Vimar is Italy's equivalent of Gira in Germany or Legrand in France — the dominant domestic brand for wiring devices, present in virtually every Italian electrical installation from budget residential to premium commercial. Unlike Gira (which is KNX-native) or Legrand (which bridges between its proprietary bus and KNX), Vimar has built genuine KNX integration into its premium product ranges while maintaining the aesthetic continuity of its Italian design language. For integrators working on Italian projects — particularly in northern Italy, where smart home uptake is high — Vimar KNX is the natural choice for pushbutton interfaces.

Vimar product families overview

Vimar organises its wiring device ranges by design language, each covering multiple price points and including KNX variants. **Eikon:** Vimar's flagship range, launched 2004, extensively revised 2018. Round pushbuttons, premium materials (glass, metal, ceramic). The KNX variants use the standard Vimar Gang plate with integrated bus coupling unit (BCU). Price point: €60–120 per KNX pushbutton (single-gang). Typical use: penthouses, luxury residential, high-end commercial receptions. **Plana:** Flat, minimalist design with sharp rectangular profile. Closer to the Gira System 55 aesthetic. Available in white, off-white, anthracite, and a range of colours. KNX variants: 1–4 button configurations. Price: €40–80 per KNX pushbutton. Typical use: modern apartments, architect-designed projects. This is the most specified Vimar range in new residential construction. **Evo:** Budget-to-mid range with conventional rounded profile. KNX modules available. Price: €25–50. Typical use: social housing with KNX infrastructure, budget-sensitive projects where KNX is specified for the infrastructure but design budget is limited. **Arke:** Slightly premium to Evo, with a more refined profile. KNX modules in most function types. Price: €35–65. Typical use: standard residential renovation with some design attention.

ETS6 application download for Vimar KNX devices

All Vimar KNX devices use ETS applications downloadable from the KNX Association online catalog (ETS → Online Catalog → search "Vimar"). Vimar maintains its ETS applications well — current versions support ETS6 with product families dated back to ETS3-era devices. **ETS application structure:** Each Vimar KNX BCU (bus coupling unit) — the intelligence behind a pushbutton frame — has its own ETS application. The BCU is the same physical module across multiple Vimar ranges (Plana, Eikon, Evo share compatible BCU families for the same frame size). The application version determines which KNX functions are available. Verify the application version matches the firmware in the device (visible in ETS diagnostics after reading the device). **Updating applications:** When Vimar releases a new ETS application (typically with new parameter options or bug fixes), update via ETS → right-click device → Change Application Version. ETS6 preserves parameter values through the version update when possible, but always verify critical parameters after an application update.

Configuring a Vimar 4-gang pushbutton

The Vimar 4-button KNX pushbutton (e.g. Plana 14502 with BCU 01817) has four button pairs (each pair = short press and long press), giving 8 configurable KNX events per device. Typical configuration for a bedroom: **Button 1 (top left):** Short press = ceiling light ON/OFF (DPT 1.001, GA 0/1/0). Long press = dimming (DPT 3.007, GA 0/1/1). Configure in ETS as "switch/dim". **Button 2 (top right):** Short press = Raffstore position preset (DPT 1.001 → scene GA 4/1/0). Long press = Raffstore manual move (DPT 1.008, GA 1/1/0 move up/down). **Button 3 (bottom left):** Short press = "Goodnight" scene (DPT 18.001 scene value, GA 4/0/1). Long press = temperature display toggle (no KNX telegram — button LED feedback only). **Button 4 (bottom right):** Short press = "Good morning" scene (GA 4/0/2). Long press = "Away" mode scene (GA 4/0/3). For each button, ETS parameters include: function type (switch, dim, blind, scene, value, temperature, HVAC mode), short press and long press objects, LED feedback group address (the button LED illuminates based on the status feedback GA, not just the command — always connect the status GA for correct LED behaviour). The Vimar BCU LED feedback parameters: choose whether LED illuminates when load is ON or OFF — configure per client preference (most Italian clients prefer LED off when light is on, to avoid light pollution at night).

