Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Does HouseLinc need to run continuously and what settings can be managed by Hub?

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    Does HouseLinc need to run continuously and what settings can be managed by Hub?

    Since I'll be buying a lot of switches, controllers, etc it'd be very important for me to be able to use a PC instead of a mobile phone to configure and pair the devices. The HouseLinc software which runs on Windows appear to be a great fit. However I still have the following questions I still have even after having read the manual.
    1) Once I have configured using HouseLinc to setup controllers / responders, scene buttons, etc, must I leave my PC attached for the devices to continue functioning (assuming Schedules are not used)?
    2) It appears that Schedules require the PC to be connected 24/7 in order to work. Is this true? Are there any other features that also require the PC to be connected?
    3) Page 12 of the following manual explains how we can create Events with customized Triggers and Conditions. Does this feature also require the PC to be connected 24/7? Is this supported by the Hub?
    http://cache.insteon.com/pdf/HouseLinc.pdf
    4) Once I have done the initial configuration using HouseLinc, can I close the HouseLinc software and use the Hub to provide on going mobile device access, and continuous operation with Schedules, Events, etc?

    #2
    +1 for what Tfitz said. Houselinc is no longer supported so it's only a matter of time until it no longer works with something.

    With that said, any schedules or events would require houselinc to be running so your computer would need to be left on at all times. Whatever is done in houselinc does not transfer to the hub so you would need to also set up the hub to control your devices.

    This extends to controlling your devices. Anything done in the hub would not trigger houselinc. For example; if you had an event setup to trigger based on a light being turned on/off, if you controlled the light from the hub, houselinc would not be aware and the event would not run.

    Comment


      #3
      Thanks guys. CastleOS looks amazing. It appears to be more feature rich than ISY, is that true?

      Comment


        #4
        I'm not familiar with CasleOS, only what I read on their website. CastleOS certainly supports more HA protocols than does the ISY. But it seems to be cloud based which is unacceptable for a HA system that runs my home. And I don't see a way to control our Somfy window coverings. The Insteon controller offers only up and down and is $150/motor. I'm controlling 14 windows, that's $2100 with no intermediate position possible. However, I noted that Somfy control is in the works. Interestingly, they indicate that they'll support the ISY, too.

        It's also $500 plus another $200 for the software
        Message from Forum Admin: stusviews passed away in April 2018. Stu was a huge fan of Insteon and a huge presence on both the Smarthome and Insteon forums, helping thousands of us along the way (he had nearly 20,000 posts to his name). We thank him for his contributions, dedication, and passion for making the Smart Home a reality. He will truly be missed.
        Saving energy is not always free. Be a world saver.

        Comment


          #5
          I had the opportunity to use the castleos hub. Great system. technically it has more features but I found the ISY worked much better.

          The castle hub is a standalone device. But it's not cloud based.

          From my time with it, Castleos did a lot of things ok but nothing great. Voice control wasn't nearly as good as recognition as Echo (it also requires a kinect). Though I don't have everything they support, I found status updates were flaky. For example, my hue lights wouldn't update all the time. Due to how I use them it's not a big deal but that could cause issues for someone who needs that.

          Comment


            #6
            At first look I thought CastleOS would be the savior but then I just realized the CastleHUB also requires the Insteon PLM which is unfortunately not available for 230VAC as discussed here.
            http://forum.insteon.com/forum/main-.../86113-openhab

            CastleOS, HomeSeer, and ISY are all off for consideration as they all depend on the Insteon PLM.

            BLH mentioned something about a modified Hub or ISY device on the following thread. I'll investigate more and carry out the discussion on that thread.
            http://forum.insteon.com/forum/main-.../86113-openhab
            Last edited by titusc; 06-07-2016, 07:54 PM.

            Comment

            Working...
            X