Getting into Home Automation

[megaxyu]

[background=rgb(230, 237, 245)]Hi,[/background]

[background=rgb(230, 237, 245)]I am completely new to all of this and information seems to be scattered all over the place to the point where I am completely and hopelessly lost. Hoping someone around here could clear some things up.[/background]

[background=rgb(230, 237, 245)]I am looking to just start with some control of some rf devices and some lights.[/background]

[background=rgb(230, 237, 245)]I saw a product called the Aeon Lab Z-stick. Would this be a sufficient device to start playing with z-wave lights ? What software would I need ? would this be compatible with a z-wave app for android so that I could control the lights via cellphone through a 4g network ? How about RF devices do they need to be z-wave specific (I have some cheapy led lights going of their own little rf remote), how can I interface to simple rf devices ?[/background]

[background=rgb(230, 237, 245)]Thanks in advance for all your help.[/background]

 

[tmbrown97]

I can't speak to z-wave in detail, but to cover the basics - z-wave is a standard; it can only control z-wave specific devices. Many devices with their own little remotes are not following any standard and aren't easily adapted.

If you're liking Z-wave and just starting out, I'd probably give a solid look at the MiCasaVerde Vera.

 

[megaxyu]

Thanks for the reply. I was not necessarily looking at z-wave, just somewhere to start with a cheap entry price to play around with some options and get a clearer picture of where to go from there. This Micasaverde device, will it allow control through an android app ?

Also u mention that these devices that don't follow any specific standard are difficult to adapt. I remember way back when I had a universal remote where you just hold it to another IR remote and it learns how to control the device from that remote. Is there no such thing for RF remotes ?

 

[tmbrown97]

It can be a little overwhelming starting with no background; for control, you kinda need an idea of scope of how big you want to go and how integrated you want everything. For example, some of us have security based controllers central such as an HAI OmniPro or an Elk M1Gold - with those, the security panel connects to your lights, HVAC, relay outputs (garage doors, sprinklers, door/gate openers, etc) - then a single app that can control those systems works out of the box.

There are a lot of individual components that come into play - lighting, HVAC, security, etc. And several ways to integrate them; If you're going all Z-Wave, the MiCasaVerde can control all your z-wave stuff like locks, thermostat, lights, etc - with some security system integration - and it has its own mobile apps; otherwise it's either an automation panel (Elk/HAI) or software (CQC, Elve, HomeSeer, Premise, etc) and their respective automation apps.

Otherwise you can go smaller with some base components - for instance, the common lighting systems that work with pretty much any hardware/software controller are UPB, Z-Wave and Insteon... there are others, but these are the most common retrofits. Each has ways you can integrate directly with them, but it's generally easier to do it with a larger master panel.

As far as taking over an RF remote, the commonly accepted method isn't to "learn" it somehow, but to get a spare remote, crack it open, and solder some relay outputs across the button terminals to mimick the pressing of a button. Basically what's highlighted here.

 

[megaxyu]

Thanks for all the info.
Now you mentioned that I have an option of going the software way, but as I understand it I would still need some sort of signal to be generated from my tower in order to control these devices, what would I use to create such a signal?