This comparison now identifies the TekOnline eight-zone board as V3. V3 supports calibrated timed partial damper opening, current diagnostics and direct 3.3V TTL UART expansion. The legacy four-zone and 2012 ZoneTouch columns are historical references. The upcoming touchscreen wall controller is a separate product still in development.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | TekOnline 4-Zone | TekOnline 8-Zone V3 | Polyaire ZoneTouch (legacy 2012) | Advantage Air MyAir | Advantage Air e-zone | Advantage Air zoneˣ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone & Airflow | ||||||
| Max zones | 4 | 8 | 16 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Airflow adjustment | Slow-PWM duty-cycle / On-Off relay | 0–100% target opening; calibrated timed positioning (estimated, not measured airflow) | 10% steps | 5% steps (EAR) | 5% steps (EAR) | On/Off only |
| Spill/bypass zone | ✔ (configurable) | Plan minimum airflow / spill behaviour in firmware and installation; confirm configuration | ✔ (configurable) | Yes (installer-configured) | Unknown | Unknown |
| Per-zone naming | ✔ (HA configurable) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | Unknown | ✔ |
| Wall Controls & Physical UI | ||||||
| Physical wall buttons | ✔ (4x momentary, LED backlight) | ✘ (no integrated buttons) | ✔ (9-button + LCD) | ✔ (touchscreen tablet) | ✔ (7″ touchscreen) | ✔ (LCD touchscreen) |
| Max wall controllers | 4 (modular ESP32) | Upcoming UART touchscreen; final connection details pending | 4 touchpads | Unknown | Unknown | 2 |
| Works offline | ✔ (local-first, no cloud) | ✔ (local-first) | ✔ (standalone) | Yes (tablet offline; app needs WiFi) | Yes (tablet offline; app needs WiFi) | Yes (local touchscreen, no app) |
| Button LED feedback | ✔ (PWM = zone position) | No integrated wall buttons; status via firmware / Home Assistant | ✔ (backlit LCD) | Tablet screen | Tablet screen | LCD screen |
| Hold-to-dim | ✔ | Not a built-in V3 board feature | ✘ | n/a (touch) | n/a (touch) | n/a |
| Connectivity | ||||||
| WiFi | ✔ (2.4GHz ESP32) | ✔ (2.4GHz ESP32) | ✔ (2.4GHz) | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
| Ethernet | No onboard Ethernet verified; HA networking is separate | No onboard Ethernet (Home Assistant Ethernet does not add it to the board) | ✘ | No (WiFi only) | No (WiFi only) | ✘ |
| OTA firmware updates | ✔ (ESPHome) | ✔ (ESPHome) | ✘ | Unknown | Unknown | ✘ |
| USB flashing | ✔ (USB-C) | USB-C; disconnect external UART device before USB flashing | ✘ | Unknown | Unknown | ✘ |
| Captive portal fallback | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | Unknown | Unknown | ✘ |
| Smart Home | ||||||
| Home Assistant native | ✔ (ESPHome API) | ✔ (ESPHome API) | ✘ | Yes — Home Assistant Advantage Air integration; compatible tablet required | Yes — Home Assistant Advantage Air integration; compatible tablet required | ✘ |
| Open-source firmware | ✔ (ESPHome) | ✔ (ESPHome) | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ |
| Smartphone app | ✘ (not needed, use HA) | Home Assistant; browser controls depend on loaded firmware | ✔ (read-only) | ✔ (full control, worldwide) | ✔ (full control) | ✘ |
| Voice assistant | ✔ (via HA: Alexa, Google) | ✔ (via HA) | ✘ | Yes (Google Home, Alexa) | Unknown | ✘ |
| No vendor lock-in | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ |
| Damper Compatibility | ||||||
| Spring-open/power-close | ✔ (default) | Not suitable for 2-wire spring-return dampers | ✔ (24VAC 200mA) | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| Spring-close/power-open | ✔ (invert_relay per zone) | Not suitable for 2-wire spring-return dampers | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| Damper voltage | 24VAC | 24VAC | 24VAC, 200mA/ea | 24VAC (industry standard) † | 24VAC (industry standard) † | 24VAC (industry standard) † |
| Motor-cutoff (center-off) | ✔ (optional mod) | Motor drive stops between timed movements; verify firmware / polarity during commissioning | ✘ | Unknown | Unknown | ✘ |
| Power & Installation | ||||||
| System voltage | 24VAC | 24VAC | 24VAC (40W transformer) | 24VAC (via AC unit transformer) † | 24VAC (via AC unit transformer) † | 24VAC (via AC unit transformer) † |
| Mounting type | Wall (surface/semi-recessed) | Roof-space / enclosure | Wall + roof module | Wall tablet + roof module | Wall tablet + roof module | Wall + roof module |
| Wiring connector | RJ11 (6P6C) | Screw terminals | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| DIY-friendly | ✔ (kit or assembled) | ✔ | ✘ (installer-only) | ✘ (dealer) | ✘ (dealer) | ✘ (dealer) |
| Pre-flashed available | ✔ | Confirm next-release firmware and supply configuration | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ |
| Open-source hardware | ✔ (BOM, Gerber, STEP) | ✔ (BOM, Gerber) | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ |
| Commercial | ||||||
| Price (AUD) | $199-229 | $249 board only, plus delivery; $30 working-V2 trade-in credit. One board currently available; further stock expected early November 2026. Check the product page for live availability. | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| Ships from | Australia | Australia | Australia (SA) | Australia (WA) | Australia (WA) | Australia (WA) |
| Warranty | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | 5 years electronics | 5 years elec / 10 years mech | 5 years |
| Scheduling & Automation | ||||||
| Programmable schedules | ✔ (via HA automations) | ✔ (via HA) | ✔ (5-1-1, 4/day) | Yes (scenes + timers) | Yes (10 scenes) | ✘ |
| Duty-cycle automation | ✔ (on-device slow_pwm, 300s period) | Timed target positioning; custom automations depend on firmware / Home Assistant | ✘ | Unknown | Unknown | ✘ |
| Direct UART expansion | Not assessed here | Six-pin 3.3V TTL header: GND / 3V3 / TX / RX / DE / +5V. Not a built-in RS485 port. | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified |
| Actuator diagnostics | Not assessed here | 24VAC supply-current monitoring; diagnostic aid, not measured blade position | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified |
What Makes TekOnline Different
TekOnline V3 is designed for local ESPHome / Home Assistant integration. Local operation depends on the configured firmware and connected controls. The V3 roof-space board has no integrated wall buttons.
