22.10.2019

Summary:I currently own/use 2 Vera Edge controllers. I've had one for my house for 3 years and more recently purchased a 2nd one for mother-in-laws beach house. The thing I like the most about the system is how it allows you to easily get started with easy to intermediate level functionality right out of the box with pretty intuitive interface, but from there you can get as advanced and complex as you want. I am tech savvy and big DIYer, but not a computer programmer and do not have the drive or time to learn how to write my own LUUP code (code langue used by Vera) and frankly I don't need to for my purposes.By leveraging some of the free apps in the marketplace I have figured out ways to accomplish any type of automation I would like and I have still probably only tapped a small % of the platforms capability.My take on the Alternatives:After using Vera for a while, I also purchased and played around with a SmartThings hub for a few weeks...it seems that there is a larger community of SmartThings users out there and I wanted to see what the hype was all about. My personal experience with SmartThings was that it was more difficult to get some of the more basic stuff done. There was a lot of copy and pasting of code, installing handlers, etc. just to get functionality on certain devices that Vera supported naively. I am not saying SmartThings is bad, and perhaps with more time I would have been converted, but it just was not the right fit for me and I was already getting comfortable with Vera. At this point I do not have plans to try out any other Z-Wave hubs. From my research, most other options appear to be geared toward more advanced users then myself.Back to Vera...:I have read through many reviews mentioning instability or issues with firmware updates and frankly that just has not been my experience. Iv put my 3+ year old unit through several updates with no issues. Again contrary to many reviews, I rarely run into issues pairing devices (never anything that I couldn't resolve quickly) and everything seems to function reliably. I cannot recall a single incident where something didn't respond or was noticeably delayed in responding. For context, my current network includes about 30 devices, including light switches/relays, door locks, thermostats, a water valve, smoke detectors and other sensors.Functionality:The native automation functionality (called Scenes) will provides enough to get some basic stuff done relatively intuitively. I say relatively intuitive because you do have give some thought as to what you are trying to accomplish and how that fits into the options available, but at its core, its a simple as "When X happens, do Y", but you can have multiple X's and multiple Y's. Things like turning on a light based on the time of day or state of motion sensor or even adding multiple conditions (or "Triggers") and multiple device actions are simple scenes to set up. More complex concepts could be accomplished as well with some creative thinking, but you, once you start getting into the free marketplace apps, you can really open up the possibilities. On the basic side, there is one called "Day/Night" which can let you time lighting scenes based on the local sunrise/sunset times to mimic the functionality of dusk to dawn sensor. Getting more advanced, there is VeraAlerts (a very robust way to customize notifications). My new personal favorite is Reactor. Admittedly, this one took me a while to wrap my head around because it is so robust (there is good documentation out there to read through) but it allows you to use some very complex logic without having to know how to code (things like multiple if/and/or type conditions and executing different actions based on different logic outcomes). This has turned into my favorite thing and I now do nearly all of my automation through it, simple or complex.User Interface/Mobile Apps:I generally find the user interface to be intuitive and useful, albeit there are some minor quirks here and there. I use both the Android and iPhone mobile apps - they both work fine, but some lack some of the functionality you get on the web based interface (note: you can load the full web interface from your phones mobile browser). I also use Imperihome which is a 3rd party dashboard compatible with Vera (similar concept to ActionTiles for SmartThings). I find myself using it more for day to day control and only going into the vera interface for setup items. Imperihome is perfect for creating a wall mounted tablet controller for your system. You can run it on an Amazon Fire, or other inexpensive tablet and customize various dashboard screens with system data and control widgets/icons. I do wish Vera had a more customization options for its dashboard, but the Imperihome integration works seamlessly.Device Compatibility:Finally, I just wanted to mention device compatibility. This hub should work any Z-Wave device (if you want Zigbee as well, youll need to look at Vera's other models) and there are 100's out there to choose from and many other internet connected devices. There are also many other devices with free app store plugins (Nest and Ecobee Thermostats, some smart sprinkler systems, burglar alarms among many others) to cover some of the specialties out there that do not come with native Z-Wave support. There are also modules available to connect standard "dumb" sensors and devices to the ZWave network. With a little creativity, you can probably come up with a solution for any use case you may have. Lastly, Vera does work with Amazon Alexa for voice control over most devices. You can also integrate most devices connect to Vera in to Alexa routines through the Alexa App. The initial set-up is a little convoluted, but once you are up and running, adding new devices is relatively simple. once itsConclusion:Long story short, Vera - and most Zwave/Zigbee automation hubs have a learning curve to achieve their full potential. If you are just looking to control a device or two, or just starting out with smart home tech, there are plenty of smart plugs, thermostats etc. out there that are simple to deploy and use their own dedicated app. If you do want to go down the hub/central controller route to have everything under one interface and working together - I am a big proponent for Vera.

