New Leviton Wi-Fi dimmers... Omni Support?

[neillt]

So Leviton has launched their new Wi-Fi connected dimmers, which seem to be pretty decent by all accounts.
 
Of course, it's silence on the line if these will ever be supported by the Omni panels.  Seems like a shame considering they are already equipped with Ethernet.
 
Perhaps I am reading too much from the Tea Leaves but Leviton kind of half-assed the Bitwise aquisition, and no real movement on the Omni since the ZIM and bodgy E-Mail notifier board... are they just going to let this whole business unit wither and die?
 
It can't be that hard to design a panel that has a rock solid UL listed security partition, and a much more flexible, much more powerful "automation hub" partition.  If a Raspberry Pi can be manufactured and sold for 30 bucks there is no reason a decent ARM processor can't be integrated.
 
What is the group think here?  There still is a niche for this stuff, and the Elk and Omni have been filling it, but it's starting to get really painful really fast.  I have already started a Homeseer PC just to do Alexa and HomeKit integration, something a new Omni should be able to do out of the box.
 
How much longer does Leviton let this go?
 
 

 

[cobra]

I think the Omni is to low end for them. Bit wise and their higher end products are their focus. I'd like it to be otherwise, but beyond basic maintenance, they probably aren't going to enhance the Omni.

 

[pete_c]

Personally I think Leviton will continue support the OmniPro stuff minimally / least cost wise for time bean.  I have over the years been able to use the OmniPro to my satisfaction. 
 
The introduction of a WiFi connected light switch is nice.  (that is all I have to say about said endeavor).
 
It would be nice if the little computer light switch's transport was a module that talked IP wireless, IP powerline, X10, Insteon, UPB, Zigbee and Z-Wave  One size fits all approach making it smaller than your US based typical toggle switch sort of Australian style sized components.
 

 
Thing is that Leviton is not making any monies on this old stuff and they need to come up with a plan / hardware which will lock their users in some monthly reoccurring revenues and be able to compete.
 
When that happens automation DIY folks may not choose to go with Leviton as there are already many players in the automation on the cheap using the cloud.
 
That said my OmniPro 2 panel continues to maintain the heartbeat of the home just fine with no interaction from me. 

There is no need for me to remote control it but have done so since the early 2000's with first generation smart phones using GPRS then 3G and lately with LTE.  Did the same with Homeseer in the late 1990's in to the 2000's.
 
I consider the panel a controller with security on steroids with no match today.
 
It is though the perception of what automation and security is today that drives what is going on with whatever relating to the use of the cloud and cell phone and tablets et al.   
 
For a bit tried to update the Home Automation Wiki.  Difficult and and too many folks kept changing it.  That said I like these paragraphs relating to the Home Automation on the wiki page.
 
While there are many competing vendors, there are very few worldwide accepted industry standards and the smart home space is heavily fragmented.

Popular communications protocol for products include X10, Ethernet, RS-485, 6LoWPAN, Bluetooth LE (BLE), ZigBee and Z-Wave, or other proprietary protocols all of which are incompatible with each other.

Manufacturers often prevent independent implementations by withholding documentation and by litigation.

The home automation market was worth US$5.77 billion in 2015, predicted to have a market value over US$10 billion by the year 2020.
 
and the 10,000 foot overview of where automation is headed....
 
In 1975, the first general purpose home automation network technology, X10, was developed. It is a communication protocol for electronic devices. It primarily uses electric power transmission wiring for signalling and control, where the signals involve brief radio frequency bursts of digital data, and remains the most widely available. By 1978, X10 products included a 16 channel command console, a lamp module, and an appliance module. Soon after came the wall switch module and the first X10 timer.

By 2012, in the United States, according to ABI Research, 1.5 million home automation systems were installed.

According to Li * et al. (2016) there are three generations of home automation:

    1 - First generation: wireless technology with proxy server, e.g. Zigbee automation;
    2 - Second generation: artificial intelligence controls electrical devices, e.g. amazon echo;
    3 - Third generation: robot buddy "who" interacts with humans, e.g. Robot Rovio, Roomba.
 
* Sustainable Smart Home and Home Automation: Big Data Analytics Approach
 
The word "domotics" (and "domotica" when used as a verb) is a contraction of the Latin word for a home (domus) and the word robotics.
 
BTW Leviton is a tiny player in the world of electronic manufacturing.
 
If they got purchased by a bigger player say like Schneider Electric then maybe something else would happen....

 

[BobS0327]

My two cents...
 
The Leviton press release for the new wifi connected dimmers indicates that the devices will be “hubless” meaning they will not be supported by the Omni line. Leviton is now gravitating to the cloud for newer technology. IOW, hubs/controllers are now a thing of the past for Leviton.
 
IMHO, it would be foolish for Leviton to suddenly discontinue the Omni line if it is generating revenue without requiring any influx of capital for continued substantial development of the product line. To recap, as long as folks are buying the Omni controller (generating revenue for Leviton), the product will not be phased out although it certainly appears as though the Omni line is not a major contributor to Leviton's bottomline.