GreenPeak Pushes ZigBee RF4CE as Smart Home Protocol

GreenPeak Technologies released a white paper on the benefits of the ZigBee RF4CE wireless communications protocol for smart home applications. ZigBee RF4CE was developed by the consumer electronics industry to connect remote controls to TVs and set-top boxes but can also be adopted by leading cable companies and ISPs and remote control makers in the U.S. as a smart home accessory, said GreenPeak CEO Cees Links. More than 100 million new set-top boxes and remote controls use ZigBee, he said. Links cited the protocol’s “outstanding range, reliability and robustness” and said its “ultra-low power requirement means that batteries never have to be replaced.” Links positioned the ZigBee remote as the control mechanism for the smart home as an alternative to the smartphone when users are inside the home. “When you are at home, it is much easier to just press a button on a remote control to change the lighting, lock the doors, and turn on your air conditioning,” he said. Using a TV remote for smart home control frees up the smartphone for talking and texting, he said. Versus competing protocols, Links touted radio frequency's (RF) technology benefits including no need for line-of-sight transmission and the ability to penetrate walls, floors and furniture. RF’s ability for two-way communication enables features such as “find-my-remote” and gives operators the ability to send subscribers notices of upcoming shows, special offers and the ability to receive software updates to add features to the remote, he said. Because RF is mature and has been available in high-volume production, it's a low-cost option for control, he said.