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Yes but I've moved on as it didn't perform as well as it was hyped up to .

0 (0%)

Yes but I only use the HG or HA-Bridge part.

1 (6.7%)

Yes and I'd like to have other things added (please suggest)

1 (6.7%)

Yes it has lived up to its hype

4 (26.7%)

No I use HG & or HA-Bridge on Windows

0 (0%)

No I already run HG & or HA-Bridge on a PI

2 (13.3%)

No but it is on my bucket list

1 (6.7%)

No using a Pi is just not for me

6 (40%)

Total Members Voted: 15

[Tuicemen]

It has been a couple years now since this was released and I'm wondering was the effort the small group of testers and myself put into it?
Some of the testers only wished this to be a way to hook users into using HG others away to use Alexa while others wanted a good alternative to the WM100 or AHP.
 There are many in the community (I'm sure that think) using a Raspberry Pi can't handle Home Automation however it can do much more then a PC on any flavor of OS.

Looking at the number of members posted to the PiX10Hub section it would appear there are only a few using raspberry pi boards or even this project.
Has this lived up to all the prerelease Hype?
Are you still struggling with using a PI and the Raspberry Pi OS?
Your input (even if just a vote) can help others to decide if this is worth even trying.

[SkipWX10]

I voted for 'not for me'. Reason being is my setup (lighting, motion triggers, and simple stuff) is easily handled by AHP and I even use the WM100 by phone sometimes.

[brobin]

I voted 'not for me' as well only because I already have a Stargate controller and only needed something to bring Alexa to the party.  For somebody who likes to tinker "under the hood" the PiX10Hub a great option.

[petera]

Not for me but for different reasons than above. HG is so simple to install and keep updated there’s no need for an image of someone else’s install. I’ve posted a number of simple copy/paste instructions starting wit a Raspberry Pi board and a blank SD card to the final installation of HG even a chimp could succeed with this task. There’s no need for any other clutterware on the SD card. If people want Alexa functionality, buy a cheap smart hub and interface it with HG.

For those who still use AHP and I imagine there are many, HG is way beyond what AHP could ever do. The main purpose of any alternative is to keep things as simple as possible.

I imagine anyone hungry enough to make a few dollars I suppose you could sell on a Raspberry Pi kit with a modest mark up with a pre installed version of HG. This would require that the user connect locally with keyboard, mouse. monitor and wired Ethernet connection. A real plug’n’go solution with a basic “how to” file included on the SD card. Now why didn’t I think of that when this all started out 

[Tuicemen]

The current image is a vanilla install of Buster lite with a script similar to your copy/paste instructions to do a vanilla install of HG.
It does include a vanilla install of HA-Bridge and the Raspbian file manager Midnight commander both installed via the same script which I believe I included as options.
So in reality it isn't a image of someone else’s install like the original first Stretch version that we all worked on was.

Now why didn’t I think of that when this all started out 

I believe you did!(or someone brought it up) 
l believe it was even discussed to sell SD cards preloaded with the OS, HG & Ha-Bridge. It's just no one in the beta group wanted the hassle. 

[brobin]

There are people doing just that on ebay with SD cards (~$20) and finished product (~$110) for a Pi-Hole.  I don't think anybody's getting rich off it though.

[petera]

There are people doing just that on ebay with SD cards (~$20) and finished product (~$110) for a Pi-Hole.  I don't think anybody's getting rich off it though.

Home Assistant are doing it with Blue. Crazy but they can’t keep up with orders. So simple to create yourself as a DIY project by sourcing parts yourself. An eye for a quick buck I reckon https://www.home-assistant.io/blue/

[brobin]

Not so crazy. You and I and most of the folks on this forum are very different from most of the world in that we actually know which end of the soldering iron not to touch.  When you mention technology, wires or programming to most people they just glaze over and run away.  They will only engage if the task is non-threatening and extremely simple.  Amazon has done a brilliant job in making their Alexa ecosystem simple to install and use.  Even so, my friend who's a brilliant trauma doctor and can reassemble someone who's body has been mangled in a crash, had to call me to help him install his Ring cameras.  He thinks what I do is black magic and harder than what he does!

Apple's success is based on simplicity too.  That Home Assistant is doing the same is to their credit as people don't mind paying extra for simple.  As I get older I have more appreciation for simple myself. 

