What can replace an IHC controller?
What can replace an IHC controller?
It's one of the most searched questions among Danish homeowners with IHC: "Can I replace my IHC controller?" The short answer is no — but the long answer is far more interesting.
Why people want to replace IHC
The typical reasons for searching for alternatives:
- No app control — IHC has no official app or browser interface
- No integration with modern devices — Hue, Sonos, Zigbee don't work with IHC
- Programming is cumbersome — LK IHC Visual requires Windows and technical knowledge
- Fear the system is discontinued — "is IHC still supported?"
Can you physically replace the controller?
Technically: no, not with anything directly compatible. The IHC controller communicates with a proprietary bus system to all push buttons, relays and sensors in the house. If you remove the controller, everything stops working.
Alternatives requiring new wiring
- KNX — open standard, but requires new modules and bus wiring. Budget: DKK 50,000-150,000 for a typical house
- Loxone — complete new system with its own controller and modules. Similar price range
- Home Assistant + relay modules — DIY solution, requires technical expertise and new hardware
The better solution: build on top
Instead of replacing IHC, you can build on top of it. Your IHC controller supports Modbus TCP — an industry standard for communication. This means an external device can:
- Read all sensor values (temperatures, dimmer levels, relay states)
- Write to all actuators (toggle lights, adjust dimmers, change setpoints)
- React to events (push buttons, timer expiry)
BT Home as IHC bridge
The BT Home Hub connects to your IHC controller via Modbus TCP and gives you:
- Browser control — bt.langr.org from any device
- Multi-protocol — IHC + Hue + Sonos + Zigbee + 433 MHz in one dashboard
- Energy optimization — DK2 spot prices, thermal analysis, automatic savings
- No renovation — you keep your entire existing IHC system
Comparison
| Solution | Price | Downtime | IHC preserved | Modern devices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KNX renovation | DKK 50-150K | Weeks | No | Yes |
| Loxone | DKK 40-120K | Weeks | No | Yes |
| Home Assistant DIY | DKK 5-15K | Days | Partially | Yes |
| BT Home | DKK 1,499 | 15 min | Yes | Yes |
Is IHC discontinued?
No. Schneider Electric (who acquired LK) still maintains IHC. You can still buy spare parts, and the system is stable. But no new features are coming — IHC is in "maintenance mode".
This is exactly why BT Home makes sense: you keep the robust, wired IHC foundation and add modern smart home features on top.
Conclusion
Don't replace your IHC controller — modernize it. With BT Home you get everything you're missing (app control, Hue/Sonos integration, energy optimization) without touching what already works.
Order your BT Home Hub and have it running in 15 minutes: See pricing.