RE: Homevision

["David Pullen" <dpullen@xxxxxxx>]

--- In ukha_d@xxxxxxx, "Mark Walker" <davros@w...> wrote:

> Any other comments off people. Homevision or not Homevision
> Thanks
Clearly there are pros and cons of each.
For me the price of Homeseer made it very attractive especially if you
have a few PCs kicking around.
However, I would say that it took a long time before I got Homeseer set
up in a way that really worked well. I found that it was a good idea not
to run many other applications on the same machine. I have stripped my
main server back to just Homeseer, one music server, messaging and TV
guide. This server is now very stable and things happen pretty quickly.
I only use X10 to communicate with lights and appliance modules. All the
PIRs, pressure mats, door sensors, etc. are either hardwired or RF
direct to the mr26a and the serial port which gives a much faster
response. Combining Homeseer with a VIOM provides the I/O ports and is
very flexible.
I think the power of Homeseer lies in the flexibility of the scripting
and the Web interface, its ability to integrate well with other pc
applications, e.g. music servers, TV guides, etc., and the huge support
provided by its users and developers.
It is of course also very easy to set up a backup Homeseer server that
can be deployed very quickly, even automatically, should the primary
fail. Homevision users may suggest that this would not be necessary with
HV - case proven! However, I would contend that nothing can be
guaranteed and a backup server for what becomes a critical part of the
operation of your house is something to be considered very seriously.
If you can get Homeseer to be stable and reliable, deal with the
responsiveness issues, and add I/O ports (and IR) then the additional
costs of Homevision may be a significant deterrent. AND this applies
whether you are considering them as alternatives or in combination.
Ultimately whether or not you go for HV in addition to HS depends upon
your requirements, depth of pockets (credit card!) and interest in toys.
I certainly wouldn't rule out buying HV in the future but I find that
with care and attention, HS can do a great deal now and could keep me
busy for some time to come.
David