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?
untergasse439 Mar 2021 11:16bauenmk2020 schrieb:
Don’t you have a single (smart) device connected wirelessly? For example, something like a robot vacuum cleaner or similar, which usually operates only wirelessly, or am I mistaken? What do you do with cables that aren’t installed? Do you retrofit a bus cable, or does it end up being a wireless device after all?Using wireless as a last resort is okay in many cases, but only as a last resort or when the device—like a robot vacuum cleaner—simply does not have a cord. Some want to set up their entire new build entirely wirelessly—that’s just not practical. If the walls are sealed or the building doesn’t belong to me, then that’s the way it is, and you just have to accept the downsides of wireless. But only in those cases.I even have a few Wi-Fi light bulbs because dimmable sockets are kind of awkward. And so far, I haven’t been struck by lightning 🙂
S
Stefan0019 Mar 2021 11:18Mycraft schrieb:
If you only want to automate a little and keep it at the level of a model railway, you can of course do everything wirelessly. Unfortunately, it still happens quite often that manufacturers discontinue certain wireless product lines. So a careful selection is necessary here. Using cables is simply easier. That is always the main issue. Some people talk about smart homes and mean everything from voice assistants like Alexa to motion-activated lighting systems, while others refer to things like automatically preheating the hot tub when the lady of the house takes the wine from the wine rack.
A Volkswagen Passat may seem luxurious compared to a scooter, but a wooden bench looks modest compared to a Rolls-Royce.
Especially those who study the subject in depth (or do it professionally) naturally expect the entire spectrum to be included under the term, but 90% of people they encounter are only interested in (or familiar with) the smaller, more affordable segment. This often leads to the usual discussions here about what is more expensive or better, because people are simply looking at different levels.
untergasse439 Mar 2021 11:20Unfortunately, that's true. 95% of the "Smart Homes" I see (and I see quite a few each year) have absolutely nothing to do with being truly "smart." They are just expensive light switches or light switches with an app, nothing more.
Stefan001 schrieb:That’s true as well. But in both cases, I appreciate electric windows and automatic climate control.
A Passat is luxurious if you look at it from the perspective of a scooter, and a wooden bench compared to a Rolls Royce.
bauenmk20209 Mar 2021 11:24Unfortunately, there are many reasons why proper wiring doesn’t always work out. It sounds odd, but it happened to me as well (I had chosen the wrong building partners who were unfortunately not very flexible and acted very passively). However, I have thought about it a lot and still come to the conclusion that nowadays there are also excellent wireless solutions that can be "layered" as a smart I/O interface on top of a conventional electrical installation.
Of course, anyone who can should try to position and connect their actuators centrally.
I’m also curious to see how my wireless actuators will perform over the next few years and whether there will be any communication failures, etc.
Of course, anyone who can should try to position and connect their actuators centrally.
I’m also curious to see how my wireless actuators will perform over the next few years and whether there will be any communication failures, etc.
Stefan001 schrieb:
This is always the main issue. Some people talk about smart homes and mean anything from Alexa to motion-controlled lighting systems, while others refer to automatic preheating of the hot tub when the lady of the house takes the wine from the wine rack.
A Passat is luxurious if you only look at scooters, and a wooden bench can appear like a Rolls Royce.However, we all agree that a smart home should at least include a somewhat more intelligent control of HVAC than just on/off...
Furthermore, lighting, windows, and shading should be part of the basic setup and be capable of more than just on/off. Certain interactions between components should also be possible. I believe everyone agrees that at least these functions should be fulfilled.
This is where the wheat separates from the chaff. Because even with HVAC, wireless communication often falls far short of expectations.
What I constantly notice is that the typical builder or homeowner imagines a smart home as a simple remote-controlled dwelling—like a TV in house form—where you still have to make almost every decision yourself and interaction is mandatory. This is, of course, far from what a smart home should be.
bauenmk20209 Mar 2021 13:54Mycraft schrieb:
What I keep noticing is that the average builder or home dweller thinks of a smart home as just a simple remotely controlled house. Like a TV shaped house where you still have to make almost every decision yourself and interaction is absolutely necessary... That is, of course, far from what a smart home should be.It could also be put this way: Level 1 ("Basic Course"): "The term smart home means the POSSIBILITY to carry out intelligent decisions automatically. That’s why you installed these great devices/actuators. Didn’t you?"
Level 2: "Now you can use this great remote control/app and avoid having to walk over to the light switch."
Level 10: "You consider a thousand connections between everything, sit down and program the coolest scenes, and from now on, use your time and resources more efficiently."
By the way: A house can also be “smart” with wireless actuators.
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