Smarthome for starters (part 1)

What is a smart home and what are the differences?

First, the basic construction of a smart home should be clarified.
Each Smarthome must necessarily consist of 3 components (at least).

1. Home automation system – This usually serves to connect multiple devices
2. Actors – Actors at the end “Work”
3. Sensors – sensors take the environment and let the Smarthome react to these changes.

1. Home automation systems

Home automation systems form the basis of a smart home. You differ only by the final Provider, functional scope and hosting type.
From the back starting we see the main difference, which Use can be most noticeable. The hosting type must are necessarily cleared from the outset.
The hosting type can assume 2 types at the end:

1. On Premise
2. Cloud

Whether the Smarthome system works in the cloud or local (on-prem), usually does not matter during normal use (experience technology). Both systems work and can, in a majority, also operate the same offer functions.
However, the respective advantages and disadvantages of the systems that I will deal with in the following.

1.1 Local home automation

Local home automation means nothing more than the all logic required to control the system, a system within the self-managed network (usually in own LAN (connected to the router).
For the use of Basic functionalities are therefore not necessary. To this will usually reach a small box or a server within apartment / house set up which run a control software (e.g. Home Assistant, Open HAB, domotic and others. However, there are also providers that supply everything directly, e.g. Loxone, GIRA or wibutler).

The advantages and disadvantages must always be considered personally ,. There is no general solution for everyone.

Benefits

• Data is available locally (even in case of an Internet failure, can automations run and the system can reach the devices and control
• No dependency on manufacturers (if a completely detached control software like Home Assistant is used)
• Performance can be customized to the needs
• Due to the short communication paths, the latency is lower
• Mostly there are more ways to integrate 3rd party systems
• Depending on the configuration, the system is completely sealed off from the Internet, making unauthorized penetration more difficult
• Depending on the control software, a huge product range can be used (no manufacturer binding)

Disadvantages

• Maintenance must be carried out by yourself (updates, system care, repairs, etc.)
• There must be a proper backup strategy to restore the services in case of damage
• A little knowledge is usually assumed. Introduction incl. steep learning curve necessarily present
• Time expenditure relatively large
• Costs for hardware and electricity must be calculated

The above disadvantages are difficult to digest in any case, just when it comes to backups, the least are strange interested. Furthermore, a local system requires significantly more Work as a cloud solution. Also consequent damage due to updates must In this context, the Commission will have to take account of this. How fast it happened that after a Update systems no longer work because the other software does not Update has been received and you yourself did not know this information...
However, this list referred to pure software solutions.
If you buy a Smarthome system, e.g. Loxone, then fall disadvantages such as update uncertainties, backups, etc., of course large part away. The in particular manufacturers have their own systems, but in the high price reflect.

Since I have cut this issue now, we are also here What is the difference between a software Smarthome, which only offers the control center (e.g. Home Assistant) and a purchased Smarthome complete package (e.g. Loxone).

First of all, of course, one should clearly consider the price. If we now only from the pure control center without any accessories like Lamps, switches, etc., then we can run a software like Homeassistant easily operate on a Raspberry PI 4 currently exploding prices (as of 2022), we can from about 100€ out. However, this is also a cheaper mini PC with more power in. Alternatively, a notebook or the like can also be used. Once we have the hardware, we're done and we can do everything, from light, safety technology, to multimedia control.
In Compared to Loxone, we start at 495€ – 620€ for the miniserver (Compact), which is essential for basic control. Included possible extensions for relays etc., which are significantly more expensive are, for example, an I2C module for a Raspberry Pi.

A purchased complete solution is therefore significantly more expensive. However, it should be mentioned here that it is also a complete solution. In Loxone it is possible to do everything from one to preserve and make manufacturers. The components are developed to work together. There are professional deployment teams that build and configure everything. A technical support to which you can contact and in principle all the amenities that make an AllFromOne solution a.
The disadvantage is, of course, quite clear, the manufacturer Zwang. Loxone has interfaces to other systems, but these are selected by the manufacturer and if it does not have the desired product the appropriate interface, must either costly at the manufacturer to be purchased, or in the worst case to a functionality are omitted.

What you like better at the end is a matter of taste and defined of course also about the will, how much money in such a system to be plugged. Systems like Loxone make everything for the user incl. Installation and programming. You can also However, this is only the case with more manufacturers Software is possible and the community is usually smaller, there are but of course a customer service that may help. A system like Home Assistant has a huge community, but there is no one here guaranteed support. You can ask in forums or here and there are service providers, but this is not related to a company, what develops and distributes its own solution and accordingly good know.

1.2 Cloud systems

The most affordable products on the market are so-called. Cloud Control centers. Here a small device is clamped to the router (e.g. SilverCrest Bridge, Tuya Bridge, etc.). These control the local Devices based on ZigBee, for example, and send the data to respective manufacturers or platform operators. Here, however, that this does not always have to be like that. There are also cloud devices, which can work completely locally after registration. There are other than devices (e.g. smart surveillance cameras) usually depend on the Internet and do not work properly, when the Internet connection breaks away...
The system type “Cloud” is but at a distance the easiest and at the same time cheapest. The Manufacturer delivers everything from product to platform and this will administrated for the user.
Only the installation must be carried out by the buyer himself, where there are also service providers...

Benefits

• Very cheap hardware
• Infinitely many products available (possibly but not compatible)
• Easy operation and setup

Disadvantages

• No data force – what happens to the data can never be said with certainty. (See Eufy)
• These systems are usually constructed cheaply and are therefore not particularly well secured (see IoT Botnets)

Conclusion

Having a smart home likes to have a nice and simple Listening to this, but already at the very beginning important Decisions will be made which include the later costs, Own effort and implementation influence.
On Premise Systems are my personal choice as I have my data with me . Here you can still decide whether to “All in One” wants to put solution and is accordingly also ready to to accept these disadvantages and to the manufacturer, where appropriate. to be reliant. But of course, the whole Comfort benefits. Alternatively, you can put on e.g. Home Assistant and can look at a huge community, with many talented People who help you and new plugins every day, which you may can also write yourself. For this freedom, however, one also exchanges time. Whether it is a value for oneself, one must decide.
Finally, there are the cloud solutions for but not a real solution. For retrofitting for the RGB Lamp in the living room may be nice and comfortable. My current Smart Home as an example with 93 connected devices, would but I do not want to do so. Of which: Apart from this, however, this would not work. A bridge of e.g. Tuya can control 50 ZigBee devices. Currently I have 65 and need 2 pieces. In addition, my own extensions come to my Virtualizers and NAS systems. This would be a solution of this type. not possible. The entry is with such a cloud solution super made and recommended for such things also clearly if you only one I don't want to sniff.

In the following parts I will continue with the topic Smarthome Use components. After and after this becomes a big chapter negotiated. to press everything into a post, would ber while reading Have fun, be informative.