Since I am planning to build a house, I am naturally also considering smart home solutions. As this topic is completely new to me, I first need to do some research. I would therefore like to clarify some basic questions and facts before proceeding. I will simply write down my thoughts as if they were facts and would ask you to correct me where I am wrong 🙂
I want to leave KNX or BUS systems aside for now and focus only on wireless solutions, so please do not discuss which makes more sense or is "better." One step at a time; this is purely about understanding :p
There are many different wireless protocols. Open ones like Z-Wave, ZigBee; "semi-open" like eNet; and proprietary ones like Somfy io.
Somfy has the advantage that everything comes from one source and it should be plug and play. The ideal solution for beginners—you simply put together what you need, install it, and it works right away. The big disadvantage, of course, is that you can only integrate Somfy or Somfy-approved sensors and actuators and are dependent on Somfy continuing to develop new products and supporting the current protocol.
eNet is a protocol from a few premium manufacturers, and as such, the devices are quite expensive. Although it is an open protocol, it is supported by only a few providers and products. So it has the same disadvantage as Somfy: limited selection and dependency on a small number of providers.
The open protocols, which are basically standards, have the advantage of many providers. However, this is also the biggest disadvantage because it’s easy to lose oversight, you end up assembling the whole system yourself without it all coming from one source, and there are likely to be significant differences in quality.
Is this roughly correct?
I want to leave KNX or BUS systems aside for now and focus only on wireless solutions, so please do not discuss which makes more sense or is "better." One step at a time; this is purely about understanding :p
There are many different wireless protocols. Open ones like Z-Wave, ZigBee; "semi-open" like eNet; and proprietary ones like Somfy io.
Somfy has the advantage that everything comes from one source and it should be plug and play. The ideal solution for beginners—you simply put together what you need, install it, and it works right away. The big disadvantage, of course, is that you can only integrate Somfy or Somfy-approved sensors and actuators and are dependent on Somfy continuing to develop new products and supporting the current protocol.
eNet is a protocol from a few premium manufacturers, and as such, the devices are quite expensive. Although it is an open protocol, it is supported by only a few providers and products. So it has the same disadvantage as Somfy: limited selection and dependency on a small number of providers.
The open protocols, which are basically standards, have the advantage of many providers. However, this is also the biggest disadvantage because it’s easy to lose oversight, you end up assembling the whole system yourself without it all coming from one source, and there are likely to be significant differences in quality.
Is this roughly correct?
bauenmk2020 schrieb:
btw: A house can also be "smart" with wireless actuators.Example?Another disadvantage of wireless gadgets is...
They are largely disposable solutions in practice. Lower quality, planned obsolescence, the possibility of discontinued support or communication channels and/or functions under excuses like: "It is outdated," "It is no longer supported," sometimes after just a few years. Few people consider that it is basically not a purchase but a kind of rental.
H
hampshire9 Mar 2021 14:35Mycraft schrieb:
Here you have to differentiate. A robot vacuum cleaner and a lawn mower, etc., are only a few individual devices and are uncritical. The best sentence in the thread. Uncritical things can be tinkered with either way. If it doesn’t work sometimes, it’s not a big deal. If you, @HansDampf1311, can overlook one or another problem or malfunction with a bit of generosity, your approach is great and certainly a source of many small joys. Your introduction then also makes sense.
If you want to entrust your quality of life to home automation, it’s worth focusing on quality, safety, and redundancy.
In my house, many things operate wirelessly. None of it is really crucial. Just comfort gadgets. Everything can fail, and I don’t live any worse—I can still enter my house, have light, and heat. My wife hardly uses the wireless stuff or does so mostly unknowingly, since she is neither interested in it nor particularly appreciates it.
T
T_im_Norden9 Mar 2021 14:58AllThumbs schrieb:
But doesn’t that make it even more expensive than choosing KNX from the start? With KNX, I can at least wire the switches "in series." Now having to wire them in a star topology requires even more cables. You can do that, but he doesn’t want to commit to a system beforehand. Flexibility always comes at a higher cost.
bauenmk20209 Mar 2021 15:04Mycraft schrieb:
Example?I'm not exactly sure what you mean? The wireless actuators work the same way as the switching actuators mounted in a DIN rail inside a network cabinet. It doesn't matter how the signals are transmitted, whether by cable or wirelessly. What really counts is what happens afterward, like a light turning on or many other actions taking place...PS: Always keep in mind the principle of choosing an open wireless protocol and adding as few dependencies as possible (central control unit, batteries, etc.)
bauenmk2020 schrieb:
Wireless actuators are basically the same as the switching actuators in a DIN rail inside a network cabinet. Ah, I see the discussion is based on incorrect assumptions. You think they are equivalent. I have to disappoint you. The wireless actuators for sockets, lamps, and other components of typical home automation at this level are still just consumer grade. You can often tell just by looking from the outside, not to mention when you remove the plastic casing and inspect the inside.
bauenmk2020 schrieb:
It doesn’t matter how the signals are transmitted, whether by cable or wirelessly. No, you can’t really say that. Wireless comes with a lot of additional unnecessary complications.
bauenmk2020 schrieb:
What really matters is what happens behind the scenes, like turning on a light or a whole bunch of other actions... No, not just the outcome but also the process matters. Depending on how the system is set up, there can be significant delays or even complete communication failures where messages never arrive.
bauenmk2020 schrieb:
PS: always with the principle in mind to choose an open wireless protocol and avoid as many dependencies as possible (central control unit, batteries, etc.) Exactly—that’s the point. Using wireless automatically means a higher level of dependency compared to wired connections.
untergasse43 schrieb:
That’s true as well. But in both cases, I appreciate electric windows and automatic climate control. Is it even possible to downgrade the Rolls to crank windows?
hampshire schrieb:
My wife hardly uses the remote stuff or does so mostly without realizing it, since she’s neither interested nor particularly fond of it. I think that’s an important aspect to consider when planning: not just the wife-acceptance factor, but also usability for non-tech-savvy users. Alongside a bunch of complex touch-controls, it’s good to also install a simple analog on/off switch. That way, guests don’t need to be given a visitor badge with a transponder just to be able to turn on the bathroom light :-)
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