Home Control Assistant :: HCA Flavor Comparison

HCA Flavor Comparison

Home Control Assistant offer three different flavors, each one has different capabilities. Depending upon your needs today and your anticipated needs tomorrow, select the flavor that makes the most sense to you.

Click on any feature below to view additional details.

Feature	Limited	Standard	Plus
New User Pricing If you have previously purchased HCA then check out the Purchase HCA page which contains more information on the discounted upgrade options.	Free, See Below	$80.00	$160.00
Existing User Pricing The prices shown are only for new users to HCA. Visit the Purchase HCA to buy your copy now. If you have previously purchased HCA then check out the Purchase HCA page which contains more information on the discounted upgrade options.	Free, See Below	Varies	Varies
Client Server HCA Plus includes a server application that loads and executes your design. Connect to that server from any location on the network with one or more simultaneous clients. Chapter 23 within the Documentation section contains more information.			X
HCA for Android A native Android application can be used with the HCA Server that comes with HCA Plus. Chapter 24 within the Documentation section contains more information.			X
Touch Screen Interface HCA Plus includes an alternative interface designed for control of an existing design. While optimized for touch screens it also works well with any screen and a mouse. Chapter 22 within the Documentation section contains more information.			X
Supported Automation Interfaces
Insteon Insteon devices, controllers, and the Insteon powerline interfaces are supported. Appendix 15 within the Documentation section contains more information.		X	X
Universal Powerline Bus (UPB) Universal Powerline Bus (UPB) devices, controllers, and UPB powerline interfaces are supported. Appendix 14 within the Documentation section contains more information.			X
Global Cache GC-100 HCA supports up to four Global Cache GC-100s in simultaneous use. Appendix 11 within the Documentation section contains more information.		X	X
Bitwise BC4 HCA supports up to four BC4s in simultaneous use. Appendix 11 within the Documentation section contains more information.		X	X
Wireless Interfaces The W800RF32 can be selected as a hardware interface. Appendix 12 within the Documentation section contains more information.		X	X
CM11 and CM15 The CM11 and CM15 can be selected in the hardware setup and used as the X10 interface. Appendix 2 within the Documentation section contains more information. Note: The CM15 is only supported on some OS versions. Please review this.	X	X	X
SmartHome USB and serial PowerLinc Controller The SmartHome X10 PowerLinc Controller serial or USB version can be used as the X10 interface and for download. Appendix 5 within the Documentation section contains more information.	X	X	X
Marrick Interfaces All of the X10 interfaces from Marrick Ltd. are supported including the LynX-10PLC. Appendix 6 within the Documentation section contains more information.	X	X	X
Magic Module Elk Product's Magic Module and all the other family of products can be used with HCA. Appendix 3 within the Documentation section contains more information.			X
Lightolier Compose Protocol HCA can communicate with Lightolier Controls Keypads and switches using the Compose Protocol. Appendix 4 within the Documentation section contains more information.			X
Lightolier Firewall download HCA can assemble and download HCA schedules to the Lightolier Compose PLC Firewall. Appendix 4 within the Documentation section contains more information.			X
Supported Hardware
Insteon Devices All Insteon deveices from SmartHome, including the thermostat, irrigation controller, motion sensor, and others are supported. More information can be found within the Insteon page.		X	X
UPB Devices All UPB Devices from PCS, Simply Automated, and Web Mountain are supported. More information can be found within the UPB page.			X
Thermostats The SmartHome Insteon, RCS UPB, and RCS X10 thermostats are supported. The Residential Control Systems page and Appendix 9 within the Documentation section contains more information.			X
Davis Instruments Weather Station Weather Stations from Davis Instruments are supported. The Weather Support page and Appendix 10 within the Documentation section contains more information.			X
METAR Weather Data Reading weather data from the internet is supported.			X
SmartHome X10 switches, keypads, and modules The SmartHome X10 switches, keypads,and modules are supported. The SmartHome X10 page and Appendix 8 within the Documentation section contains more information.		X	X