30.5.2016

I've had this controller in operation for about 3 weeks now. It replaced a reliable, but simpler, 30 year old system based on power-line-carrier technology (X-10). I think z-wave's mesh network redundancies and immunity to power-line signalling issues, will prove highly advantageous in the long run. Though I recall initially stumbling a time or two when trying to get the new controller to recognize a new device, I found an online video that clarified the sequence. Since then, building out the network was easy using various z-wave certified GE/Jasco and Aeon devices. I now have about a dozen switches and dimmers, and several "mini-motes" working. Using the built-in web-server-interface,it was easy to closely replicate the functions controlled by the old system controller. However, as I dig into subtle capabilities of the new devices, I'm finding the controller's web interface, as delivered, does not necessarily support all device hardware capabilities. I'm learning about software add-ons and programming languages that may enable more. For example, I found a free add-on that purports to create an AND logic function, neatly integrated with the original web interface. I'm guessing that other add-ons may better support such things as altering the default sense of the pilot light on a GE smart wall switch, or adjusting the ramp rates of dimmers... still learning here. One very nice feature I found is that the controller's built-in web server is directly accessible at a particular, apparently fixed ip address on my home LAN. With that, I can manually control or program the thing from any computer, tablet or the like in the house, including a relatively low-cost Amazon Fire I recently acquired. There's no login required and controller response is instantaneous. I keep the Fire on a coffee table in the front of the TV. I've also tested remote login, from outside my LAN, and found that works pretty nicely, too, though the login sequence and internet-related latency do impede things just a bit. Overall, I'm happy. If this new stuff, especially the controller and its cloud back-up, prove as durable as the old system, I will be a well satisfied customer. Ask me about that in another 30 years...Update, 11 months later: The free add-on AND-function software feature integrates neatly. I use it to dim lights when an aeon z-wave switch indicates power consumption consistent with the TV being turned on. Cool. Could not do that with the old X-10. The device has also been utterly reliable, so far. The only glitch was one occasion when a rapidly flashing light on the vera, and flakey LAN web access, caused me to call vera technical support. Apparently recognizing that I was a bit of a techy, the fellow on the other end of the line walked me through a rather elaborate diagnostic process involving my laptop PC, and plugging and unplugging ethernet cables, that traced the problem to my home router. It's ethernet ports had failed. That was fixed with a router reboot. The vera was fine all along, still running its program, and vera support, I'd say, went above and beyond. They could have legitimately said at some point, "not our problem." I have also gone through a number of firmware updates with no issues. Vera seems to be adding support for devices and features rather routinely. All that's worth an upgrade to five stars, I'd say.

