z wave lcd panel free sample

Z-Uno package for Arduino IDE already includes some basic examples. They cover only basic functions of Z-Uno. To make your experience better we present here more basic examples based on different compatible hardware. These example projects show the power and flexibility of Z-Uno. Based on these examples you can build your own Z-Wave device and even mix multiple examples together. Free your imagination!

Z-Uno is your «swiss knife» in Z-Wave world. It allows to make many different devices to complement your home automation. Most of our users love to share their success stories. We are glad to present most interesting Z-Uno based projects here.

According to an agreement with the Z-Wave Alliance Z-Uno was certified under Z-Wave Plus based on a specific sketch. Other sketches are not certified but we guarantee they will pass. Get more info.

Software teams also benefit just as much as other production teams from rapid failure notification. Development teams use Continuous Integration (CI) servers to rebuild and retest software systems as they are modified. Automated tests verify that the functionality implemented last week still functions as intended with today"s changes. When new changes cause tests to fail, breaks can be fixed with less effort if they are repaired as they happen. This article explains how you can write the software to monitor your CI server using some simple lights and a few Z-Wave home automation devices.

Z-Wave technology powers a wide variety of home automation devices ranging from simple power switches to water control valves, door locks, and various types of sensors. Z-Wave devices, called nodes, are queried and controlled by a Z-Wave controller. The general term “node” refers to any Z-Wave device that is a member of a Z-Wave network.

The controller maintains the information required to address various nodes in the network. In turn, software systems interface with the controller to implement the logic of the network. For the examples given in this article, I"ll use a switchable power outlet Z-Wave device. The Z-Wave controller can query the outlet to determine whether the power is on or off. The controller can also send a signal over the Z-Wave network to turn the outlet on or off. For more information on Z-Wave technology, take a look at the “Z-Wave Technology” sidebar.

The open source project OpenZWave exposes a .NET API for querying and controlling Z-Wave devices. Developers can download the OpenZWave project from Github at https://github.com/OpenZWave/open-zwave. OpenZWave is written in C++ and includes a .NET wrapper to make controlling Z-Wave devices from C# or VB.NET straightforward. You can also download all of the sample code provided here as part of the ZBuildLights project at https://github.com/Vector241-Eric/ZBuildLights. ZBuildLights packages this sample code in the OpenZWaveDemo project along with a small console application wrapper.

Z-Wave home automation networks start with a controller and a device. Controlling Z-Wave switches requires only a few lines of code. Relying on the OpenZWave project, these few lines of code change the setting for a light switch from off to on or vice versa:

Before you can set the switch value, you need both a manager and a device value. The manager, which OpenZWave exposes as the type ZWManager, controls almost all of the interesting functionality in OpenZWave. To build the manager, you first need to set a few options.

The Create() method sets the configuration options for OpenZWave. The OpenZWave project ships with some XML configuration files containing detailed descriptions of known device manufacturers and their devices. The first parameter for Create() points within the OpenZWave release folder to the root directory for these configuration files. The second Create() parameter tells OpenZWave where to cache data specific to your particular Z-Wave network. OpenZWave preserves network configuration and state at this directory path. The third parameter allows command line options to be passed through to OpenZWave, and I"ve ignored that here. I"ve also set the “SaveLogLevel.” OpenZWave logs plenty of diagnostic information while running, but I"ve chosen to keep that quiet for now. If you want to see the log messages, you can try logging level Detail or Debug.

Because the ZWManager allocates some system resources internally, it should be treated as a singleton for the life of your application. Also, make sure to clean up system resources using manager.Destroy()as your program terminates. Skipping this cleanup step can cause phantom problems, such as missing Z-Wave devices when the program executes the next time.

Now that you have a manager, you need to use it to find the devices, called nodes, on the Z-Wave network. Because Z-Wave devices can initiate events themselves, the ZWManager exposes an asynchronous notification model. You"ll initialize the manager and use these event notifications to discover the IDs of the nodes on the network. Listing 1 shows a method to initialize the ZWManager and write all node IDs to the console. As you can see in the listing, you first attach the event handler to the manager, then the call to AddDriver() sets the COM port for the controller and starts the initialization routines for the ZWManager. After you wait for the manager to initialize, you can use it to change the switch value.

Z-Wave devices and OpenZWave support many more event types. The Github OpenZWave source code for the Notification.h header file contains a complete listing of events as well as descriptions for each.

When a Z-Wave controller connects to the computer via the USB port, Windows allocates a COM port to the device. If you have PowerShell installed on your computer, finding the port numbers is simple:

Before any of this code can be executed, Z-Wave devices must be purchased, and the Z-Wave network must be set up. Z-Wave networks are built with a controller and one or more Z-Wave devices. Standalone systems use a controller hub for controlling devices in the network. These hubs are typically Internet-enabled and work in concert with Web and mobile applications that enable users to configure and control their Z-Wave devices. In addition to standalone hubs, Z-Wave devices can also be controlled by a controller attached to a PC. For this application, I selected an Aeon Labs DSA02203-ZWUS Z-Stick USB controller (http://amzn.to/1EHXjdHhttp://amzn.to/1EHXjdH).

When considering switches, I realized that I want a collection of at least three lights in a monitoring location: a green light to indicate successful status, a yellow light to indicate running tests, and a red light to alert the team to failure. Aeon Labs makes a handy power strip called the Aeotec Z-Wave Smart Energy Power Strip (http://amzn.to/1dj05tB). (Editor"s note: item no longer available.) The Smart Energy Power Strip includes four Z-Wave controllable outlets. Each of the four switchable outlets can be turned on or off individually, or all switched outlets can be turned on or off at the same time. The power strip also provides two always-on outlets. The Smart Energy Power Strip provides a good value over purchasing three or four individual Z-Wave switches. Finally, this power strip provides energy consumption monitoring for each outlet.

