canuckian Posted February 1, 2023 Posted February 1, 2023 (edited) Is there a way to install ZMatter inside the EISY? I assume there isn't, or the USB adapter wouldn't be needed. It seems worth asking if only to get an explicit answer. I haven't seen anyone else say it, so I will: the USB dongle seems like a super janky solution and a definite backwards step from POLISY. Having a critical component like the Z-Wave radio connected externally by USB seems like a disaster waiting to happen. The USB dongle doesn't have a retention clip like an RJ-45 port, and it looks wide enough to render adjacent ports unusable. (I haven't ordered one yet. Can someone who already has one confirm if this is the case or if I'm out to lunch?) I'll probably use Ty-Wraps to secure the dongle, but this still seems mickey mouse. What is everyone else doing to address this? Edited February 1, 2023 by canuckian Changed title to be more clear.
lilyoyo1 Posted February 1, 2023 Posted February 1, 2023 9 minutes ago, canuckian said: Is there a way to install ZMatter inside the EISY? I assume there isn't, or the USB adapter wouldn't be needed. It seems worth asking if only to get an explicit answer. I haven't seen anyone else say it, so I will: the USB dongle seems like a super janky solution and a definite backwards step from POLISY. Having a critical component like the Z-Wave radio connected externally by USB seems like a disaster waiting to happen. The USB dongle doesn't have a retention clip like an RJ-45 port, and it looks wide enough to render adjacent ports unusable. (I haven't ordered one yet. Can someone who already has one confirm if this is the case or if I'm out to lunch?) I'll probably use Ty-Wraps to secure the dongle, but this still seems mickey mouse. What is everyone else doing to address this? I thought the sales page was explicit enough but yes, the zmatter board is USB only. I personally don't have an issue with the dongle being USB. It's not like it's going to up and walk away for it to get lost. If you're in a situation where you are constantly moving it around or people are messing with it; then I can see it being a bigger issue for you on both sides of the coin.
firstone Posted February 1, 2023 Posted February 1, 2023 Some of us rather like USB solution as you can put it away on a wall or higher up using usb extension cable. But also, eisy is tiny for a full working PC. Do you suppose there's a room for a daughter card? 1
DennisC Posted February 2, 2023 Posted February 2, 2023 Using USB dongle allows for easy upgrades down the road when the next hardware version is available. I utilized a USB extension cable and a wall mount that I 3D printed to hang the dongle. There is another post with examples of 3D printed mounts. 1
Geddy Posted February 2, 2023 Posted February 2, 2023 18 hours ago, canuckian said: Having a critical component like the Z-Wave radio connected externally by USB seems like a disaster waiting to happen. What kind of "disaster waiting to happen" are you envisioning? My eisy+ZMatter sits in a cabinet and doesn't get moved/touched/adjusted. So it's a set it and forget it device. Minimal disaster ability to inflict issues with it (for my install). 18 hours ago, canuckian said: The USB dongle doesn't have a retention clip like an RJ-45 port Do you have an issue with other USB devices randomly falling out of the port they're inserted in? If so, something else is wrong. I've never had a USB device disconnect without exerting some force to remove it from the host device. I'd say this is the same for eisy + ZMatter dongle. 19 hours ago, canuckian said: it looks wide enough to render adjacent ports unusable. I haven't measured it, but there are 4 total USB ports available. ZMatter takes one and PLM takes another. My ZMatter sits off the rear USB port and the PLM is in one of the 3 on the side. I'm not sure how many USB devices you plan to plug into the eisy, but there are still 2 perfectly usable ports available. And if you're worried about the ZMatter taking up space there are USB extension cables to remove the dongle from the eisy unit itself. Personally, I feel the eisy is a nice little update from the Polisy. It's a much smaller footprint and only the ZMatter antenna add to the height. It's only slightly larger than the ISY994, but has a ton of new capacity. Sure, it's not as big or bulky (or shiny) as the Polisy, but it's just as good (if not better depending on what can be run in parallel down the road). 1
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