18.8.2015

I bought this device at the beginning of this year so I've have had it for almost 8 months. This was my first foray into home automation and after doing quite a bit of research into all the competing devices out there, I went with the Vera mainly because - 1) I did not want a device that required an Internet connection (Smart Things) 2) It supported my DSC security system 3) Other promising devices were either discontinued (Revolv) or had a lot of bad reviews (Wink). Yes, I did take a huge risk with the VeraEdge given the amount of low reviews and complaints but overall, it fit my requirements better than others. Luckily, installation was fairly simple out of the box and I didn't run into any issues with the devices I had purchased.The whole system has been very stable for me this whole time. I've had a power outage at my home once and didn't have to do anything special when it came back on. The Vera does do some sort of system healing every night where it resets/restarts it's connections with devices and I've heard there is a super short downtime during that phase but it has never affected me.All the devices I've listed below worked out of the box and were detected by the Vera right away. There is a plugin that supports my DSC security system (with the EVL-3 adapter) and I'm able to control it in the same app which is super cool.What devices I have:* GE Z-wave switches (2-way and 3-way)* Linear GD00Z-4 (garage door opener)* Yale YRD120 (deadbolt for front door)* Aeon Labs Z-wave Minimote* Security System Components:** DSC Power Series PC1832** DSC TR5164-433** EVL-3 - Envisalink Internet Alert Module (hooks up my home security system to the Vera)Pros:* It's been super stable for me for the past 8 months* Installation was not a problem for me.* Detected all my devices properly.Cons:* The iOS native app is completely useless when you're at home and want to turn off lights. It takes forever to connect to Vera since it's trying to go through their servers first. A better way would be to just create a web shortcut directly to the IP address of your Vera server on your mobile device and then you can load up the mobile web version of the console much faster. Otherwise, you'll likely want to get some zwave remote such as the minimote which works very well.* One of the updates during the year broke my minimote functionality and ended up wasting hours of my time trying to figure out what went wrong. Vera tends to push out updates quite frequently but they need to do more regression testing of their updates. I ended up reverting back to an older version of the firmware (which took me a while to scour on the web) and haven't ever updated since. Why update something that isn't broken, right?Overall, the DIY home automation space is definitely heating up but there is still a ton of room for more innovation. The VeraEdge works fine for me for now but I can't wait to see what the future brings. Amazon's own Echo device is starting to integrate voice with home automation. I also have the NEEO remote on pre-order which integrates both multimedia control and home automation into one - similar to what Logitech Harmony Smart remotes are *attempting* to do. We'll see...

11.1.2016

I've been using the Vera 2 for so long that most people reading this won't even know what the Vera 2 was. So long, in fact, that it has absolutely no resale value on eBay. Or so little that it's a candidate for the trash can. So the upgrade to the Vera Edge was LONG overdue, and it's a joy to work with by comparison. From A-Z, this unit is light years ahead of what I was using, and that makes me happy. But it falls short of perfect in two areas.First, what I find surprising is that there isn't a self-contained battery or battery option for the unit. And the absence of the add and exclude buttons, similar to what is present on the Vera Lite, is a real head-scratcher.The ability to link to my network via wifi is already present, so why not give me that battery, and the hardware "+" and "-" buttons to make adding (or excluding) new and existing devices that can't easily be moved, like wall receptacles, to the Vera? It only makes sense. As it is, I have to wait for the unit to boot up and join the network each time I move it to a new device. Or, at least, when I move to a new room.Secondly, there seems to be a bug in the Vera software with respect to my Kwikset Door Lock Notifications. I have that lock set to lock automatically after 30 seconds, and I have a notification set to alert me when the lock button is pressed. This configuration worked perfectly on the old Vera 2, only notifying me when the lock button was pressed. But not on the Vera Edge. What I'm receiving from the Vera Edge is a door locked notification everytime the door auto-locks, and a door locked notification when the button is pressed. And those notifications are the same (i.e. Front Door has been locked.). So I'm getting more notifications than I need, and I have no idea when the door lock button is being pressed. That needs to be fixed. Because I have no need to know when the door auto-locks, it confuses the issue of when people are moving in and out, and it generates a lot of unnecessary text messages.This is supposed to be better than the Vera Lite in every way, but it's really not. There are real trade-offs between the two units and you have to choose wisely. This is the better unit in terms of ability, but it comes with the loss of what I would consider convenience features that make the Vera Lite easier to work with. It's, as if, two different teams had a contest at Vera Control, Ltd. to see who could develop the better unit, and, in the end, they just made both available to the public. It would have been much better, in my opinion, to combine the two into one and have one totally superior unit.In closing, I applaud the availability of open source plugins. That's a win for everyone, even when they don't work. And some of them don't. But that's not the fault of Vera Control, Ltd. And I'd rather have to weed through a few that don't work, than to not have them at all.