The power strip allows flexibility and creativity in choosing lights and devices. Any electrical device that plugs into a standard power outlet will work. My team works in a typical cubicle environment with plenty of wiring conduits that rise to the ceiling. Therefore, I chose various colors of rope lighting to wrap around the conduits. I used green to indicate success and red to indicate that a job is broken. Because my current client uses blue for an official brand color I used blue for the work in progress light. With the flexibility to use any device that can be switched on or off at the power socket, you can get creative. How about a fake flame that lights up when something is broken? (http://amzn.to/1zn2UUa).

Z-Wave devices must join the controller"s network in a process called “pairing” or “inclusion.” The Aeon Labs Z-Stick makes pairing with Z-Wave devices simple. Z-Wave pairing operations use a small handshake signal, and therefore require a minimal distance between the device and controller. Fortunately, the Z-Stick contains a small battery so that the user can remove it from the computer and carry it to the device for pairing. To pair a Z-Wave device with the Z-Stick, first make sure that the new device has power. Remove the controller from the USB port and carry it near the device. Press the button on the Z-Stick to put it into inclusion mode and then press the button on the Z-Wave device. The Z-Stick LED blinks quickly while the controller communicates with the device, then the LED returns to blinking slowly to indicate that more devices can be paired. Once all devices have been added, another press of the Z-Stick button stops it from searching for more devices.

After the Z-Stick has been plugged back into the USB port, OpenZWave has access to the newly included devices. Z-Wave nodes can expose multiple values. For instance, an energy monitoring power outlet has a switch value for turning the switch on or off, and it also has values for reading energy usage. In the section, “Running the Sample Code,” (next) you can learn more about reading and writing values to query and control Z-Wave devices.

At this point, you have Z-Wave devices that are paired with the Z-Wave controller. You have plugged the controller into a USB port and determined its COM port address. The sample code uses COM3 for its COM port address. With the devices ready to go, you can now dig into implementation specifics for the code. If you"d like to download the full sample code, you can download the ZBuildLights project from Github at https://github.com/Vector241-Eric/ZBuildLights. All of the code shown in this article is in the Program.cs file located in the OpenZWaveDemo project.

If you prefer to start with an empty application, open Visual Studio and create a new console application. Then, add the sample code from Listing 1 as well as the functions CreateOpenZWaveManager() and SetOptions() already listed in this article. You"ll also need to download and build the OpenZWave library and add a reference to OpenZWave from your new console project. You can find instructions for building OpenZWave on the ZBuildLights Github page.

Whether you start with the sample code or you type everything in yourself, be sure to configure the COM port given in the call to manager.AddDriver() and the file paths in the SetOptions() method. Once everything is configured, running the DumpZWaveNodes() method should produce some output like this:

In this case, the controller itself shows up as Node 1 and a switchable lamp socket shows up as Node 2. Be sure to take note of the value ID for any “Switch” values listed. In the example, value 72085894076282880 uniquely identifies the switch value used for turning the lamp off or on. In order to use the ZWManager to change the switch value, the ZWValueID should be captured when the value is added and the ValueAdded notification is fired.

In this switch statement, you save notification.GetValueID() into a local ZWaveValueID variable when the ValueAdded event fires for the specific value you"re searching for. Passing this value along with the ZWManager to ToggleSwitchValue() causes the switch"s value to toggle. To see all of the code pulled together, refer to Listing 2.

In order to display build status lights with Z-Wave devices, you also need the build status. Fortunately, most major CI servers produce the same status XML format. The CruiseControl build server has always produced XML to be interpreted by the monitoring application CCTray. CI servers call this XML format CCTray XML. TeamCity, Jenkins, CruiseControl (Java, Ruby, and .NET versions), Hudson, Travis CI, and Go all produce CCTray XML. The examples listed here use TeamCity"s URL format, so check the documentation for your CI server to determine how to query its CCTray XML.

To interpret status from CCTray XML, an application must either parse the XML directly or convert the XML into an object model. The easiest method uses the XmlSerializer to deserialize the XML into a matching object model. Visual Studio provides xsd.exe to help generate object models from XML. ZBuildLights already contains a generated object model in the file

This series of commands generates an object structure with a root class called Projects. With the help of the System.Net, System.IO, and System.Xml.Serialization namespaces, requesting the latest status from the CI server and converting the response into C# objects requires just a few lines of code:

To keep this example simple, consider a single Z-Wave switch connected to an artificial flame such as the one referenced in “Selecting Z-Wave Devices.” Because the flame is powered with an AC power source, it makes a perfect candidate for control via a Z-Wave switch. If the flame is activated, the team should investigate a build failure on the CI server. If the flame is off, everything is fine.

The official Z-Wave SDK costs approximately $3,000 and requires developers to execute an NDA to prevent disclosure of the information in the development kit. Because Z-Wave is a proprietary technology that requires a significant investment in the SDK, there are no official low-cost SDK options available to developers. So, some developers created the OpenZWave project and reverse engineered the Z-Wave protocol to provide a free open source alternative. OpenZWave is not an official Z-Wave SDK, but many developers have found it both useful and reliable.

The OpenZWave community stays active with many developers making contributions and participating in the mailing list. To connect with the community, check out the OpenZWave project at http://openzwave.com/. The OpenZWave project code lives at Github: https://github.com/OpenZWave.

The code and information in this article provide someone familiar with C# and Visual Studio with the necessary information required to build a simple Z-Wave powered monitoring system. When considering more complex scenarios, such as multiple teams sharing the same Z-Wave network, multiple build servers, and multiple monitoring stations, the software solution to configure and control everything gets much more complex. Managing the relationships between multiple sets of devices and multiple builds on multiple servers requires more than a few lines of code as well as a developed user interface to reduce errors when maintaining configuration.

ZBuildLights (https://github.com/Vector241-Eric/ZBuildLights) exists to handle such a complex environment. The ZBuildLights project tackles the issues faced by a medium to large organization sharing the same Z-Wave network. The results of multiple CI projects from multiple CI servers can be aggregated into a single status display. If a single build in the group fails, the status display shows failure. Additionally, multiple status displays can easily be set up in multiple locations to display the same project status to different areas of a large physical workspace.

