3 Years Since Last Update - Why Should I Pay $100 for 6.0.x?

I am happy with Indigo 4 but have held off on upgrading for the last few years due to the lack of development for Indigo Touch. In just six weeks, Indigo Touch will "celebrate" three years since its last update. According to Matt's own admission, the app needs to be updated; however, he states it will a "long while" before that occurs. Three years isn't long enough already?

I am now considering the Insteon Hub which is only $30 more than my upgrade price only because I see little interest in the iOS development from Perceptive Automation. Most users of home automation set-and-forget. Thus, the smartphone app is the most used aspect of the software. Yet, if it remains old and archaic, why bother upgrading the host software?

I hope you'll have a nice Christmas present under my virtual tree, Matt. If not, I'll be looking for a replacement which will be sad since I have been using Indigo for almost ten years...

--sven

[jay (support)]

Not sure where you saw Matt saying an Indigo Touch upgrade will be "long while" - we have in fact said on the forums on several occasions that we're turning our attention to Indigo Touch next.

If you're happy with Indigo 4's features then there's no need to upgrade. Indigo 5 and 6 have advanced Indigo more significantly perhaps than Indigo 1-4 did in terms of functionality - but if none of that is useful to you then there's probably no reason to upgrade. The INSTEON Hub is quite limited in what it can do, but perhaps it is better suited to your environment - that's a judgement you'll need to make for yourself.

I'm curious - what does the INSTEON app have that Indigo Touch doesn't that you find so appealing? And is it "old and archaic" inherently only because we haven't updated it or because it is missing some feature that you believe it needs? What specific needs are those?

[matt (support)]

According to Matt's own admission, the app needs to be updated; however, he states it will a "long while" before that occurs.

Please point me to where you read this so that I can clarify/correct it.

Sven, just my two cents worth, most home automation enthuasiasts do not want to set and forget, thats the lazy mans option. One of the main reasons i choose Indigo in the first place, and i've been using it a long time too, is its flexibility and adaptability and the ability to tinker. If we all had tens of thousands of pounds to spend we would have mansions, and have someone come do the home automation for us, but the vast majority of people here are normal folk that love to tinker and overcome problems with what they have, finding a solution is the enjoyment, not just the light turning on from your phone.

The work that Matt and Jay do is phenominal, for two guys to do development and provide what is the best support i've seen with any product is remarkable. They respond almost always 7 days a week, don't know when these guys take time off, and it shows the passion they have for there product as well as home automation.

I will assume, give your name and the fact you say your looking at the Insteon hub, that you are a european user. Insteon over here is practically non existant. The Insteon hub is so limited and the addition of Z-wave has really given my home a major boost.

I hope you'll have a nice Christmas present under my virtual tree, Matt. If not, I'll be looking for a replacement which will be sad since I have been using Indigo for almost ten years...

--sven

10 Years and this is your first post?

I'll throw my 3 Cents here.

While over the last year or so, I haven't had the time to dedicate to my plugins and my HA setup at home, I'm starting to have time to rededicate to this again.

I have kept up with the changes, and as a developer, I'll say that the differences between Indigo v4 and Indigo v6 is incredible.

Take a look at the Indigo v4 Security Script, and compare that with the v5-v6 Switchboard plugin. The Switchboard plugin is the new and updated version of the Security Script. (I'm the author of both packages).

The simple fact is the Indigo v6 is well worth the upgrade, it has a better interface, allows you to use more protocols, and more HA devices.

Heck, the iAutomation RFID reader would never have been possible in v4. Applescript is a great language, but it simply does not extend well enough to cover a modern application.

I think most people would agree that Indigo Touch does need an update. Heck, I've asked about allowing Control Pages to work through Indigo Touch. That one feature would be a godsend to most plugins that offer a web interface. But keep in mind, it is possible to write a competitor to Indigo Touch. While it may not be able to use the reflector, almost everything that Indigo Touch does can be done through the REST interface. The only issue maybe the refresh rate of the display.

But even that could be resolved by having a Indigo Plugin that the iDevice application would connect to. Or having a plugin expose a JSON feed, very similar to what I added to the iAutomation RFID plugin.

As people have stated, if Indigo v4 is fine for you, then feel free to stay with it.

But in many cases, changing platforms will have a lot of hidden cost.
- Benjamin

In my case I don't use Indigo touch. I use Command Fusion iViewer.

I have always expounded using the right tool for the right job. Indigo works great for controlling my home automation stuff and CF integrates both Indigo and all of the other stuff I have that works over ethernet (Like controlling my Pioneer amp, Samsung Smart TV and DirectTV boxes). With CF I can design and develop my own user interface with regular expression parsing of feedback I receive from various devices (Indigo being one of them).

Indigo, for me, is just an interface to Insteon and Z-Wave devices. There are many other devices I want to control and CF gives me that.

Ahh, here we go again...

By the way, you've been using Indigo since version 4 and just now joined the forum? Or did you create a new account to anonymously rant?

In my case I don't use Indigo touch. I use Command Fusion iViewer.

Gauges, sliders, transitions...
Oh man, there goes my weekend!