Questions on usage from early adopters

[hadiesper]

*UPDATED: This Thread is an old Control Cube Thread created before the Control Cube Sub-forum came into existence.

This thread contains questions about Control Cube made by early adopters of the app. Feel free to continue the thread by asking more questions here or posting new threads in the sub-forum.

[jpete7683]

Sorry I can't find Control Cube for iPhone, is it only an iPad app?

[hadiesper]

Yes it's only on iPad for now. But the iPhone version should be out in about a month. I am just waiting for iPad v1.2 to be ready first.


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[Freddan101]

Check out Control cube. If you are looking for simplicity to set up and an advanced UI, its the right app out there. Plus the UI is awesome and integrates SONOS and XBMC directly from the App.

Check out the website at: http://www.control-cube.com

The current iOS version is 1.1. v1.2 has been submitted to apple and includes direct integration with Global Cache. It will also be so easy to set up (no creation of buttons or assignment of functions to UIButtons, just enter IP address, and an XML file with all the IR codes).

Very nice graphics! Though, I would like to have the option to select which devices to show and in which room/section. Also, something I would wish for in any iOS app is to show a power meter gauge that displays what is consuming power for the moment (? la dataMine dashboard).

[hadiesper]

Thanks for the feedback

Currently once all your devices are added you can delete certain unneeded devices from the settings page under "Arrange Items". Deleting them will remove them from the app database and not from the Vera. So it's kind of like "hide", but you cannot "unhide" unless you re-add the Vera. I'll consider putting this feature into a next update.

Btw, there is a YouTube video on the control cube channel showing how to do this.

I like the idea of the power gauge,I'll make sure to put that on our road map.



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[waynehead99]

So I downloaded it and like the look but it's missing two key things. My climate sensors in different rooms in my house and ability to run my scenes.


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[hadiesper]

@waynehead99: you need to assign the scenes to rooms in your Vera. Or create a room called "Main" and assign all your scenes to it. Then on control cube "clear database" and re-add the Vera.

As for climate sensors, if you mean thermostats these are supported, also just assign it to a room. If you mean a temp sensor, I'll make sure they are supported in the next update (within 1-2 weeks). Thanks for your patience.


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[waynehead99]

I was able to get the scenes. I do like that the program seems to be pretty snappy, however, I am not a fan of the limitations on what can and can't be displayed. I would like to have control over devices I may not want seen (like I have a couple "rooms" setup for admin things), I don't want to see those rooms listed.

Having a main status page of quick things I do daily would be nice as well.

Overall, I like the feel and think it has potential, but it is limited for my needs in its current state.

[bucko]

Is this app multi language? How does the voice function work?

[hadiesper]

@waynehead99: thanks for the feedback. You have valid points. My aim with the app was to keep it as easy to set up as possible but also maintain some form of scalability as an automation app as to being able to integrate more than just Vera. That's why we have Sonos, xbmc, GC, and Knx coming soon.

Control Cube has an internal database that is completely independent of Vera. So you can simply delete a room or a device without any actual changes to Vera. Control cube simply won't poll them from Vera anymore.

So if you want to get rid of a room, just delete it from
The settings tab->re-arrange items. If you still want to control devices in that room, I would suggest creating a room on the Vera. Call it "Main" and assign scenes there that control devices in other rooms which may or may not be hidden.

I hope this answers your concern, if not PM me and we can discuss it further.

@: bucko: the voice feature is not released yet (will be in about a month). We are currently working on 2 things: export/import configuration and an iphone app. This should be done in about 2 weeks.

As for the voice feature, for the start it will be English only and it will work for running scenes only.


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[Skaven]

Eney work on making it to android?


// Sorry about my spelling I'm dyslexic and so you know all translations is translate by Google translate so don't complain about my English spelling \

[hadiesper]

@Skaven: Thanks for your interest in Control Cube. Yes it is on our Roadmap  to have Control Cube on Android. But this may not be until another 2-3 months.

http://www.control-cube.com/roadmap.html

We also plan to have cross-platform compatibility so that when you export a config from an iPad for example, you will be able to import it to any iphone or android without changing anything on the configuration.

[Freddan101]

I think you will have an outstanding product if/when you combine the flexibility from, for example, HomeWave with the graphics quality from, for example, Fibaro HC2. I think that a lot of us Vera users are looking for a good looking dashboard/control app but we are picky what comes to chosing the configuration and layout ourselves.

A question, is it possible to combine the weather report in the top of the screen with the temperature from an own local temp sensor?

[hadiesper]

@Freddan101: thank you very much I appreciate the positive feedback.

I do agree with you, I had to forgo some flexibility in the app in order to make it easy to set up.

Keep in mind I am a system integrator in my home country and I do have some projects (for example conference room automation or yacht projects) where control cube is not a good fit because in such cases you need to create your own interface and customize the buttons and the labels.

This brings me to the motivation behind control cube. As a system integrator, when we deploy a zwave/Sonos/IR control system at a villa for example. It takes us about 3 days to fully program the UI on other iPad apps. So we decided that we need to create an app that can be set up in about 30 minutes, and that's exactly what control cube is about.

Take Sonos for example, in our old setup, we had to create buttons for play,pause, volume, playback, and at least 6 scenes for each zone that plays a playlist. Imagine doing this for a 14 zone deployment. That took up so much of our time! In control cube, you just add a Sonos device and specify it's IP. It takes less than minute to set up a zone.

Back to your suggestions. I think we should create a virtual device in the app in the near future where you can assign a config file that can map buttons to Vera devices or scenes. That would make it flexible.

As soon as MCV approves a subforum for the app. I will create a dedicated thread for feature requests and let's have all these in including your local temp sensor idea.

Btw, V1.2 of the app with GC control should be out on Monday. After that im working on 2 things (import/export database) and iphone app. After that we will dedicate time to feature requests. I need people like you who are power users and can really pinpoint their exact needs

I just want to add that control cube is not a hobby project I have on the side. It is actually funded by my company and there is an entire team working on updates to the app. So basically, we will continue to add features and updates throughout 2014 on a bi-weekly basis on average.


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[Freddan101]

Sounds very promising, haidesper. I'm looking forward to test ControlCube and help out with feedback and ideas. I understand that simplicity is important for you. If you can combine that for the average user with more advanced options in the background you will be quite ahead of other iOS apps.

I hope that you only have to purchase the app once for both iPad and iPhone versions?