ZBuildLights includes an ASP.NET MVC project with a small Windows service to trigger periodic static updates. The Github pages include installation and configuration instructions. If you see something that needs improvement or would like to add additional features, submit an issue. Better yet, send a pull request.

Z-Wave devices work over their own mesh network and don"t require additional hardware or servers to transmit or proxy communications for nodes on the mesh. With the ability to relay signals across multiple nodes increasing the effective range between the controller and devices, a single installation covers multiple teams.

Z-Wave provides a robust wireless communications protocol designed specifically for home automation. Z-Wave devices operate near the 900MHz frequency band, meaning less conflict with WiFi networks and other devices that operate in the 2.4GHz range.

Z-Wave devices work in a mesh network. In mesh networks, the networked devices relay control signals to each other. This relay behavior extends the range between the controller and the devices it can control. The normal open-air range of Z-Wave devices is approximately 100 feet. However, because the signals can be relayed through up to three other nodes, with proper relay devices, the effective range can be closer to 400 feet.

Z-Wave has gained considerable traction in the home automation market. Z-Wave networks can include a variety of devices including electrical switches, door locks, power meters, motion and temperature sensors, and thermostats, to name several.

Service providers ranging from home retailers to telecom companies to security companies provide Z-Wave-based solutions. Companies such as AT&T, Lowes, and ADT along with many smaller companies sell a vast array of devices both as packaged solutions and as individual additions to a Z-Wave network. Additionally, software vendors provide packaged control solutions that allow a wide array of control options including Internet-connected control via computer and mobile devices.

As an authorized Z-Wave distributor we are here to help you start designing Z-Wave components into your end product. The first step is to buy a Development Kit. Devkits come with everything you need including hardware and software.

With these, you will gain access to Z-Wave support and technical documentation as well as various other resources. Remember, all licensees of the Z-Wave development kit are entitled to free online support and are eligible to attend any of the free Z-Wave technical training events held around the globe.

Z-Wave is the leading protocol for the home automation industry. It allows Z-Wave home automation controllers to access and operate numerous everyday devices: lights, locks, outlets, switches, and thermostats. This allows you to operate these devices in an extremely convenient way. You can turn up your thermostat from anywhere. Or you can turn off all the Z-Wave lights in your home with the touch of a button as you leave the home. But even more important than the convenience is the practical advantages that using Z-Wave home automation gives you. It can save energy and money for you. You can turn down the thermostat when the home is empty and up when you are on your way home. Or if your kids leave all the lights on, you can check and turn them off from wherever you are. It can also offer extra safety with Z-Wave locks. You can make sure the doors are locked in case you forgot. You can also use it to let a contractor into your home without needing to be there.

While Z-Wave certified devices are fairly standard in their protocol, some integrated solutions like Alarm.com are not compatible with all Z-Wave devices through their interface. Most devices we carry are fully compatible with Alarm.com. Be sure to check compatibility with your home automation solution.

We have broken down our Z-Wave and home automation devices into four categories. The first is lighting and power devices. Here you will find devices such as wall switches and outlets and even Z-Wave bulbs. The second category is for entry automation devices. We have lever locks, dead bolts, and garage door controls. The third category includes our Z-Wave thermostats. And the final category is our water and other miscellaneous automation devices. This includes a USB Z-Wave hub for use with a PC.

Z-Wave is used by some of the biggest brands in the smart home industry, including Alarm.com and Honeywell; because of its ease of installation, security, and reliability. All Z-Wave devices use wireless communication to talk the controller, much like cell phones, a Wi-Fi network, or wireless security devices. There’s no need to use any hardwired connections to the controller. This makes them much easier to install than other home automation devices. And it also makes it very DIY friendly. The bulbs just screw into an outlet like a normal bulb and the wall outlets are wired just like a normal wall outlet. Signals from Z-Wave devices are extremely well encrypted and each network uses unique identifications so that you never need to worry about compromising your security. Z-Wave devices have an open air range of up to 100 feet. This is of course decreased by physical barriers and other local effects of the environment. But Z-Wave also utilizes a mesh network. Each device that is connected to AC power can receive the signal of another device and repeat the signal to increase the effective range. A signal can go through up to four hops before reaching the Z-Wave hub. Once you have all your Z-Wave devices in place, or when you add a new device to an existing network, you should run a rediscover so that the devices automatically determine the most efficient path of communication.

We carry a wide variety of lighting and power devices. Some of these devices are extremely easy to install. They just need to be plugged in or screwed into an existing outlet or light socket. The LB60Z-1 is a Z-Wave LED bulb with a dimmer function. It can be used to replace any standard bulb with a low energy LED bulb while also adding a dimming feature. This is a great entry point as the physical installation is common knowledge. The plug-in devices are also very easy to use. There’s no need to change out an outlet: just plug it in and connect it to your home automation hub. The plug-in modules (PD300Z-2 and PS15Z-2) both have two outlets: a Z-Wave controlled side and an always on side. The plug-in light module (PD300Z-2) has a dimming feature as well as an auto sense feature. Auto sense allows you to turn on the Z-Wave side directly from the light by switching it off and on again. If you can change out outlets and switches and light fixtures there are numerous options that will give you a little more polished look and feel. For instance if you’re picky about the color and look of the bulbs in your ceiling light or it takes a non-standard bulb, you can change out the light switch with a WS15Z-1 Z-Wave wall switch. There is also a recessed light retrofit kit (LB65R6Z-1). It can be used to replace a 5 or 6 inch can light and has its own white trim for a new look.

