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      06-13-2019, 10:50 AM   #42
rad doc
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Originally Posted by glennQNYC View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by rad doc View Post
Curius why you think Loxone is so advanced? What does it offer that Savant, Crestron and Control4 don't?
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Originally Posted by dinonz View Post
I'd be interested too. I'm at this stage planning to put Savant into my home later this year but am open to better options.
First, I am extremely fluent in all the systems sold in the US. This includes Crestron, Savant, C4, AMX, URC, RTi, etc.. The main differentiator is these are more accurately defined as "control systems," where their design goal is to "integrate," or to basically become a remote control for mostly third-party components. A typical Savant or C4 project would say, integrate a Ring doorbell, a Nest thermostat, Lutron lighting, etc.. Additionally these American-style control systems derive themselves from AV, so they put a strong emphasis on controlling third-party media devices like TVs, AV receivers, media boxes (Apple TV and the like).

Loxone is completely different. Instead of being a control system, we are more accurately described as a true "automation system."

The design goal for a Loxone Real Smart Home is to improve your life by autonomously handling ~50,000 tasks per year for you. Besides delivering a true improvement in your life, it also saves your most-valuable resource... Your time.

For a moment, think about the automotive industry. in the 1990s, cars didn't leave the dealer with a lot of creature comforts. It was commonplace to bring your car to a shop to put in a third-party audio system, perhaps a third-party alarm with remote door unlocking/locking, and maybe remote starting. You manually turned on/off your headlights. You manually turned on/off your wipers. Even the aftermarket alarm system required you to take your keys out of your pocket to hit the fob to unlock your doors or open your trunk. You likely manually controlled your HVAC system too.

This is the current state of the home building industry. Unless you have a custom home built for you, builders expect that you're going to add "aftermarket" smart home systems after the sale. We at Loxone are working to change this reality. At least 50% of my time is spent meeting with architects, builders, designers, etc., to get them to bring their homes into the 21st Century by incorporating smart technology in their designs.

A Loxone Real Smart Home automates your lighting, HVAC, energy system (solar/wind generation, battery storage), is a much, much more advanced way than those control systems. This brings efficiency and higher performance. You can think of what we're doing is akin to adding automated systems to your home that you already take for granted in the automotive space.

Let's talk a couple of specific examples of our unmatched system intelligence ...

HVAC: A Loxone system doesn't use a conventional thermostat. We measure temperature and humidity at every control pad (light switch). We then use a relay in our MiniServer (main processor) to activate/deactivate the air handler. This forgoes a separate thermostat you have to buy and put someplace. Additionally, we use the occupancy sensors we already are using for lighting to tell us if we have to send HVAC to a particular room/zone. You may be thinking... ZONE? Yup! We offer motorized dampers that go on the HVAC ductwork that allows a single air handler to be divided up into multiple zones on HVAC. This provides a computer-controlled distribution of HVAC where it's needed and not where it isn't. Additionally, we often incorporate window/door sensors to prevent sending head/AC into a room with an open window.

Window Shades: A Loxone system knows the longitude and latitude of the home, so it knows where it is on the globe. When we incorporate shades, we tell the system the direction the shade roller is facing in relation to North. This information can then be used to automate shades in relation to the position of the Sun. As the Sun moves across the horizon, shades can autonomously move to block the Sun. Additionally, the same occupency sensor mentioned above can keep the shades down if nobody is in a room.

Electric Vehicle Charging: Loxone has an exclusive agreement with BMW that brings enhanced functionality when BMW's best charging station is used, but even if you own a Tesla or Leaf, we bring advanced capabilities. With BMW's charger, we know the specific EV user has arrived, so the home can tailor itself to that particular user. I think of this as the EV charging equivalent to driver profiles automatically selected by a particular keyfob. The difference being the home adapts to the specific user. With any EV charger, we can set rules around conditions. Perhaps you only want to charge your EV when generating power from your solar panels?

Environmental Awareness: Want to automatically retract your motorized awning if the wind picks up? No problem! How about we lower some shades if it gets really hot outside? We can easily do that.

This only scratches the surface. There is so much more, but I have to run to a meeting. I'll pick this up later.
Thanks. Your post reads a bit like the marketing materials. "50k tasks per year" and "most advanced system." There is nothing unique about what the materials and post describe. Example, occupancy sensors can do exactly what you describe with in terms of controlling lighting and hvac with Savant, Crestron and Lutron. I am interested in real world applications.

For instance, say you have a Jandy or Pentair pool controller. Can you natively control? Does Loxone make its own pool controller?

Another example. Sure you can control your own lighting but i would be reluctant to use a relatively new company for such a vital system when Lutron had robust, reliable systems and its much more likely they will be around and support in 10-20 years.

Really just trying to understand how this is any different or just marketing spin. No offense, honestly interested. Also, to address the post below none of the aforementioned automation systems require internet connection either.
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