anyone using their xoom for home automation?

[lgGslateuser]

I'm curious if anyone is using the xoom for any home automation. Coming from the custom electronics industry I've seen the ipad start to influence consumers into buying tablets for control of their home systems. I see that the Android market has a couple decent apps for simple control of thermostats and lights like Shlage Link and homeseer. Anyone using these apps to control Z-wave products?

 

[eyecon82]

I didn't even realize they where out there!!

I use the logitech alert app for my home's video camera systems, even though its stays small....works better on my EVO

I would also like to hear some comments.....and I'll be on my way of fitting my place with z-wave products instead.

Google also announced that they where going to venture into the home automation market, so I may wait to see what they have in store first

 

[lgGslateuser]

Don't wait for Google to release android home. They are using a completely new protocol (not zwave or zigbee) which means most manufacturers won't use it and if they do it will take years to be standardized. I would go with zwave for now and hope for the best down the road with Android home.

 

[eyecon82]

do you have more information on where google is going with this? I wouldn't mind holding off a year or so

 

[lgGslateuser]

I actually don't have any info. Just some knowledge of the industry. During the announcement when they showed off the tech they didn't make mention of any of the known protocols which leads me to believe they are coming out with a new one. Which is also why they only mentioned one partner who makes the lights. That manufacturer makes expensive products. So I'm not very hopeful that they will have any viable product for at least 2 years or more.

 

[CypherMax]

I am extremely interested in home automation as well as home theater control. But I am playing the wait and see game as well. There are to many protocols out there right now. Once a standard system looks viable I'm all over it!

 

[lgGslateuser]

I agree, for the past 4 years I've been working as an manufacturers rep in the south east for companies that are all about Home theater and automation namely AMX, Sonance, Request audio. So I have seen the benefits of a well designed automation system. The problem with companies like that is the expense of those systems being 10's of thousands and even 100's of thousands of dollars. I saw so much Ipad integration in past year and a half. I'm excited to see Android gaining some ground with manufacturers. Homseer and sshlage are very good companies and z-wave is a very good way to go to keep things reasonably priced.

 

[hypocaffeinemia#AC]

My brother uses the home buddy app, but I'm personally waiting to see what comes of android@home. I think the open source-ness of it plus the ginormous install base of android will lead to relatively cheap competition for accessories...

 

[CypherMax]

Boom!
Slingbox inventor releases Crestron R2 Control App for Android, teases something big -- Engadget

 

[lgGslateuser]

Home buddy looks nice as well. I am planning on keeping an eye on Android home as well but I can assure you it will be years before that is available in mass market with numerous products. Right now they only have lights and music. Now they need to convince other manufacturers who have thermostats and other products. Then if they were smart they would take those products to CEDIA and EHX to launch the products properly to the custom Electronics industry. They also could take them to CES in Vegas to launch to the masses. This is going to take a long time.

 

[zmenchhofer]

I have a vivint alarm, and use the zwave home automation system, I can control my house from my android app/internet/blackberry/iphone apps

 

[lgGslateuser]

Which zwave home automation system do you use and how do you like it? Are you controlling lights, hvac anything else?

 

[zmenchhofer]

i control, light, hvac, alarm, and door locks (might add in cameras)

 

[eyecon82]

i control, light, hvac, alarm, and door locks (might add in cameras)

may I recommend Logitech Alert? its full 1080p recording....very good

 

[dhendriksen]

I have an extensive Control4 system that controls all aspects of my home. I run the Control4 interface right on the XOOM and have full control just like I do from my control4 touchpanels.

I do it on my Thunderbolt as well.

 

[theOneAndOnlyMrT]

I'm using Insteon switches., thermostat, etc and I am thinking of buying the Conductor app

 

[lgGslateuser]

I have an extensive Control4 system that controls all aspects of my home. I run the Control4 interface right on the XOOM and have full control just like I do from my control4 touchpanels.

I do it on my Thunderbolt as well.

Control 4 is a great product, I lost allot of amx sales to control 4 over the last few years based on performance for the price. Although C4 is still more expensive then the systems we're talking about here. I'm very happy to hear though that the have a xoom app.

 

[dhendriksen]

Control 4 is a great product, I lost allot of amx sales to control 4 over the last few years based on performance for the price. Although C4 is still more expensive then the systems we're talking about here. I'm very happy to hear though that the have a xoom app.

Control4 doesn't have a XOOM app yet that's available from them, I just ported their Flash interface from their touchpanel onto the XOOM. I may possibly be the only one with said capability.

AMX is great too, we had an AMX system in our old house. I've got to say, I like Control4 better. AND on the build of our current home the AMX bid was nearly $40k more than the Control4 system.

I'm not real familiar with the systems referred to in this thread.

 

[lgGslateuser]

The systems in this thread are the type you would buy online or in home depot and install yourself. Like the old X-10 type of of control but now they use zwave tech. I'm not surprised to hear Amx was so much more. Depending on when you had it built amx may not have had "amx home" product out yet. Basically they took a page from control 4 and made the products able to programmed through a web interface. A dealer would basically input what equipment you had and what you were controlling and hit a button and the code would be compiled. An entire system can be programmed in hours instead of weeks. Saves a fortune on labor and programming costs. You might be right about being the only one using a xoom to control the C4 system.