The Homeboy software itself is free! That's right, it doesn't cost you a penny. The only thing that will cost you money are the Insteon devices for your home assuming that you already have a TV and PC.
To get Homeboy up and running, the only hardware that you need is a tv, computer, and some Insteon Devices. Follow our Getting Started guide for a tutorial on how to set it all up. It's easier than you think.
Yes, Homeboy supports the SmartLink Controller. The SmartLinc controller lets you control your home via a (wireless) network connection. The current limitation with the SmartLinc Controller is that with Homeboy you can only send commands and not listen for events. For full functionality of Homeboy, we recommend using either an Insteon Serial or USB Controller.
No. Though, we have been approached about integrating Homeboy with other applications such as Homeseer. These are things that we would like to do. If you have an interest in this or have the ability to help, please get in touch.
Homeboy has no plans to support X10. We feel that the X10 protocol is outdated and that Insteon provides a much more reliable and user-friendly home automation experience. If you are still using X10, it would be a good idea to consider upgrading to Insteon which is backwards compatible with X10.
A dual-band Insteon device is one that communicates through both powerline and wireless signals. In the past, using your homes existing powerline was an easy way to install a home automation network. Today, powerline technology is still used but is often unreliable. All the modern home automation technologies today are using wireless communication. Insteon is an interesting technology because it uses both powerline and wireless signals. If purchasing an Insteon device for Homeboy, save yourself the hassle and ensure that the device is dual-band; you'll have a much better and more reliable home control experience. View the list of Dual-Band Insteon devices recommended for use with Homeboy.
A Home Theatre Personal Computer (HTPC) is simply a computer that is designed to connect to your TV and essentially replace the majority of home entertainment equipment that you already have such as DVD players, set-top boxes, media centers, etc. Find out more.
