How hard is it to support a new device?

[blueman2]

This is purely out of curiosity and aimed at someone from UDI.  What is the level of effort required to support a new device when it comes out?  I was very surprised to see, for example, a very good level of support for the Aeon Home Energy Monitor V1.  Not exactly a high volume item, to be sure.  But it not only worked, it even gives the ability to do programming based on various levels of wattage.  This surprised me given how many different options there had to be in the drop down for levels of wattage.  Someone had to work out a log based scale to give all the wattages between zero and 20,000 watts without having an endless drop down menu. I was impressed.  

 

So the question is: does UDI have to pretty much start from scratch each time for a new device like this?  Or are the elements somehow automatically populated to some extent?  I am hoping for future support for the Intermatic Pool Controller which has 5 switch devices but also 2 temperature sensors and temperature settings.  I was just curious how difficult this is when some of these devices might be very low volume sellers compared to a wall switch.    

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi blueman2,

 

It's not that difficult. Most common command classes are already supported (including energy) and thus it's just that matter of adding manufacturing specific commands.

 

With V5 and multi-channel support, it would be even easier to add support for different devices/configurations.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[blueman2]

Thanks, Michel.  That bodes well for the future of Z-wave on the ISY.