The Insteon Hub Comes To The UK
This is an old article that had got lost on my PC, so rather than lose it, I thought I’d publish it just to get it out there.. With some subdued fanfare online, Insteon finally announced their arrival on the European stage by dipping their toe in here with a small set of ‘EU’ targeted … Continue reading
Workflow (iOS) App – Automation. Vera Smarter Home Control workout..
As a fan of all things home automation , my interest was tweaked when I heard about an automation app that allows you to do some cool things from scratch on your iOS device. So having spent the last few nights playing with DeskConnect’s Workflow (iOS) app, I thought I’d share some of the things I’ve done. … Continue reading
Home Automation Games – The Next Great Gaming Adventure
With the considerable help of @RexBeckett on the Micasaverde forum, I was able to finally realise my first HA (Home Automation) / TTS (Text To Speech) game. Ok so it’s not quite to the level of sophistication/AI that some might like, but it’s a great toe tip in the water and can give you some … Continue reading
So What Is Z-Wave ?
Having an interest in all things to do with gadgets and home automation, you soon get caught up in the weird and wonderful terms and technologies that are bounced around, which can be anything from your Apples to your Zigbees. One of the terms I always liked was Z-Wave, I guess because it felt more … Continue reading
EZMotion 3in1 Z-Wave Sensor
While most Z-Wave devices do just the one job, you will also come across a few that try to combine a number or devices into the one, such as the Express Controls EZmotion 3 in 1 sensor, which seeks to provide light, temp and motion sensing functionality. If you decide to buy one, be prepared … Continue reading
Adding Some Heat Into My Relationship With Vera
Danfoss Living Comfort Thermostatic Radiator Valve. Living in an old house, with only one and a half thick brick walls with no cavities or insulation, our home loses heat like you would not believe! And the worst room of all is my daughter’s bedroom which has 3 external walls, each one competing to suck out … Continue reading
KIRA – Keene (Electronics) IR Anywhere
Having purchased the standard pair of KIRA IP infrared modules, I’ve been quite impressed with the possibilities they’ve given me, especially as the units can be set up in a number of ways, which I’ll have a go at explaining below. 1) Target & Receiver Mode – This allows me to have one unit in … Continue reading
Now Vera’s Working In 433Mhz – There’s A World Of Different Protocols
Once you have the RFXrtx433 controller and plug-in installed you now need to start looking at the protocols you want it to process/use and you can do this by accessing the Settings tab of the RFX433 Controller device. By default, you may notice a number already switched on (not sure why) but it’s now time … Continue reading
Working With Vera On a Different Frequency (RFXCOM’s RFXrtx433)
If you would like Vera to work with non Z-Wave wireless home automation equipment (such as the LightwaveRF devices) then look no further than the RFXCOM RFXrtx433. This little unit gives you the ability to communicate with a large number of products that operate within in the 433Mhz spectrum. The picture below shows you what … Continue reading
A Fibaro Light (Dimmer) Meal For 2 (Vera & I)
Ok, I may be struggling with the titles now but next on my ‘to do list’ was to bring some light into the relationship and see if I can install the Fibaro Dimmer module. This particular piece of kit is quite intriguing and very small in comparison to some of the other z-wave devices I … Continue reading
Node Central 