Cresting the Z-Wave of the Future

I was invited to a posh apartment in New York’s upper East Side this week to get a hands-on experience with Z-Wave, a home control protocol. Z-Wave is a radio frequency technology for wirelessly turning on and off appliances like lights and drapes. It creates a mesh network in which a device communicates to the others letting them know it’s status to ensure there are no overlapping signals and mistakes. Since it’s wireless, Z-Wave doesn’t require extensive installation, so it’s good for retrofits and apartments. There are small plug-in modules allowing you to control lamps or wall modules for installed lighting. There are also Z-Wave heating/AC controllers so you an can adjust the temperature and lighting in your house from a remote you keep on your nightstand.

At the Z-Wave apartment I was taken around to different stations where applications were being demonstrated—temperature control by ACT, lighting touch panels by Cooper, Leviton and Intermatic, remote security by iCONTROL. Due to the numerous tours and demos being conducted simultaneously, the lights were constantly fluctuating, shades dancing  and temperature shooting up and down like the place was haunted.  

Picture this: It’s bedtime and you’re watching TV. You press a Nighttime button on your remote to shut down you’re A/V system. At the same time, all the house lights are turned off or dimmed (depending on your preference) except your bathroom (because it’s always the last stop before bed) and your nightstand light. The temperature is also taken down a few degrees. Once you get into bed, the night stand light automatically shuts off because it was configured with a 20 minute timer. Of course any of this can be overridden with the little keychain remote you keep in the drawer in case you want to read in bed. Pretty much all of this can be done with off-the-shelf products from a Loewes or Best Buy.

The biggest challenge for the Z-Wave home owner is the programming. For that, different devices use different software. Right now, one of the most complete Z-wave implementation comes from Monster in the form of the AVL300 remote—it’s a handheld remote based on Harmony’s device database, which makes programming fairly easy. Some of the other Z-Wave applications I saw at the NY apartment would require a bit more time with the user manual.

Z-Wave is one of a few new control protocols floating around. One of the main benefits of Z-wave is that it’s an open system, so anyone can make a Z-Wave-compatible product.  X10 is one that’s been around for 20 years, but once you start with X10, you’re stuck in the X10 world forever. I’d like to see Z-Wave implemented in more A/V products like Media Center PCs, Viiv gear or home theater receivers. How cool would to be to use your home theater receiver as the brain center for controlling everything else in your house—not just the TV and DVR? Maybe soon.

A review of Monster’s AVL300 remote will appear in the Nov/Dec issue of E-Gear magazine.