Integrate the Crestron Home® OS and KNX with this small, powerful DIN rail unit

Feb. 29, 2024 - While it’s been popular in the EMEA region for years, the KNX open standard is catching on with a broader audience across the globe. With a portfolio of 8,000-plus certified devices from more than 500 manufacturers, KNX integrations can offer an incredibly broad range of solutions, from AV to lighting and shading.

It only made sense for us to build a better way to bring the vast capabilities of KNX to the Crestron ecosystem — right now. We’ve designed an upgraded solution that marries KNX and Crestron with an incredibly unobtrusive DIN rail just one module wide: the DIN-KXI gateway.

Introducing the DIN-KXI KNX Gateway

The Crestron DIN-KXI gateway allows you to effortlessly incorporate KNX devices into any Crestron smart home or building automation system.

The DIN-KXI gateway serves as the interface for connecting to KNX at both the data point level (KNX application Layer) and telegram level (KNXnet/IP tunneling), providing flexibility for both Crestron and KNX integrators.

Security and Power in a Deceptively Small Package

The DIN-KXI gateway further features support for KNX Secure, the world's first vendor-independent security standard for building automation. KNX Secure is an encryption process based on worldwide established security protocols that ensures a best-in-class solution for your clients, whether they’re commissioning residential or commercial projects.

And those projects have gotten larger, too — which is another key reason for the development of this device. The DIN-KXI gateway supports four times more data points than its predecessor, the CI-KNX. As installations get larger — and the complexity and sheer volume of connected devices and systems expand — an increase in capacity becomes a must.

Crestron was able to pack all that capacity into the width of a single module, along with the ability to be powered directly from the KNX network, eliminating the need for any other power sources. The small form factor of the Crestron DIN-KXI gateway can easily integrate into electrical cabinets without taking up valuable space, providing a clean and efficient installation.

Key Features of the DIN-KXI Gateway Include:

• Effortless integration with the KNX standard, enabling control at both the data point and telegram level
• Support for KNX Secure, ensuring a safe and reliable connection
• Increased capacity that supports four times more data points than its predecessor
• An incredibly compact one-module form factor
• Power directly from the KNX network

Two Ways to Bridge KNX into the Crestron Home OS: Via a Hybrid Solution or the TIG KNX Extension

With the Crestron DIN-KXI KNX gateway, there are two ways to bridge KNX into the Crestron Home® platform: via a hybrid solution or the TIG KNX extension. These two offer a world of options that perfectly match the size, scale, or simplicity of your deployment.

The Hybrid Solution

The hybrid solution utilizes a Crestron 4-Series® Control Systems Processor with a Crestron Home R-Series Processor, allowing you to leverage the power of KNX with no limitations. It will enable you to use the custom control system to add KNX solutions not designed or manufactured by Crestron (such as wind sensors currently unavailable in the Crestron Home OS). The hybrid solution further offers the speed of deployment of the Crestron Home platform for Crestron AV solutions and full integration of all Crestron Home OS user interfaces, from touch screens to dedicated wall plates and remotes.

The hybrid solution requires an additional 4-Series Control System and the Ultamation SIMPL Home modules. This allows you to use Crestron SIMPL Windows programming to unlock the full power of KNX in the Crestron Home platform. The hybrid solution will enable you to fully customize programs and visualize KNX devices in Crestron Home in addition to KNX, allowing the integrator to custom-program the entire ecosystem.

The TIG KNX Extension — Now on Board Every Crestron Home OS Processor

There’s another layer to our commitment to making KNX integrations as seamless as possible: We now provide native KNX integration onboard every Crestron Home® OS processor through the TIG KNX extension. This ensures that every KNX device you might specify will “work and play well” with every other solution that’s part of the Crestron Home OS — and, of course, the control platform itself. The ease of integrating the Crestron Home platform and the world of KNX solutions gives you and your clients a new world of options. It’s another part of our ongoing efforts to make every configuration and deployment smoother for our integrators.

The DIN-KXI in a hybrid solution acts as a server, so the DIN-KXI handles the KNX traffic. With the extension, the KNX traffic is pass-through (see details below). (Note: The TIG extension does not support KNX Secure devices.)

The Crestron Home Platform and the DIN-KXI KNX Gateway

Hybrid Solution vs TIG Extension at a Glance

DIN-KXI Hybrid

• Control System Setup: 4-Series custom control system + Crestron Home OS control system
• Driver/Extension: Ultamation SIMPL for Crestron Home OS (also supports native lighting)
• Requires Custom Programming: Yes
• KNX Connection: Server
• KNX Secure Support: Yes
• Number of Data Points Supported: 1000
• Supported Datapoint Types: 11
• Crestron Home UI Controls: Supported in Cresron Home OS drivers

DIN-KXI TIG Extension

• Control System Setup: Crestron Home OS control system
• Driver/Extension: TIG KNX Extension
• Requires Custom Programming: No
• KNX Connection: Tunnel
• KNX Secure Support: No
• Number of Data Points Supported: -
• Supported Datapoint Types: 5
• Crestron Home UI Controls: Some limitations on UI controls

The DIN-KXI gateway will revolutionize the way Crestron and KNX work together, marrying the Crestron Home OS, the Crestron ecosystem, and KNX devices for solutions that create an unparalleled smart home experience. It’s one more way Crestron continues to lead the industry in innovation and integration, delivering cutting-edge solutions that empower users to create connected environments that satisfy their every need.

By Michael Short, Senior Director of Residential and Hospitality Marketing