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Re: Anyone using much Z-wave?
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Hi Paul,
I have some deep misgivings about ZWave. I don't like the proprietary,
closed ecosystem, and I don't like various aspects of the (admittedly now
fairly ancient) protocol. Adding new devices, dead nodes, 'network
healing', poor support for mobile nodes etc. Having said that, I didn't
much like X10 from a technical standpoint (who did!) and that didn't stop
us all from filling our houses with it.
Ideally I'd like controllers and devices that are all using an open
standard like 6LoWPAN, but meanwhile in the real world, you can *actually
buy* devices and controllers, and that counts for a lot. Which is why my
house has a bunch of ZWave devices in, presided over by a Fibaro
HomeControl2.
The issues I mentioned above are irksome, but they only really bite you
when you're configuring a new system. In day to day use, it's been pretty
bulletproof. I stick with the Fibaro controller because it allows a great
deal of programmability, either using their visual environment, or getting
down and dirty in Lua script, and it integrates well with other systems
over tcp etc. I've also tried the Zipabox, which is cheaper, but not quite
as flexible. It was similarly reliable though. I hear a lot of folks have
had good results with Vera controllers, but I haven't tried them myself.
The proprietary nature of the protocol still bugs me. I believe ZWave
transceivers are available for Arduino et al, but AFAIK these will let you
build a custom controller, but not an end device (happy to be proven wrong
on that score), so I can't knock up a quick custom device and integrate it
in to the network. For example, to automate my garage door opener (which
has low voltage open and close inputs) I had to jury-rig a Fibaro shutter
module and a couple of mains voltage relays. I couldn't find a ZWave
"universal module" with say a couple of LV ins and outs, but you
can often
cobble something together with a bit of lateral thinking.
cheers
ant
On 22 September 2013 15:05, Paul Gordon <paul_gordon@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> Hi all.
>
> I'm shortly going to move house, and thus have an ideal opportunity to
> embark on a "HA done properly" exercise... :-) the last 15
years or so
> having been an extended beta test!
>
> All that has passed the beta so far, and which will thus be included
in
> chez
> Gordon Mk 2 is Comfort, CBUS, and Sonos... X10 is definitely out of
the
> game, but there are potentially some use cases that those 3 systems
won't
> fully cover, so I may need to bring in at least one more HA
technology, and
> I'm thinking that may well be Z-wave. (this is based mainly on the
premise
> that whatever new HA tech is chosen *MUST* integrate with Comfort,
which
> will be the brains of the whole thing, and there is good integration
with
> Z-wave via a dedicated UCM).
>
> So it looks like there is a pretty wide range of Z-wave products
available,
> covering most/all types of devices.
>
> What I think I need is feedback from the HA community that is actively
> using
> Z-wave devices as to its long term reliability, ease of use,
robustness of
> performance etc... to help me decide whether or not Z-wave should be
> allowed
> in to the new house...
>
> So, I put it to you... what are your thoughts, both good or bad, about
> Z-wave?
>
> Cheers!
>
> Paul G.
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
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<div dir=3D"ltr">Hi
Paul,<div><br></div><div>I have some deep
misgivings ab=
out ZWave. I don't like the proprietary, closed ecosystem, and I
don=
9;t like various aspects of the (admittedly now fairly ancient) protocol.
A=
dding new devices, dead nodes, 'network healing', poor
support for =
mobile nodes etc. Having said that, I didn't much like X10 from a
techn=
ical standpoint (who did!) and that didn't stop us all from filling
our=
houses with it.</div>
<div><br></div><div>Ideally I'd like
controllers and devices that are a=
ll using an open standard like 6LoWPAN, but meanwhile in the real world,
yo=
u can *actually buy* devices and controllers, and that counts for a lot.
Wh=
ich is why my house has a bunch of ZWave devices in, presided over by a
Fib=
aro HomeControl2.=A0<br>
</div><div><br></div><div>The issues I
mentioned above are irksome, =A0but =
they only really bite you when you're configuring a new system. In
day =
to day use, it's been pretty bulletproof. I stick with the Fibaro
contr=
oller because it allows a great deal of programmability, either using
their=
visual environment, or getting down and dirty in Lua script, and it integr=
ates well with other systems over tcp etc. I've also tried the
Zipabox,=
which is cheaper, but not quite as flexible. It was similarly reliable tho=
ugh. I hear a lot of folks have had good results with Vera controllers,
but=
I haven't tried them myself.=A0</div>
<div><br></div><div>The proprietary nature of the
protocol still bugs me. I=
believe ZWave transceivers are available for Arduino et al, but AFAIK thes=
e will let you build a custom controller, but not an end device (happy to
b=
e proven wrong on that score), so I can't knock up a quick custom
devic=
e and integrate it in to the network. For example, to automate my garage
do=
or opener (which has low voltage open and close inputs) I had to jury-rig
a=
Fibaro shutter module and a couple of mains voltage relays. I
couldn't=
find a ZWave "universal module" with say a couple of LV
ins and =
outs, but you can often cobble something together with a bit of lateral
thi=
nking.</div>
<div><br></div><div>cheers</div><div><br></div><div>ant</div><div><br></div=
></div><div
class=3D"gmail_extra"><br><br><div
class=3D"gmail_quote">On 22 =
September 2013 15:05, Paul Gordon <span
dir=3D"ltr"><<a href=3D"mailto:p=
aul_gordon@xxxxxxx"
target=3D"_blank">paul_gordon@xxxxxxx</a>></=
span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0
.8ex;border-left:1p=
x #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">Hi all.<br>
<br>
I'm shortly going to move house, and thus have an ideal opportunity
to<=
br>
embark on a "HA done properly" exercise... :-) the last
15 years =
or so<br>
having been an extended beta test!<br>
<br>
All that has passed the beta so far, and which will thus be included in
che=
z<br>
Gordon Mk 2 is Comfort, CBUS, and Sonos... X10 is definitely out of
the<br>
game, but there are potentially some use cases that those 3 systems
won'=
;t<br>
fully cover, so I may need to bring in at least one more HA technology,
and=
<br>
I'm thinking that may well be Z-wave. (this is based mainly on the
prem=
ise<br>
that whatever new HA tech is chosen *MUST* integrate with Comfort,
which<br=
>
will be the brains of the whole thing, and there is good integration
with<b=
r>
Z-wave via a dedicated UCM).<br>
<br>
So it looks like there is a pretty wide range of Z-wave products
available,=
<br>
covering most/all types of devices.<br>
<br>
What I think I need is feedback from the HA community that is actively
usin=
g<br>
Z-wave devices as to its long term reliability, ease of use, robustness
of<=
br>
performance etc... to help me decide whether or not Z-wave should be
allowe=
d<br>
in to the new house...<br>
<br>
So, I put it to you... what are your thoughts, both good or bad,
about<br>
Z-wave?<br>
<br>
Cheers!<br>
<br>
Paul G.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
------------------------------------<br>
<br>
<*> Join the Automated Home Forums<br>
=A0 =A0 =A0<a href=3D"http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/";
target=3D"=
_blank">http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/</a><br>
<br>
<*> UKHA_D Mailing list in association with:<br>
=A0 =A0 =A0<a href=3D"http://www.automatedhome.co.uk";
target=3D"_blank">htt=
p://www.automatedhome.co.uk</a><br>
<br>
<br>
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