I am looking into home automation. Doesnt anyone know anything about HAI? I have heard of Crestron, Amz, Elan, but how do they all compare. Thanks for any feedback.

GREAT! Another competitor or DIY'er!


Sure WE do, clearly YOU don't so what would you like to know? What would you like to do?


Well...that's a GREAT start, since they're the biggest player in the industry, and advertise in knitting weekly!


NEVER heard of them...are they any relation to AMX. the SECOND biggest player in the industry?


Yup, heard of them too...although would put them a step BELOW Crestron and AMX...and more along the lines of HAI



We should probably know what the hell you want to do! Do you want to have basic control of several different systems, and a kick ass security system, or do you want to turn on the third guest bedroom table lamp, turn up the hot tub, and turn on the snowmelt system from Istanbul, Turkey, all while watching the Elk walk across the meadow on your web-cam? Cause ALL the systems discussed here can (or can't) and will (or won't) do these things to different levels of ease (or difficulty)!


You BETCHA!

In the future, before you show up on a forum like this, I would suggest you hone your "posters etiquette" a bit, so as not to offend the very people you're about to request free information from...

I, as well as MANY of the members here, are more than willing to answer your questions, but when they come out of the blue that way...it's a good likelihood that you'll get half the responses you normally would, and moany more slightly perturbed one like mine!

Now, as for the questions I have asked in this reply, if you'd be so kind as to answer them, I'm sure we could ALL tell you LOTS about HAI!

avdude

Have a few pops last night avdude? Midnight postings always bring out the best in ya! 8-)

Cant say I dont agree in your assesment of the post.... Lacks sufficcient substance for us to be any help at all....

Quick Rundown....

HAI: Not a lot of personal experience, but godd stuff for the DIYer and can do some pretty neat stuff when professionally installed.... Definatly the Entery level of Home automation.

AMX/Crestron: These systems can do much of the same. Crestron offers a few more periferals and its basic programming can be picked up by anyone handy with a PC. AMX offers some of the best Touchpanels in the industry.... And from a clients standpoint... Thats what counts the most. Programing is more difficult for someone not experienced with line codeing.... But is a lot more powerfull in general... (Not to say Crestron is not powerful... But very few Crestron programmers get deep into Simpl+, which is the equivalent to AMX's native programming language.... Netlinx.....)

As for Elan..... It plays nice with HAI from what I hear........ New wireless panel looks interesting.... Via is OK.... But when you start building big systems, AMX and Crestron dont seem so expensive anymore......

actually...no, surprisingly enough...was totally sober, slightly frustrated, and alot tired...

kinda came out shooting like some other members on that one huh?

;-)

avdude

Thank you greatly, Impaqt and Avdude, for the feedback and the criticism :) I will take into consideration that I am not as experienced as you in forums, and will try better next time. I do however want you to realize that I am not as knowlegable as I need to be, and am getting ready to be putting a Home Automation into 3 houses a DAY. So if I am requesting free information it is for a damn good reason. Never the less, this thread wasn’t all that bad considering Avdude gave me a constructive critical yet helpful overview. And Impaqt gave me great detailed insight into the companies. And thank you both again. But I do understand you point and will hone my questioning a bit. I will ask this though. Since I am doing three houses a day for one builder, which product would be good at a good price point? A universal system that I can put throughout the homes. And, most importantly, do I need a security license or anything of the sort to install these systems with security alarms? Thanks again for your feedback, and I hope this was better constructed for this forum.

timshows

"Home Automation into 3 houses a DAY"

You know this kind of statement with your last post just tells me you have zero business even considering this project. My view on the quoted statement is screwing up 3 houses a day. And I mean that in a nice way.

Pocket the ego and let a person who has a track record with delivering a finished product take over. You have zero business IMO wiring houses with the last post of yours. Hope I’m wrong so your customers don't pay the price.

Dave

3 houses a day. LOL!

For a moment I was considering chastizing you you for being WAY too harsh avdude but NEVERMIND :-)!!!

QQQ...

I LOVE you! Why would consider chastizing me...and how fleeting WAS the moment?

;-)

avdude

.014 seconds

that's quicker than google...I'm ok then!

whew!

You all are great! Its amazing that everyone gets so worked up in these forums. But a little words of wisdom, don't always critize what you really dont know. "Business" is people and that it is a lesson that everyone here can learn a little more about. Lets try to spend our time wisely and HELP people instead of critize. A good book would be How to win friends and influense people by Dale Carnegie. More on the point. I just want the questioned answered, will I have to get a license for dealing with a security system? Thanks again.

Most states require a license. They are NOT easily obtained.... For good reason.

I just wish ANY sort of home automation required a License sometimes....

You still never told us what kind of Home automation your talking about...... Three a day is rediculous......... Unless maybe your running 6 crews that are all extreamly versed in Prewire, Trim, Finish and Programming.

But if you had that, I doubt the question would of been presented in the first place as you would have the most successful home automation company in the industry already.

Tim... Its very hard to help someone thats delusional....

Three houses a day??? Thats pretty rookie level if you ask me. I personally wire, install, and program over 17 $100,000 automation jobs a day. And thats all on my own.

Once again if you have to ask a question like that 'license' you really don't have clue.

Every local county, state, city is diffrerent. Have you made ANY calls to your local gov.

I don't care about making friends but more keeping one from making a HUGE mistake.

I make zero from this post nor do I care to bash someone in person with keystrokes.

Automation is WIDE open and products need to be planned.

Make sure you have insurance! You will need it!

vts: You must have slept with the CEDIA book with all the theater entries.


Dave

OK...NOW WE'RE GETTING SOMEWHERE!!!

You'll be doing three SECURITY sytems per day...since you din't want to openly answer that, we needed to pick you apart until you gave us the info we needed.

1- Three security systems a day, PRE-WIRE, is optimistic for a single installer, but not impossible.

2- Three security systems a day, TRIM and PROGRAM, is entirely possible...

You are looking at the wrong products for SECURITY, Crestron, and AMX are in the 20-60K range AVERAGE, PER HOME, for a complete system...Elan and HAI are gonna run about 15-35K for a full system, and will have limitations in what they can do

DSC, Napco and Ademco are all GREAT companies to look into for security, and will run about 2K per house, installed and programmed. Hell, if you spend a little more, you can even get your customers a relay that can turn on a couple of lights...but that's about it..

did you want SECURITY information, or AUTOMATION information, cause you're talking about two completely different worlds!

as far as getting licensed, it depends on where you are, and since you don't state it in your profile we don't know!

3 houses a day? C'mon...we only do three a MONTH! Granted, they may be SLIGHTLY different projects!

avdude