SmartThings Hub NZ equivalent?

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#175449 30-Jun-2015 11:05

I'm starting to piece together a bit of a home automation plan and really like the look, and idea, of the SmartThings Hub. Specifically, that I don't necessarily have to limit myself to only Z-Wave or ZigBee compatible products. What I want to know though, is whether there is something similar which will work in NZ, on our ZWave frequencies?

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#1333999 30-Jun-2015 11:09

Oomi has just been funded (massively!). They are apparently going to ship a AU/NZ version and it is supposedly going to support a number of different protocols. Don't know too much more about it, although I believe it runs all the rules and logic locally rather than relying on cloud servers, which I think is the way SmartThings is heading as well.

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#1334022 30-Jun-2015 11:40

The Oomi looks interesting. Very similar looking extras to the Aeotec gear...

It still only does Z-Wave though.

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#1334028 30-Jun-2015 11:46

You are right - sorry - thought it had a few radios built in. They are working with AeoTec as their main supplier so most of their devices are AeoTec Z-Wave.

The other option is something like openHAB (www.openhab.org) which lets you bring together just about any protocol you can think of, but it is not the slick 'black-box' solution you might be looking for.

As is usually the case with this stuff, there is always a trade off between 'slick' and 'flexible'...

For example, I have openHAB running in my home controlling all my lights via Z-Wave, some temperature/humidity sensors via RFXCOM, my XBMC instances over IP (via their RPC interface) and weather data from an Arduino powered weather station reporting values over MQTT.

All of these devices can 'talk' to one another via openHAB - meaning if it is dark outside, and someone starts playing a movie on XBMC, I can automatically dim the living room lights.

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#1334044 30-Jun-2015 12:01

I am waiting for the new smart things hub which is due Q3.

Bluetooth
ZigBee
Z-Wave

Locally run rules rather than cloud based and battery backup.

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#1334049 30-Jun-2015 12:05

Sounddude: I am waiting for the new smart things hub which is due Q3.

Bluetooth
ZigBee
Z-Wave

Locally run rules rather than cloud based and battery backup.

But will it be NZ/AU compatible?

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#1334050 30-Jun-2015 12:08

SumnerBoy: You are right - sorry - thought it had a few radios built in. They are working with AeoTec as their main supplier so most of their devices are AeoTec Z-Wave.

The other option is something like openHAB (www.openhab.org) which lets you bring together just about any protocol you can think of, but it is not the slick 'black-box' solution you might be looking for.

As is usually the case with this stuff, there is always a trade off between 'slick' and 'flexible'...

For example, I have openHAB running in my home controlling all my lights via Z-Wave, some temperature/humidity sensors via RFXCOM, my XBMC instances over IP (via their RPC interface) and weather data from an Arduino powered weather station reporting values over MQTT.

All of these devices can 'talk' to one another via openHAB - meaning if it is dark outside, and someone starts playing a movie on XBMC, I can automatically dim the living room lights.

OK, so OpenHAB sounds like it might be a decent option. I already have a Windows 7 server turned on almost 24/7. Would I then use a USB receiver for each radio type I want to integrate? I'm sure I saw a Z-Wave USB stick somewhere, I assume ZigBee options are also around?

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#1334062 30-Jun-2015 12:25

But will it be NZ/AU compatible?

Probably not, but most of the good Zigbee/ZWave devices rn't anyway. So I am happy to run USA Freq devices.

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#1334063 30-Jun-2015 12:27

Sounddude:

But will it be NZ/AU compatible?

Probably not, but most of the good Zigbee/ZWave devices rn't anyway. So I am happy to run USA Freq devices.

Is that a realistically viable option? (I know nothing about the regulations or risks involved). I also note that the current SmartThings Hub isn't even compatible with our power requirements 110v vs 240V so that's something to consider, also in a hub.

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#1334065 30-Jun-2015 12:30

Yep - one of your best options is a cheap USB Z-Stick from AeoTec (we sell them for $119.99). Simply plug it into your PC and fire up the openHAB software with the Z-Wave binding. I have a similar dongle for the RFXCOM stuff but not sure what is available for Zigbee. Do you have a Zigbee device in mind or are you just *future proofing*?

