Radio receivers have long been found in every hardware store, sometimes even at the discounter. So there was recently the same for three supermarket chains for 15.99 euros each, a set of four sockets and a hand transmitter. That is enough to switch comfortably from the couch the floor lamp or the room prince. Once you’ve got used to it, you’re longing for more.
PlugChecker controls LAN gateway
Download: Test candidates
Value for money: USB-Stick from ELRO
Fortunately, there are now gateways for home automation. They contain a radio transmitter for controlling sockets and similar devices and usually also the appropriate radio receiver. They communicate with a PC or a router via USB or network. This makes it possible to implement timer control for attendance simulation as well as convenient operation via smartphone or tablet.
Better networked in the 868 MHz range
At the beginning of this test we thought that such intelligent gateways are now universally usable, that is, they can also control the most diverse radio plug-in systems. However, it soon became clear that this is still a dream due to lack of compatibility - but improvement is in sight.
A bridge to HomeMatic beat
A smart entry into the gateway world promises the App PlugChecker of the Atrada Trading Network AG. The program for Android and Apple smartphones and tablets is compatible with three LAN gateways from Intertechno (ITGW-433), Burning Chair (Brematic GWY 433) and HMB-TEC (HCGW-433). This can be switched by sockets and actuators, which spark at 433.92 MHz. Even the mentioned discounter sockets are compatible and HomeEasy actuators from ELRO can be booked as well. The gateway alone is available at Intertechno for 69 euros or as a set with two sockets for 89 euros.
These gateways currently only work with the PlugChecker app and must be connected to the WLAN router via network cable. In the app, it is very easy to register new actuators by selecting the manufacturer and then selecting the corresponding model of the actuator. Depending on the actuator, interactive instructions for teach-in or setting the coding switches appear. Then you can switch individual or all actuators via touchscreen.
However, the app does not have any timer function so far, and only two actuators can be taught. If you want to have more actuators, you need to purchase the Premium version in the Google Play Store for 5 euros or in the Apple App Store for 5.50 euros. In order to switch the light in the home on the road, you also need a constantly active smartphone in the WLAN and you have to book a remote access subscription for a monthly fee of 0.79 euros.
The ELRO wireless switching system HomeEasy offers a gratifyingly inexpensive entry into the automation. At ELV you get the PC-USB dongle HE853 for only 21.90 Euro. It switches radioactors with teach-in buttons working at a frequency of 433.92 MHz - as well as the sockets of Intertechno's previous set. The right PC software is available on the ELRO homepage for free. This allows sockets or dimmers to be controlled and controlled individually. All actuators can also be switched together. The switching operations take place in the 1.5 second cycle.
In the profile mode, several sockets and dimmers with different brightness can be combined into one scenario. Finally, there is an automatic mode with time control. For each actuator, it is possible to specify when it should be switched on one or more weekdays or dimmed with individual brightness.
The number of time programs seems to be limitless, but you should not put too many switching points at the same time. They are then processed one after the other, but in the test sometimes switching commands were lost in series actions. A pity is that the USB dongle has little intelligence on board. It only works on a switched-on PC when the USB controller program is running. It would be nice if there was a Linux program for the stick on a Raspberry mini-PC, for example.
The newly introduced entry-level radio switching systems operate at 433.92 MHz in the ISM frequency band (Industrial, Scientific and Medical Band) used by various systems such as medical devices, babyphones or walkie-talkies. In addition, licensed radio operators may broadcast very high power in this area. High-quality radio switching systems therefore use radio channels at 868 MHz, which in general can only be used with very low transmission power and only for a short time.
A good example of such a system is iComfort from REV Ritter, which even works bi-directionally, ie feedback from the actuator. The iComfort starter kit is available from REV. For the price of 100 euros you get two radio sockets and a LAN gateway. The free iComfort app is available for remote control via smartphone or tablet.
Unlike plug-in plugs, you can teach as many sockets and flush-mounted actuators as you want. In addition, it is very easy to configure group circuits (scenarios) on the smartphone and to individually define up to 32 switching times for individual actuators. One or more days can be selected for each switching time. It is also very nice that you can see in the app which actuators are currently switched on or off - no matter, whether they are switched by a radio button or manually directly at the socket.
On the way to Universal Gateway
Finally also the remote access is possible free of charge, if one has a FRITZ! Box or another router on which one can set up a VPN tunnel. An installation instructions for FRITZ! Boxes can be downloaded from the iComfort website. Unfortunately, iComfort does not support any other vendors.
