My Project
The quest for a centralised AV, Automation, Storage, Monitoring, Processing etc. set up within the house is not for everyone and even if it is, you may not always know where to start. Now there are some very good and interesting resources online that will explain the concept and what you need to do in order to plan out your own ‘nodezero’.
For the purpose of this site and (for me) a more relevant term to use nowadays I call it my ‘NodeCentral’.
Node – DEFINITION…
…In a network, a node is a connection point, either a redistribution point or an end point for data transmissions. In general, a node has programmed or engineered capability to recognize and process or forward transmissions to other nodes.
Central – DEFINITION…
..Multiple meanings, 1. in, at, or near the center. 2. of or forming the center 3. equally distant or accessible from various points 4. most important; main; basic; principal. 5. of or having to do with a single source that controls all activity in an organization or system.
When I started working on my NodeCentral set up I had the luxury of doing it within a house that we’d just bought which required extensive work, but for many of you, you may be in a house recently decorated, with a partner who’ll make your life hell if you were to start pulling up carpets and floorboard.
At the time i was doing my own work much of the associated technology was changing (and still is) so it was difficult to know exactly what choices to make. Now admittedly that point is always going to be there, but thanks to developments in wireless and also PowerLine/Home Plug products today the flexibility of at least your end points has got a lot easier.
Node Central 
At last another human that has troubles with z wave although touted as the 2nd coming and plug and play, bless uncle gates for that phrase, I have been trying to get my Vera lite to cooperate with various Zwave devices, so foscam 8910 and 8904 work just fine, after a great chat with costas at foscam tech support. I have found that a few, very few, techies know there doing and when to talk to them they become your life raft in the sinking Titanic world of Zwave.
So far. I have ever spring wall plugs, 6 off, working fine and no asset at all, then came the fibaro incident I got what you did a small dimmer, hmm , and then the fun started trying to wire it up to operate outside lights up by the consumer RCB box out of the way and in need of 3 hands, touch, screwdriver and holding the little begger while connecting. It didn’t work and to add salt in the wound it blow up disintegrating the inner electronics.
I also a relay, small pcb, which poses as a relay unit for my drive gates to be operated with Zwave, I installed it to a 30v dc source on the gates but to no avail. Leaving the little blighted in situ thinking hat may it needed to build up a relationship in my controller to woo it into operation, but no never worked and so found its way into the box of no hopers and wasted money.
I have smoke alarms that appear to work but keep going to sleep and door sensors with the same sleep apnea issues.
You may think that by now I would have given up but they not know me and my tenacity will be rewarded before I electrocute my self nod burn down the house.
The reason I write this little para. I still have problems with my RFXCOM, DUWI LIGHT SWITCH, RELAY BOARD AND GETTING A REALY GOOD GUI FOR IT ALL.
I bought the SQblaster box to get IR and RF operation with my media centre, mostly now bedded in and working to a degree of satisfaction.
I can interface with MIOS from SQ and get most things working all ok.
But what I need help with is, and I see you just copied the text from the web relating to getting RFXCOM working, but have you one it and what are he files you need and what do I do using a Mac . I was told to use the indigo software because it iOS compatible but still not got the RFX working.
Any way after getting my self completely confused with many duplication of items and numerous errors on my part I ask support how to take it back to factory start point.
This done I have found the little statement of excluding the product before including to be not a nicety but IMPERITIVE.
NOW WITH a new, re-added set of product I am still at he point of getting RFX to be included and working properly and lastly where are the images and video from the foscam stored for reviewing on alarm.
This forum could be a life saver. Are you specializing on Vera lite and hat other products are going write about.
Regards and good work
Phil Coombes
Retired RF, Microwave, electronics and digital engineer.
Hi Phil
Thanks for your post and your honesty, I share your frustrations with z-wave, although I don’t think I’ve had it quite as bad as you although I’m struggling to think of any physical device that were straight forward to install, each one has had a niggle or two that’s required me to trawl numerous forums to find the answers.
In regards to the RFXCOM Rtx433 post, it’s actually the other way around, Bert from RFXCOM contacted me to ask if he could use my post for his Vera user guide and I was happy to oblige. To be honest, the rtx433 product was not that bad to install and it wasn’t long before i was seeing some of the benefits, so I’m curious which specific area is not working for you?
As for me personally, I don’t think I could ever call myself a specialist in Vera or anything HA related, I’m just a guy who likes his gadgets and is into home automation. I was tracking Vera for a while and only recently decided to take the plunge when they released the VeraLite, as that seemed a low(er) cost way for me to get involved.
Feel free to fire some questions at me, i’ll have a go at helping, if not then I’ve always found the Micasaverde forum to be one of the best. There are a lot of people on there who can help, I’m already amazed at how many posts I’ve done in such a short space of time. (Which can be seen as a positive as well as a negative)
If you have time I would also like to know how you found my post?