HomeWizard from Smartwares is a new, wireless home automation system which has been designed to provide excellent home automation capabilities at an affordable cost.
The system works using wireless communications between the modules. You can program a remote control or sensor to switch a single receiver or multiple receivers together.
Using the HomeWizard controller, you can make the system much smarter. The controller will allow you to create lighting scenes, automate devices based on logic conditions, switch devices and lights on remotely via the web or a smartphone app and much more.
For example, using the HomeWizard controller you can switch on a heater when the room temperature is below a certain point, and the weather forecast is predicting it will be getting colder, and it’s after a certain time of day.
This is also useful from a security point of view. You can configure the controller to alert you if motion is detected at certain times of day (the times when you wouldn’t be at home, for example). If you’ve got IP cameras, the HomeWizard can retrieve images from this too - allowing you to have a much smarter security set-up than just a camera or alarm system.
Finally, you can add in items such as a smoke detector, and then configure the lighting to switch on if a fire is detected. If you’re out of the house, the system can text or push a notification to you to keep you in touch with what is happening.
How does it compare to X10?
The Smartwares system is cheaper than X10, and due to the fact that it works via radio transmission rather than via the powerline it is less susceptible to transmission issues, although the range can be shorter.
On the whole, if you can find the correct modules you need to automate your devices using Smartwares then we recommend it over X10 due to it’s price, simplicity and the excellent HomeWizard controller.
How about Z-Wave?
Z-Wave allows for more complex automation, but comes at a price premium compared to Smartwares. If you’re looking for a basic, robust entry point into Home Automation then we’d chose Smartwares over Z-Wave. However if you’re wanting to control more advanced scenes, or integrate more types of sensors, then you should look into the Fibaro Z-Wave range which has it’s own advanced controller and a great range of modules that are all compatible with each other and the Fibaro Home Centre controller.
Can I use the system without a HomeWizard controller?
Yes, absolutely.
Any Smartwares transmitter can control any Smartwares module without the need for the HomeWizard controller.
A transmitter could be:
- A remote control
- A PIR sensor
- A wall switch
- A magnetic switch
- A transmitter module (mounts behind a wall switch)
A receiver could be:
- A lamp module
- An appliance plug
- A power switch module
- A radiator valve
