Re: MainLobby - Xap - CBus

[Kevin Hawkins <lists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Dean,


Yes, currently the route to integrating xAP with MainLobby uses HomeSeer
as a middleware application. This is actually pretty much ideal as
MainLobby provides the GUI, HomeSeer the smarts and xAP the actions.
HomeSeers' role is very much one of the logic engine. xAP is ideal for
endpoints controlling endpoints eg a switch controlling a light where it
can operate in a truly distributed fashion much like say C-Bus does (no
central controller required = very fast and reliable and no PC involved)
. However typically when you become a more demanding HA user (ie most
people on this list) then you want more 'smarts'. These take the form of
timed actions, sequences / macros, logic (If..Then...Else) and
assembling data from multiple sources to massage into a nice
presentation format eg to display, speak or send emails. This is the
role HomeSeer provides as a very polished scriptable engine. MainLobby
and xAP are not purposed to provide this role.

The other huge bonus is that HomeSeer has a vast library of (often free)
plugins that add support for many many software & hardware devices...
and any device that can be created in HomeSeer becomes xAP enabled :-)
so if there is a HomeSeer plugin then there's a xAP device for free !
Suddenly xAP has a whole new library of supported devices expanding
every day. . Effectively all your HomeSeer devices become network
enabled. For example you have a RS232 wired temperature sensor that has
a HS plugin, now the temperature can be displayed on any PC on your
network using say xAP Desktop (as well as MainLobby). xAP Desktop can
even overlay its own graphics over MainLobby should you so wish. (eg a
popup "New email from work") message. Conversly, say the TOM10
temp
sensor has no HomeSeer plugin but because it has a xAP one then it can
display in MainLobby.

You're right that HomeSeer was created with its roots in X10 (as that
was really the first HA protocol) but it has evolved considerably since
then. Some X10 legacy still exists there in the way it models 'state' of
devices but all manner of devices are now supported. Within xAP we try
hard to move the 'X10' model onwards by naming devices things like
upstairs.masterbedroom.light rather than A10. By doing this we allow for
not only knowing what the device is ;-) but also grouping of devices eg
addressing upstairs.> or *.masterbedroom.* Even more importantly you can
just remove your X10 hardware and add in C-Bus, even mix and match and
it all still works as the C-Bus device is also called
upstairs.masterbedroom.light. This is one of the fundamental aims of xAP
... to control a device transparently based on its function rather than
the particular type/model of device it is so you control 'lighting' and
not X10 or C-Bus or Dynalite or Lutron. Likewise you 'play music' and
don't specifically use a 'SliMP3' or 'WinAMP' or 'ExStreamer'. Hence
when you update your WinAMP to a 'Squeezebox' or whatever it all still
works. Replace your CallerID modem with a Meteor and again it still
works. An ambitious objective but a very powerful concept.

Kevin

>Cheers Chris
>
>Going to have to investigate Homeseer further, I had read it really as
a X10
>control system, and couldn’t see any value for me.
>
>
>
>Dean.
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: christopher purves [mailto:CHRIS_PURVES@xxxxxxx]
>Sent: 24 March 2005 16:57
>To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
>Subject: RE: [ukha_d] MainLobby - Xap - CBus
>
>
>I'm using it so ........ I can connect CBUS to mainlobby. I love
Mainlobby
>as a front end but it lacks the 'girder/homeseer' scripting etc.
Homeseer
>also has a nice phone interface which links into mainlobby too.
>
>Chris
>
>
>----Original Message Follows----
>From: "Dean Barrett" <dean@xxxxxxx>
>Reply-To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
>To: <ukha_d@xxxxxxx>
>Subject: RE: [ukha_d] MainLobby - Xap - CBus
>Date: Thu, 24 Mar 2005 16:25:02 -0000
>
>
>Chris
>
>What are you using Homeseer for - i see a lot of people talking about
it and
>using within the MainLobby forums, though i couldnt really see a
particular
>use for it - maybe time to rethink....
>
>
>
>
>Dean.
>
>
>
>