Harmony Dupline

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  • smithsi
    Automated Home Lurker
    • Mar 2006
    • 4

    Harmony Dupline

    Newbie question.

    I'm thinking of setting up a smart home system and I would like to build up the system over time.

    I've seen that Simply Automate are releasing the Harmony Dupline system and that the training course will throw in a starter kit worth £1200.

    Has anyone attended any of these course or does anyone have any opinion on this technology?

    My requirements are:
    * Heating Control
    * Security
    * Lighting control

    I'm wanting to choose a system that can grow over time rather than splashing out large amounts of money in one go.
  • MarkHarrison
    Automated Home Jr Member
    • Feb 2004
    • 18

    #2
    Re: Harmony Dupline

    I'm somewhat biased, since I'm the course trainer :-)

    Dupline is an odd company - huge on the continent, but virtually unknown in the UK. The Dupline products have been used in industrial automation for 28 years, and have an enviable track record - over 30,000 installations (not units installed, but installations) in Northern Europe, but until now, they've never entered the UK market.

    The background of the product is industrial, which means that the Dupline-supplied software is incredibly nasty, and really intended for people who work in process engineering.

    Harmony Dupline is a joint venture that combines Dupline hardware with the Harmony software (hence the clever name!). Harmony makes installation of Dupline kit much, much easier. The other thing that Harmony brings to the party is a rather more aesthetic set of swithes - Dupline has historically been installed with that oh-so-industrial clunky metal-clad surface mount look.

    To be honest, the course in May is concentrating on the lighting (with a brief bit on heating control), but not particularly going near the security aspects (apart from PIR-controlled lights, which is only a fraction of the security capability.)

    The final thing - Dupline are substantially subsidising the starter kits, because we have concentrated our marketing on electricians and our existing installer customers, and, as you might imagine, an installer should give them many more future sales than a self-builder. What we can't guarantee is whether they will continue to subsidise the kits in this way - if they stop, the course will have to go up dramatically in price :-(

    Regards,

    Mark
    Director, iDomus ltd
    www.idomus.co.uk (Harmony software)
    www.simplyautomate.com (Product supply to DIY and the trade)
    www.smarthouse.co.uk (Installation services)

    Comment

    • smithsi
      Automated Home Lurker
      • Mar 2006
      • 4

      #3
      Re: Harmony Dupline

      Thanks for your reply Mark

      Whilst the course is obviously aimed at installers in the main rather than the customer, I'm think I'm going to go for it.

      The bundle which is thrown in should give me a good base on which to build my HA system.

      Security is probably something that I can do later, so not a problem.

      Comment

      • TonyH
        Automated Home Lurker
        • Apr 2006
        • 1

        #4
        Re: Harmony Dupline

        I'm also thinking of attending Harmony-Dupline course. I'm thinking of getting into home automation as a re-seller / installer. I have been an IT developer / consultant for many years so technically I think I'm OK , but I am not an electrician although I have done lots of home wiring (DIY) . Do I need any electrical qualifications? Also , Mark, can you recommend any reading material which may be useful as pre-course study.

        any replies appreciated

        Tony

        Comment

        • smithsi
          Automated Home Lurker
          • Mar 2006
          • 4

          #5
          Re: Harmony Dupline

          Ok done the course now and am an installer now (or at least according to my certificate).

          As recomended by the course trainer, I will need to sit down at home and rig something up in my own home before I would consider installing this in somebody else's home.

          I think the course is difficult course to run because there are 2 audiences; Electricians and Self installers.

          I think the pace was probably a little slow for electricians on the practical side, for myself perhaps I needed more practice on actually connecting things up, which would have possibly fustrated the electricians even more.

          For myself I had no worries about dealing with the software as a programmer by trade.

          One of the guys had the idea of doing case studies to plan out the set-ups on different homes and I think that this would have added enourmously to the day.

          I think in parts the course was a little disjointed, but this has to be seen in the context of a new product and the course was fantastic value as far as I am concerned.

          Thanks Mark

          Comment

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