Access control is another category of Z-Wave devices that can really add a lot of value to your smart home automation. The GD00Z-4 Z-Wave garage door controller can connect to nearly any model of garage door by wiring it to the same terminals as your garage door push button. From there it connects wirelessly to a tilt sensor mounted on the garage door that allows you to know whether the garage door is open or closed. When activated the device will beep and flash for 5 seconds to warn any bystanders before the door begins to move. It also acts as a repeater node for the mesh network. We also have two styles of Kwikset Z-Wave locks: 910 Deadbolt and 912 Lever Lock. Each style has three finishes: brass, bronze, and nickel. The locks are battery powered and have a side locking bar that prevents lock bumping. They do not act as repeaters for the Z-Wave mesh network. Replacing door locks is not very difficult and these add some awesome security and peace of mind features, making them almost a must-have for any home automation system. One example is if you have kids that come home from school before you get home from work, they’ll never need to worry about forgetting a key. They can input their code. Or if you leave and want to make sure the house is locked up, you can check their status and lock them remotely if needed.

We offer two Z-Wave thermostats. The first is the Nortek (Linear) GC-TBZ48. It has a very classic modern thermostat look with the LCD screen to check the status. The second is the Alarm.com Thermostat (ADC-T2000). It has a very modern look that works well with a wide range of décor. Both can be powered by 4 AA batteries with a battery life of up to 2 years. Or they can also be powered by a 24 VAC C wire if available from your HVAC system. They do not act as a repeater for the Z-Wave mesh network. Having a Z-Wave thermostat is a great way to save a lot of energy in your home while staying comfortable. You can turn down the heat or air conditioning when it is not needed and turn it back up before you get home so that you return to a comfortable temperature. And if you are using Alarm.com with the remote temperature sensor (ADC-S2000-T-RA), you have even more flexibility to make sure that the temperature is comfortable throughout the home.

The final category is a bit of a catch-all. It has the water management devices: WL00Z-1 water flow detector and FortrezZ WV-01 water valve. The water flow detector can be used to alert you if there is water flowing at a time when it is not expected or if water is flowing for longer than expected. The water valve allows you to remotely turn off or on your water. These devices can not only save you money or keep your well from running dry, but also help prevent massive water damage. Property damage from water leaks per year is actually greater than that from burglary so it is no small problem to be prepared for. We also have a USB Z-Wave hub for your PC. It has a free app that allows you to control your Z-Wave devices remotely. It does require your PC to stay on and not in sleep or hibernation mode.

HSM200 senses motion, temperature and light level and it can be programmed to display up to 7 different glowing colors when things happen in the home. The unit is line powered so there are no batteries to change and it works as a repeater for your Z-Wave network.

Since the HSM200 is line powered, there are no batteries to change and the unit automatically operates as a Z-Wave network repeater. Installation is fast and easy. Just plug into any available 120v outlet and tap the button on the side to join it to your Z-Wave network.

Control up to 15 different automation scenes and/or individual Z-Wave devices with the Nexia Z-Wave One Touch Control. Designed to work flawlessly with the Nexia Bridge (or a compatible thermostat), this sleek controller lets you activate a scene or device with the press of a button. Tap a button in the morning to turn on all the lights in your kitchen, for example, and tap another button at night to power down your whole house! Any scene you"ve set up in your Nexia account can be accessed through this controller. Just pair the scene with a button, and enjoy convenient control.Supports 15 scenes with 5 control buttons and 3 menu pages

The battery-powered Nexia Z-Wave One Touch Control can be mounted to a wall or used as a handheld remote, and it"s capable of managing your entire Nexia system. It has five "Control Buttons" and an LCD screen where you can flip through up to three scene menus using the three "Page Buttons", allowing you to access up to 15 scenes (and/or individual Z-Wave devices) with a single controller. Each scene/device can be given a unique name in the controller.

The blue backlit LCD screen typically remains turned off until you wake it up by pressing any button. It also wakes itself up every six hours to check for updates from your Nexia Bridge. If you use your Nexia account to program a button to control a new scene, for example, that change will be updated in the controller as soon as the controller wakes up, either manually upon a button press or automatically upon an update check.

Z-Wave Plus is an upgraded certification program to help you identify products that take advantage of the "Next Gen" Z-Wave hardware platform, also known as 500 Series or Gen5 Z-Wave. Z-Wave Plus certified solutions feature a selected set of extended features and capabilities that enhance your experience with faster and easier installation and setup. Z-Wave Plus advancements also provide longer battery life, faster operation, better wireless range and improved noise immunity.

The controller is powered by the two included AAA batteries. You can optionally mount it indoors to a wall with the integrated mounting bracket and included screws and anchors. The controller enrolls into your Nexia Bridge just like any other Z-Wave device.

The makers of Nexia Home Intelligence believe every home can be a connected home, as long as the system is easy to install and doesn"t break the bank. Designed with everyday homeowners in mind, Nexia is that system. Nexia Home Intelligence connects your home to your smartphone or tablet through Z-Wave and the Internet, introducing incredible flexibility to the modern smart home. It"s also compatible with big brand names, like Schlage and Trane, so you know your Nexia system can keep you safe and comfortable without fail. Manage your home affordably and reliably, from anywhere, with Nexia.

If you’re looking for a Z Wave thermostat, then you have come to the right place. I have compiled a thorough list that will help you find what you’re looking for. And, if you’re not quite sure if a Z Wave thermostat IS what you’re looking for, I’ll do my best to explain exactly what a Z Wave thermostat is and who it’s for.

A Z Wave thermostat is a thermostat that communicates wirelessly using the Z Wave protocol. If this is your first Z Wave product, you should know that it will require a Z Wave controller to function properly.

If you already have other Z Wave products in your home, it will act as another node in your home automation web. And, if your automation hub links to the internet, you will be able to control your thermostat from anywhere with an internet connection.

All Z Wave thermostats will you allow you to adjust and monitor the temperature of your home for both heating and cooling. Some models are equipped with humidity sensors to monitor the relative humidity in your home as well. It can also communicate with other home devices through your controller to set up advanced, or “smart”, control options.

The Z Wave protocol is a method for wireless communication between home automation devices. It is a set of standardized commands that make it easier for a wide range of devices to communicate with each other. WiFi is an example of another protocol. For a more technical explanation, visit here.

Z Wave was created so that different brands and different types of products can “talk” to each other in a common language. That way, you can buy an automation controller from company A, a thermostat from company B, and a motion sensor from company C and they will all work together seamlessly.

