I received a Aeon Z-Stick Series 2 as a present back at Christmas time. I have a VeraLite which is working fairly well for me, so I don’t have a need for the Z-Stick. But it was a present and I’d like to use it somehow if I could. I thought maybe I could use it to turn a laptop into a Kiosk of sorts… something to put in a communal area of the house.
If you had an Aeon Z-Stick, what would you do with it?
Information on my devices, if that helps:
VeraLite (currently my primary controller)
Philips Hue basic kit
One in-wall switch to control the light on the front porch
Deadbolt on front door
3x XBMC installations using plug-ins
Various plugins to detect when I or my wife are home via the iPhone plugin and AutHomationHD (Android)
… wow, when I look at the list, it seems so short!
I just bought one, and I plan to add it to my network, then do a controller shift to make it the primary, then try using Microsoft’s HomeOS / LabOfThings.
I’ve had trouble with scene controllers disappearing from my z-wave network and with a triggered scene that takes about 10-30 seconds to execute if it executes at all. So my big question is whether these issues are due to the Vera Lite, or the devices, or something else. Trying a new primary controller should help identify the problem. HomeOS is free so that’s the one I’m going to try.
If the problems are still present with a different controller, then I’ll switch back to the Vera and keep the Z-stick on hand for more troubleshooting in the future.
[quote=“MiPolloMole, post:2, topic:178902”]Hang on to it for troubleshooting.
I just bought one, and I plan to add it to my network, then do a controller shift to make it the primary, then try using Microsoft’s HomeOS / LabOfThings.
I’ve had trouble with scene controllers disappearing from my z-wave network and with a triggered scene that takes about 10-30 seconds to execute if it executes at all. So my big question is whether these issues are due to the Vera Lite, or the devices, or something else. Trying a new primary controller should help identify the problem. HomeOS is free so that’s the one I’m going to try.
If the problems are still present with a different controller, then I’ll switch back to the Vera and keep the Z-stick on hand for more troubleshooting in the future.[/quote]
Thanks for the tips! I was actually browsing various software controllers. Not sure why I never came across HomeOS. Gonna check it out.
[quote=“ibn4n, post:3, topic:178902”]Thanks for the tips! I was actually browsing various software controllers. Not sure why I never came across HomeOS. Gonna check it out.[/quote]It works quite well with OpenHAB (now part of Eclipse Smarthome) also. I have this running on my Mac, and when I had it as a secondary, it was able to see/control my Leviton gear, and you get a lot of extra information/decoded in the logs if you’re interested in that sort of thing.
You can also connect it up to Open-ZWave, via the Open-ZWave-Control-Panel, which will also give you a lot of information about your setup.
[quote=“guessed, post:4, topic:178902”][quote=“ibn4n, post:3, topic:178902”]Thanks for the tips! I was actually browsing various software controllers. Not sure why I never came across HomeOS. Gonna check it out.[/quote]It works quite well with OpenHAB (now part of Eclipse Smarthome) also. I have this running on my Mac, and when I had it as a secondary, it was able to see/control my Leviton gear, and you get a lot of extra information/decoded in the logs if you’re interested in that sort of thing.
You can also connect it up to Open-ZWave, via the Open-ZWave-Control-Panel, which will also give you a lot of information about your setup.[/quote]
Thanks for the reply! I like the GreenT UI they have demo’ed on the Open-ZWave site. And they have a binding for the Phillips Hue. I’ll set it up and see if the wife warms to it
[quote=“MiPolloMole, post:2, topic:178902”]Hang on to it for troubleshooting.
I just bought one, and I plan to add it to my network, then do a controller shift to make it the primary, then try using Microsoft’s HomeOS / LabOfThings.
I’ve had trouble with scene controllers disappearing from my z-wave network and with a triggered scene that takes about 10-30 seconds to execute if it executes at all. So my big question is whether these issues are due to the Vera Lite, or the devices, or something else. Trying a new primary controller should help identify the problem. HomeOS is free so that’s the one I’m going to try.
If the problems are still present with a different controller, then I’ll switch back to the Vera and keep the Z-stick on hand for more troubleshooting in the future.[/quote]
I am having the exact same issue with scene controllers (Leviton) disappearing and scenes that take 30 second to execute (if ever). I’d love to hear what you find.
[quote=“guessed, post:4, topic:178902”][quote=“ibn4n, post:3, topic:178902”]Thanks for the tips! I was actually browsing various software controllers. Not sure why I never came across HomeOS. Gonna check it out.[/quote]It works quite well with OpenHAB (now part of Eclipse Smarthome) also. I have this running on my Mac, and when I had it as a secondary, it was able to see/control my Leviton gear, and you get a lot of extra information/decoded in the logs if you’re interested in that sort of thing.
You can also connect it up to Open-ZWave, via the Open-ZWave-Control-Panel, which will also give you a lot of information about your setup.[/quote]
Hi,
How did you configure Z-stick as secondary. I am trying to do that same Vera as primary, openhab as secondary. However no luck so far.
Whoa! I just discovered the “Replies to your posts” link. Sorry I missed this!
I had a little trouble getting the Z-Stick to add on as a secondary controller. Before I got it working, the wife commandeered the laptop I was going to use to look up knitting patterns while on the couch
I still want to set up a nice console for Home Automation and also guest email/web browsing. But I need to get a new box to run it on.
My laptop has been struggling recently. And I’m getting pretty terrible throughput thanks to the older model WiFi its sporting. So its about time to retire it… I think this may be a nice retirement job for it. I’ve just been avoiding getting the replacement. Most folks like getting new laptops… I dread the setup that accompanies it. I’m kind of obsessive about having it “just right”.
