Hello
Are there good retrofit smart home systems available?
We bought a semi-detached house as a new build from a developer.
The electrician declined to work with KNX and said he is not familiar with it and won’t do it.
My question is: Are there good retrofit options for smart home systems that don’t require opening up the walls (that is not an option)?
Which systems would you recommend?
Functions:
Light control
Window sensors (preferably invisible)
Shutter control
Music control
Video doorbell
It should definitely be possible to create scenes and rules.
I’m also open to other suggestions for useful functions I may not have thought of yet.
Are there good retrofit smart home systems available?
We bought a semi-detached house as a new build from a developer.
The electrician declined to work with KNX and said he is not familiar with it and won’t do it.
My question is: Are there good retrofit options for smart home systems that don’t require opening up the walls (that is not an option)?
Which systems would you recommend?
Functions:
Light control
Window sensors (preferably invisible)
Shutter control
Music control
Video doorbell
It should definitely be possible to create scenes and rules.
I’m also open to other suggestions for useful functions I may not have thought of yet.
Hi, we are also building with a developer and had to give up on KNX and other bus systems for cost reasons. I will mainly rely on Homematic, supplemented by Shellys and centrally controlled via iobroker. However, I planned the desired functions in advance and had additional sockets and empty conduits installed accordingly. Let’s see if it works out in the end...
Pacc666 schrieb:
Is there a good retrofit smart home system? That is essentially a contradiction in terms.
However, if you want to bring everything together, then Z-Wave is currently the best option.
Looking at different areas and the DIY sector:
Lighting control – There is Hue.
Window contacts (preferably not visible) – Z-Wave and EnOcean.
Shutter/blind control – What should it be able to do? There are various options, from proprietary systems to ...
Music control – What do you mean by that? A few Bluetooth speakers, or do you need a system that plays music throughout the house depending on your mood? Sonos is an option for the average user.
Video doorbell – This depends heavily on your budget, as good systems tend to be relatively expensive. Also, what functions should it have?
Pacc666 schrieb:
Feel free to suggest additional useful features I might not have thought of yet So far, I haven’t seen any specific features mentioned in your list. Scenes and rules yes, but those are basic building blocks of all systems.
untergasse4321 Jul 2021 08:46How much do you want to (mainly) tinker with software? That’s the first question... if you are skilled in this area, you can combine quite a few of these devices fairly well.
Are you an Apple user? If so, OPUS GreenNet with the gateway. It works very well and can also connect to several other systems. I only find the tactile feedback or the pressure point of the switches disappointing, but that is similar with all switches using energy harvesting (Zigbee, EnOcean, Z-Wave, etc.). However, that is a matter of personal taste. OPUS definitely covers many trades and is easy to configure.
Audio will be autonomous in 99% of cases; this only works via the app of the respective music device manufacturer, or you integrate everything, for example, with ioBroker. But then we’re back to my first point—or with more expensive solutions that you probably can’t install yourself anymore.
Are you an Apple user? If so, OPUS GreenNet with the gateway. It works very well and can also connect to several other systems. I only find the tactile feedback or the pressure point of the switches disappointing, but that is similar with all switches using energy harvesting (Zigbee, EnOcean, Z-Wave, etc.). However, that is a matter of personal taste. OPUS definitely covers many trades and is easy to configure.
Audio will be autonomous in 99% of cases; this only works via the app of the respective music device manufacturer, or you integrate everything, for example, with ioBroker. But then we’re back to my first point—or with more expensive solutions that you probably can’t install yourself anymore.
Unfortunately, I am an Android user and would like to have a system that does not limit me when choosing my next smartphone. So it should be available for both Android and iOS.
What would be the best approach for me to take towards smart home integration in order to achieve a good result?
What would be the best approach for me to take towards smart home integration in order to achieve a good result?
untergasse4321 Jul 2021 08:54Pacc666 schrieb:
Unfortunately, I am an Android user and actually want a system that won’t limit me with my next phone choice. So it should be available for both Android and iOS. Forget about Apple; OPUS also works with Google Home. So it wouldn’t matter.
Pacc666 schrieb:
What should my next approach be toward smart home so that I can get to a result? Answer these questions:
1. Do you want to DIY or have it done by a professional?
2. Are you comfortable with basic Linux skills?
3. What is your budget?
4. What kind of “music” do you want to control?
5. Are you fixed on a specific video intercom system or open to options?
Almost any system can handle lighting, shading, and contacts—even the magenta-colored one. It gets really interesting when it comes to music (which exactly?) and the door intercom.