I feel like a control system of this sort would be much more elegant by using the same idea as power line adapters with a diagnostic and control protocol rather than WiFi.
Except that many people do not have power line network capability configured, and in some cases (like apartments and condos) might not even be able to even use it. Wi-Fi on the other hand is pretty much universally used in homes that have home networking configured so things like laptops, tablets, smart-phones, and game consoles can connect.
I think the big thing is that WiFi is cheaper to implement than power line adapters right now. Having a smart plug protocol talk over power cables doesn't mean you already have a power line network already in place. I don't see why apartments couldn't use it either.
Many apartment buildings share power infrastructure which means crosstalk between all apartments within the building, essentially opening up your network to anyone in the building.
I can't seem to find anywhere it's amperage rating. They imply you can use high-power appliances with it, but nowhere in the spec sheets does it give any rating besides 125V.
About 9 years ago I bought a cheap mains adapter for £9 from a high street store that displayed, Volts, Amps, Power-Factor, True-Watts on its LCD display. It had enough resolution to monitor appliances sipping little power, eg laptop on standby. Since then I have been looking for a similarly priced version that can store that same data in a small buffer memory, for readout over Bluetooth to a Smartphone or laptop, without success.. I suspect the reason D-Link are charging almost 4 times the price is partly due to use of WiFi, whereas Bluetooth is a far cheaper, and more appropriate network for a 'IoT' node. With absolutely zero spec as to its Power Monitoring capability, my guess is, along with some other recent launches, it only measures current, merely 'assuming' a fixed voltage in calculating power; without measuring actual voltage, and most importantly, 'Power Factor', the 'power' figure will be near worthless, i.e. not a SmartPlug ! It is also not encouraging to see its spec sheet states it consumes upto 5W - which is more than the idle power of my Haswell ULV miniPC !
Use of BT LE can help cure that, and its high price.
I still don't see the point. I'd still rather enter the room and click the button than to have to whip out my phone and open the app or browser just to turn on the light.
If you follow the link and read the spec page, you can read it does at least have a on/off button, but as I wrote above, there is nothing in the spec sheet to commend it as a useful energy monitor, especially as it consumes upto 5W for itself.
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jonsmirl - Tuesday, May 6, 2014 - link
What chip is the QFN package on the power supply board?extide - Wednesday, May 7, 2014 - link
That is the chip that actually measures the power being used by whatever you plug into this thing.willis936 - Tuesday, May 6, 2014 - link
I feel like a control system of this sort would be much more elegant by using the same idea as power line adapters with a diagnostic and control protocol rather than WiFi.Fallen Kell - Tuesday, May 6, 2014 - link
Except that many people do not have power line network capability configured, and in some cases (like apartments and condos) might not even be able to even use it. Wi-Fi on the other hand is pretty much universally used in homes that have home networking configured so things like laptops, tablets, smart-phones, and game consoles can connect.willis936 - Tuesday, May 6, 2014 - link
I think the big thing is that WiFi is cheaper to implement than power line adapters right now. Having a smart plug protocol talk over power cables doesn't mean you already have a power line network already in place. I don't see why apartments couldn't use it either.Fallen Kell - Wednesday, May 7, 2014 - link
Many apartment buildings share power infrastructure which means crosstalk between all apartments within the building, essentially opening up your network to anyone in the building.SuperSpy00bob - Wednesday, May 7, 2014 - link
I can't seem to find anywhere it's amperage rating. They imply you can use high-power appliances with it, but nowhere in the spec sheets does it give any rating besides 125V.Fallen Kell - Wednesday, May 7, 2014 - link
Yeah, it would be nice to know the amperage...will2 - Wednesday, May 7, 2014 - link
About 9 years ago I bought a cheap mains adapter for £9 from a high street store that displayed, Volts, Amps, Power-Factor, True-Watts on its LCD display. It had enough resolution to monitor appliances sipping little power, eg laptop on standby. Since then I have been looking for a similarly priced version that can store that same data in a small buffer memory, for readout over Bluetooth to a Smartphone or laptop, without success.. I suspect the reason D-Link are charging almost 4 times the price is partly due to use of WiFi, whereas Bluetooth is a far cheaper, and more appropriate network for a 'IoT' node. With absolutely zero spec as to its Power Monitoring capability, my guess is, along with some other recent launches, it only measures current, merely 'assuming' a fixed voltage in calculating power; without measuring actual voltage, and most importantly, 'Power Factor', the 'power' figure will be near worthless, i.e. not a SmartPlug ! It is also not encouraging to see its spec sheet states it consumes upto 5W - which is more than the idle power of my Haswell ULV miniPC !Use of BT LE can help cure that, and its high price.
Murloc - Wednesday, May 7, 2014 - link
I still don't see the point. I'd still rather enter the room and click the button than to have to whip out my phone and open the app or browser just to turn on the light.will2 - Wednesday, May 7, 2014 - link
If you follow the link and read the spec page, you can read it does at least have a on/off button, but as I wrote above, there is nothing in the spec sheet to commend it as a useful energy monitor, especially as it consumes upto 5W for itself.alextall - Wednesday, May 7, 2014 - link
I'll be interested when it can activate the light/fan/etc. by proximity. Might be a decent use of wearable devices once they mature.