish to see all devices that we bring into one powerful hub and the best one for automation @ eisy  then make all those devices available for control in a great UI and easy to use APP will remain a wish.

[brians]

13 hours ago, SSS said:

What I meant with “impossible” was not technically but due to all the other factors that you outlined…including the biggest of all,  not many use cases, hence lack of interest , unfortunately my wish to see all devices that we bring into one powerful hub and the best one for automation @ eisy  then make all those devices available for control in a great UI and easy to use APP will remain a wish.

Roomie remote looks like it’s primarily a media av control remote software and they just added on some other abilities over time like home automation control. They don’t even seem to support home assistant which is very popular. 

From reading your posts I see you are trying ecobee, hue, and myq. All these support native homekit (myq with HomeKit adapter or hoobs) so what is issue with these and roomie, since you say HomeKit devices automatically appear in roomie? Is there some reason you need to have everything go through eisy for roomie remote?  

[SSS]

RR support HomeKit and I believe HA support HomeKit so all devices would show up in RR, I use Hoobs instead of HA. Yes l can bring all Ecobee, MyQ, Hue etc to RR via HomeKit or directly into RR, but as outlined before RR has limited automation where as eisy is 10x better…just like RR is 10x better than UD Mobile. My wish is one hub one app…eisy +  RR is the best combo !

[brians]

6 hours ago, SSS said:

RR support HomeKit and I believe HA support HomeKit so all devices would show up in RR, I use Hoobs instead of HA. Yes l can bring all Ecobee, MyQ, Hue etc to RR via HomeKit or directly into RR, but as outlined before RR has limited automation where as eisy is 10x better…just like RR is 10x better than UD Mobile. My wish is one hub one app…eisy +  RR is the best combo !

You can still add all those nodeservers into eisy and  if you make a change using RR it should update and reflect in Eisy and vice versa so you can still automate using iox if all your things are added into it also. This sounds like what you are currently doing and should be fine  

Curious what you use hoobs for anyways - are you using that old isy Homebridge? Do you have lots of Insteon ?

 

[SSS]

The problem is the nodes they work fine in eisy and doesn’t work in any third party apps like RR, Hoobs, Mobilinc… hoobs is being used to bring other devices which doesn’t support apple HomeKit like Alarm.Com and then into RR…I use the old isy homebridge in hoobs and it just works fine with eisy. I have 50+ Insteon devices that I have, but again they all work well across all platforms it only the PG3 nodes that we have issues.