newbie - getting started questions

[luismanson]

Hello, i'm about to enter in the home automation world and obviously i have more questions than answers, som im here for newbie help
First of all, as a base to all my questions, i'm from Argentina. My main way to do this affordable is to buy from china.
I want to:
* have control of some lights, and plugs
* monitor electricity usage and ambient (i guess there are no non-invasive gas options)


What i have seen:
As of now i'm interested in some Broadlink devices, i would be able to have IR and 433mhz communication. also their alarm and air monitoring devices looks nice and cheap. However i guess this leaves out the ability to control non broadlink plugs and lights

As of a power meter solution, i don't care to mess with the wiring. i was thinking on going with one of those chinese meter-plug with LCD and add an esp82266 but it will go out of range with the washing machine and the AC unit for sure. My other opttion would be a power-meter with some kind of IO port so i can do the same, but i have no idea on how to find one of those

For all of this i plan to run a Rpi2 which i use for media center

I want all this to be as integrated and seamless as possible.

[luismanson]

well after some reasearch i've found i will need a meter with modbus.
but before anything i will have to choose a hub controller, still like the broadlink. but have seen others with more protocol options

[Jonkerfrisjes]

I am also interested in the Broadlink devices. I have bought a TC2 switch from Aliexpress.
Just to find out what kind of device the switch is and how it works.

I have bought not the RM communicate module.
The device works great by touching it.

Now I am curious if there is a way to "learn" the switch without it's official RM communicate module to the domoticz application.