What would you like to see in evohome? (have your say)

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  • HenGus
    Automated Home Legend
    • May 2014
    • 1001

    #61
    Originally posted by top brake View Post
    Interesting feedback, thanks

    It's all about managing expectations and perceptions

    I would have thought most buy product based on what it does today?
    I am really not sure that you are doing Honeywell's marketing aspirations any good whatsoever with your rather arrogant responses to customers who have invested £00s if not £000s in Honeywell products, or are thinking of doing so. Are you speaking on behalf of the CEO of Honeywell or as a member of the Honeywell UK Support team? Perhaps a clear statement to the effect that 'Honeywell will not be offering firmware upgrades to this product' in the product brochure might have been a helpful statement given that almost everything that I can think of ranging from my home telephone to my car is the subject of frequent firmware updates.

    It is also arrogant to imply that any Honeywell hardware/software based component is so well designed and built that changes to coding wouldn't improve functionality, reliability or the customer experience. As your colleague has just admitted, the Evohome app is a less than perfect piece of software programming.

    I will get my coat.

    Comment

    • G4RHL
      Automated Home Legend
      • Jan 2015
      • 1580

      #62
      I must concur with some of HenGus's comments. We buy this product because it is meant to be robust, from a good stable, well thought out and does the job. It is inevitable that improvements will be seen and an upgrade path is expected. People do not buy stuff just because it does the job today but look for something that does for tomorrow as well. I did not recently buy a new iMac on the basis it is only good for today and expect aspects will be upgraded, particularly software aspects.

      Having said this I will be surprised if we do not see upgrades but still lean toward they being better in the app leaving the controller simply as a conduit.

      Comment

      • sharpener
        Automated Home Sr Member
        • Jan 2015
        • 78

        #63
        Originally posted by top brake View Post
        I would have thought most buy product based on what it does today?
        Absolutely not.

        I justified the investment to myself and my family on the basis that Honeywell was a blue-chip brand and their evotouch controller was upgradeable. Why else is there (still) a USB port on it?

        I fully agree with most of the comments from HenGus and G4RHL. In the past I have been Technical Director of several electronics companies all of which released software updates for earlier products to address reported bugs and provide new functionality.

        Where perhaps I differ from them is that I would like to see the controller updated, as I can already control my heating system over the internet (since 2007).

        Although the user interface is pretty clunky it is 100% WYSIWYG and recovers 100% from any power outage so I do not have to worry about my oil tank heating the sky when I am away. On the present showing Evohome cannot deliver this but I live in hope.

        Comment

        • top brake
          Automated Home Legend
          • Feb 2015
          • 837

          #64
          Originally posted by HenGus View Post
          I am really not sure that you are doing Honeywell's marketing aspirations any good whatsoever with your rather arrogant responses to customers who have invested £00s if not £000s in Honeywell products, or are thinking of doing so. Are you speaking on behalf of the CEO of Honeywell or as a member of the Honeywell UK Support team? Perhaps a clear statement to the effect that 'Honeywell will not be offering firmware upgrades to this product' in the product brochure might have been a helpful statement given that almost everything that I can think of ranging from my home telephone to my car is the subject of frequent firmware updates.

          It is also arrogant to imply that any Honeywell hardware/software based component is so well designed and built that changes to coding wouldn't improve functionality, reliability or the customer experience. As your colleague has just admitted, the Evohome app is a less than perfect piece of software programming.

          I will get my coat.
          Simply trying to clarify the situation and understand your perceptions, I offer my help and advice freely on this forum where I can

          evohome is a platform that is being developed but I cannot comment on what form these developments may take or how the developments may be delivered to market

          as per my sig, I work for Honeywell, posts are personal and my own views.
          I work for Resideo, posts are personal and my own views.

          Comment

          • top brake
            Automated Home Legend
            • Feb 2015
            • 837

            #65
            Originally posted by G4RHL View Post
            I must concur with some of HenGus's comments. We buy this product because it is meant to be robust, from a good stable, well thought out and does the job. It is inevitable that improvements will be seen and an upgrade path is expected. People do not buy stuff just because it does the job today but look for something that does for tomorrow as well. I did not recently buy a new iMac on the basis it is only good for today and expect aspects will be upgraded, particularly software aspects.

            Having said this I will be surprised if we do not see upgrades but still lean toward they being better in the app leaving the controller simply as a conduit.
            thanks for your feedback
            it is my experience that the evohome is a robust product as long as it has been installed and configured correctly

            no firmware updates have been identified as necessary on the colour evo central controller

            the app and gateway are updated regularly in response to feedback
            I work for Resideo, posts are personal and my own views.

            Comment

            • jonstatt
              Automated Home Guru
              • Feb 2015
              • 111

              #66
              Originally posted by top brake View Post
              thanks for your feedback
              it is my experience that the evohome is a robust product as long as it has been installed and configured correctly

              no firmware updates have been identified as necessary on the colour evo central controller

              the app and gateway are updated regularly in response to feedback
              There is no doubt that the colour evo and the whole EVOHOME product is excellent. For me it does nearly everything I can think of and it does it really well too. However, nowadays products like this are considered investments for today and the future. For example, if you buy a mobile phone, you expect 4-5 firmware updates during its 2 year life. If you buy an AV surround receiver, you expect it to be updated with new features and latest surround formats (for example, many have updated to support Dolby Atmos). Gone are the days where you just buy something "as is". Even a blu-ray player gets regular updates, sometimes adding support for new features.

