Z-Wave radios vary depending on world region. Not providing that reduces complexity. Zigbee radios are worldwide.
Nice! I really like Amber but it has too few USB ports for my use case (P1, RFXCom RFXTrx and Z-Wave dongles all need USB).
Is it possible to solder on extra USB connectors, maybe on the J6 header?
Please let me know!
Perhaps add a USB hub? 
Yes, that’s possible but it really goes against trying to limit the amount of wires (like PoE helps with)
I now realise that adding extra USB headers would also require modifying the case … meh nvm :-/
Thank you for your answer.
That is not quite true any longer with the release of the newer Z-Wave 700 Controller modules / chips.
As already answered/explain above, new Z-Wave 700 Controllers can change RF region in software.
Silabs reference UZB-7 USB stick hardware is only one worldwide part, only downside is the physical antenna hardware is not optimized tuned for a specific region so will not get the same performance as if used different antennas for each region. That could however be solved with an antenna that use external antenna via SMA connector as then you can just replace the antenna for optimized performance.
https://github.com/zwave-js/node-zwave-js/discussions/2544
Silabs even manufacture Z-Wave 700 controller pre-certified SiP modules; ZGM130S and ZGM230S.
https://www.silabs.com/wireless/z-wave/700-series-modules
https://www.silabs.com/wireless/fg23-zg23
Again, manufacturers can choose to design radio modules with physical antennas that are tuned to only one specific RF region but the reference module doesn’t and region switching was recently added to Z-Wave JS
I predict a lot of users running on z-wave on illegal (for their country) frequencies.
1 Like
$88 USD for VAT and shipping (the shipping costs are calculated twice when you order kit and CM4)
Is there an option to send parts from a warehouse in EU? Or maybe a second campaign for people living in the EU?
I am surprised the FCC in the US allows this to be sold here. They are usually quite strict about the ability to change frequencies in radios.
I think that is the main reason the FC is usually so strict, to avoid interfering with licensed services. Also note these quotes from their data sheet.
RF Transmit power Up to +13 dBm (max.)
Note: Allowable transmit power are governed by respective regulatory
So people could also run them at higher power, again with interference consequences.
Another quote from the FCC Federal Notice section:
Any changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate this equipment.
Perhaps they market it as development so the purchaser is responsible to get it FCC certified.
EDIT: Is it actually FCC certified or did they just get the FCC ID without filing for certification?
There are no applications on file that match the search criteria specified:
Grantee Code: 2ADB9 Product Code: UZB-7
from https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/eas/reports/GenericSearchResult.cfm?RequestTimeout=500
EDIT2: I found the certification and, as expected, it is nly for a subset of the frequencies. Selling a product in the US that is not frequency locked is illegal or, at least, legally uncertain. I have some knowledge since I own an FCC General Class Radiotelephone Operators License to permit me to adjust broadcast transmitting equipment frequencies.
The RFM69HCW allows you to use 868 or 915 MHz and it’s sold in the US…
@Misiu ugh, that is not nice indeed.
You can also buy the CM4 somewhere more locally (Raspberry Pi shops usually carry them).
Probably a noob question for CM4 and Amber:
I understand SSD will be faster than eMMC, but in general what is your opinion on one vs another? Can you actually feel the difference when you use HA via lovelace, or is it negligible since HA is not disk IO intensive anyways? Is eMMC and SSD comparable in terms of long term reliability? Heat generation?
The problem is that all resellers of CM4 are out of stock (at least in Poland), and you must order at least 200 pieces
ZGM130S is (and ZGM230S will be) FCC pre-certified SiP (System-in-Package) modules which is targeted to product developers who want to get quickly to market. Same concept as the Silabs MGM210P Zigbee module that Home Assistant Amber uses, so only need to connect UART and power.
These modules cost more than buying just the EFR32ZG14 (and EFR32ZG23) SoC they are based on precisely because they already come with pre-tuned antenna and are already FCC and CE certified.
ZGM130S and ZGM230S and SiP modules state that they comply with FCC and ETSI standards:
https://www.silabs.com/documents/public/data-sheets/zgm130s-datasheet.pdf
https://www.silabs.com/documents/public/reference-manuals/brd4207a-rm.pdf
ZGM230S is new so not FCC certified yet but ZGM130S is already FCC and CE certified:
https://fccid.io/EEC/RU0000042465
Products based on those Silabs SiP modules are also pre-certified by Z-Wave Alliance.
https://www.silabs.com/wireless/z-wave/700-series-modules
One thing still required and missing is Z-Wave Alliance certification of the Z-Wave JS application.
Don’t know about legality but FCC (and CE) has already certified several EFR32ZG14 based products, but they have in the certification of course limited the certification to region specific frequency range(s).
https://www.google.com/search?q=fcc+EFR32ZG14
Aeotec Z-Stick 7
Zooz USB 700 Series Z-Wave Plus S2 Stick ZST10 700
https://fccid.io/2AXIE-STICK02/
Silicon Labs UZB-7
Frequently of all of these are not locked in hardware and thus can be changed in firmware via software, however, I doubt that sellers of commercial Z-Wave 700 controller software applications allow end-users to easily change RF region in their application, so is manufacturers responsible if users hack these?
EDIT: Interestingly enough Aeotec now posted a guide on how to upgrade firmware on their Aeotec Z-Stick 7 and in it they just note to download the right firmware file for your RF region, meaning that if you download a firmware file for another RF region it would work (though their antenna will not be optimized for that exact frequency range)
Yes UI have the Zooz stick and the frequency is fixed.
quote for your convenience:
Unfortunately, due to limits with the Z-Wave chip and various countries’ legal requirements, the frequency and region of a Gen5 product can’t be changed by changing a device’s firmware.
The firmware does tune the frequency usage of a Z-Wave device, each Z-Wave module has a physical SAW filter installed upon it. This SAW filter hardware defines and improves each device’s signal-to-noise ratio (noise from other frequencies) of a specific frequency. In doing so, it also prevents the changing of a Z-Wave frequency upon any device.
Please note that upgrading a device using the improper firmware region may brick the Z-Wave chip, rendering the device broken and voiding its warranty.
Now that was for 500 series chips. Interestingly it seems to indicate that the frequency could already be changed in firmware on Gen5 chips, but that they added a filter to make sure people don’t mess with it. I would be surprised if such a hardware filter wouldn’t be required for proper FCC / EU RF certification when using an onchip SDR, and would as such also be part of the 700 series products.
It’s also interesting they note that using a wrong FW can brick your stick. There’s no obvious technical reason for that to happen, so could that be on purpose so to really make sure people don’t switch frequencies ?
It’s also worth noting that for both EU and US cases, the respective other countries frequency band seems to fall right into a 4G/5G cell service band. So it’s not like, oh no one uses that part of spectrum anyway around here so no one will notice. That’s definitely going to be noticed very quickly if you interfere with your local cell service provider, unless you live really way out.
Hi,
Just curious, will this project be open source, with schematics available?
Thanks,
Ricardo
Yes
Thanks for the quick reply.
And the software used to develop the board is it open source? Or only the Gerber files will be available?
Also all the components are available to buy? Like the WiFi/ZigBee module?