Plugwise Stretch available this month

[Post-IT]

I know the Stretch has been announced two or three times already, but it seams the Stretch is now finally coming out of it's vaporware status on February 15th.

http://www.plugwise.com/idplugtype-f/node/891

On the phone they said there is nothing unsure about the launch date this time, it's for real. You can expect to get a 6month free subscription with it (for historical data and access outside your own network). And they will make several different offer for new user and current users.

[Phaeton]

Will there be an api available? I dont like the subscription fee about this

[Post-IT]

I don't know if there will be an API yet, but I guess it will be similar to the current API.

I'm also not so keen on subscriptions, however I don't need them to storer my historical information or access my system remotely.

[spierie]

No subscription for me as well, only want an API.


So let's hope for an open solution, or at least no need for a subscription......

[pvgent]

I hope there is an option to execute scripts like with the Source on the program page.

I have a script running every minute, it does Master/Slave switching and Start/Stop monitoring.
It switches the slave on when the master is using more than the threshold en off when using less than the threshold.
The monitoring sends a growl notification when the washing machine starts (usage higher then threshold) en stops (usage lower than threshold).

Does the Stretch has it's own Stick?
Do you have to 'connect' the circles to the Stretch, if yes, do you have to reset the circles?e used

Can it be used without the subscription?

[dorenberg]

I already have a stretch 2.0 running for 6 weeks now, and it is fixed plugwise and no customizing whatsoever. Maybe someone can figure something out. The stretch is pushing the data 4x per hour to the plugwise server and when you want to retrieve historical data it is downloaded from the plugwise server. Outside your own network (e.g. 3G) you can only view the status of your circles/stealths but you cannot switch on/off. The data you will see is 15 minutes old (however, they are having severe difficulties on the plugwise server, so most of the time nothing works. They are in the process of fixing some major issues this week so maybe next week everything is working as it is supposed to). I personally have some problems with the stretch when downloading on my laptop via Wifi. All circles seem to go offline and when the download is finished everything is back to normal.

Senses are not fully supported yet unfortunately. Switches and Scans are!

In regards to the fee I have heard 2 different fees. 1. 12 euro/year 2. 3 euro/month
Don't know what to believe.

Let's see what it will bring

[pvgent]

After reading the post by Dorenberg (no customizing, no API and problems with the plugwise server etc.) and the information on Plugwise website, i'm sticking for now with the Source.

If you want a Stretch 2.0 and already have a stick, you have to fill in a form and you have to send your stick to plugwise, so no way to revert to the old situation.

I also don't like that you must have a subscription to see your own historical data.

I's a pity that Plugwise hasn't asked his customers what functions they want from a device like the Stretch, like an API.

Does anyone know an solution on a Raspberry Pi

[Fulco]

and they also haven't got a Source compatible iOS App anymore.
Fulco

[dorenberg]

The issues with the stretch data have been solved by plugwise, and it is possible to generate a XML file with all current data for all devices. Also it is possible to switch on/off using a html interface which is very basic.

In regards to the monthly fee, it seems that it is 3 euros per month

[East]

Is it possible to program time and event schedules with Stretch?

for example:

- Turn off lights when no presence (with Scan) is detected for 30 minutes
- Turn off lights at preset time for a certain day of the week

[Joho]

Hi there,
Does anybody understand why Plugwise made this Stretch as it is with regards to the monthly subscribtion of Euro 3,--/mth?
As far as I'm concerned I only want to be able to control my "switches" on a smartphone and/or tablet. No need for switching on/off things when I'm on the other side of the world and no need to see what my refrigerator consumed when I'm away from home as well.
Plugwise promotes their product as energy/money saver and now they expect me to send the money I save to them? Sounds strange.
As I'm not a programming expert I can just assume that it must be possible to have Plugwise do what I want whitout having to use an external server, or am I missing out on something here?
So far I'm rather dissappointed with the Stretch as it currently is. Perhaps I did better stick to the klik-aan klik-uit products that now offer exactly what I want (whitout the metering options of course).
Or can anyone point out where I make a "thinking error"??
Thanks in advance,
Joho.

[Post-IT]

Unless Plugwise issues a statement, you will never know officially...

However my thoughts on the subject are, switching and showing current usage is the basic functionality which is in the Stretch. Therefor you will not need a subscription for that. So it is what you want it to be.

For the subscription part, to keep the stretch affordable and "simple" the complex part of the full Plugwise package, such as detailed analysis and historical info which is done in Source, is now moved to the "cloud". This will give Plugwise the opportunity to actively support and develop these extra's without intervention for its customers, software updates or other risky things. Also this way the Stretch hardware can be kept simple. The alternative was for them to build a more complicated "controller" which hold all the functionality customers are used to, however that would make the controller much more expensive. Even €250 maybe?

I think it is a good choice, I want Windows out the door but I want the basic functionality. When I want to reassess my usage based on historical figures, I can always take a subscription for a few months and then end it again. Or I can just read the usage periodically with my home automation server and graph the historical usage myself.

[Joho]

OK, this helps!
So, if I understand you correct when going for the new Stretch I still keep metering (and switching but that's obvious). This metering will be momentarily only, no history. History will only be shown when a subscribtion for their server is being paid.
If it is like this then I will have to decide what I really want, access to the switches and stuff via my mobile and tablet or historical meetering. Of course when I want both I will have to pay Euro 3,--/mth. Well, that's already better then I initially understood.
Further I still feel that Euro 3,--/mth is rather high though. I monitor my solar output via pvoutput for instance for free and that is including all historical information AND and app for smartphone/tablet. (detailed historical info on the app will cost between 10 and 30 AUS Dollar depending on what one wants to contribute voluntarily). One can add smart metering from the S0 meter to this site for free as well by the way.
I would say a yearly fee of max. Euro 10,-- would be much more reasonable (for plugwise historical data). Especially when one considers that Plugwise makes commercial use of our data as I understood it somewhere .
Thanks for the response!
Joho