Home Control Assistant
Generic Interfaces are the gateway in HCA to support any IP or Serial based devices that HCA doesn't directly support. For example, energy monitors, other protocol based systems such as Lutron gear, IP cameras, etc.
HCA supplies in Visual Programs an element to send to and receive from these types of interfaces. In addition, the configuration for these devices is extensive both in terms of serial communication parameters and also IP setup for protocols such as Telnet.
There are several technical notes that show usage of generic interfaces. One covers interfacing HCA to a Lutron interface for motorized shade control and the other is about working with a Brultech energy monitor and HCA 12. Look in the HCA 12 section on this page and you can view these technical notes.
In addition to these generic interfaces you can also create a generic server. In this case, HCA operates as the server and applications that you create - on any platform that can open a TCP/IP connection - can send messages into HCA and receive responses in a protocol you design and implement in HCA programs. What can you do with this? Anything that you want in order to support your automation solution. For example, your own browser based app that wants to send commands into HCA to have it control devices.