Smartphone heating control just got Smarter with the Neo control system from Heatmiser. Neo by Heatmiser has been designed to allow people to control their heating from their smartphone, with both the retrofit and the new build market in mind.
Heatmiser Neo consists of three parts: the neoStat, the neoHub and the neoApp. The neoStat replaces the existing thermostat and a neoStat-hw replaces the programmer. The neoHub plugs into a broadband router and enables remote access of heating zones and hot water from anywhere at any time. These components can be supplied separately, or as a Starter Kit, with further neoStats added as required. Control is via the neoApp on a smartphone or tablet.
The system can be expanded as required by adding more neoStats. Neo uses a ZigBee-based mesh network to send data back to the neoHub, so has been designed for homes of any size. From the ground up, Neo was built with multi-zones in mind, so additional neoStats can be added for total zone control - a simple process via the neoApp for iOS or Android.
There are no fixed IP address or specific network requirements such as port forwarding needed to install Neo. All that is necessary is an active broadband connection, a DHCP router with a spare ethernet port and an iOS or Android SmartPhone. Connection from the neoApp to the system uses SSL security via a Heatmiser cloud server.
Heatmiser, a British based family company, has been involved in the manufacture of heating controls and thermostats for the past 30 years, with the company's products being used by some of the country's leading heating equipment manufacturers and installers. Heatmiser has had Wi-Fi enabled thermostats for a couple of years, and sees the Neo system as a further huge step forward in heating control.
When asked about the importance of product development, Martyn Kay the Director of Heatmiser, went on to say "product development is key at Heatmiser. We listen to feedback from customers and react with great products. We are proud to have been one of the first companies in the UK to launch a Wi-Fi enabled thermostat back in 2011, and the demand for Smartphone control of the heating system has continued to grow ever since. There is a lot more to come for the Neo family."
As well as it own plans, Heatmiser is aiming for wider industry support, with a neoAPI being made available to developers at launch. The first such developer, Extra Vegetables, is already signed up to create a Control4 driver and URC module for the Neo system.
Neo by Heatmiser is set for launch in January 2014. UK end user pricing (inc VAT) for the NeoStats is £69, with the neoHub at £130. Neo is available to installers either direct from Heatmiser, or through a range of merchants and wholesalers in the UK, Netherlands, Belgium and Australasia. Heatmiser is looking to expand its European distribution to reach more countries throughout 2014.
With ever increasing pressures on energy costs, tight management of energy usage in the home is set to become a huge market. Heating accounts for over 60% of this, so the Heatmiser Neo system has the potential to be a big hit.
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