A control center makes the KNX Smart Home really intelligent. We compare three KNX servers for the DIN rail and the control cabinet. The top model among the home servers for KNX was the Gira Homeserver 4 for almost 15 years. It enables graphically sophisticated visualizations and (remote) controls on all devices (smartphone, tablet and desktop). At the beginning of the KNX Smart Home era in the early 2000s, it was mainly used as a control center in high-quality villas.
The so-called middle class includes the Gira X1 Server and the Jung Smart Visu Server, with which good controls (logics, scenes, etc.) can also be implemented. What all KNX servers have in common is that they are predestined for use in the construction of a new house, a KNX Smart Home or an apartment with high demands.
Before we go into detail, a classification of the three KNX servers: The Gira X1 has been on the market since 2016 and was presented in parallel with the Gira Homeserver 4. The latter has been around since 2002 – back then as the Gira Homeserver 2. Since it was introduced, the Gira X1 server has been one of the best-selling KNX servers on the market. In contrast, the Jung Smart Visu Server leads a comparatively shadowy existence and is sold significantly less. The difference between the Gira Homeserver 4 and the two more compact Gira X1 and Jung Smart Visu Server: It comes in a compact server housing and therefore does not fit in the electrical control cabinet like the other two KNX servers, which are intended for the DIN rail.
What all three KNX servers have in common is the setup and configuration using their own software, which the manufacturers offer for free download. With this software, the KNX visualization on the various devices – whether smartphone, tablet or Windows PC – is set up for all three candidates. This is preceded by the KNX commissioning, setup and KNX programming, which only works with the full version of the ETS5 or ETS6 software. The software for setting up the KNX visualization, which runs differently for all three candidates, has nothing to do with the KNX programming.
If you want to set up and program your house completely yourself, then we recommend our click instructions: Program the KNX Smart Home yourself in 8 hours. Click instructions for builders and electricians. So if you want to save yourself the tedious time by spending many months trying to get started with KNX programming, we recommend our click instructions.
But back to our three KNX servers. The Gira X1 server is commissioned with the Gira GPA software and the installation of the KNX visualization runs under Windows 10/11. Due to many requests from builders, we have created our own click instructions (see “Program the Gira X1 in 2 hours”, so that a “normal” house or apartment can be set up in 2 hours.
The Jung Smart Visu Server was introduced in 2016/2017 and the software has received many improvements through its updates. All three KNX servers have the current software version 2023 in common, so that each server can control an individual building and serve as a KNX visualization.
