[quote=“Z-Waver, post:300, topic:179989”]I wasn’t trying to fault anyone or suggest that anyone shut up. I have been enjoying this thread. Furthermore, this is not much different that the openHAB thread that ran on the front page for months just a few months ago.
But, like I said, this is the most open and permissive manufacturer’s forum I have ever seen. It’s one of the pros of the Vera forums.[/quote]
It is indeed, and quite frankly is why I have the utmost respect for Vera.
@S-F I am glad you did post your experiences. It is good to know what is out there. I took a look, gave it a try, but since I will only run a Unix derivative, it wasn’t for me.
Why would you restrict yourself to a Unix derivative?
or perhaps they don’t care and your respect is misplaced?
or perhaps they don’t care and your respect is misplaced?[/quote]
Perhaps, but it’s pretty darn easy to delete a thread…
[quote=“Z-Waver”]Will HS let you do an 11 page thread on switching to Vera?
These forums are the most open and permissive that I have ever seen from any manufacturer.[/quote]
When I was looking at switching and integrating HS with Vera, I actually was lead to Vera from their forum.
Here is an old comparison from a number of years ago
And more recent threads which you’ll notice some common names too
I don’t think your question was intended to be constructive, but I will answer it anyway.
It’s all about choosing the best tool for the task. The task being HA, which is supposed to be pleasurable and have satisfying results. The tool is the software and the hardware to run it on. MS Windows offers a fine operating system and if that is all you are comfortable with, it is probably the best tool for you. Linux has a much steeper learning curve, though much easier today than it was when I started using it. For me, I am comfortable with all versions of MS operating systems, as well as Linux. I use both in my profession.
For me, Microsoft would require purchasing a license and hardware capable of running it, which I don’t have. I would guess it would be around $400 at the least. Linux is free and can run on a low cost, energy efficient Raspberry Pi 2, which if I had to buy one would set me back around $50. Hardware to run MS OS would likely consume much more power, which is an on going expense, and also generate more heat costing me more in cooling costs. The choice for me is simple, not restrictive.
So do what makes you happy. 
HS3 can run on Linux.
True, but they don’t support it well. The download for Linux was not on their download page like it is for Windows when I recently looked. I talked to one of the tech support folks about it and they told me that supporting Linux would cause a lot of support calls and that is why it is not on their download page. Yes you can find the download and I did, but had to search for it. I installed it on a Raspberry Pi. Yes, they have images for both the Raspberry Pi B and 2 if you want to go that route. They say use a Windows program to burn the image to a SD card which is on Sourceforge. I know there are alternatives to burning a disk image on both Linux and Mac OS X. They could have posted that, but they took the low road.
If you want to run a trial of Linux, it is a 7 day trial, Windows is 30 days. Why not 30 days for Linux? I thought it was a mistake at first, but no, that is the way it is. Not very welcoming to the Linux crowd.
Finding the download for Linux required that I search their forums. Kind of like if I want support for Vera. It doesn’t give me a very cozy feeling to switch. Maybe down the road it will be different, but today I won’t be pulling out my credit card.
Adding on to @ChrisK - My reading indicates that the Linux version lags behind the Windows version, possibly by several versions. I also see that the majority of plugins are not available for the Linux version.
[quote=“ChrisK, post:307, topic:179989”]I don’t think your question was intended to be constructive, but I will answer it anyway.
It’s all about choosing the best tool for the task. The task being HA, which is supposed to be pleasurable and have satisfying results. The tool is the software and the hardware to run it on. MS Windows offers a fine operating system and if that is all you are comfortable with, it is probably the best tool for you. Linux has a much steeper learning curve, though much easier today than it was when I started using it. For me, I am comfortable with all versions of MS operating systems, as well as Linux. I use both in my profession.
For me, Microsoft would require purchasing a license and hardware capable of running it, which I don’t have. I would guess it would be around $400 at the least. Linux is free and can run on a low cost, energy efficient Raspberry Pi 2, which if I had to buy one would set me back around $50. Hardware to run MS OS would likely consume much more power, which is an on going expense, and also generate more heat costing me more in cooling costs. The choice for me is simple, not restrictive.
So do what makes you happy. :)[/quote]
A cost issue, makes sense. I started out with HA originally doing a couple of X10 devices, then I had some oddball controller from Wayne-Dalton, I think. Then it was the Vera2 and the Vera3.
I was attracted to the Vera due to the community around it and when I started, the device handled most of what I wanted (which was just z-wave). I started to add more devices, not all z-wave, and ran into issues. Running low on memory, LUA restarts during the day, sometimes as many as 20. Then some of the plugin developers started postponing development or left.
The VeraEdge was the first product they released that I didn’t jump on and automatically buy. I was waiting on the VeraSecure or the other one I can’t remember now.
Fast forward, still running Vera but getting disappointed with its performance. I then see the Homeseer sale and decide to give it a whirl. I have a number of Kodi boxes around the house. Various NUC devices, RPi2 and a shuttle gaming box. I also had an i5 4th generation NUC that was no longer being used, so that became my test bed and I already had a Windows 8.1 license. Plus it is fanless, the case is one giant heatsink.
HomeSeer was not a walk in the park in terms of installation. Battery devices were a PITA though all my powered z-wave devices paired without issue and without me having to move the Z-NET box i bought. I’m still working through the configuration but two things gave me a huge wow factor: Door locks now instantly fire off my HS3 triggers based upon inputting my pin. I’d wait sometimes 5-10 seconds or longer for the Vera scene to fire. The kodi plugin in HS3 works awesome as well, my Vera would routinely restart when I used the XBMC plugin.