The Z Wave technology operates at a lower frequency than many other wireless devices. This will reduce the threat of interference with other wireless devices. Less interference means signals can travel farther with less power and be more reliable.

Without getting too technical, the lower frequency means that the wavelength of the signal will be longer. This is good because longer wavelength signals are better at traveling through walls and other obstacles you might encounter in your home.

Devices using Z Wave can be operated in a low-power “standby” mode. This allows battery-powered devices to maintain connectivity and still have a long battery life.

A: If you already have a network of Z Wave compatible products, you probably want to keep expanding your Z Wave web and make sure your thermostat is speaking the same language.

A: If you would like to fill your home with smart lights and switches and speakers and whatever other wonderful devices someone might invent, then there is a great benefit to having Z Wave. The network gets stronger and more reliable with more devices. Compare that to something like WIFI which gets congested and begins to slow down with many devices.

A: In a Z Wave network, each individual component acts as a range extender. This allows a Z Wave network to have greater ranges and to “bend” around obstacles. Also, the lower operating frequency of Z Wave performs better than WiFi or Zigbee when passing through walls.

A: Building a Z Wave home automation network takes some technical skills and that’s not for everyone. If you’re looking for something that you just plug in and it works, no problem! Most WiFi thermostats work like that. The best ones are quite a bit more expensive, but there are some good cheaper choices too.

If you’re looking to buy a Z Wave thermostat, you’re probably not looking for fancy features and frills. If you wanted that, you would buy a WiFi thermostat.

By itself, the thermostat doesn’t do much, but that’s by design. It has a very simple LCD screen with limited information. It isn’t programmable and it doesn’t monitor humidity. But, none of that should be a problem if you plan on hooking it up to your Z Wave controller.

If you’re looking for a more modern, sleek looking, and all-around great thermostat, the Alarm.com Smart Thermostat fits the bill. The dotted temperature display looks similar to the Zen Thermostat by SwannOne and that’s a good thing.

It’s a bit more expensive than the GoControl, but it uses the latest Z Wave Plus specifications and can function with or without a battery. With Z Wave Plus, battery life can be expected to be up to 50% longer and range up to 67% more.

This thermostat will work with any Z Wave hub, but if you have an alarm.com account, you get some added features. The Alarm.com system will provide a simple software interface for scheduling and will automatically configure your thermostat for optimal battery life.

One feature that really makes the Radio Thermostats stand out is the wireless module is interchangeable. This model comes with a WiFi module installed, but it is possible to switch out the module for a Z Wave Plus module. However, you will have to purchase the Z Wave Plus module separately.

The Remotec ZTS-500 looks like a really nice product. However, it’s still fairly new and not “battle tested” in my opinion. I think it may find itself at the top of this list in the near future. It has all the latest Z Wave features including Z Wave Plus and AES128 encrypted secure communication.

Most Z Wave thermostats are fairly conventional looking, but this one looks a little more modern. It has a black face with round corners that kind of makes it look like the latest ecobee thermostats.

For those of you without a c-wire, it offers a reasonable battery powered alternative. It has Z Wave Plus so it uses less power than the old standard Z Wave. You can expect 4 AA batteries to power the ZTS-500 for about a year.

The Honeywell YTH8320ZW1007/U is a popular offering that has been around for awhile. The thermostatproudly displays the Z Wave logo right above the large backlit touchscreen display. It works for the standard 5 wire setup and for heat pumps. It does not have a battery option so it won’t work if you don’t have a c-wire. However, it does come with an add-a-wire adapter if you are currently without a c-wire.

In case you don’t plan on using the Z Wave capability right away, this unit can be used as a standalone programmable thermostat. Programmable mode lets you set up a 7-day schedule with up to 4 periods per day. There are multiple options for timed holds and fan control. It supports auto switch between heating and cooling. It will send alerts when you are due for a filter change or when it senses a problem with your equipment.

The Trane XR524 has features that are very similar to the Honeywell mentioned above. It does have the added benefit of being officially approved for use with Nexia. It’s also capable of working with multi-zone systems.

The Stelpro KI STZW402WB+ is the only Z Wave thermostat I have found for line-voltage applications. If you have electric baseboard heat or wall convection heaters, this is the type of thermostat you need. It looks great, it does not require batteries, and it supports the latest Z Wave Plus technology. For a closer look at everything it can do, see my

The RCS TZ45 is an offering from Residential Control Systems. I would describe this as a very nice programmable thermostat that just happens to have Z Wave. There are a total of six buttons with on-screen labels to make using it quite painless. It has a robust programmable schedule which allows for up to 4 separate 7-day schedules.

The TZ45 can be paired with up to two indoor wireless sensors. These remote sensors let you control temperature based on the parts of the house you actually use instead of only where the thermostat is mounted.

The COM port of the Z-Stick can be found under the device manager in Windows (Control Panel/Device Manager). To find the COM port for Linux and Mac is a bit different, the command lines above for their respective OS can be used to find the correct ports.

With Z-Stick Gen5 or S2, the button can be used to remove or add devices to its network manually without software. Typically it is preferred to use the software chosen to include or exclude devices.

Now go to your Switch or Z-Wave device, and tap its button quickly (most devices use a single tap, but some Z-Wave devices may have special operations to pair, please refer to your Z-Wave device"s manual to pair it to Z-Stick).

If successful, you"ll notice that the Z-Stick Gen5s LED will blink rapidly, and if the pairing was a complete success, the LED on Z-Stick Gen5s blue LED will become solid for 2 seconds (if it failed, then a red LED will appear for 2 seconds instead) then continue to blink blue slowly

Now go to your Switch or Z-Wave device, and tap its button quickly (most devices use a single tap, but some Z-Wave devices may have special operations to unpair, please refer to your Z-Wave devices manual to unpair it from the Z-Stick).

If successful, you"ll notice that the Z-Stick Gen5s LED will become solid blue for 2 seconds to indicate a successful unpair, then it will return to blinking yellow rapidly to allow you to continue removing other devices.

