Hello everyone.
I'm going to make a home automation system, and since I've read a lot of positive reviews about Integra, I've decided to base both the alarm and the automation system on it. The house doesn't exist yet, but when I start building it in the spring, I won't have time to learn how to program Integra, so I have already bought the equipment and assembled the whole "on the table" together with a few monostable switches for control.
I've been playing around for a few days and would like to share my impressions. I would like to point out that this is the first time I have had this kind of equipment in my hands and I have never played with any automation before.
Advantages of the Integra:
- Relatively easy operation and programming from DloadX,
- Easy creation of synoptics and viewing with GuardX software,
- Simple control from phone, remote controls, etc.
- Alarm and automation in one - an advantage for me.
- It is very easy, although not so cheap, to expand with physical inputs/outputs using INT-IORS expanders. I should add, by the way, that there is no delay on input signals entering this expander. There was talk on the forum of about 3.5 seconds delay, but apparently satellite has corrected this inconvenience.
Disadvantages - I actually see major disadvantages related to the programming of the panel itself:
- Programming more complex (but not complicated) functions is cumbersome to say the least. It takes up a lot of virtual outputs, and these are limited.
- Maintenance of such a programme or a minor change after time can be a horror show. With many functions and many outputs, it becomes a pea in the cabbage and modifying the operation of one light often entails changing various virtual outputs.
I've been thinking about a PLC for automation, but I'm not familiar with simple solutions for visualisation and remote control via a mobile phone. This is where the Integra wins out.
As far as my impressions are concerned, that's it for now, while I'm very keen to read the opinions of others.
Finally, a question: I would like to programme the control panel to control the lights in the garden so that when an input is activated (e.g. by a remote control or a monostable switch), the lights are switched on in intervals. The idea is to activate, say, four outputs at intervals of one second, and using another input, I would like to switch them off. How do I do this?
I'm going to make a home automation system, and since I've read a lot of positive reviews about Integra, I've decided to base both the alarm and the automation system on it. The house doesn't exist yet, but when I start building it in the spring, I won't have time to learn how to program Integra, so I have already bought the equipment and assembled the whole "on the table" together with a few monostable switches for control.
I've been playing around for a few days and would like to share my impressions. I would like to point out that this is the first time I have had this kind of equipment in my hands and I have never played with any automation before.
Advantages of the Integra:
- Relatively easy operation and programming from DloadX,
- Easy creation of synoptics and viewing with GuardX software,
- Simple control from phone, remote controls, etc.
- Alarm and automation in one - an advantage for me.
- It is very easy, although not so cheap, to expand with physical inputs/outputs using INT-IORS expanders. I should add, by the way, that there is no delay on input signals entering this expander. There was talk on the forum of about 3.5 seconds delay, but apparently satellite has corrected this inconvenience.
Disadvantages - I actually see major disadvantages related to the programming of the panel itself:
- Programming more complex (but not complicated) functions is cumbersome to say the least. It takes up a lot of virtual outputs, and these are limited.
- Maintenance of such a programme or a minor change after time can be a horror show. With many functions and many outputs, it becomes a pea in the cabbage and modifying the operation of one light often entails changing various virtual outputs.
I've been thinking about a PLC for automation, but I'm not familiar with simple solutions for visualisation and remote control via a mobile phone. This is where the Integra wins out.
As far as my impressions are concerned, that's it for now, while I'm very keen to read the opinions of others.
Finally, a question: I would like to programme the control panel to control the lights in the garden so that when an input is activated (e.g. by a remote control or a monostable switch), the lights are switched on in intervals. The idea is to activate, say, four outputs at intervals of one second, and using another input, I would like to switch them off. How do I do this?
