10-19-2018, 03:11 AM
Nearly 6 months ago I moved into a new home, and began to rebuild my automation system.  As part of this, I made a big investment in zWave - much of the system needed to be based on wireless.
At the time, I chose the Fibaro HC2 as the primary controller, with the intention that this would be used for configuring and maintaining the zWave network, but the day-to-day management of the automation would be with CQC, as it's what I'd been using for over a decade (I think close to 15 years now, which is scary!). 
Well, I have *never* successfully integrated CQC with the HC2.  I just cannot get it to join the secure network, so I'm now in the situation where the HC2 is my primary automation controller, and CQC is resigned to some very basic control in the main cinema viewing room - primarily adding an OSD to my projector via my Lumagen :-(  There is much I dislike about the HC2, and would much prefer to get back to the flexibility of CQC.  So, how to move forward?
One option is to switch the HC2 for a SmartThings hub to access zWave; who has successfully done this.  How easy was it?  Any limitations you've encountered?  Does it have good zWave device coverage (the HC2 provides a wide range of device templates out of the box, which is nice for device config/customisation)?
Dean suggested a Leviton USB stick as a primary (and their installer software for setting up the network), but in the UK this costs circa US$150 to import, and surely won't work for EU ZWave devices if its not sold as an EU version/frequency?
Could a second zWave controller not be avoided altogether (especially since the advice is to switch it off once devices are set up)?   I remember reading that Dean wrote that he didn't want to take on the work of inclusion/exclusion of devices, which I totally get and understand.  But couldn't Zensys Tools be used to set up / manage the ZWave USB stick/network, and then just have CQC take over the device as the controller?  I'm no expert on zWave controller protocols, so may well be missing something obvious.
Other alternatives?  Maybe use OpenHAB as the primary for zWave setup/maintanance, which just needs a 2nd ZWave USB stick.
At the time, I chose the Fibaro HC2 as the primary controller, with the intention that this would be used for configuring and maintaining the zWave network, but the day-to-day management of the automation would be with CQC, as it's what I'd been using for over a decade (I think close to 15 years now, which is scary!). 
Well, I have *never* successfully integrated CQC with the HC2.  I just cannot get it to join the secure network, so I'm now in the situation where the HC2 is my primary automation controller, and CQC is resigned to some very basic control in the main cinema viewing room - primarily adding an OSD to my projector via my Lumagen :-(  There is much I dislike about the HC2, and would much prefer to get back to the flexibility of CQC.  So, how to move forward?
One option is to switch the HC2 for a SmartThings hub to access zWave; who has successfully done this.  How easy was it?  Any limitations you've encountered?  Does it have good zWave device coverage (the HC2 provides a wide range of device templates out of the box, which is nice for device config/customisation)?
Dean suggested a Leviton USB stick as a primary (and their installer software for setting up the network), but in the UK this costs circa US$150 to import, and surely won't work for EU ZWave devices if its not sold as an EU version/frequency?
Could a second zWave controller not be avoided altogether (especially since the advice is to switch it off once devices are set up)?   I remember reading that Dean wrote that he didn't want to take on the work of inclusion/exclusion of devices, which I totally get and understand.  But couldn't Zensys Tools be used to set up / manage the ZWave USB stick/network, and then just have CQC take over the device as the controller?  I'm no expert on zWave controller protocols, so may well be missing something obvious.
Other alternatives?  Maybe use OpenHAB as the primary for zWave setup/maintanance, which just needs a 2nd ZWave USB stick.