USB z-wave

[Hugolp]

Hi

I am having a lot of trouble finding a z-wave usb adapter in Barcelona, where I live. I found in the web a US shop that will send it to me. They have the model ZCU000 - Zwave USB Interface (http://www.automatedoutlet.com/product.php?productid=24&cat=235&page=1). Does anybody knows if it works with linux or linuxmce?

If someone can also point me to a z-wave web or normal shop in the Uk or any other part of Europe I apreciate. Obviously a shop in Spain would be great but its going to be hard. Sometimes I feel like Spain is some kind of undeveloped country. We are allways the last ones to get things in Europe. Anyway, any help much apreciated.

Hugo

[totallymaxed]

Hi

I am having a lot of trouble finding a z-wave usb adapter in Barcelona, where I live. I found in the web a US shop that will send it to me. They have the model ZCU000 - Zwave USB Interface (http://www.automatedoutlet.com/product.php?productid=24&cat=235&page=1). Does anybody knows if it works with linux or linuxmce?

If someone can also point me to a z-wave web or normal shop in the Uk or any other part of Europe I apreciate. Obviously a shop in Spain would be great but its going to be hard. Sometimes I feel like Spain is some kind of undeveloped country. We are allways the last ones to get things in Europe. Anyway, any help much apreciated.

Hugo

Hi Hugo,

LetsAutomate in the UK has a good range of Zwave hardware. The new Zwave usn hub from HomePro is here;

http://www.letsautomate.com/12434.cfm?

But it appears that they still have not had deliveries when i checked just now.

Hope this helps

Regards

Andrew

[1audio]

The USA Zwave stuff won't work in Europe. The EU version of ZWave runs on a different frequency. And the US power stuff will probably self destruct on 220. The USB dongles must match the frequency of the power etc. devices you are using.

[Hugolp]

Ok, so I need european z-wave. Thanks for the info. Anyone knows if UK z-wave and european z-wave are compatible? And anyone know somewhere else where I can buy z-wave usb adaptor? the web that totallymaxed gave me sais they will have it in april but now in may they still dont.

Any help apreciated

Hugo

[1audio]

The UK uses the same frequency as the rest of the EU. I would send a nastygram to The ZWave alliance complaining that you can't get what's necessary to use the stuff. Point out that Insteon, UPB, and ZigBee are getting their act together for the world. . .

(This is a big frustration I have with ZWave.)

http://www.zen-sys.com/index.php?page=25

[totallymaxed]

Ok, so I need european z-wave. Thanks for the info. Anyone knows if UK z-wave and european z-wave are compatible? And anyone know somewhere else where I can buy z-wave usb adaptor? the web that totallymaxed gave me sais they will have it in april but now in may they still dont.

Any help apreciated

Hugo

Hi again,

You need European power modules (UK ones have a different mains plug design) but the USB interface is a single design for the whole of Europe and as others have said here is uses the European Zwave frequency.

There are several European manufacturers that have extensive ranges of Zwave enabled electrical/climate/security products that should launch this summer. These companies will have very extensive ranges aimed at both the DIY and professional install markets.

Cheers

Andrew

[Hugolp]

1audio I allredy email them, not really complaining but asking for a place to buy. Thanks for the info. Can you tell me why z-wave is better than zegbee or other systems?

totallymaxed any web pages or telephone?

Hugo

[1audio]

ZWave isn't better. Actually they are all compromises and most have serious weaknesses. The best I have explored is Echelon but they are only in the commercial market.

ZWave doesn't have the best technology- they have the best marketing to the big companies. In the process they forgot that the small companies make the stuff necessary to make a complete system. All of the radio solutions work with the same constraints and there isn't enough difference between them to make a choice. However ZWave has the hardest to work with software.

Lets hope that ZWave gets more vendors on board soon.

[totallymaxed]

1audio I allredy email them, not really complaining but asking for a place to buy. Thanks for the info. Can you tell me why z-wave is better than zegbee or other systems?

totallymaxed any web pages or telephone?

Hugo

Hi again,

Well as others have said there is not that much technically that differetiates zigbbe from zwave apart from the way the mesh network is maintained/updated and the number of devices you can have in a single net is larger under zigbee. But these differences are largely irrelevant unless you have an incredibly large home installation or you are working deep down under the 'hood' as a software developer.

I guess the most important difference is that zwave support is already built into linux-mce now - and it works quite nicely. We have been using it for over a year now and although the linux-mce implementation still lacks some features/support it does really work.

Regards

Andrew

[1audio]

ZWave has been working fine for me for 6 Mo w/ Pluto technology as control. But I can't find some of the other devices I want (no sprinker controller, no simple remote contact closure gadget (I can fake one easily but. . .) the thermostats for ZWave are expensive and the ZWave seems an afterthought. etc. But Zigbee is much worse, Insteon has only one supplier so far etc. The adventures of being a pioneer.