Hello,
I am looking for a comprehensive smart home platform that can integrate devices from different manufacturers.
So far, I have come across the following options:
Home Assistant
OpenHAB
ioBroker
Which of these platforms is the best or most widely used?
It is important to me that it runs stably and allows for creating good automations.
Additionally, there should be a smartphone app available that can be used on the go to control the smart home or at least check the status of devices remotely.
Are all of these programs open source and available for free?
Which of these platforms would you recommend, or should we perhaps consider WiButler or Homee, which also support various wireless standards?
I am looking for a comprehensive smart home platform that can integrate devices from different manufacturers.
So far, I have come across the following options:
Home Assistant
OpenHAB
ioBroker
Which of these platforms is the best or most widely used?
It is important to me that it runs stably and allows for creating good automations.
Additionally, there should be a smartphone app available that can be used on the go to control the smart home or at least check the status of devices remotely.
Are all of these programs open source and available for free?
Which of these platforms would you recommend, or should we perhaps consider WiButler or Homee, which also support various wireless standards?
F
FrankChief11 Sep 2022 12:12We have a wireless system and are satisfied.
We cannot do a central installation; the electrician will only do a decentralized installation or preparation for a decentralized installation.
This is what we have in mind for “smart” features:
Shutters:
- Operate up and down based on astronomical timing.
- Lower shutters when heavy rain is detected and windows are open.
- Raise shutters during strong winds.
- Lock protection for the terrace door.
- Automatic shading in summer.
Lighting:
- Turn lights on and off according to preset scenes.
- Control hallway and staircase lighting with motion sensors.
- Depending on the time of day, set hallway and bathroom lighting to specific brightness levels (at night, only very dim lighting so you aren’t blinded when half-asleep and suddenly awake).
- Eventually replace the thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) of the underfloor heating with smart digital ones, instead of the ugly standard TRVs (mainly for aesthetic reasons). A TRV exemption is not possible.
I would like to be able to control all of this by voice (e.g., Alexa) and remotely check the status or control it while away.
I can’t think of anything else we want right now. 😀
Now, the question again: to implement this, do we absolutely need Free@Home, or would a wireless system like Matter be sufficient?
Yes, I liked the MDT glass switches, but those require a central installation with central actuators, which our electrician does not want to do.
Free@Home is not designed for that either. Yes, there are now the Tenton switches for Free@Home, but as far as I know they don’t have actuators either and are therefore only suitable for central installation or places where actuators are not required.
But the WAF (wife acceptance factor) is higher with conventional switches than with the 6-button switches. 😀
This is what we have in mind for “smart” features:
Shutters:
- Operate up and down based on astronomical timing.
- Lower shutters when heavy rain is detected and windows are open.
- Raise shutters during strong winds.
- Lock protection for the terrace door.
- Automatic shading in summer.
Lighting:
- Turn lights on and off according to preset scenes.
- Control hallway and staircase lighting with motion sensors.
- Depending on the time of day, set hallway and bathroom lighting to specific brightness levels (at night, only very dim lighting so you aren’t blinded when half-asleep and suddenly awake).
- Eventually replace the thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) of the underfloor heating with smart digital ones, instead of the ugly standard TRVs (mainly for aesthetic reasons). A TRV exemption is not possible.
I would like to be able to control all of this by voice (e.g., Alexa) and remotely check the status or control it while away.
I can’t think of anything else we want right now. 😀
Now, the question again: to implement this, do we absolutely need Free@Home, or would a wireless system like Matter be sufficient?
Yes, I liked the MDT glass switches, but those require a central installation with central actuators, which our electrician does not want to do.
Free@Home is not designed for that either. Yes, there are now the Tenton switches for Free@Home, but as far as I know they don’t have actuators either and are therefore only suitable for central installation or places where actuators are not required.
But the WAF (wife acceptance factor) is higher with conventional switches than with the 6-button switches. 😀
R
RotorMotor11 Sep 2022 12:23TaiiTvv schrieb:
Now again the question: to be able to implement this, do we absolutely need Free@Home, or is a wireless system like Matter enough?What is your own opinion on this? Where do you see potential issues?
If you want to install and program the components yourself later, your wishes and questions should start becoming more specific than just:
- I want to control my roller shutters
- and maybe also some of the lighting
Is that possible?
You can operate roller shutters with various systems.
The same applies to lighting.
I’m just increasingly doubting whether you will be able to configure these according to your preferences.
What do you think?
For KNX, I would need to invest a lot of time learning the ETS software.
But with the Free@Home software, I actually have little to no concern about being able to configure it.
It’s basically just drag and drop.
Matter would probably be configured through Alexa, and I don’t see any issues with the software configuration there.
@RotorMotor I appreciate your patience and help.
It’s hard for me to assess what we need because we haven’t used either system before.
I think if there are no wireless issues, then wireless would be sufficient for us.
Some things definitely have to be solved wirelessly.
For example, window handles, because reed contacts are not an option. We definitely want window handle sensors that monitor the handle position, like the window sensors from Free@Home or window handles with EnOcean.
One consideration is that the more we do wirelessly, the more stable the wireless network could become because there would be many more mesh participants.
(If wireless, we would go with the new Thread technology.)
I also want to avoid devices with batteries as much as possible.
I could still live with battery-powered window sensors, but everything else should be powered by electricity.
All switches and all motion detectors should be powered by electricity.
But with the Free@Home software, I actually have little to no concern about being able to configure it.
It’s basically just drag and drop.
Matter would probably be configured through Alexa, and I don’t see any issues with the software configuration there.
@RotorMotor I appreciate your patience and help.
It’s hard for me to assess what we need because we haven’t used either system before.
I think if there are no wireless issues, then wireless would be sufficient for us.
Some things definitely have to be solved wirelessly.
For example, window handles, because reed contacts are not an option. We definitely want window handle sensors that monitor the handle position, like the window sensors from Free@Home or window handles with EnOcean.
One consideration is that the more we do wirelessly, the more stable the wireless network could become because there would be many more mesh participants.
(If wireless, we would go with the new Thread technology.)
I also want to avoid devices with batteries as much as possible.
I could still live with battery-powered window sensors, but everything else should be powered by electricity.
All switches and all motion detectors should be powered by electricity.
@RotorMotor So, if I understood you correctly, would you say that a wireless smart home system like Matter would be sufficient for us?
Or would you suggest that we should choose Free@Home and then expand it with wireless options?
Unfortunately, there is very little information available about Free@Home, which doesn’t make the decision any easier.
Or would you suggest that we should choose Free@Home and then expand it with wireless options?
Unfortunately, there is very little information available about Free@Home, which doesn’t make the decision any easier.
Purely out of curiosity: by when do you actually need to make a decision? Just so we can estimate how often the same questions are asked here under different accounts and even within threads, with lengthy answers that don’t really lead to a clear result.
I would simply move on, install standard wiring with as few or no multi-way switches as possible, use deep electrical boxes, ensure good Wi-Fi coverage, and install plenty of Shelly devices. That is more than enough, and you don’t have to wait for Matter or similar new standards, whose release dates and feature sets are still uncertain and far off.
Everything discussed here and elsewhere so far is a collection of compromises. There is no single “best” all-encompassing smart home system.
I would simply move on, install standard wiring with as few or no multi-way switches as possible, use deep electrical boxes, ensure good Wi-Fi coverage, and install plenty of Shelly devices. That is more than enough, and you don’t have to wait for Matter or similar new standards, whose release dates and feature sets are still uncertain and far off.
Everything discussed here and elsewhere so far is a collection of compromises. There is no single “best” all-encompassing smart home system.
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