[bkenobi]

pple's success is based on simplicity too.

Incorrect.  Apple and now Amazon have made their success on branding.  There is nothing wrong with their product lineup, but it's certainly designed for those who don't want to understand what's going on behind the curtain.  The target audience is those who have seen people use their phones to do "automation" and want someone to give them a plugin device to replicate that.  Again, nothing wrong with that, but certainly not the audience that would care about HG or really X10 for that matter.

[brobin]

pple's success is based on simplicity too.

Incorrect.  Apple and now Amazon have made their success on branding.  There is nothing wrong with their product lineup, but it's certainly designed for those who don't want to understand what's going on behind the curtain.  The target audience is those who have seen people use their phones to do "automation" and want someone to give them a plugin device to replicate that.  Again, nothing wrong with that, but certainly not the audience that would care about HG or really X10 for that matter.

Branding is important but my point, as you seem to agree, is that people want simple.  Home Assistant's effort to do that is an 'Apple/Amazon' like effort to bring their product to a wider audience who, as you say, "don't want to understand what's going on behind the curtain."

[dkbialik]

I am using the Buster image.  It works.  The integration with HA- Bridge and Alexa is not the greatest.  Alexa does not always recognize and I had to wait a day before recognition and it was not correct.  I had to edit in Alexa to coordinate the devices.  I do not beleive the issue is with Tuiciman but more with HA-Bridge.  My biggest fear is a prolonged outage, then Alexa loses connection and you have to rebuild HA-Bridge.  the backup for HomeGenie is good, the HA-Bridge backup is not good for restore.

[Tuicemen]

The HA-Bridge backup restore does need some work, but it is better then it was.
I suggested backing up and restoring from a PC, however only the restore from PC part was added.
https://github.com/bwssytems/ha-bridge/issues/1033
 I'd suggest using a program like Filezilla to grab the back up files or copies of them from the PI and place them in a folder on your PC,
or do it how BWSystems describes in the above link.
The last time I had to do a HA-Bridge restore was in 2018 prior the the new method and it was a chore.

There is currently a RC build of HA-Bridge being tested which may help with response issues but I've not tested it.
 I don't believe the Alexa issue is as much a HA-Bridge issue as an Amazon one. My Alexa control works flawless unless I have a power outage then the first attempt to turn something on or off I get the message that the device wasn't responding but did.
If I say yes it did Alexa responds OK and I never have a issue again till next power outage. (or maybe it is Internet outage)

[brobin]

I am using the Buster image.  It works.  The integration with HA- Bridge and Alexa is not the greatest.  Alexa does not always recognize and I had to wait a day before recognition and it was not correct.  I had to edit in Alexa to coordinate the devices.  I do not beleive the issue is with Tuiciman but more with HA-Bridge.  My biggest fear is a prolonged outage, then Alexa loses connection and you have to rebuild HA-Bridge.  the backup for HomeGenie is good, the HA-Bridge backup is not good for restore.

This is where a dedicated Alexa-to-X10 bridge with a supported Alexa skill is a worthwhile addition.  https://smartenit.com/product/harmony-p2/  (P2 device and PLM bundle for $59.99)

[Tuicemen]

I just checked the current HA-Bridge and it is sitting at 5.4.0 so the RC build is now a full release.
I've just updated to this and had no issues with my current settings or Alexa using these commands from the command line.

Code: [Select]

sudo cd ha-bridge
wget https://github.com/bwssytems/ha-bridge/releases/download/v5.4.0/ha-bridge-5.4.0.jar
sudo systemctl stop ha-bridge
sudo mv ha-bridge.jar ha-bridge_old.jar
mv ha-bridge-5.4.0.jar ha-bridge.jar
sudo systemctl start ha-bridge

[Tuicemen]

Just under half the input thus far is that using a pi is not for them. So I'm wondering why? Would the PIX10Hub being offered on a SD card realy make it more attractive to try? And if so what $ figure.

I also notice someone wanted more added. It easy easy to add other options to the image in the install script with the option to install or not. A custom HA-Bridge or HomeGenie install option not so much. Since the user didn't explain what else they'd like to see (maybe for fear of being branded lazy) please PM me your thoughts.