Anyway, I’m sure that this isn’t my last stop on the HA train. If Vera comes out with a controller that addresses many of the issues, I may come back.
Is there anyway to have Homeseer as the main controller with the HA side of things, but also have a vera running to still be able to use Homewave / any other of the, better than hstouch, phone apps?
The lack of a decent remote app is the only thing stopping me from jumping ship.
@ AURORA912
Not that I have seen, and take it from me, HS phone app is terrible.
I am here to tell you that the grass is not greener on the other side, no matter what poison you choose, Vera or HomeSeer, both are going to frustrate you if you plan on doing any significant home automation.
I have been using Vera since 2011 and started using HomeSeer with the May 2015 sale. My primary purpose for the unit is to monitor a remote location, which consist of DSC panel with IT-100, about 20 lights, 4 motion sensors, 4 cameras, 2 thermostats, and Schlage lock. I was using a Vera2, and as you can imagine, it doesn?t work to well. It takes forever to log into it and it would crash weekly. I got around some of these issues by putting it on a timer, which reboots it every 24 hours and adding Openhab binding. However, it was too slow.
I was very excited to get a VeraEdge when it first came out. Only to learn that it did not support the DSC IT-100 interface, which was an absolute requirement. They supposedly did eventually fix it, but I had to return the VeraEdge before they fixed it. I have been monitoring the forum for all of the UI7 fun and waiting for it to become stable before re-order the VeraEdge. I was about to reorder the VeraEdge when the May HomeSeer sell happen and I saw a number of died hard Vera users switch (They are on the HomeSeer forum now).
Unfortunately, the switch to HomeSeer has not work out for me because of their resent upgraded to the DSC plug-it for IT-100. It does not work and they have not fix it as of version 3.0.0.56 despite multiple attempts. In addition, my window computer crash and burned. The old computer did not like being on 24/7. I did not want to buy another window computer as HomeSeer essentially requires a stand-alone computer, because I could not get it to play nice with the Blue Iris software running on the same computer.
I installed in on the RPi2. The Rpi2 versions was straight forward to install, but limits you to 5 plug-ins. I did manage to install the full version of HomeSeer for Linux with a lot of effort and frustration. It does runs the software as fast as my pc. Unfortunately, it crashes almost every day. The major problem is that HomeSeer is really a windows shop and the support for Linux problems is essentially non-existent (as stated above). The basic software runs fine, but the significant number of the plug-ins have not been converted to Linux and the ones I have tried generally have significant issues. Unfortunately, that includes the DSC plug-in. So I have come back to VeraEdge to give it another go and hope that the VeraEdge DSC plugin for IT-100 works. I will probably use Openhab with Mios binding for more of the home automation stuff and provide a more custom interface.
Overall, I think Vera has an edge over Homeseer. The stability issue is a problem for both platforms, but Vera has gotten significantly better. I just don?t upgrade the firmware unless I have too. Vera is definitely the best option for a normal user.
For me, the grass is definitely greener on the HomeSeer lawn… Just about everything is easier and works SO MUCH better/faster, and that is with a far more complicated home automation schema in use now.
I have had zero problem running BlueIris and HS on the same machine, running about 15 plug-ins…
I hope you are able to get everything sorted out on which ever platform you end up on.
@jmmorgan, your review is basically a description of your woes in trying to get a computer running (HS3 didn’t cause it to die) and a particular plug-in, as opposed to actually operating the HS3 software.
And as ServiceXp stated (and others) he’s had no problem getting the software to coexist on the same PC. Wishing you better luck in the future.
After much thought and time floundering on a Vera Edge upgrade (just can’t get it as stable as UI5, mostly around PLEG failing)…I think I’m going to jump to HomeSeer based on some of the comments in this thread. Waiting for the new Network based Z-wave controller, but the server is working well with my Hue (IP)/Nest (IP)/Russound (Serial)/Somfy (Serial).
Thanks for sharing your experiences.
@ServiceXP, is there any issues running HomeSeer as secondary controller to the Vera to get started?
[quote=“AgileHumor”]After much thought and time floundering on a Vera Edge upgrade (just can’t get it as stable as UI5, mostly around PLEG failing)…I think I’m going to jump to HomeSeer based on some of the comments in this thread. Waiting for the new Network based Z-wave controller, but the server is working well with my Hue (IP)/Nest (IP)/Russound (Serial)/Somfy (Serial).
Thanks for sharing your experiences.
@ServiceXP, is there any issues running HomeSeer as secondary controller to the Vera to get started?[/quote]
Sorry, I don’t know. I started testing with a few non critical devices, and once I was satisfied I manually moved my entire z-wave network over to Homeseer and their Z-NET and started rebuilding the HA logic. (I wanted the cleanest install possible)
Keep in mind HS has a crappy phone app. It is literally the worst HA phone interface I’ve tested, and there is no alternative short of building your own.
All that said it was not enough to keep me from HS 8).
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
[quote=“AgileHumor, post:317, topic:179989”]After much thought and time floundering on a Vera Edge upgrade (just can’t get it as stable as UI5, mostly around PLEG failing)…I think I’m going to jump to HomeSeer based on some of the comments in this thread. Waiting for the new Network based Z-wave controller, but the server is working well with my Hue (IP)/Nest (IP)/Russound (Serial)/Somfy (Serial).
Thanks for sharing your experiences.
@ServiceXP, is there any issues running HomeSeer as secondary controller to the Vera to get started?[/quote]
That is a bummer… you have been super helpful on this forum! Let us know how it goes…I know you use Imperihome a lot, so interested in your experience creating an alternative.
Imerihome is what I’ll miss the most ;
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