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I have spent countless hours searching the web, looking for a specific kind of dimmer that would integrate well into my existing home theater. I found what I was searching for in these Leviton VR dimmers. But first, let me provide some background...
Many years ago I installed a set of dimmers in my home theater that were based on X10 technology. That technology required a separate RF remote controller and a plug in receiver to send the signal to the dimmers. It did the job, but it would not allow me to create scenes (combinations of preset lighting cues) for watching movies, reading, full illumination, etc. You had to change each light separately to get the lighting mood you wanted, but it was the only option I had at the time. A few years after that I replaced my older multi-function infrared (IR) based remote with a Logitech Harmony 890 remote with an RF option that is designed out of the box to work with Z-Wave technology dimmers. So in looking to upgrade my dimmers my primary requirement was that they needed to be controllable using my 890 remote. I also wanted to be able to create different combinations of lighting intensities between my three sets of recessed lights that were appropriate for whatever it was I was doing at the time, preferably as a part of an 'Activity' macro sequence on the remote.
Although these dimmers are a little more expensive than I'd hoped, they fit the bill perfectly.
Installation was a breeze, as long as you are comfortable working around electrical switches. Mine installation was simple since I only had one set of switches to replace (single pole circuit), although these dimmers are designed to work on three way circuits as well. After making the connections I reprogrammed my Harmony remote to tell it I had installed several new Z-Wave devices. It guided me through the pairing process to identify each dimmer individually. Once that was done, it was just a matter of creating scenes in the Harmony software to tell dimmer 1 that lights the wall behind the Plasma to go to 25%, and dimmer 2 that lights the theater seats to go to 35%, and dimmer 3 on the book cases in the corner of the room to turn totally off for a scene I named "Watch Movies". I then created several other scenes with different lighting intensities and saved them under the Z-Wave tab in the Harmony setup software. The last step was to include these lighting scenes by name into one of my existing 'Activities' (macros) used with my home theater on the remote. Then I had the Harmony software update the remote and the RF extender. Now, when I select 'Watch Blu-Ray' on the remote, all the AV components turn on and switch to the right settings, AND the lighting dims to the scene levels I specified in my set up. It's exactly what I was looking to accomplish.
Once the setup is completed, the Harmony remote also provides a selection on my main menu for controlling the lights individually. So you can, for example, turn all lights to 100% on or off, choose a specific dimmer and increase or decrease it's light output, and activate any of your preprogrammed scenes individually.
Let me also mention that most documentation for the Z-Wave dimmers tells you that you need to use their separately purchased remote to program them. If you have the Harmony RF based remote, you can use it to program the dimmers instead. You do not need to buy anything beyond the dimmers.
If you have a Harmony RF capable remote like the 890 and are looking for a way to integrate your lighting into your automation process, then you can order these dimmers with confidence.
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After reviewing several remote dimmer products I selected the Leviton Vizia for several reasons even though it was the most expensive. First, most other brands seemed to have a high failure rate based on the reviews that I read on Amazon and other websites, and second many users complained about incompatibilities with other "Z-wave" products (like third party remote controls). Finally, the least expensive competing remote dimmers were still over $40, so if I had to replace it even once outside of warranty it would cost more than the Leviton.
The Amazon website doesn't have a lot of details so here are some key product features:
Six brightness settings can be controlled directly from the switch or remotely
Pressing toggle switch returns the lights to the previous brightness setting
Holding down toggle switch turns the lights all the way up
When turning on or off the lights fade on and off over a configurable time period
Ability to configure maximum brightness setting to save energy
Finally, everyone I'm sure has seen the Apple iPhone commercial where they check the status of their lights and turn them off over the Internet. Because the Vizia switches are two-way (they accept commands, but also transmit on/off/brightness state) they should be compatible with such a system and that's why I consider this my "gateway" product into home automation.
PS. I also purchased the Vizia Fan Control Switch and it works great as well -but sadly is even more expensive!
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I have a MiCasaVerde Vera2 z-wave router/controller setup and these switches work well. My outside lights are programmed to turn on at 75% power at sunset and my basement lights turn on when motion is detected down there. Vera2 also sends me a text message when motion is detected. It's a great do-it-yourself home security system. Eventually I'll buy enough of these switches to use them for more fun things like setting a home theater scene with one push of a button. Z-wave is really slick and if you're a tech geek or just like controlling things from your phone, office, vacation or sofa then this switch and Vera2 are perfect for you. This switch comes with three colors so you can match your other switches. I use the Ivory and it matches the color of my regular Home Depot switches perfectly. They're a bit more expensive than other z-wave switches, but I haven't found any of the other ones in ivory.
Honest reviews on Leviton VRI06-1LZ Vizia RF + 600W Incandescent Scene Capable
This dimmer requires that the load being dimmed use at least 50 watts of power. Even if you hit that but don't go that far over it, the dimming capability is limited. So this dimmer can not be used to control LED or CFL lighting unless you are controlling a group of at least 3-4 lights (in most cases). Given that most incandescent bulbs are being phased out and you will be using mostly LEDs in the near future I can't imagine anyone wanting to make the investment required for an RF controlled system that isn't ready for the future. Surprisingly Levitron doesn't offer anything for scene capable control of LED lights as of today.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Leviton VRI06-1LZ Vizia RF + 600W Incandescent Scene Capable
Works great and have had no issues. ADT Pulse works with a limited number of Z-Wave devices. Luckily, this is one of them.
