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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

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

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

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

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).

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

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)

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.

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