ᐅ Smart Home Control Systems: Providers and User Experiences?

Created on: 16 Jun 2015 15:07
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tekci.mustafa
Hello dear members, I have been thinking about getting this smart home system for a while. I would like to know if any of you have something similar. What devices do you have connected, what do you control, what are your experiences, and which provider do you use? I’m not sure if it’s really necessary, but I’m a person who enjoys these kinds of gadgets. Money is not an issue for now.
Uwe8221 Dec 2015 06:44
If you want to control every roller shutter individually, each one must be separately connected to the actuator, but there are only four wires. KNX pushbuttons do not work without programming, unless you use regular pushbuttons with separate bus couplers connected in between. However, in that case, you need to run two cables: the cable for the traditional relay circuit and the KNX cable.
Mycraft21 Dec 2015 08:31
Uwe described it correctly... I always mention the 5-core cables because 5x1.5mm² (5x15 AWG) is simply cheaper to buy than 4x1.5mm² (4x15 AWG)... KNX devices don’t work at all without programming... no matter what you connect in between... except, of course, devices like actuators with manual operation.

My advice to you, Simon: Just get a couple of TSDs and do the basic KNX installation as I described it... only the essentials, and you can add the rest later...

KNX is not as ridiculously expensive as it’s often said to be...

But a mix of KNX and conventional wiring is just a makeshift solution, and in the end, you’ll have more headaches than before...

So just skip the more expensive tiles, hardwood flooring, or other decorative extras, and that way you’ll have the few thousand you need...
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nms_hs
21 Dec 2015 10:52
The issue I see is that when moving in, there is not necessarily enough time to program KNX, set everything up, and get it working. And I don’t want to wait six months before my roller shutters operate.
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roadrun87
21 Dec 2015 11:00
Although there are some differing opinions on this, it is definitely worth taking a look at Free@Home, especially for the more straightforward applications.

You cannot implement very complex KNX logic with it, but the programming is so simple that it can be done even during the stress of moving.
Mycraft21 Dec 2015 11:19
Simon_SH schrieb:
The problem I see is that when moving in, there isn’t necessarily enough time to program KNX, set everything up, and get it working. And I don’t want to wait 6 months until my roller shutters are functioning.

Well, someone has to do all the wiring anyway, so that person could also commission the system. Or did you plan to handle the electrical work yourself?

If it weren’t so far away, I would almost say I could come over and do the basic programming for you...
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nms_hs
25 Dec 2015 23:08
I am not contracting the trade separately, nor am I doing it myself, so I have no influence on the company carrying out the work... I only know a qualified electrician, not a master electrician, which unfortunately is not sufficient for the inspection; otherwise, I would have handled it differently...

Having someone come over would be ideal. Maybe online assistance is enough.

Currently, I am seriously considering controlling the roller shutters via KNX and preparing the rest a bit in advance:
For this, I only need (I used prices from MDT):
- Bus power supply ~ 160 €
- 2x 8-channel blind actuator ~ 460 €
- 1x 16-channel binary input ~ 230 €
- IP gateway 170 €
- EIB (KNX) cables in switches, windows, doors, light fixture points, possibly outlets
- Star-shaped wiring for all future controllable devices

You can’t avoid using pushbuttons/switches since conventional ones will still be used. But you don’t need KNX pushbuttons at least if you have a binary input – correct?

Have I forgotten anything important to get this running?