A few burning zwave question

[AshaiRey]

Hi,

I am completely blank about zwave so bare with me if i have a few dumb questions.
I know you don't have the time to read long intros so here they are:

1 - Does zwave signal also their state back hwen switched on/off?
2 - Is an USB zwave stick all i need to start receiving and building the zwave netwerk? (i have HS-pro)
3 - Can devices from different manufacturers be mixed together. Say for example Everspring with Duwi?
4 - How about reliability? Now i am using KaKu a lot but sometimes i miss a signal on the outer edge of the antenna range due to weather conditions and such.
5 - How about CPU load on the HS computer system? Do i need more horsepower then average?
6 - Am i correct if i assume that the zwave netwerk will expand further in range when i add a zwave module on the edge of the netwerk range?
7 - How responsive is zwave? The only comparison i have is Kaku and i feel that is oke but somethins just on the slow side.
8 - Does zwave have a future? I mean will it not become obsolete in a few years and parts hard to get?

Sorry for this many questions but i am jumping here to get started.
Bram

[abl]

Hi,

1. For Merten devices there is no automatic reporting back, but you can poll devices. However if you poll too frequently the system/network gets unresponsive.
2. Yes.
3. It should work, however I don't have any experience (only use Merten).
4. Very reliable if you have a decent number of devices.
5. I have it running on a low power server (recent processor) and it works quite well.
6. Yes, the higher the number of devices, the better the mesh network operates. In my experience when I got beyond the 6-7 devices the network was ok.
7. Very fast, almost instantly.
8. As there are a large number of companies active in the Z-wave field, I don't expect it to be obsolete in the future...

Kind regards,
ABL

[Wim2008]

I am totally agree with the responses of ABL.
Some supplements:
Ad 2. It is important what you doing with the USB zwave stick. Is it primair or secondairy installed.
Ad 3. I have several different manufacturers be mixed together in my z-wave network. If they are in the network it works ok. Sometimes it isn't possible to get a device in the network. It isn't depending on the manufacturers, but only from the devices.

B.r. Wim

[LostDreamer]

Also:

If you have a Aeon Labs USB stick, it's all you need (it it a primary controller so you can setup your network with it)
I use a lot of ACT switches: When you set them up to associate them with your primary controller (in group 1) you'll be notified when they're controlled locally so there wont be a need to poll them.

Regards,
LostDreamer

[abl]

For most devices that's right, but for some (like battery devices Merten) you also need the Merten connection device and use the Aeon stick as a replicating device in Homeseer (thanks to Wim for helping me out a few months ago).

[mhn]

Hi.

I will add:

1. The Z-Wave devices, I know, report back to the device activating the change, but not to other devices. Hence HS will not know if a remote have changed your switch without polling. HS will get a report if the change come from HS.

3. Yes my network has devices from 4 manufactures.

4. My network has been reliable for 3 years.

6. Yes, if it's not a battery device.

7. I never noticed a delay.

8. Who knows the future?

Regards
Morten

[AshaiRey]

Hi All.

Thanks for the comments and advice. It is really helpfull.
I did gained much experience with domotica and KaKu and i like to have it around. Even my wife is very comfortable with it.
The best part of KaKu is it's price and the possibility to operate independitly from a computer in case of a computer failure. I understand that this can also be realized with zwave so that's a big plus. I think i will slowly switch my KaKu domotica equipment to zwave devices or atleast a part of it.

Any advice for a specific brand incase of assortment/price/availability?

(Now only find the right places for bargains)

[William.abbo]

Z-Wave is running also for a few years without any problems, and very reliable.
There are enough shops in the Netherlands, Germany and other EU country's who sell Z-Wave stuff.

[TANE]

Price and the quality of Duwi products is good.
I have installed more then few hounders of this device..all working fine.