Off-The-Shelf home automation with DIY options?

[borisw37]

Just starting out with home automation.
Can somebody recommend a system that has both off-the-shelf components and also provides DIY support (API, communication protocol, etc...)
 
Basically I don't want to re-invent the wheel and build the entire system from ground up, but I would like to be able to create my own controllable devices. I'm a ME/EE engineer with knowledge of embedded firmware so designing a PCB, implementing zigbee, etc.. doesn't scare me.
 
 
Thank you,
 
Boris.

 

[jaymartin]

If you're a Mac user, our software Indigo supports INSTEON and Z-Wave natively (plus a boatload of plugins for other stuff) and we have a really simple plugin API that would allow you to integrate your own devices.
 
Not sure if that's what you were looking for or not.

 

[roussell]

+1 for Indigo. If you have Mac it's the only way to go, and worth considering even if you factor in buying a dedicated Mac Mini just for HA. A used core solo or core duo is more than enough for Indigo, and it'd be upgradeable later down the road (it's the route I took). Plus Matt and Jay provide phenomenal support!

 

[borisw37]

Thank you for the info, unfortunatley I'm not a Mac user.
My concern was mostly about hardware comparability.
If, for example, I get a Vera hub, will I be able to build my own sensors / actuators as opposed to just using off-the-shelf modules?
Is the communication protocol between Vera and its devices open source ? Or is there a system that publishes this information (API) and allows users, 3rd party developers to build their own modules?

 

[az1324]

You can do pretty much anything you want in Vera with LUA or you can look at Razberry.  But if you are expecting to be able to build your own z-wave devices that can join and participate directly with the other devices in the z-wave mesh then you will probably hit some roadblocks.  It is proprietary.  With Zigbee you may have a bit more luck.  But the best option is going to be to have your modules live on their own wireless network using something like nordic radios and then run commercial z-wave products in their z-wave mesh separately.  Connect a nordic tranceiver to Vera or Razberry and pass messages back and forth between the networks and do the translation.  You will find that this situation applies to pretty much all the available technology out there.  You aren't going to be able to build your own drop-in z-wave, insteon, etc products unless you are signing NDAs, paying fees, joining alliances, and purchasing in volume. 

 

[Dean Roddey]

On the Zigbee front, look at X-Bee, which provides a small, canned Zigbee node that can be incorporated into other gear. On the software side, since you aren't a Mac guy, our CQC product might be what you want to tie together (www.charmedquark.com).

 

[az1324]

On the Zigbee front, look at X-Bee, which provides a small, canned Zigbee node that can be incorporated into other gear. On the software side, since you aren't a Mac guy, our CQC product might be what you want to tie together (www.charmedquark.com).

 
Yes there are zigbee pro versions of xbees but there are still going to be possible interop issues based on protocol version, stack profile, etc...