The FS20 radio switching system operating at 868.35 MHz is very comprehensive. In the ELV catalog alone, it fills more than 30 catalog pages with components from the rain sensor, via various DIN rail actuators for the fuse box and radio sensors for reading mechanical current and / or gas meters. Also Conrad and Völkner have FS20 in the assortment. If you want to operate radio receivers and similar devices with time-controlled operation, this can be realized for only 40 euros with the battery-operated timer FS20 ZSU. For more complex automation, there is the LAN Gateway FHZ 2000, which on the one hand is designed as a bridge to the HomeMatic automation system from eQ-3 and can also be used as a stand-alone FS20 radio home control system on the other hand.
High-end gateway ZE-DSL
If you do not run HomeMatic components but only FS20 components or radio room thermostats from the FHT80b and HMS100 families, the FHZ 2000 listed as a 100 euro can be used as a compact home network center. However, a remote control by smartphone is not possible. In addition, the software "Homeputer Standard", which is included in the scope of delivery, must always run on a PC and play back the operation of a HomeMatic control center. There is some experience in using PC software and network technology for setup.
If you want to dispense with the continuous operation of the PC as the central unit, you can use the HomeMatic central unit CCU1 or CCU2 instead. However, the special software "Homeputer CL Studio" is required for the price of 200 Euro. With this program, both HomeMatic and FS20 actuators can be used together in mixed operation and can also be operated by smartphone.
The Homee Homee concept already presents itself on the website www.hom.ee as an extremely flexible product for communication "over nearly every Internet-enabled device". The first homee gateway tested here is not yet universal. It consists of a USB cable, a 2-port mini USB hub with microSDCard reader, a 4 GB microSDHC card and a USB stick with Z-Wave building radio technology, for which there are many sensors Manufacturer. As a link to the WLAN and as a platform for the radio stick, various Fritz! Box DSL routers, which are supplied by the microSD card with the software.
The installation proved to be quite simple. For the building control there is an app for iPhone and iPad and recently also a free Homee app for Android. It consists of the four subdivisions devices, homegroups, groups and favorites.
Scenes can be created in the Home screen block. For example, one or more actuators can be controlled on individual or all weekdays at a selectable time or by a different "trigger."
A new homee gateway system consisting of several dice that can be plugged into one another, and with an interface open to developers and users, is expected to take place at the turn of the year. In the base cube is the gateway computer together with WLAN interface, and then one or more radio cube can be plugged on. Cube for the Z-Wave, EnOcean and ZigBee standards. Later, other wireless systems will follow - perhaps also for Home-Matic and FS20.
The basic unit with a radio cube 160 euros. However, the basic cube will not only support building automation. It should also have an output for active speakers in order to play music files from the network as a media player, to support AirPlay from Apple or to output warning announcements via text-to-speech function depending on home applications Br>
Already Homee offers a high tablet comfort. Even more refined is when a modern home center is used as a gateway. A great example is the central unit ZE-DSL from Telefunken Smart Building in connection with the Joonior app. While Homee is currently broadcasting via Z-Wave, Telefunken uses the standard EnOcean. For him, there are even battery-powered sensors and switches from different suppliers.
The Joonior app, available for iOS or Android, presents the sensors and actuators in a mediaplayer-like overview, which can be viewed by finger wipers. The album pages contain the space names above and important room parameters such as temperature, humidity or brightness. If you look at it, all the radio components of the room appear. For detailed information, the temperature or brightness profile is called by fingertip. The time bar can be moved and spread with two fingers.
Also new components are quickly learned. In addition, scenes from several triggers (sensors, buttons, time, etc.) and target states (actuators) can be defined. The Joonior app costs 15 euros and the one-year free access to the Internet will cost 29 euros per year.
The free PC software Joonior Dashboard can be used with similar comfort. The Dashboard works on PCs and Apple tablets, but must be created with the Joonior Suite PC software belonging to the central unit. The suite allows you to define complex scenes and configure dashboard diagrams. However, the operation and programming requires some experience and is actually intended for trained installers.
Download: Tested gateways at a glance
No PC experience is required for the direct operation of the ZE-DSL. The chic central unit has a 70 mm x 53 mm color TFT display with 320 x 240 pixels and four soft-key buttons in the center. As soon as a key is pressed, the display wakes up. In various menus, actuators of individual rooms or predefined scenes can be selected and switched. The current power consumption and the summed energy consumption of a radio plug can also be displayed - as well as the temperature and humidity of a climate sensor.
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