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You"ve made it home, let Z-Wave make it smart.Z-Wave is the leading wireless technology behind many of the secure, trusted brands that are working to make everyone’s home smarter and safer. With Z-Wave, smart home products can communicate with each other no matter what brand or platform they are built on using a central smart hub.The hub ensures the devices in the home are connected to each other and to you via one simple smartphone or tablet app. With over 20 years in the marketplace, Z-Wave technology has an extended range and best-in-class security measures to keep your home network smarter AND safer.The right smart products for you.Unlike most other technology platforms for the smart home, Z-Wave has been around for over 20 years. Not only does this mean Z-Wave has been testing, reinvesting, and revolutionizing smart home tech, it’s also why Z-Wave has the largest and most diverse ecosystem on the market.With 3300 Z-Wave certified products — from lighting, locks, thermostats, sensors + more — and top brands across the home, you can find the products you need.

The first step? Select your smart hub.A smart home hub acts as a central command center for each connected device — Z-Wave and non-Z-Wave — to talk to each other and most importantly — talk to you. Z-Wave smart home hubs have different features and capabilities and include at least Z-Wave and Wi-Fi technologies inside. Wi-Fi enables you to connect with your system while you"re home or away and at the same time, Z-Wave provides a secure way for the devices on the network to talk to one another.Whether you use your cell phone, tablets or voice assistants — every single product can be controlled and managed in one place thanks to the smart hub.Hubs not only send commands to the connected devices in your network but they come equipped with just *one* app to do it all. Z-Wave smart hubs allow you to use *one* smart home app to control, access and monitor your home, the loved ones inside and the products themselves.From smart lights for your kitchen to smart locks for your entryway

In 2010, a Minnesotan named Erwin Lingitz was arrested in a Supervalu grocery store after spending an excessive amount of time at the deli counter. In the words of a Supervalu spokesperson, Lingitz had violated “societal norms and common customer understanding regarding free-sample practices.” While the charges were later dropped, the evidence remains incriminating: After a search, Lingitz was found to have stored in his pockets about a dozen soy sauce packets and “1.46 pounds of summer sausage and beef stick samples.”

Lingitz may have gotten carried away, but his impulse is more or less universal. People love free, people love food, and thus, people love free food. Retailers, too, have their own reasons to love sampling, from the financial (samples have boosted sales in some cases by as much as 2,000 percent) to the behavioral (they can sway people to habitually buy things that they never used to purchase).Samples have boosted sales in some cases by as much as 2,000 percent.

While DeMeo insists that the short-term spike in sales isn’t the only effect of product sampling that matters—it"s great for making customers loyal to stores and brands over longer periods of time—the figures are impressive. In the past year, Interactions’ beer samples at many national retailers on average boosted sales by 71 percent, and its samples of frozen pizza increased sales by 600 percent. (These figures are in line with the few others that are publicly available.)

This 2011 study also highlighted the importance of making sure a demo table doesn’t go unattended. “Samplers with a heightened awareness of the presence of others at the sampling station may feel a level of social ‘pressure’ to make a post-sample purchase,” the researchers wrote. Shoppers might feel they owe the demonstrator something—reinforcing Ariely’s point about reciprocity—but they also felt the need to right a perceived karmic imbalance when they were accompanied at the table only by other shoppers.If it weren"t considered a retailer, Costco would be number 11 on the list of the biggest pizzerias in the U.S., just ahead of Round Table.

Now, the stores serve pizza as well, and—given that there were 468 U.S. Costco locations at last count—if it weren’t considered a retailer, Costco would be number 11 on the list of the biggest pizzerias in the U.S., just ahead of Round Table. And calling it a pizzeria might not be too much of a stretch: Families often go to Costco warehouses for a cheap lunch, and sometimes don’t do any shopping. “The more positive experiences people have with Costco, the more likely they are, presumably, to shop at Costco, to bring up Costco in conversation,” says Art Carden, a professor of economics at Samford University.

I bought this to integrate with my existing Alarm.com 2gig security system with zwave, monitored through Brink"s. To help others looking for a compatible thermostat with the alarm.com service, know that my review centers around use with the former GC2e model security panel that I have mounted in a separate location throughout the home. Alarm.com is now selling the newer GC3e security panel, and I suppose it"s likely this will pair to the GC3e just the same as the GC2e since the GC3e is also 2gig, and with the same hiccups I experienced.

There were a few different 2gig thermostats I found that had the operational features I desired, though there was limited and conflicting information/reviews regarding alarm.com compatibility. This Trane thermostat stood out for me since it most closely resembled the auxillary alarm.com keypad that I was mounting next to in size and dimensions, allowing for a balanced look on the wall, including similar proportions between the touch screen and bordering bevels on the thermostat and auxillary keypad. (I tried uploading a photo of the two side-by-side with this review, but apparently this Amazon listing has maxed out for allowable photo uploads accompanying former reviews)

Installation was relatively straightforward, as I have a single stage HVAC system with a single zone, although I did have to run a "C" (constant) voltage wire from the furnace panel to power the thermostat since replacing a battery operated thermostat; this was easy enough given that the existing thermostat wiring in my walls had an extra 25volt wire and was able to follow the instructions within this thermostat"s accompanying manual to complete the wiring task.

After installation, the setup and pairing with the GC2e security panel "seemed" pretty straightforward despite a couple extra bells and whistles the Trane thermostat has in comparison to the previous alarm.com thermostat I was replacing.

Throughout 2 days of testing with the alarm.com app, I found problem #1) the schedule settings within my alarm com application were not driving the thermostat"s settings consistently, leaving the thermostat was going rogue with my temperature control beyond any temperature setting I entered in both the alarm.com app, security panel, and the thermostat itself. Then shortly after day 2, the GC2e security panel lost connection with the thermostat. I was ready to return the item after Trane tech support was unable to assist, though I continued to troubleshoot on my own.