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#1334066 30-Jun-2015 12:34

Disrespective:

Is that a realistically viable option? (I know nothing about the regulations or risks involved). I also note that the current SmartThings Hub isn't even compatible with our power requirements 110v vs 240V so that's something to consider, also in a hub.

I think its realistic. Its such low power that its never going to cause an issue.

Re Power, Its just a 12v Wall wart. so easy to swap out.

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#1334069 30-Jun-2015 12:37

It will no doubt work, but I believe it is definitely illegal. Of course you are extremely unlikely to be detected or caught, but if there ever was an issue with interference (for example with smart meters that use RF) and someone came around trying to determine the issue you could find yourself in hot water.

I heard of a guy recently who was trying to import US based Z-Wave devices and they were being seized at customs for this very reason.

YMMV.

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#1334085 30-Jun-2015 12:52

BTW - I wrote up a short blog post on how to setup a USB Z-Stick on a Raspberry Pi 2 with openHAB;

http://www.smartthingsnz.co.nz/store/build-your-own-z-wave-home-automation-controller/

Will obviously be a bit different for you running openHAB on Windows, but the initial openHAB setup/config should be helpful to get started.

Cheers,
Ben

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#1334162 30-Jun-2015 14:42

Sounddude:
Disrespective:

Is that a realistically viable option? (I know nothing about the regulations or risks involved). I also note that the current SmartThings Hub isn't even compatible with our power requirements 110v vs 240V so that's something to consider, also in a hub.

I think its realistic. Its such low power that its never going to cause an issue.

Re Power, Its just a 12v Wall wart. so easy to swap out.

Interesting. Fair points.

A quick google about the frequency stuff is outlined below. I don’t wear tin hats, but don’t want to be screwing with any frequencies which might give anyone grief or give me interference…

UK Spec Z-Wave works on 868.4 and 869.85MHz
In NZ those spectrum bands are occupied by:
868.1 - 869.025 MHz Land Mobile “TX” Band Simplex operation – Hmm, could be anything from freight companies to airport communications
869.025 - 870.015 MHz unused – Looks OK.

US Spec Z-Wave works on 908.4 and 916MHz
In NZ those spectrum bands are occupied by:
890 - 915 MHz Cellular Communication Services (Private Management Rights) – Vodafone and 2Degrees…
915 - 921 MHz Fixed “K” Band - Studio to Transmitter Links (STLs) No new Fixed licences permitted. Allocated for SRDs from 24 December 2015 – Radio stations…

NZ spectrum band data from: http://www.emisoft.co.uk/pdfs/pib21-issue-6.pdf and http://www.rsm.govt.nz/smart-web/smart/page/-smart/domain/licence/SelectLicencePage.wdk?fromHome=Yes
Z-Wave spectrum data from here: http://z-wave.sigmadesigns.com/docs/Z-Wave_Frequency_Coverage.pdf

What I’m seeing there is that I would probably find less interference and issue if I used UK spec Z-Wave gear, if I go that way.

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#1334163 30-Jun-2015 14:44

SumnerBoy:are you just *future proofing*?

Yeah, I guess. I like the idea of being able to make my own sensors etc if I can't find something off the shelf locally, but also want to be able to use nicely designed and manufactured Z-Wave stuff, too. I'll have a look at the USB stick you have and see what I find. Cheers.

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#1334183 30-Jun-2015 15:08

I really think your best bet is openHAB. You can use off-the-shelf devices like Z-Wave, RFXCOM (this requires a USB dongle but will work with many weather stations and other temp/humidity sensors, as well as the european HomeEasy socket switches - requires socket adapters), you can build your own Arduino/RPi based sensors and actuators and then there are the many many devices that people have already written openHAB bindings for; e.g. Denon/Yamaha AVRs, some models of TV, Harmony Hub, Daikin heatpumps, Squeezeboxs, Sonos, Plex, VOIP, UPS's, etc etc. You name it and there is every chance someone has had a go at integrating it with openHAB!

https://github.com/openhab/openhab/wiki/Bindings