The V3 ESPHome firmware and calibration resources are available publicly. The currently published product describes the firmware as alpha/development; next-release firmware status is to be confirmed.
TekOnline uses ESPHome and provides developer resources. Confirm hardware files, firmware maturity, enclosure, wiring and commissioning requirements for the exact version being purchased.
Will This Work With My System?
Check these points before you order a controller:
- Is your system 24VAC ducted reverse-cycle?
- How many zones do you need? The 4-Zone supports up to 4 zones. The 8-Zone supports up to 8. Combine controllers for more zones.
- For V3, use compatible 24VAC three-wire actuators: common, drive-open and drive-close. Two-wire spring-return dampers are not supported. Check the actuator model and wiring before purchase.
- Do you have 2.4GHz WiFi at the controller location?
- V3 local controls depend on loaded firmware; Home Assistant adds automations and remote access. The upcoming wall controller is a separate device.
- New build or retrofit? Send a photo of your existing controller and wiring for a free compatibility check.
- Commissioning requires wiring, relay-direction and travel-time checks. Confirm the shipped firmware and final installation instructions for the next release.
Competitor Systems at a Glance
Polyaire ZoneTouch (2012): Supports 16 zones with a 9-button LCD touchpad. WiFi is included but the smartphone app is read-only. The system operates standalone with no smart home integration. Configuration and installation need a certified installer.
Advantage Air MyAir: Handles 10 zones with a colour touchscreen tablet. Full smartphone control works worldwide. MyAir uses the MyPlace smart home ecosystem and is compatible with over 16 air-conditioner brands. Voice control via Google Home & Amazon Alexa. 5-year electronics warranty. Spill zone (installer-configured). A dealer must install and configure the system.
Advantage Air e-zone: Up to 10 zones, 7-inch Android colour touchscreen (wired, doubles as tablet), worldwide smartphone control via WiFi, 5–100% airflow in 5% increments via Electronic Air Regulation (EAR). 5-year electronics warranty, 10-year mechanical. Dealer-installed. Compatible with 4+ AC brands.
Sources
- ZoneTouch Operation Manual (2012), Polyaire Pty Ltd
- advantageair.com.au product pages (MyAir, e-zone, zoneˣ)
- support.advantageair.com.au compatibility page
- TekOnline ZoneControl firmware (ESPHome), tekonline.com.au
- Full matrix (living document): compatibility-matrix.md in ZoneControl project
Notes
† Competitor damper and supply specifications marked as industry-standard assumptions have not been verified for the exact model. Do not use these assumptions to determine electrical compatibility.
Warranty terms sourced from Advantage Air product brochures (MyAir 2024, e-zone 2022). Zone counts and display limits sourced from official user manuals on support.advantageair.com.au.
V3 corrections and current product references checked: 14 October 2026. Legacy competitor columns retain historical specifications; verify model-specific details before purchase.
This matrix is a living document. It is updated as new systems are tested. If your HVAC system is not listed, contact TekOnline with your controller model and wiring details. Compatibility checks are free.
Wiring reference
Once the matrix shows that your actuator is a standard 24VAC Open / Common / Close type, use the 24VAC three-wire damper wiring guide to identify the terminal groups.
Current alternatives: partial airflow is already available
Partial zone opening is a useful V3 upgrade, but is not unique to TekOnline. AirTouch / ZoneTouch manufacturer information describes 5% airflow adjustments, with ZoneTouch 3 supporting up to 16 zones and AirTouch 5 offering integrated AC and zone management. Advantage Air e-zone also advertises 5–100% airflow in 5% steps. These systems include broader wall-control and AC integration features than a bare zone-control board.
V3’s distinction is its combination of local ESPHome integration, estimated 0–100% damper targets, actuator-current diagnostics and an accessible 3.3V TTL UART header for custom integrations. UART availability does not itself establish compatibility with an air conditioner’s proprietary serial protocol, or provide RS485 / Modbus without an appropriate adapter and firmware.
The new touchscreen wall controller is targeting early November 2026. Its cable, final feature set and release details remain in development. See the V3 product page for production pricing, availability and the V2 trade-in offer.
Home Assistant also provides Advantage Air and AirTouch 5 integrations. TekOnline’s ESPHome interface is a different integration approach; Home Assistant support is not exclusive to TekOnline.