Anyone using HAI's WL3 Software?

I have a HAI system, and I currently use HAI's Media Center Plugin, and it works good. I can control just about anything in my house from any of my TV's.

I recently saw that HAI has released a product that runs on Windows Home Server and allows access via the web on Blackberries and iPhones. I'm currently using the free @Home application, but it is limited and a bit buggy. I have a Windows Home Server machine, and I'm thinking about getting HAI's WL3, but was wondering if anyone else is using it? My biggest gripe is this software really worth $300? That seems very expensive for software that does little more than what the free @Home software does, and that doesn't even require a home server.

Not for that price!

I use web-link II which WL3 is basically just an improved version with skins that support the iPhone and blackberry. I was going to upgrade to WL3 but HAI offers no discount for an obvious incremental improvement, so I paid $300 for web-link II then they want another $300 to support the iPhone, about that time @Home came out so I just use that instead.

web-link II and WL3 do add email notifications based on events that the base Omni won't do on it's own, also WL3 does have what looks to be a decent IP camera DVR and it even transcodes the IP camera feed to a good size and frame rate for a mobile device.

Windows home server is just nice to have in general as it provides DDNS with a valid SSL cert with remote access to files and RDP and an amazing image based backup for my windows desktops.

I will say that web-link II has been rock solid, no hiccups at all, runs as a service and use an classic ASP web site running in IIS to communicate with the service that talks to the controller.

jharrell said:

I use web-link II which WL3 is basically just an improved version with skins that support the iPhone and blackberry. I was going to upgrade to WL3 but HAI offers no discount for an obvious incremental improvement, so I paid $300 for web-link II then they want another $300 to support the iPhone, about that time @Home came out so I just use that instead.

web-link II and WL3 do add email notifications based on events that the base Omni won't do on it's own, also WL3 does have what looks to be a decent IP camera DVR and it even transcodes the IP camera feed to a good size and frame rate for a mobile device.

Windows home server is just nice to have in general as it provides DDNS with a valid SSL cert with remote access to files and RDP and an amazing image based backup for my windows desktops.

I will say that web-link II has been rock solid, no hiccups at all, runs as a service and use an classic ASP web site running in IIS to communicate with the service that talks to the controller.

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I guess I'll stay with Snaplink. It can also send e-mail alerts cheaper than those two. I think HAI needs to do some rethinking of its software prices. Personally I don't think I'd pay more than $60 for WL3. The full WHS OS costs less than $100, why would I pay $300 for one simple software app.?

Snap link is great. I do not beleive WL3 ist really meant to be in addition to the other software that one may or may not have. It looks like it is a seperate option for remote access, notification, and now acting as an IP DVR. From my standpoint, with an HAI controller, the WL3 is a bargain compared to doing a seperate IP DVR, remote access software, etc. And yes, I agree, for one who currently has snap link it doesn't make any sense to purchase the WL3 unless you are interested in the IP surveillance/DVR functionality.
My first two cents

ano said:

I guess I'll stay with Snaplink. It can also send e-mail alerts cheaper than those two. I think HAI needs to do some rethinking of its software prices. Personally I don't think I'd pay more than $60 for WL3. The full WHS OS costs less than $100, why would I pay $300 for one simple software app.?

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I don't use Snaplink as I have a mix of Windows and Macs and wanted something I could use from either or access from any computer with a web browser. WL2 and WL3 are also headless, that is they will work without being logged into the computer.

IMO the Omni should have a web interface with email built in like every $50 router out there, perhaps the Omni 3 will in 5-10 years .

As a constrast the Elk ethernet expander is a web server and can send emails on events, but ironically this embedded hardware device has been less reliable than my WHS with web-link II, also the Elk "web" interface is a java applet, which is a no go on iPhones and blackberries, If Elk would just make a standard HTML interface instead, they would be far ahead of the game here.

ano said:

I guess I'll stay with Snaplink. It can also send e-mail alerts cheaper than those two. I think HAI needs to do some rethinking of its software prices. Personally I don't think I'd pay more than $60 for WL3. The full WHS OS costs less than $100, why would I pay $300 for one simple software app.?

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I mean no disrespect here, however, I don't understand your thinking that the software should be cheaper? Do you understand economies of scale? Reason MSFT can sell an OS for $100 is because they sell hundred of thousands to millions of them (plus they are a billion dollar company). HAI needs to pay for engineers salary, benefits, marketing, building, production, testing, make some profit, etc. in order to bring the software to market. The home automation space is tiny compared to how many PC's are out there.

My software sells for a lot more than Snaplink or Weblink and I'm shocked that HAI can even sell them for that low, my only thinking is they eat some of the costs because they can sell more hardware (subsidize) by providing this software (just like razors and razor blades).

