Hi,
I’ve been looking into home automation products the past six months I?m planning to automate my new house as much as possible and I liked Vera controller compared to all other vendors what?s holding me back is the following:
- Is z-wave the best way to go? I’ve seen on this forum that Vera can support Insteon products as well is this correct? can it support ZigBee as well?
- GE recently released a smart oven but with WiFi only and a lot of smart TVs support WiFi only can Vera manage these devices? What is the best way to centralize the smart home management regardless the protocol it uses.
- The frequency for z-wave in my country is 868.42 MHz and not much products released for our frequency compared to the US 908.42 MHz. Is there any way I can use both frequencies on my home?
The first item you buy in a smart home will shape the future of your home that?s why I would really appreciate your support answering my questions.
The best way to go will depend on what you want to accomplish and what devices are available to achieve your goal. I believe that Z-Wave is presently the best choice with regard to a wireless home automation protocol. Yes, Vera can support Insteon and X-10 with teh addition of an Insteon modem. Zigbee is not currently supported.
2. GE recently released a smart oven but with WiFi only and a lot of smart TVs support WiFi only can Vera manage these devices? What is the best way to centralize the smart home management regardless the protocol it uses.
According to consumer reports, [url=http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2014/06/run-your-home-from-your-phone/index.htm]WiFi enabled wall ovens are not recommended(viewed as worthwhile) at this time[/url]. I would have to agree. But, if you really wanted one, you could probably control it with Vera, [b]BUT[/b] it will require writing code to do it. Vera does not currently have built in support nor is there a plugin to provide control of these ovens. The answer to 'which controller is best' will depend on what you want to accomplish and how much work you are willing/able to put in. While some controllers offer great ease of use, they usually are limited in the devices that they support. Vera is less easy to use than some and doesn't support all devices, but its extensibility via the LUA scripting language makes it one of the most flexible controllers available today.
3. The frequency for z-wave in my country is 868.42 MHz and not much products released for our frequency compared to the US 908.42 MHz. Is there any way I can use both frequencies on my home?
Frequency use is usually controlled by your national government with penalties for using improper frequencies or importing devices that violate your nations laws. However Z-Wave devices differ in both frequency and electrical standards. U.S. devices will use 908MHz and 120V 60Hz current while European devices would use 220V 50Hz. Naturally their respective plugs will also vary. You're almost certainly better off using the devices specifically designed for your country.
The first item you buy in a smart home will shape the future of your home that?s why I would really appreciate your support answering my questions.
There is truth in this, however, as more controllers incorporate more radios and standards, the ability to change from one controller to another will become less difficult.
Thanks a lot for your detailed answer.
According to Vera you can buy two controllers with different frequencies and bridge them as a single management interface.