Honeywell Tuxedo Touch Adds Home Automation to Security Systems

Honeywell is making it simple to add home automation and Web services to traditional security panels, thanks to the new Tuxedo Touch (6280i) Wi-Fi touchscreen.

The seven-inch wall-mounted unit integrates Honeywell security panels with Z-Wave home automation devices, surveillance cameras and Web services.

For Honeywell, “it’s always been about life safety,” says Rob Puric, director, product management and marketing. “But convergence is becoming just as important.”

The touchscreen is not a self-contained security system, a la Honeywell’s Lynx 5100, but it does add automation and other services to full-featured Honeywell Vista security panels.

The novelty of the product is that it installs just like a standard four-wire keypad, but brings everything necessary to integrate Honeywell security with home control and the Web. There’s no need to attach a bunch of little black boxes to the security panel itself.

Tuxedo has built-in Z-Wave technology for controlling door locks, thermostats, lights and other Honeywell-approved Z-Wave devices.

In addition, there’s a built-in Web server for local control of security and automation functions via any Wi-Fi enabled device (smartphone, iPad, iPhone, PC, Internet TV, etc.).

Up to four Honeywell IP cameras can be viewed on the touchscreen – simultaneously or one at a time. And when the screen is otherwise idle, it can play slideshows via the built-in SD Card slot.

All programming is performed on the touchscreen itself – including the registration of Z-Wave devices – with no PC required.

RELATED: Honeywell LYNX Touch 5100 Alarm Panel Features Wi-Fi, 4G

Even basic scenes (if/then conditions) can be created via Tuxedo using Honeywell’s simple set-up menu. Up to 10 scenes are supported, with up to three actions per event. Likewise, ROOMS are created via the touchscreen, allowing dealers to cluster all devices (lights, thermostat and camera, for example) in a single room for intuitive access.

Out of the box, the Web features of Tuxedo are available only on the home network, but Honeywell also has a cloud-based solution for remote access and home management: Total Connect.

Subscribing to the Total Connect service allows users to access and control any device on the home network via any Web browser or native app for iOS and Android devices. Furthermore, Total Connect can deliver text messages or emails upon alarm events, for example if the door is unlocked, the temperature drops too low, or the kids disarm the security system after school.

Total Connect also enables DVR capabilities for the home’s surveillance cameras.

Tuxedo does not offer full-blown automation features; most notably, the scene capabilities are limited. Then again, the unit retails for less than $450.

The real beauty for dealers is the ability to sell a glorified (profitable) keypad that can be added to a security system with little effort … and upgraded simply to include remote home management via Total Connect.

On top of that, Honeywell has launched the Tuxedo Connect cloud-based (SaaS) service for the trade. The software enables dealers to remotely monitor and manage their Tuxedo Touch user accounts either via their own servers or through Honeywell.

Honeywell Integration with ZigBee Energy Management

In addition to interfacing with Honeywell Vista Security panels and Z-Wave devices, the Tuxedo Touch can serve as a full-fledge energy management solution via ZigBee technology.

and Honeywell created its own energy analytics software that runs on Tuxedo (and connected Web devices) and communicates with standard ZigBee-enabled smart meters. Users can review their daily, weekly and monthly energy usage, check current utility pricing, and monitor individual high-load devices.

With the addition of an Ethernet-enabled inverter, the Tuxedo Touch can monitor energy from solar, wind and other alternative energy sources.

Furthermore, Honeywell’s Tuxedo Touch now integrates with sub-meters from industry leader e-mon, providing the same type of energy analytics as would be available with smart meters.

Honeywell tells us that solar-powered homes in Land Tejas communities are using this combination of e-mon submeters and the Tuxedo Touch.

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