After a full reset and then tinkering within the thermostat settings, I found that you must disable the Local Schedule on the thermostat if you want your 2gig panel to drive the thermostat schedule rather than the thermostat itself; this is the path/(button presses) to access: [User Settings->(Select)->Thermostat->(Select)->(Next)->(Next)->LocalScheduleEnable->(Select) to toggle "off" or "on"]. After ensuring the local schedule is disabled, you will then want to ensure that within the main user interface of the panel, that the Schedule button mode is blank, and not set to "ESM"(Energy Saving Mode). Since making those changes and re-pairing the thermostat to my GC2e security panel, the thermostat has operated flawlessly for going on 2 weeks at this point in time, and the thermostat is responding as expected to the heating/cooling and fan schedules set within the alarm.com application.

Sensors need to be set up using a smartphone app, and there are several software ecosystems—often called platforms—you can use with them that in turn are compatible with a whole bunch of devices made by a whole bunch of different companies. (The most popular platforms include Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings; IFTTT is another service that allows you to automate devices from different companies, which we explain in This App Turns Any Smart Device Into a Multitasker.) These platforms are great because they allow you to consolidate the controls of all (or most of) your smart devices into a single app, and they also bring perks like voice control when used with smartphones, smart speakers, smart displays, and tablets. They also let you configure your sensors to trigger other devices, using what are called Routines, Scenes, and Automations. The choice of smart platform is up to you, however if you already use an Amazon Alexa device or an Apple HomePod speaker, you might consider sticking with the platform they support. In addition to discussing sensors that work with smart-home platforms, we included in this guide a few sensors that work with their own app, as well as some that work with multiple platforms, so you don’t have to be locked into just one.

Most sensors communicate over Z-Wave or Zigbee wireless signals (though a few may use common Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, too.) The advantage is that they’re especially energy efficient and therefore support long battery life; they also create a mesh wireless connection, which means each device shares its wireless connection with the sensors closest to it. This way nothing goes out of range—a huge issue you’ve probably experienced if you can’t get on Wi-Fi in certain corners of your home. The downside is that these sensors may also require that you use a device called a hub or bridge, which acts like a mediator between your sensors and your home Wi-Fi network (some smart speakers also function as hubs).

For maximum convenience we prioritized sensors that were compatible with at least one of the three largest smart-home ecosystems: Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and Samsung SmartThings. We also restricted our search to devices that had strong user and professional reviews, as well as any we had selected in the past in the three existing guides to smart sensors (this guide is a consolidation of those previous guides).

We also evaluated the design, build quality, size, and mounting options as top priorities. Our assumption was that anyone interested in home automation would plan to install multiple sensors throughout their home, so price became a serious factor as we made our picks. Spending $40 or more on a contact sensor for every door in a house would add up very quickly.Security, privacy, and smart sensors

Centralite:The sensors themselves don"t store any user data, only Zigbee network data. User data is stored in the hub or the hub"s cloud; data is encrypted in the cloud in the hubs we know of.

The Aqara Motion Sensor works reliably, is very small, easy to install, and yet costs just $20 (a newer version is now available; check out What to look forward to for details). Though it uses a Zigbee wireless signal and works with both Amazon Alexa and Apple HomeKit, it can’t connect to them directly and needs an Aqara hub to connect to either platform, which at least helps boost wireless range (there are three hub models: The Aqara Hub M1S plugs directly into an outlet; the Aqara Hub M2 plugs into a router; and the Aqara Camera Hub G2H doubles as a camera).

The Centralite Micro Motion Sensor is also inexpensive and a good option if you are already using Samsung’s SmartThings platform; it can also pair directly to any Zigbee-enabled Alexa smart speaker in lieu of using a hub (see FAQs for a deeper explanation). In our testing it is larger and more expensive than the Aqara and had fractionally slower response times; it also doesn’t work with HomeKit.Smart contact sensor

The Aqara Door and Window Sensor is the smallest contact sensor we tested, as well as the cheapest, and we found it easy to mount unobtrusively on a drawer or a door. It works with Alexa and HomeKit or on its own with the Aqara app. In our testing, it was very responsive, turning on a smart bulb in a closet in less than a second, then off again when we closed the door. The Aqara communicates using Zigbee wireless signals and has excellent range, but you’ll also need to purchase an Aqara hub, though that is able to support up to 128 sensors. In our tests it worked perfectly even when sequestered in the top floor of our house at the absolute farthest point away from its hub, and uses an inexpensive CR1632 coin battery.

Slightly larger and more expensive than our pick, but compatible with SmartThings as well as Alexa, this sensor works with Zigbee speakers (like the latest Echo) and works reliably with excellent range.

If you don’t want to use a separate hub or are looking for a SmartThings-compatible device, the Centralite Micro Door Sensor is also inexpensive and small (although bigger than the Aqara sensor). In our tests it had an excellent response time and good range. It has to be paired with a compatible Amazon Echo or Zigbee hub for connectivity and will need that device’s app for setup and configuration.Smart temperature sensor

The Centralite Temperature and Humidity Sensor is an inexpensive, reliable device that has three mounting options (including an option to mount it with screws as opposed to the double-sided tape most sensors rely on), making it easy to install securely. To use it you have to pair directly to a Zigbee-based smart-home hub, such as SmartThings or some Amazon Echo devices, and from there you can set up Automations.

If you already own a Hue Hub and smart bulbs, you might want to consider the $40 Philips Hue Motion Sensor. The company also has an outdoor motion sensor with the same capabilities. With a Hue hub it also works with HomeKit and can trigger any HomeKit accessory, but the light automations that you activate through the Hue app are much easier to set up than HomeKit’s. Without a hub you can pair the motion sensor directly to a Zigbee-enabled Echo device, and it can trigger any connected accessories. In our testing it was super responsive and consistent, with an excellent range (while using a hub) and amazing battery life (over three years). However, it is much larger than our top pick, the Aqara, and twice the price.

