Home automation

[Tron3219]

You could shield it but you'd be the weirdo on the street. You can create an anechoic chamber by wrapping your house in steel.

Something a lil less obtrusive? Lol

[dan991]

Something a lil less obtrusive? Lol

Not really... that's the problem with ISM bands. There is no regulation. Your neighbors garage door opener literally could potentially shut off your lights or turn on your TV. Most of the time that doesn't happen because of a range issue but it CAN happen because there aren't any rules that say otherwise.

[Tron3219]

Not really... that's the problem with ISM bands. There is no regulation. Your neighbors garage door opener literally could potentially shut off your lights or turn on your TV. Most of the time that doesn't happen because of a range issue but it CAN happen because there aren't any rules that say otherwise.

Gotcha...so I just did some research, and z-wave runs at 900 MHz...isn't that what the old cordless phones and CB's run on?

[dan991]

Gotcha...so I just did some research, and z-wave runs at 900 MHz...isn't that what the old cordless phones and CB's run on?

Yep, and 10,000 other things; which makes it unreliable. That's why I said go wired.

[Tron3219]

Yep, and 10,000 other things; which makes it unreliable. That's why I said go wired.

How does interference happen if the device being controlled has a "node address" that has to be paired with the network address of the controller and can only be controlled by that network address? It's like pairing Bluetooth right?

[dan991]

The interference isn't in respects to the addressing of devices. That's part of the communications protocol. The "interference" is based on the device not even getting the data or "packet loss" per se. The engineering term is called "Near Far Syndrome". Essentially its like sticking a French dude and a German dude in a small room. Both start screaming in their own language. The problem is because both are screaming their own language you really can't make out what either are saying so you just ignore it as noise.

[Tron3219]

The interference isn't in respects to the addressing of devices. That's part of the communications protocol. The "interference" is based on the device not even getting the data or "packet loss" per se. The engineering term is called "Near Far Syndrome". Essentially its like sticking a French dude and a German dude in a small room. Both start screaming in their own language. The problem is because both are screaming their own language you really can't make out what either are saying so you just ignore it as noise.

Ahhhh so it's a RF strength issue. An outside signal overpowering controller to device...gotcha...so if the controller has a strong enough transmitter or not is the problem with unreliability?