I'm not sure what kind of business you are in, but, I would think if you spent your time and money to create something valuable, you'd want to be compensated for your work. I'm interested in your thoughts of why you feel the software should be priced lower? I bet if there wasn't any software you would be saying you'd pay a premium to have certain features. I guess we are getting a bit to greedy with what we get with our money these days. My philosophy has always been, you support the companies you believe in so they continue to provide you with more improved products. Otherwise, the business cannot sustain and we all lose. This "walmart mentality", where we create false economies and worth is what hurts our economy...

Danny

HAI just updated their Web-Link II software. It is now compatible with the Iphone and the Blackberry. I have both in my household and it works well. Still no IP camera support but there are some rumors of a new WL II software in the works. Maybe IP cameras will be addressed in this upgrade.

I just added WL3 to my OP II setup yesterday. Don't have anything set up yet to effectivelly use it...that is next on my list. It cost more than I would have liked but it had one feature that sold me...it installs as an add-in to my Windows Home Server. Since my server is on 100% of the time, WL3 is always available and I cannot always say that if I used WL II on a computer on my home network. It also offers more control features than my Snap Link.

As others indicated, it is not cheap but as mavromatis noted, it is probably a low volume sale item compared to other products and tough to recover development cost. Hopefully, it will live up to my expectations.

I am using it and have it in 3 home I did installs for. Works well but you are dependent on an hp home pc running all the time and the typical pc problems, most home owners don’t want the maintance I have found out and veer away from it and then the HAI doesn’t do everything they want. I don't like the snaplink to send out emails since you have to have it running all the time the wl3 works well. However recently I had one HP server blow up and went and got the new model since HP discontinued support on the old one and couldn't get it to work it has been 4 weeks now and HAI is little help in fact when I asked them about it and pushed the subject they said they did not test it on the new HP boxes but just assumed it would work. Well it doesn't! If they are going to be dependent on someone elses hardware they dang well should test it when changes are made. That is my rant sorry, lost more money than I made on this job. I had to go out and buy another old HP box just to get things up and I am still working with them for a solution.

I still don't know why they just didn't build this in like Elk would of been more stable and much more simple and less tec support and overhead.

I see it supports Blackberry and iPhone, and that's great, but how about in a web browser? Can you customize and screens, or are you basically stuck with the screens that mimic an Omni Touch? Is it smart enough with one web address to know if its talking to a Blackberry, iPhone, or web and display the correct screen for the device?

ano said:

I see it supports Blackberry and iPhone, and that's great, but how about in a web browser? Can you customize and screens, or are you basically stuck with the screens that mimic an Omni Touch? Is it smart enough with one web address to know if its talking to a Blackberry, iPhone, or web and display the correct screen for the device?

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I have not crossed that bridge yet but WL3 has options to config how it is displayed on a browser to allow for different devices. If I access it from a PC on my own network, I can config it to bypass the login password on that specific PC so it has the ability to recognize what specific PC is making contact. Don't know if that is only within my own network or would also apply for access by an external device.

Software manual is available as a download on HAI website. Might check it out for more info.

ano said:

I see it supports Blackberry and iPhone, and that's great, but how about in a web browser? Can you customize and screens, or are you basically stuck with the screens that mimic an Omni Touch? Is it smart enough with one web address to know if its talking to a Blackberry, iPhone, or web and display the correct screen for the device?

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It is smart enough to detect the type of browser and adjust, however on web-link II, which it is probably the same on WL3, it will go into a "simple" mode of not in IE, which doesn't look as nice and is stripped down some, but it does work on chrome and safari. If it detects mobile safari (iPhone) it has a special skin that looks like a native iPhone app, but it's still web based.

It's not designed to be customized, but it is just a classic ASP web site running in IIS. Before web-link II supported the iPhone and H@me wasn't out yet, I actually modified the web site and made a crude iPhone version based on one of the other skins. It was not very fun, as it wasn't built to be modified very easily, but it's not doing any black magic either, just some ASP calling a COM object that handles communicating with the panel.

Yea not customisable but is a nice interface.

It would really be nice to have custom buttons for special requests instead of seeing a tone of buttone and lights in random order. It is a good start though.

programmergeek said:

Yea not customisable but is a nice interface.

It would really be nice to have custom buttons for special requests instead of seeing a tone of buttone and lights in random order. It is a good start though.

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I bought it, so we shall see. I guess I like that it supports touch screens. For the price of an HAI 5.7 touchscreen you can buy a 10" in-the-wall embedded computer running XP or XPe. This could work with just a simple browser connecting to WL3 until I get around to building my screens in CQC for a "real" interface.