ControlThink Forums

I figured this is the best place to ask question's on device availability.  Any ideas on when we can expect the new z-wave devices?  I've have a million to-do's and all of them are waiting on the new (working devices).

rustytek,

Intermatic, Cooper, Leviton, and Monster all have products tooled up and ready to go.  I'm still hearing late Q1 on a number of the devices, although I would say "Q2" on at least some of them, for sure.  And then of course you have Techniku with blinds and Wayne Dalton with their cool new bridge.

Believe me, we'll be hearing when you can get some of them.

Chris

Chris:

Now that it is March, is there any word on when the USB controller will be released??  I do care about the other products but I am pretty much dead in the water with my old Homepro USB controller.

Thanks

Mike

mbreeden wrote:

Now that it is March, is there any word on when the USB controller will be released??  I do care about the other products but I am pretty much dead in the water with my old Homepro USB controller.

Mike,

As I understand it, Intermatic is expecting the first USB sticks to arrive within just a few weeks.  If the manufacturing went well, and you got in one of the very first pre-orders, you should be getting yours soon!

Chris

I'm glad chris seems to be able to stick to his dates.  Any idea on when all these other people plan to release some new devices?

Will a simple software upgrade to Think Essentials support new devices as they become available?

Out of idle curiosity, why is no one manufacturing a simple binary sensor? Seems a logical add-on for a 'poor mans' security system.

Also, is anyone actually working on a web appliance to do an Ethernet to Z-wave bridge? This would allow a user to monitor devices outside the home.

->Ken Wieschhof

weesh,

Yes, a simple software upgrade to ThinkEssentials will support new device types (and devices) as they become available.

ACT makes a binary sensor, their "PIR".  Intermatic has one coming that they've been showing off as well.

And yes, there are quite a few companies that have Ethernet to Z-Wave bridges coming or on the market.  Cooper Lighting announced their ThinkWatt Bridge a few months ago, which basically does this along with a whole litany of other things--but it's for commercial installations.  A few others are coming; watch the forums and the press releases and I'm sure you'll see them soon :)

Chris

The PIR is just a motion sensor, right? What about something for doors and windows?

->Ken Wieschhoff

weesh,

Right.  I've heard of other sensors in development, but I don't have any company, product, or availability info I can give you.  Sorry!

Chris

Chris,

Is there a site that aggregates device information for z-wave? I would have thought this would be the alliance site (http://www.z-wavealliance.org), but it is remarkably incomplete and outdated...

tethys

tethys,

The Z-Wave Alliance website contains info on various devices--but it's up to the manufacturers to self-submit the products.  So yes, it's kind of sparse.  I've been in conversations about this recently, and there's some movement to get more products listed on the site.

Chris

Chris,

What about hosting a Wiki-style site that allows the unwashed masses to contribute information on z-Wave devices? Is that something that ControlThink would be interested in doing? Or maybe that belongs at an "enthusiast" site like CocoonTech?

tethys

I'd second tethys motion on a group for Z-Wave device discussion, for there really is very little out there and very little technical discussion on devices we already have.  My HomePro PIR detector for instance, is physically mounted and powered, but apparently until I get the USB stick from Tech-Home so I can use ThinkEssentials, I think I'm stuck (of course I readily admit I may be getting dense in my old age :)).  The booklet they include just doesn't include much straightforwardly explained technical info.  Maybe it's just me, but I know it can be done better. 

Mike

Your wish is our command :)

http://forums.controlthink.com/22/ShowForum.aspx

Chris