11.12.2014

I had a Vera3 that ended up being defective unfortunately so I returned it & purchased the newer VeraEdge.My review is based on my experience with The VeraEdge so far.It wasn't an easy transition & there was no documentation but I contacted Tech Support & they answered first time. After explaining my issue Tech Support was GREAT & stayed on the phone until issue was figured out. Not sure why so many complaints on support so far they have always answered or returned my call in a timely matter. Thanks to support I didn't have to start from scratch. I did spend the good part of a day setting up the VeraEdge just the same.I have just started out so I have a limited amount of devices but so far theVeraEdge is working much better than my previous Vera3.It hasn't needed rebooting at all so far & has had no crashes etc..It is very small & looks very sleek looking. It has 5 LEDs that that show status & only has Ethernet & USB plugs but does have Wifi although I chose to disable this because my current router is more advanced.I really think there should have been more thought as to how to upgrade current systems & more documentation for how to setup & use.I will try to update my review as more time passes.UpDate 04/14/2015:I have had the Edge now for a few Months in daily use.It has worked much better than the previous Vera3. No real problems other than the occasional remote access issue. I can count on one hand how many times it has needed a reboot to solve an issue. It just works & I actually forget about looking at the actual Edge. I use the Mobile App by MicasaVerde as well as a third party app & also the Laptop interface.I can say Updating the Firmware required help from Tech Support every time until today when I decided to try the update process without TechSupport on hand. Im not tech un-savvy but decided after the one update that took my system down for a couple of days until I could contact techsupport I would not just update without an alternative plan since I use my automation daily. Today though I just went for it & 20 minutes later all was fine including the updated FW.I still give it 5 Stars because TechSupport has been GREAT when needed.I now have more ZWave products but still nothing overly complicated. Learning as I go.Will try to update again after more time.Update 10/19/2016:Unfortunately I will not be updating this review further due to losing our home to a total loss fire in 2015. There were ups & downs but as I said already tech support came thru everytime. Our new home doesn't have as much automation yet but it will with time.Thanks again to MicasaVerde for excellent support in the past. I have always said you just don't know how good a company really is until you have a problem.

19.12.2016

This is an incredible value. I have had a few glitches with being new to this, but overall it has been very rewarding. One of the neatest things is combining things together. For example, when a code is punched in on the front door, I have it set to run a scene and activate lights or turn things on depending on who it is and also use the Aeon Labs doorbell with custom audio files to announce who it is and give a message as needed. There is a different message for each code entered. We also are using this to control lights and a heater for our chicken coop that is not too far from teh house, but the z-wave still reaches and so we can keep an eye on the temperature, humidity, etc from anywhere.

3.5.2016

I have two Vera controllers automating my home. The Vera Edge is my primary controller and operates all of my lighting/outlets/thermostats using Zwave. I use Z-Wave devices from Jasco, Leviton Aeon Labs, Fibaro and others in my system and have found the inclusion of devices to be relatively straightforward. There are a few devices that require add-ons/plug-ins to fully exploit their capabilities (the MIMOlite relay module is one example). The availability of plug-ins is one of the great advantages of the Vera Controllers. Others are the excellent support and documentation form the Micasaverde team and the wealth of great information provided by the user community.

12.5.2015

Update: After 4+ years of use, still works reliably and the device has gotten better thru functionality improvements in Apps and feature improvements. Updating to well deserved 5 stars. After 2 1/2 years of use, I'm giving Vera Edge a 4 star rating (up from 2 star). It works well and been reliable. They also been improving the Hub firmware and Android/iOS app since I purchased this hub awhile back. There are still many areas to improve and be better but definitely better than what it was back in 2015. The 2 key areas where Vera Edge is better than SmartThings (which I came close to switching) is it continues to works even when there's no internet service and you can access your home automation devices form a PC web browser.

