Smart Home Blog

Well-known producer of door locks Schlage is planning to add more intelligent in its products. It’s going to add Z-Wave-based looks line to provide consumers connect them to existing home automation systems or just manage them remotely via Internet.

The new product will be based on Schlage’s line of keypad locks and will have two-way Z-Wave RF technology built in. The battery-operated locks communicate with a Z-Wave gateway that connects to any broadband router. Since Z-Wave is a standards-based protocol, other Z-Wave-compatible controllers could operate the locks as well.

Remember that LinuxMCE has basic Z-Wave interface. So, you can try the new Schlage’s Z-Wave door lock when it’ll be released.

[via CEPro]

Share This

Danish company Modstroem uses non-standard approach to get information about energy consumption in the its Z-Wave-based monitoring system. Instead of sensor the system includes digital camera which transmits picture from the meter to the Z-Wave Internet gateway. That gateway allows no only see the results of measurements but control all Z-Wave stuff in the home remotely.

Not sure that it’s good idea to use camera to grab data from the meter. In my opinion using the sensor makes measurement more accurate and independent from external actions such lighting, dust etc. It seems for me like a field-work but not effective solution for practice using.

Share This

ControlThink introduced its new Z-Wave USB adapter with upgradable firmware. Now you shouldn’t buy a new adapter to get advantages of updated protocol. You need just the latest version of firmware and Windows XP or Vista based PC.

The “industry’s first upgradeable Z-Wave USB Adapter” runs at 4x (40kbps) speeds but it’s also compatible with 1x (9kbs) devices. The new ControlThink Z-Wave adapter is available on the producer’s web site and tagged at $39.95.

P. S. It’d be great to have support of that adapter by LinuxMCE. But as I know the biggest disadvantage of Z-Wave technology is its stand-off (ZigBee is much better in this regard because it uses open protocol). So, it’s not so easy to support the changed Z-Wave protocol.

[via Engadget]

Share This

Yesterday Panasonic joined to the Zensys’s investors. This means that the next generation of Panasonic A/V devices will possible use Z-Wave to transmit commands instead of IR or RF. As a bonus we’ll have a possibility to control whole house using just one remote and a simple way to integrate A/V equipment into one home automation solution.

Except Panasonic the list of Zensys investors includes Intel Capital, Cisco, Bessemer Venture Partners, Palamon Capital Partners and Sunstone Capital.

[via CEPro]

Share This

Recently Actiontec officially announced its new lines of Z-Wave Home Automation Controllers - zControl. It gives you the ability to automatically add consumer devices to the network such as IP cameras, thermostats, powered shades, garage doors or lights, and then control them, not only from any location in your home, but anywhere in the world where you can access the Internet. The setup procedure is extremely simple. Just add zControl to your home network, press the button on its front panel and the corresponding button on the Z-Wave device. The chosen device will be automatically added to the home Z-Wave network. To provide an universal way for device management zControl includes a web interface. Thanks to that the interface can be accessed from any Internet-enabled PC anywhere in the world or from most mobile phones with a special service package available from Actiontec.

As you might see the zControl demonstrates a new point of view to HA directed to consumers and not to professional installators. That first version is needed a separate router but the next generation will contain it as well. It might be a good opportunity for Service Providers who can offer home automation service together with Internet broadband, VoIP and IPTV.

The standalone Actiontec zControl Starter Kit will be available at producer’s web site next month at $399 including the zControl unit, one indoor camera with motion detector, one lighting control module and a remote control. zControl-enabled wireless gateways and routers will be released in March.

[via Electronic House]

Share This