              A big taboo these days is a company that only adds features to the "next" product forcing people to buy it all over again. That really alienates a customer base and also encourages them to look elsewhere to rivals for their solutions. There are some features, like a second custom schedule, or manually turn one radiator in a room changes the other one, that could probably be added without too much cost by Honeywell. I strongly encourage Honeywell to re-evaluate it's thinking about enhancing existing product (where practical and possible). A gesture by giving even just 1 or 2 bug fix / enhancement releases during the lifecycle of such a product buys you loyalty and a customer base that will then willingly upgrade.

              I think it's important for companies to realise they are no longer making products for a moment in time, but should be focusing on extensible architectures that allow for future improvements. This buys in new customers and keeps existing ones at the same time.

              Comment

              • top brake
                Automated Home Legend
                • Feb 2015
                • 837

                #67
                Originally posted by jonstatt View Post
                There is no doubt that the colour evo and the whole EVOHOME product is excellent. For me it does nearly everything I can think of and it does it really well too. However, nowadays products like this are considered investments for today and the future. For example, if you buy a mobile phone, you expect 4-5 firmware updates during its 2 year life. If you buy an AV surround receiver, you expect it to be updated with new features and latest surround formats (for example, many have updated to support Dolby Atmos). Gone are the days where you just buy something "as is". Even a blu-ray player gets regular updates, sometimes adding support for new features.

                A big taboo these days is a company that only adds features to the "next" product forcing people to buy it all over again. That really alienates a customer base and also encourages them to look elsewhere to rivals for their solutions. There are some features, like a second custom schedule, or manually turn one radiator in a room changes the other one, that could probably be added without too much cost by Honeywell. I strongly encourage Honeywell to re-evaluate it's thinking about enhancing existing product (where practical and possible). A gesture by giving even just 1 or 2 bug fix / enhancement releases during the lifecycle of such a product buys you loyalty and a customer base that will then willingly upgrade.

                I think it's important for companies to realise they are no longer making products for a moment in time, but should be focusing on extensible architectures that allow for future improvements. This buys in new customers and keeps existing ones at the same time.
                thanks for your considered feedback, and for taking the time to backup your expectations
                I work for Resideo, posts are personal and my own views.

                Comment

                • Wally©
                  Automated Home Sr Member
                  • Jan 2015
                  • 53

                  #68
                  Originally posted by top brake View Post
                  Interesting feedback, than

                  It's all about managing expectations and perceptions

                  I would have thought most buy product based on what it does today?
                  Tell that to Apple or any other smart device manufacturer... You wouldn't make it past the ground floor...

                  That being said... I'm postponing my purchase indefinitely...

                  Comment

                  • top brake
                    Automated Home Legend
                    • Feb 2015
                    • 837

                    #69
                    Originally posted by Wally© View Post
                    Tell that to Apple or any other smart device manufacturer... You wouldn't make it past the ground floor...

                    That being said... I'm postponing my purchase indefinitely...
                    ok thanks for the feedback

                    getting back on topic what features and functionality would persuade you to purchase an evohome system?
                    I work for Resideo, posts are personal and my own views.

                    Comment

                    • emmeesse68
                      Automated Home Guru
                      • Dec 2014
                      • 103

                      #70
                      Originally posted by top brake View Post
                      getting back on topic what features and functionality would persuade you to purchase an evohome system?
                      Updates based on customer request/feedback?

                      Already posted a long list of "wishes" a few weeks ago, then I went on installing new components/discovering new issues/limitations, and new wishes came out.

                      Here are some (already mentioned, but worth repeating):

                      - more detailed reporting on the controller, about heating request (when and which sensor is requesting)
                      - reporting of actuators and sensors (could be interesting to know the reported temperature of all the radiator valves in a zone, not the "master" only; and knowing valve/relay positions on the controller would save a lot of walking about the house )
                      - some way to collect data (temperatures, sensors/actuators status/position, ...) with more detailed informatio than what's available to the "app", in such a way you could build your database with graph and stats
                      - possibility to set up actuators parameters through the controller (a HR92 in a recessed place could be difficult to reach and configure directly)
                      - Range extender, why not (or maybe add functionalities to some component to rely wireless messages). In my flat there's a couple of HR92 that report poor wireless coverage, and I don't consider moving the controller to another room as an option
                      - add scheduling flexibility (6 switchpoints a day and only ONE custom schedule... looks rather limiting to be implemented on a computer... because the EvoHome is a computer, right?) to unlimited daily switchpoints and freely manageable (add/edit/rermove) custom schemes;
                      - USB (or even wireless... like HGI80?) interface to a computer to do programming/scheduling/backup/restore/data logging... (and maybe updates, why not)
                      - browser interface (make it HTML5, would be compatible with almost anything without requiring a specific "app")
                      - cheaper basic room sensors (sometimes you don't need a display like the DTS92 but just a wireless temperature sensor, and other components like HCF82 and HCW82 are even more expensive) to add to rooms fitted with radiator valves
                      - alerting functionalities (temperature too low or too high, batteries running low on some radiator valve, ...)
                      - air conditioning interface to control cooling as well as heating? Or maybe there's something already available that I missed...