12.1.2016

first of all you get lots of features for $100 supports lots of z-wave devices, works great with BlueIris even can use ip cameras for motion sensor. This unit will do almost everything I need, problem with it is that web UI is extremely slow but that is not so bad because i only use it to set up system, phone UI works ok and scenes run great.Another problem is that this unit have bad support for leviton controller some times i have to configure them over a hour so it function correctly. My major problem that sometimes my z-wave devices will disappear and I have to add them back this wood not be so bad if UI was not that slow and I could configure levitation controllers with one setup.UPDATEAfter

25.2.2016

So far so good. I've installed my VeraEdge Home Controller and use it to control a few GE Zwave light switches and some simple scenes. Setup was super easy - a web wizard and connecting of my Vera and then syncing up with devices. The experience was really simple and guided. I've contacted VeraEdge support a few times and have always had fast response. The $99.00 price seems too good to be true at times with everything this sucker does and how much support I get.I am absolutely thrilled that they're developing for all platforms. The Windows 10 app works great on my Surface Pro 4 and my Lumia 950. The developer responded to questions and talked about upcoming patches and releases that may support Cortana for voice commands (yay!)

10.9.2015

I am new to home automation, but was happy with this unit. I purchased a a remote control and a few zwave power cables that also measure power used. I can see a lot of future uses for it, and I have just started using it. I turn things on and off with my small remote that I can charge every 6 months or so via a usb charger. I can do it via the UI7 app, I know people complain about the app but I have no problems with it. I press the icon on the android app, it performs the action. I even had a small personal fan I kept forgetting to turn off. I programmed it to turn off at midnight daily so if I forget, the system turns it off anyway saving 8 hours of wear on a fan motor.

31.3.2016

InstallInstallation was pretty simple. You plug it in and then go to the website. You might want to take a picture of the unit info (serial and MAC) on the bottom side of the device before hooking this up to your network. You'll need it for registration. The device updated while I was given some videos to watch about setting it up. There seems to be a lot of resources on YouTube. The hardest part about this was figuring out how to pair sensors that were previously paired with another Z-Wave system, mine being GE in-wall light switches. Basically you attempt to pair, but you hit retry. This will put the Vera Edge in remove mode. Whilst in remove mode, then press the action button to get it to see your device.

24.5.2017

Got this with the rfx 433 unit mainly to control lightwaverf relays around the house and garden. With the usual minor learning curve issues, quite straightforward to set up. Everything working fine so far. Much more stable than with using LWRF remotes - better wireless range.GUI not the best in the world but functional. Managed to setup some simple "scenes" to control some greenhouse climate management functions and timers in the garden. As well as Z wave devices which it seems to handle generally well, the RFX module ( separate purchase ) can interface with a lot of other 433 wireless protocols e.g. I had some OWL power/current measuring units that are now in the VERA system,

7.7.2015

Dead on arrival... Contacted support, all I have received thus far is an automated reply.... I'll update this once I hear back from them.(edit: I first sent a request for support on the 5th of July, received the automated reply shortly there after, and a message from support on the 7th).Update:I left the original review to let other potential purchasers know that this is a potential issue they may face. In general one of three things has happened when something is dead when it shows up. 1. Bad Luck (i.e. not really anyone's fault). 2. Bad quality control. 3. Bad packaging. I know that is a little over simplification, but when I buy something, I expect it to work out of the box.I contacted support,

4.11.2015

After debating between the VeraEdge or Samsung Smartthings, I went with the Edge due to how long MiCasaVerde has been in the Z-Wave business. I am very happy with with performance so far, except for a few minor things (-1 star)Pros :- Good Range (though its a mesh network)- Quick response times (With 3rd Party interface)- Easy to "Use" (Once setup; see cons)- Plugin support for more compatibility (Wink/Nest/etc)- Great community supportCons :- Difficult setup - When setting it up; I had to open a port 232 for it to connect to getvera.com to allow for the unit to work remotely as well as to create your account. This is not documented very well. It took some googling to find this out.

Vera VeraEdge - Reviews

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