onalert with pc off?

[imloggedin]

will onalert still protect your home with the pc off that its connected to? will it still sound a powerhorn and flash lights or whatever?

[Puck]

will onalert still protect your home with the pc off that its connected to? will it still sound a powerhorn and flash lights or whatever?

All OnAlert macros must be run from the PC, they cannot be downloaded to the Interface. So with the PC off, all OnAlert macros will not exist.

[imloggedin]

ive had a sales person tell me that and tell me that it does work and will download to the interface. now i dont know which to believe. your saying if the pc is shut off the security system is rendered useless?

[Puck]

ive had a sales person tell me that and tell me that it does work and will download to the interface.

There is a high probability that this sales person is not an user. 

your saying if the pc is shut off the security system is rendered useless?

With the PC off, OnAlert is non-existant (useless). Now you mentioned "Security System"... does your Security System consist of more than just ActiveHome Pro w/OnAlert?

[imloggedin]

it doesnt consist of anything yet. they keep telling me that if the smart macros are saved to the interface you can turn the PC off.

[Puck]

it doesnt consist of anything yet.

You made a good decision to come here first and ask questions for verification.

they keep telling me that if the smart macros are saved to the interface you can turn the PC off.

Smart Macros (generally) will download and run from the interface so that the PC can be turned off. Smart Macros that use security devices via OnAlert will not download to the interface. I say generally, because there are some tasks that Smart Macros can perform that must have the PC connected  & on and therefore cannot be downloaded to the interface. These are obvious tasks such as sending an email for example.

[imloggedin]

What i want to do is have onalert as my security. Say i have 4 motion sensors and 4 window/door sensors, i want 2 of the motion sensors and 4 of the doors to be armed at night as "home arm", and all of the sensors to be armed as "away arm". i want it to set off a powerhorn if they are tripped and email me. obviously this can all be setup in onalert, and obviously it wont email me if the computer isnt plugged in, but will it sound the powerhorn still?

[steven r]

ive had a sales person tell me that and tell me that it does work and will download to the interface.

There is a high probability that this sales person is not an user. 

You can say that again!
If X10 made their marketing and support teams actively use their products in real world situations for a few weeks, I think things might change but then I'm an optimist.

[Puck]

obviously this can all be setup in onalert, ...

Yes

...and obviously it wont email me if the computer isnt plugged in, ...

Correct

...but will it sound the powerhorn still?

No.

[imloggedin]

lol what good is onalert then. PC's are far from stable. i dont have a land line and dont plan on getting one. i do need some sort of alert from an x10 device. this would have been the perfect way to do it, and they still say it is...
here they are lie'ing to me about it.

[Puck]

lol what good is onalert then. PC's are far from stable.

Very true, but you can run a background program that ensures AHP does not hang and restarts it if it does. There are various watchdog programs available (somewhere on the forum here I posted a link to a free one that I use.)

Without a land-line phone, this is a good alternate. Use a UPS and a watchdog program for increased reliability.

here they are lie'ing to me about it.

I wouldn't say they were lying... that would imply they knew what they were talking about. 

[imloggedin]

they advertise that activehome pro can store the macros on the interface... is this true? is it only onalert that cant do it? this would seem very very dumb if its the case.

[Tuicemen]

they advertise that activehome pro can store the macros on the interface... is this true? is it only onalert that cant do it? this would seem very very dumb if its the case.

When smartmacros was released this was the case!
With additional plug-ins it has been able to create smartmacros that can e-mail you capture video to your hard drive, remote conect and view cams via internet al of which you can't do without the PC running!
On Alert isn't the only plug-in that needs the PC to be running to work!

[HA Dave]

..............
On Alert isn't the only plug-in that needs the PC to be running to work!

I really hesitated about running a PC 24/7 myself. But because I am BVC user.... the PC has to be running for my BVC setup to work.

Now I am HOOKED on having the power of a PC running my home. For me... it's really worth it