Staff Picks

We're mixing things up and trying something different - we're aiming the spotlight at our Staff and their personal favourites. Welcome to our Staff Picks! 

We're starting with Ashley, one of our account managers. 

 Ashley's pick 

Ashley's favourite product right now is the Lutron Caseta Diva Smart Dimmer Starter kit for its reliability and convenience. Here's what she has to say:

"I love this Caseta Starter Kit because it is a perfect way to introduce simple, reliable automation to your customers at a very friendly price point. With many different devices available to add, you can start with a few simple dimmers/switches, which can later be grown into full home automation. Everything is controlled and programmed through the easy-to-use Lutron phone app and is sure to offer the WOW effect that end users are looking for."

Ashley enjoys playing around with home automation, but does Ashley prefer more of a manual convenience through a tablet, or is she more of a program "set it and forget it" kind of person?

A bit of both! Here's what she had to say:

"Well, I do a lot of both. My routine changes quite a bit, so it's nice to have the ability to kind of 'set it and forget it.' For example, my front porch light will turn on automatically, and I have it set up for like sun up and sundown, so that changes throughout the year, so that's definitely neat. But there are other things that I will change automatically, you know, you go to bed, your living room light was left on or maybe your bathroom light or something, that's really nice. You can just do that through the tablet, you don't have to get up when you're already comfortable in bed, so I definitely say both."

Learn more about Lutron in our Resource Centre.

Lutron Caseta Diva Smart Dimmer Starter kit, with Smart Hub and Pico Remote

Everything you need to get started, and easy to build on as needed. The kit includes:

• 1 Caseta Diva Smart Dimmer
• 1 Claro wallplate
• 1 Smart Hub 
• 1 Pico Smart Remote

We're back with another staff pick - This time from Aartech Account Rep, Frank McGurk.  

Frank's Pick 

Frank gives his gold seal of approval to the Alula Connect+ Kit. Thanks to ZWave operability, the kit is very versatile and can work with thousands of products.

According to Frank, the pre-enrolled sensor and touch screen make the kit a convenient choice for easy setup. You can plug it in, and everything will start communicating - all you need to do is connect the main panel to the ethernet, let it download the firmware, and you're good to go. 

What would Frank automate if money was no object? 

His lighting and blind control!

Watch this clip to learn more about why Frank chooses Alula!

Alula Connect+ Kit

Alarm and home automation all in one!

• Pre-Enrolled sensors and Touch screen-Super fast, even self-serve installable!

• Add security cameras, video doorbells, Zwave locks, HVAC, leak detection and much more!

TAKEOVER?

No problem, just add an internal Batconnect translator to use GE Interlogix, DSC 433, Honeywell, and 2GIG sensors.

Our Account Manager Garnet Whyte considered his options and chose a fan favourite - The INSTEON Dual Band SwitchLinc Dimmer, featuring easy 3-way capabilities and RF technology. 

Garnet's Pick

Garnet picked this dimmer for its user-friendly design and for how easy it is to install and use for 3-way switch situations - just wire up two switches like normal and link them together with InsteonLinc. He's also a fan of RF technology, which offers better range and connectivity to other devices.

Aartech President, Robert, is also an Insteon fan, praising the flexibility. Insteon can be used with or without a hub and can solve many issues, such as placing a 3-way switch in a location where one doesn't exist. With Insteon, you can install switches or dimmers in one place and link it to a new switch or dimmer using a virtual Linc to control them, thus creating a 3-way as long as there is a power source. 

Learn more about what Aartech Staff have to say about Insteon:

INSTEON Dual Band SwitchLinc Dimmer 600W White

Insteon dimmers are beautifully designed, reliable and can be used on their own, with other Insteon devices for remote control, or as part of a larger automation system for full-featured automation.

• Dual-Band INSTEON support - Powerline and RF communication
• Doubles as wireless access point & INSTEON repeater
• Can be directly controlled by wired or wireless INSTEON transmitters
• True rocker action - top on/bright, bottom off/dim
• Adjustable individual ON levels for local operation and each scene
• Adjustable individual fade on/off rates for local operation and each scene

We spoke with Albert Campbell, one of our account managers about his favourite Smart Home Automation System. 

Albert's pick is the Hubitat Elevation C7 Smart Hub. He likes how it is compatible with hundreds of devices and works with major brands, including Amazon Alexa and Google. The Hubitat Hub is also accessible and backwards compatible, saving users an annoying headache.

If Albert could automate anything with the Hubitat Hub, what would he choose?

His garage doors and thermostat! He likes the idea of programming his garage doors to open automatically based on his daily schedule, or automatically open for the Misses as needed for a little extra convenience. He would also want to ensure optimum comfort throughout his home with automated home heating to keep everyone nice and cozy. 

Hear more about Albert's pick and home automation dreams:

Hubitat Elevation C-7 Smart Home Hub 

Hubitat Elevation C7 smart home hub supports ZWave, Zigbee and a wide range of other IP and cloud-based devices. Here are some of Albert's favourite features:

• Widely compatible with major brands and hundreds of popular Z-Wave, Zigbee and IP devices
• Use with Alexa, Google, 
• Everything is stored and run locally on the hub. You choose if you wish to use remote cloud access and apps.
• Take advantage of a variety of robust built-in applications like Rule Machine, Hubitat Safety Monitor, Simple Lighting, Mode Manager, and Hubitat Dashboard, and add community-written apps
• WebCoRE and Groovy support for those migrating from SmartThings

Jeff's Pick

Our Business Development Manager chimed in with an interesting, albeit useful pick: The Dataprobe iBoot G2 Web Power Switch. He said he made this choice based on the number of digital billboards and ad signs he's seen displaying an error message instead of the intended content - it's a huge waste of ad dollars. 

The iBoot can also be handy for avoiding issues with customer systems or needing to walk a user through manually rebooting, or worst case, showing up to reboot it yourself - a major time waster. 

Jeff says there are a few things to keep in mind:

• How much does it cost you to roll a truck and pay a technician to reboot a client system?
• How does your client react when you tell them to "reboot the system?"

Dataprobe iBoot-G2 Web Remote Controlled AC Power Switch

• Remote AC power/reboot control through the Web  
• Check equipment status and remotely power cycle equipment such as routers, servers, and digital signage. Help keep your networks clean!   
• If equipment stops responding, G2 can automatically cycle power to the unresponsive equipment.

Available with options like:

• Ethernet Passthru
• USB, Heartbeat