                      Comment

                      • top brake
                        Automated Home Legend
                        • Feb 2015
                        • 837

                        #71
                        Originally posted by emmeesse68 View Post
                        Updates based on customer request/feedback?

                        Already posted a long list of "wishes" a few weeks ago, then I went on installing new components/discovering new issues/limitations, and new wishes came out.

                        Here are some (already mentioned, but worth repeating):

                        - more detailed reporting on the controller, about heating request (when and which sensor is requesting)
                        - reporting of actuators and sensors (could be interesting to know the reported temperature of all the radiator valves in a zone, not the "master" only; and knowing valve/relay positions on the controller would save a lot of walking about the house )
                        - some way to collect data (temperatures, sensors/actuators status/position, ...) with more detailed informatio than what's available to the "app", in such a way you could build your database with graph and stats
                        - possibility to set up actuators parameters through the controller (a HR92 in a recessed place could be difficult to reach and configure directly)
                        - Range extender, why not (or maybe add functionalities to some component to rely wireless messages). In my flat there's a couple of HR92 that report poor wireless coverage, and I don't consider moving the controller to another room as an option
                        - add scheduling flexibility (6 switchpoints a day and only ONE custom schedule... looks rather limiting to be implemented on a computer... because the EvoHome is a computer, right?) to unlimited daily switchpoints and freely manageable (add/edit/rermove) custom schemes;
                        - USB (or even wireless... like HGI80?) interface to a computer to do programming/scheduling/backup/restore/data logging... (and maybe updates, why not)
                        - browser interface (make it HTML5, would be compatible with almost anything without requiring a specific "app")
                        - cheaper basic room sensors (sometimes you don't need a display like the DTS92 but just a wireless temperature sensor, and other components like HCF82 and HCW82 are even more expensive) to add to rooms fitted with radiator valves
                        - alerting functionalities (temperature too low or too high, batteries running low on some radiator valve, ...)
                        - air conditioning interface to control cooling as well as heating? Or maybe there's something already available that I missed...
                        brilliant thanks!
                        I work for Resideo, posts are personal and my own views.

                        Comment

                        • erik
                          Automated Home Guru
                          • Feb 2015
                          • 244

                          #72
                          1: see actual measured temperature, with decimals
                          2: see which zone is requesting heat from boiler and how much
                          3: see local override on controller
                          4: get daily overview graphs of temperature, setpoint and heat requests

                          Comment

                          • jonstatt
                            Automated Home Guru
                            • Feb 2015
                            • 111

                            #73
                            Originally posted by erik View Post
                            1: see actual measured temperature, with decimals
                            2: see which zone is requesting heat from boiler and how much
                            3: see local override on controller
                            4: get daily overview graphs of temperature, setpoint and heat requests
                            Just a sidenote, that if you install a Y87RF thermostat alongside an HR92 and over-ride the temperature, it IS reflected on the controller and app and shows the "end time" of the over-ride. As it can be done with the separate thermostat, I have the horrible feeling it requires "something" to be different on the HR92s and the update would have to be to them rather than the controller (i.e. When manually over-riding the HR92, it doesn't send any notification back to the controller at all)

                            Comment

                            • orange
                              Automated Home Guru
                              • Dec 2014
                              • 149

                              #74
                              Originally posted by jonstatt View Post
                              Just a sidenote, that if you install a Y87RF thermostat alongside an HR92 and over-ride the temperature, it IS reflected on the controller and app and shows the "end time" of the over-ride. As it can be done with the separate thermostat, I have the horrible feeling it requires "something" to be different on the HR92s and the update would have to be to them rather than the controller (i.e. When manually over-riding the HR92, it doesn't send any notification back to the controller at all)
                              same with the dts92/dt92 - local overrides are reflected in the controller.

                              The hr92s must be sending something back to the controller as the controller has to initiate boiler demand depending on the new switch point. This particular feature must have been deliberate design by Honeywell. I suggest it's because you can have multiple hr92 in the same zone and if the override is on only one what do you display in the controller ? (easy answer is to display whatever is on the 'master' hr92 in the zone)

                              Comment

                              • top brake
                                Automated Home Legend
                                • Feb 2015
                                • 837

                                #75
                                Originally posted by orange View Post
                                same with the dts92/dt92 - local overrides are reflected in the controller.

                                The hr92s must be sending something back to the controller as the controller has to initiate boiler demand depending on the new switch point. This particular feature must have been deliberate design by Honeywell. I suggest it's because you can have multiple hr92 in the same zone and if the override is on only one what do you display in the controller ? (easy answer is to display whatever is on the 'master' hr92 in the zone)
                                Correct, by design for the reason you state
                                I work for Resideo, posts are personal and my own views.

                                Comment

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