VIEW Color 4.3" room controller setup

The Vimar VIEW Color (item 21512) is Vimar's flagship KNX room controller — a 4.3" capacitive touchscreen display embedded in a standard Vimar frame. It displays room temperature, setpoint, HVAC mode, lighting status, scene buttons, time, and weather (if connected to an external source). Compared to the Gira G1 (5.7", more expensive) or the MDT Glastaster II Smart (3.5", less flexible), the VIEW Color occupies a mid-range niche well-suited to Italian residential projects where the client wants a room display without the Gira price premium. **Group addresses to configure in ETS:** Room temperature measured value (DPT 9.001, from room thermostat or VIEW internal sensor). Room temperature setpoint (DPT 9.001, sent by VIEW to thermostat on setpoint change). HVAC mode (DPT 20.102, heating/cooling/auto). Ventilation speed (DPT 5.001 or DPT 20.105). Lighting on/off (DPT 1.001, per room circuit). Lighting dim value (DPT 5.001, displayed as percentage). Scene recall (DPT 18.001, scene number). Time/date (DPT 11.001/10.001, from KNX time master). **Custom screen layout:** ETS parameters for VIEW Color allow configuring which widgets appear on the main screen and sub-menus. For a typical bedroom: main screen shows temperature + setpoint (top half) and two scene buttons (bottom half). Swipe right → lighting controls. Swipe left → blind/shutter controls. The Vimar ETS application includes a screen layout preview in the parameter dialog — what you configure in ETS is what appears on screen. **HVAC setpoint widget:** The setpoint widget shows current setpoint with ±0.5°C buttons. Setpoint range limits (min/max) are configured in ETS parameters — always set reasonable limits (min 15°C, max 28°C) to prevent occupants setting 30°C in summer. The VIEW sends a new setpoint telegram whenever the occupant adjusts the value — the thermostat (Vimar KNX thermostat or external MDT/Gira thermostat) receives this GA and applies the new setpoint.

Vimar thermostat with Zennio KLIC-DD fan coil integration

Fan coil units (FCU) are common in Italian multi-residential and commercial buildings with chilled/hot water central plant. The Zennio KLIC-DD (KNX fan coil controller) is the standard choice for interfacing a 2-pipe or 4-pipe fan coil with KNX — it controls the FCU valve, fan speed, and mode. Pairing this with a Vimar KNX thermostat or VIEW Color room controller: **Temperature control loop:** Vimar VIEW Color sends measured temperature (from its internal sensor or an external PT1000 probe) to GA X/X/T_measured. Zennio KLIC-DD reads T_measured GA and compares to setpoint (received from Vimar VIEW on GA X/X/setpoint). KLIC-DD controls the FCU valve (open/close) and fan speed (low/medium/high) based on the temperature error. **HVAC mode coordination:** VIEW Color sends mode (heating/cooling/auto/standby) on DPT 20.102 to GA X/X/mode. KLIC-DD reads this GA and configures its control loop accordingly (heating = open hot water valve, cooling = open chilled water valve). **Fan speed display:** KLIC-DD sends current fan speed (DPT 5.001 or specific fan speed object) to GA X/X/fan_speed. VIEW Color displays this on its ventilation widget. Occupant can override fan speed from VIEW — KLIC-DD accepts manual fan speed commands on the same or a separate GA (check KLIC-DD ETS parameters for "fan speed manual override" communication object).

By-me vs KNX in Italian market

Vimar's proprietary automation bus, called By-me, is widely installed in Italian residential projects from roughly 2005–2020. By-me uses a 4-wire proprietary bus (not KNX TP), with proprietary switches, dimmers, and actuators. By-me is significantly cheaper than KNX upfront — pushbuttons cost €15–30, actuators €40–60 — and programming is simpler (Vimar's own By-me software, not ETS). Many Italian integrators who grew up with By-me continue to specify it for mid-range residential. **The KNX choice:** For new premium residential installations, specify Vimar KNX. The higher upfront cost is offset by vendor independence (can mix MDT actuators with Vimar pushbuttons), ETS6 portability (any certified KNX engineer can service the installation), and the superior feature set of KNX (scenes, presence integration, remote access, DALI-2 via KNX gateway). **When the client already has By-me:** Two options. (1) Full replacement: strip By-me, install KNX TP infrastructure (YCYM cable is similar gauge to By-me cable — some cable reuse is possible if the run is direct, but verify impedance before relying on existing cable). (2) By-me to KNX gateway: Vimar does not produce a native By-me/KNX gateway. Third-party Modbus gateways (e.g. HMS Ewon) with both By-me and KNX capability exist but are complex to configure. For most renovation projects, full By-me replacement is more cost-effective and results in a cleaner installation.