If you need a sensor to work with a Z-Wave thermostat or sun-blocking smart blinds, consider the Aeotec Multisensor 6. It’s a 6-in-1 Z-Wave sensor that monitors light, motion, humidity, UV, and vibration. Its versatile design means you can mount it in the ceiling, power it with a battery or a USB cable and an AC adapter, place it on a flat surface, or use one of two mounting options, but you pay a lot for all these functions and features. Also, in our testing with SmartThings the reaction time was very slow—6 to 8 seconds. The Aeotec TriSensor is a less expensive option if you just want light, motion, and temperature monitoring and don’t need the ability to plug into power (it’s battery only). But it uses an expensive CR123A battery and had just as slow a response time in our testing.What to look forward to

Aeotec will release a SmartThings Multipurpose Sensor and SmartThings Motion Sensor—previously they had been picks and were discontinued by Samsung (Aeotec will also release a SmartThings-certified hub). We loved these Zigbee-based sensors for their ease of use, low price, and ability to pair directly with Zigbee-enabled Echo devices. We will test them when they are available.

In our most recent testing we found that any sensor connected through SmartThings had significantly slower response times than those connected through Alexa or HomeKit. It seems changes to the SmartThings platform are causing this delay. We plan to retest previous sensor picks from Aeotec and Fibaro, along with other Z-Wave and Zigbee sensors when the new Aeotec SmartThings hub is available, as well as with a different Z-Wave hub. In the meantime, if you have a Z-Wave–based smart home we recommend considering sensors from these companies as they worked well in previous testing.

Wyze is releasing version two of its Wyze Sense sensors later this year. Currently, the motion and contact sensors are available as part of the Wyze Home Monitoring security system, which uses the Wyze Sense Hub and works with Alexa. But you have to subscribe to the annual professional monitoring plan for them to work. Wyze tells us that it plans to release them without a subscription as a successor to the original Wyze Sense line, although there is no release date yet.

The Fibaro Door/Window Sensor 2 (Z-Wave or HomeKit) is available in multiple colors, making it a good option if you have a variety of decor to fit in with. However, they are expensive and if you need more than one, we think cheaper models are a better option. Also the HomeKit version is Bluetooth not Thread.

The EcoLink Door/Window Sensor Z-wave Plus also provides a brown option, though we found it larger and less attractive than the Fibaro sensor. It installs with tape or screws/brackets for long-term stability and durability and claims an impressive 3-year battery life, but it’s much larger and more expensive than our pick.

The Aeotec Triangle Door/Window Sensor 6 (Z-Wave) gets full marks for ingenuity. This triangle-shaped sensor is as thin as a piece of cardboard and fits snugly in the upper corner of a door, making it very unobtrusive. However, its accompanying magnet is black and stands out unattractively on a white or light-colored door. It also has to be removed and charged every six months, which is annoying.

The Ecolink Z-Wave PET Immune Plus Motion Detector is large and has a fixed four-to-five-minute reset time, which really only makes it suitable as a security device since it will ignore you for large chunks of time after triggering once. It has a great battery life and a 45-foot range, but its touted pet immunity failed in our testing.

The Ecolink PET Immune Motion Detector Zigbee is large, hard to mount, and rarely if ever worked to trigger routines through Alexa, which it pairs to directly without a hub.

The Ecolink Door/Window Contact Zigbee Sensor has a completely different design from the Z-Wave version and only comes in white but is slimmer and sleeker. It pairs directly with a Zigbee-enabled hub, including Echo speakers, and when we first tested it it worked reliably. But it unpaired itself from the Echo at some point, and we could never get it to reconnect.

The Monoprice Stitch Door and Window Sensor is the only contact sensor that connects to Alexa through Wi-Fi and is capable of triggering Routines. It can connect directly with any Echo, not just the Zigbee-enabled ones. It’s inexpensive and attractive, but it’s comparatively bulky because it uses two AAA batteries to keep running on power-sucking Wi-Fi. Additionally, in our testing it took between two and eight-plus seconds to trigger a Routine—much longer than sensors that connect via Zigbee. Also, Monoprice’s native app has a truly heinous-sounding alert on your smartphone, which you cannot change (although you can turn it off, which we did immediately).Frequently asked questions

Setting up sensors with Alexa is very simple. You just need a Zigbee-enabled Echo: either the Echo 4th Gen, Echo Studio, Echo Plus, or Echo Show. Activate the sensor following the manufacturer instructions and Alexa will discover it. Then you can link the sensor to your other Alexa-compatible devices with Routines. So, instead of having to ask Alexa to turn on the lights when you enter a certain room, they’ll just turn on automatically when you walk in. This article explores different ways to use Routines.

SmartThings is compatible with a wide range of Z-Wave and Zigbee sensors (see a list here). To pair a sensor with a SmartThings-certified hub, first check if it’s compatible, select “Add a device” in your SmartThings app, follow the steps to include it in your network, and then install it and check that it’s responding correctly. Initially, devices may need to be closer to the hub, but the more devices you add, the farther your network will extend, as both Zigbee and Z-Wave devices can act as repeaters, creating what’s called a mesh network in your home—each device ensures other devices stay online. Choose from pre-set automations such as Smart Lighting, which uses motion sensors to activate smart lighting, or create custom automations using “if then” commands: If this sensor detects something, then make this happen.

Once you’ve set up sensors in your home, you can use the Home app (preinstalled on all iPhones and iPads) to create Scenes and Automations that then use those sensors to tell your home how to react to motion and activity (HomeKit doesn’t offer temperature as a trigger but you can use a free third-party app, such as the one from Eve to set this up). You can also tailor those actions to the time of day and who is at home. For example, you might have the shades lower only if it’s after sunset, or you might personalize which lights turn on based on who arrives home and when (which your HomeKit system detects based on the presence of their smartphone). The person-specific trigger is a great aspect of HomeKit, one that most other hubs don’t offer, and it makes sensors much more useful in multiperson homes.

There are several Google Home-compatible sensors, including Z-Wave and Zigbee sensors from Aeotec and Fibaro (paired through a SmartThing