Home Automation Market

[slychiu]

yes the ETH04 will plug into the base UCM, but it will cost a bit more.. but it will be worth the cost

[idheath]

MQTT integration would be good since it works nice with OpenHAB.

I\'ve got an OpenHAB set up at home which is excellent (and not vendor specific).

Also I intend to make use of the excellent work cab123 has done on this.

[Majik]

I general, I think support of some sort of advanced network API is far more important than a built-in web Interface.

My personal preference would be JSON+REST, and I would see the ultimate aim to be able to move to the point where all control and even programming could be done via this sort of interface.

The big advantage of REST is, assuming the API is sensibly defined, this makes it possible (and relatively easy) to build client-side control web-apps entirely in html/javascript.

In other words, you wouldn\'t necessarily need to embed a web-interface into the ETH04 at all; it could be a separate app that people could host on a local server/Raspberry Pi.

Of course, including it on the ETH04 makes it a nice, out-of-the-box package.

The other option is, of course, IoT style automation with cloud-based control.

Cloud-based is really required to support Alexa, Google Home, and IFTTT. The most straightforward approach would be for Cytech to build a cloud-based service that customers can optionally connect their systems to. This can then be used for external control across the Internet without messing around with firewalls and port forwarding.

In this scenario, the ETH04 would register with the Cloud app and then communicate with it via an encrypted data \"bridge\". This is typically HTTP or MQTT based. Then, typically, all user control goes via the Cloud application, although it is also possible to provide local control.

Amongst others, Google (https://cloud.google.com/solutions/iot/ )and Amazon (https://aws.amazon.com/iot-platform/ ) provide frameworks to make it easier to develop and host cloud based IoT solutions. Note that both Google and AWS support a variety of protocol bridges including MQTT.

The big issues are all around privacy and security. This includes security of protocol, security of cloud service, and questions like \"What happens if the Internet service goes down?\".

Personally, I would like to see both local control and programming via a network API which can be kept within the local network, and the option for some Cloud based services that can work with Alexa/Home/IFTTT, etc. but which would be more limited in scope (without, for instance, the ability to reprogram the system).

Cheers,

Keith

[wexfordman]

[user=1]slychiu[/user] wrote:

Thank you all for your comments again
We are in fact looking at options for ETH03; MQTT, REST, Openhab, but there seems to be new things coming out so often that we want to see which is practical and supported
We have also been working on the webserver in ETH03 - the user interface is more the challenge rather than the functionality
As a taste of what is going to be available, we plan to have a \"UCM\" which is also a controller. Imagine Comfort without the inputs, outputs, telephone recording which looks like a UCM which can plug in the ETH, USB interface for comunication. This can be used as a low cost logic controller where you can connect KNX, Cbus, IRIO and other modules.

Hi Slychiu,
One of the things I think at this point is critical, is integration into smart speakers such as google home and amazone alexa, and it would need to be done in a manner that is user friendly.
If you think about it currently, one of the great things about comfort, is its ability to interface to so many different standards and protocols, eib, cbus, velbus etc, and there are very few systems which allow you to do that. Whats missing is the ability to integate these into goolge home type devices.
As far as I know, there is no simple way to integrate and connect velbus, or cbus etc to google h ome devices, but if comfort was integrated to google home, then problem solved, you immediately provide people witih the ability to interface all these standards directly to google home.
I have recently got some hue lights, and a nest, and while all of my lights are controlled by comfort velbus, I now rarely use the comfort app for home control. The hue lights (and they are only two lamps at this point), are so easy to control, you just speak and it happens, it makes the app seem very cumbersome, its almost a legacy now (although that is stretching it, its important and needed, but not required as often).
Apps are no longer the easiest way to control your home, its voice now.

[Majik]

[user=318]wexfordman[/user] wrote

I have recently got some hue lights, and a nest, and while all of my lights are controlled by comfort velbus, I now rarely use the comfort app for home control. The hue lights (and they are only two lamps at this point), are so easy to control, you just speak and it happens, it makes the app seem very cumbersome, its almost a legacy now (although that is stretching it, its important and needed, but not required as often).
Apps are no longer the easiest way to control your home, its voice now.

I think it\'s very personal.
My experience is I dislike speaking as a way of control, except where my hands are busy:in the kitchen or in my car when driving.
However, the requirements for integrating with Alexa and Google Home actually enable not just the speech interface, but the ability to have the \"use anywhere\" app-based control without messing around with firewalls and having to deal with dynamic IP addressing issues, and integration with other external services such as IFTTT.
Cheers,
Keith

[slychiu]

I believe the alphawerks IoT module that we are developing with them should handle Google home and similar integrations

see http://www.comfortforums.com/forum136/

[Majik]

From what I see that is an integration with Smart Things which may, indirectly, provide integration with Home, Alexa, and others.
That\'s good, I guess, but IMO it\'s fairly messy, requiring additional third-party systems to make it work. I guess using Samsung\'s cloud services removes the need to build your own.
Cheers,
Keith