The smart home industry has taken off over the last so many years and continues to get better as companies adopt certain universal standards that help consumers build their networks out however they’d like without being stuck behind a certain brand or series. Standards like Zigbee, Z-Wave, and the new Matter, have been bringing all sorts of product ecosystems together.
To make things better, many of these devices continue to fall into a more affordable price range. Allowing consumers to not only build out the basics (switches, plugs, thermostats, etc), but also dabble with some of the fancier add-ons, like custom relays, homebrew servers, and touchscreens. The latter of which is something we are focusing on today with Sonoff’s NSPanel Pro, which is a smart home control panel with color touchscreen and Zigbee 3.0 support.
Since it has Zigbee support, it allows the panel to expand beyond its native support for select Sonoff products (Wi-Fi driven), giving it the ability to also support hundreds of other (Zigbee) devices from other companies.
It is all thanks to a partnership between Sonoff and eWeLink, the China-based software developer behind the software running on the panel (eWeLink Cube). This software allows the panel to both act as a controllable interface for all of these devices, while also allowing it to act as a Zigbee Gateway, pairing Zigbee devices directly to the panel.
Sonoff’s Wi-Fi-driven devices are added to the network via the app (Android or iOS), including the panel itself. Users can can then choose from the app which of these devices will be seen on the panel. As you may not need to have the panel control everything in your setup. You may only want it controlling 3-5 devices, like just the devices within the same room the panel is located in. You can also use the app to add specific scenes (automation triggers), weather information, shortcuts to your favorite websites, and more.
You can build out the pages as you see fit using the app, then scroll through them on the panel by sliding left or right. You can even build out home, away, or sleep modes so that you can arm or disarm certain items within your network as needed.
Normally when it comes to adding Zigbee devices, you need an actual hub with support for Zigbee since it is a seperate standard from Wi-Fi’s frequencies. So just having an app and a Wi-Fi network doesn’t gain you access to adding Zigbee devices.
However, the NSPanel pro has that Zigbee gateway built-in. So simply adding this panel to your network pf devices is all you need to expand into using Zigbee devices as well. You can add these devices from the panel by visiting its add device screen. Simply tell it to look for new devices and trigger the pairing mode of the Zigbee device. The panel will see the device and allow you to add it. Giving you access to those devices from the same panel (or even the app).
You also get the ability to properly control your thermostats with specifically designed screens for those products. As well as the ability to make voice calls from the app to the panel when you aren’t home (or panel to panel). Allowing similar communication to what you find with Alexa or Google screen-yielding devices, turning it into a form of intercom regardless of where you are located (near a panel or using the app). You can even view certain cameras on your network from the panel (ie, IP-based, Sonoff, Zigbee, etc).
We have been using it with a number of Sonoff and Zigbee devices and it has been working quite well. From smart plugs, to bulbs, to temperature sensors, and more. Although there does seem to be some hit or miss scenarios on the cameras (this could easily be resolved via firmware updates, I’m sure).
Using eWeLink’s software to bridge Zigbee devices with Sonoff’s allows it to support so much more. Allowing users to get creative with their smart home builds. However, it doesn’t just stop with Zigbee.
Through the same eWeLink software on the panel (and via the app), you are able to integrate everything with other gateways as well, like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, or even Home Assistant (although you require special instructions to get Home Assistant integration working).
Using these integrations, you could potentially build Sonoff’s products in with just about anything else you could possibly want. Making the act of building out an advanced smart home setup a breeze. At least, as long as you have some understanding on how to do everything (else you will need to find someone else to set everything up for you).
There may even be further integration offered if the company decides to bring in support for the new Matter standard that has been really gaining the spotlight as of late. There is nothing official announced for this, but the group behind Zigbee is also the group that started everything with Matter, so it would make sense and would make it all the better.
When it comes to installing your panel, the company makes this process pretty easy. It does this by including the option of using a specially designed base enclosure that allows you to place it anywhere. Meaning you don’t have to install it to the wall if you don’t want to.
The enclosure is easy to work with as all you have to do is pop the panel apart, run a cable of three wires through the enclosure and properly insert both the live and neutral wires to the back of the panel (it does not make use of the ground wire).Then you simply re-fix the panel together by popping its two pieces back with each other and you are ready to plug it into the wall,
If you do take that route, it does come with a mounting plate and faceplate to do the job. Again, it only needs the neutral and live wire and you can install it anywhere you want to tap in and run power to (romex cable).
It is nice to see a company that gives the consumer some options though as not everyone is ok with popping holes in their walls for adding a screen like this. The special enclosure will likely work great for most users while also giving them the choice of getting fancy with a wall installation.
All of this falls into a price point of around $120-$130 (ie, panel, plates, enclosure, screws). You can find it on Amazon as well as a few other sources, and it is available in two different colour options to allow it to better blend into your home environment.
Source: https://bit.ly/3OzDVIL