Leviton X10 switches and modules All of the Leviton X10 switches and modules are supported.	X	X	X
X10USA Switches and Modules The X10USA Switches and Modules products are supported.	X	X	X
X10 PCS Switches & Lighting Modules All PCS SceneMaster X10 switches are supported. More information can be found within the Powerline Control Systems X10 page.		X	X
X10-Pro switches and modules All of the X10-Pro switches and modules are supported.		X	X
X10 PCS & SwitchLinc Scene programming HCA can send the appropriate commands to define scenes in the switch memory. Appendix 8 within the Documentation section contains more information.			X
Lightolier Controls CI and CP The Lightolier page and Apendix 4 within the Documentation section contains more information.			X
HCA Core Features
Quick Start Wizard A simple wizard to help you get started with automation in your home and use of HCA. Chapter 3 of the User Guide within the Documentation section contains more information.	X	X	X
Wizards Multi-step wizards are available to guide you though complex procedures. Chapter 1 of the User Guide within the Documentation section contains more information.	X	X	X
Home Modes A "checkbox" method to control devices in your home as it responds over a day. Chapter 5 of the User Guide within the Documentation section contains more information.	X	X	X
Visual Programmer The graphical method for constructing programs is available. Chapter 6 of the User Guide within the Documentation section contains more information.	X	X	X
Time Based Schedules Time based scheduling is available. Chapter 11 of the User Guide within the Documentation section contains more information.	Yes, See Below	X	X
Visual Scheduler The graphical method of setting up schedules is available. Chapter 12 of the User Guide within the Documentation section contains more information.	Yes, See Below	X	X
Visual Scene Editor A tool to create scenes and program them in Insteon devices without manual control. Chapter 13 of the User Guide within the Documentation section contains more information.	X	X	X
Text Scripts Execution of text based scripts, such as VBScript or JavaScript to augment the features of Visual Programs. Chapter 9 of the User Guide within the Documentation section contains more information.			X
Web Interface HCA can be crontrolled on the internet by the web interface. The Web Interface page contains more information.			X
Object Interface HCA exposes a rich object model. This enables text based scripts and Windows Programs to control HCA. Appendix 13 within the Documentation section contains more information.			X
Advanced Computation Elements The Compute and ComputeTest elements are supported providing rich expressions for computations and testing. Appendix 8 within the Documentation section contains more information.		X	X
Restart The ability to handle power outages and restore your home to the state it should be at if the power had not failed. Chapter 14 of the User Guide within the Documentation section contains more information.	X	X	X
Import and Export The Import-Export feature lets you select parts of your design to share with others. Also a way to add new parts to your design created by other HCA users. Chapter 20 of the User Guide within the Documentation section contains more information.	X	X	X
Design Checker The background Design Checker continually looks at your design and tries to find problems. What sort of problems? Static problems like a program controlling a non-dim device with a dim element, or dynamic problems, like device status polls not be answered. Chapter 15 of the User Guide within the Documentation section contains more information.	X	X	X
Logging The primary and secondary logs are available for capturing all powerline traffic and program actions. Chapter 15 of the User Guide within the Documentation section contains more information.	X	X	X
Floorplan Backgrounds DXF and Picture files can be used as floor backgrounds on displays. Chapter 10 of the User Guide within the Documentation section contains more information.		X	X

Home Control Assistant Limited

Home Control Assistant Limited is supplied free for download. It is intended to help you get started with HCA as quickly as possible. As a free product, there are some restrictions put in place. Most of these are outlined in the above chart, but there are also a few others including:

Only the CM11/CM15, Marrick Interfaces and the X10 PowerLinc Controllers are supported. No UPB, Insteon, or IR interfaces are available.
You can only create up to 4 programs
You can only create 1 schedule with up to 4 schedule entries

Once you experience HCA Limited you will understand why upgrading to HCA Standard, or HCA Plus, is such a smart decision.