Unified Basic and Unified Comfort Panel
Learn to setup, program, and connect the Siemens Unified Basic and Unified Comfort Panels to the S7-1200 and 1500 line of PLCs, including:
| ✓ Unified HMI Hardware Overview | ✓ Selecting a Unified HMI |
| ✓ Hardware Features and Functionality | ✓ Software Requirements and Licensing |
| ✓ Supported Versions and Updating HMI Images | ✓ Testing Communications to S7-1200 & 1500 CPUs |
| ✓ Creating and Editing HMI Projects | ✓ Using Common Features and Functions |
| Buy For Someone Else (Voucher) | Open Course Data Sheet (PDF) |
Note: to purchase this course for someone else, choose “Voucher.” Enrolling three or more people? Contact us here to learn about our group enrollment program.
At a Glance
- Format
- Online, self-paced
- Lessons
- 25+ online lessons (more planned)
- Skill Level
- Intermediate: Basic knowledge of PLCs and Windows required
- Access
- Lifetime, no expiration
- Certificate
- Yes, with PDHs
- Starting Price
- $69
- Content Last Reviewed
- March 17, 2026
On This Page
What You’ll Learn:
By the End of This Course, You’ll Be Able To:
- ✓ Identify the Unified Basic and Unified Comfort Panel hardware and its features and functionality
- ✓ Select the right Unified HMI model and revision for your application
- ✓ Understand the software requirements and licensing needed to program Unified HMIs
- ✓ Check supported versions and update a Unified HMI’s image
- ✓ Create and edit Unified HMI projects in TIA Portal WinCC Unified
- ✓ Test communications between a Unified HMI and S7-1200 and S7-1500 CPUs
- ✓ Use common WinCC Unified features and functions
What You Receive With Your Purchase:
- ✓ Immediate online access
- ✓ Twenty-five plus online lessons (more planned)
- ✓ Online instructor support
- ✓ No expiration date
- ✓ Lifetime access
- ✓ Take lessons in any order
- ✓ Retake lessons as needed
- ✓ Completion certificate with PDHs
- ! HMI hardware & software is NOT included
Proudly Serving Thousands of Individuals and Companies
Unified Basic and Unified Comfort Panel Online Training Course
Learn to confidently set up, program, and connect the Siemens Unified Basic Panel and Unified Comfort Panel with this online course.
You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars and several days in a classroom to learn how to set up, program, and connect Siemens Unified HMIs to your Programmable Controllers. All you need is some basic PLC and Windows knowledge, a Windows PC, and our affordable Unified Basic and Unified Comfort Panel online course!
Our Unified HMI online course is perfect for electricians, technicians, and engineers who already understand PLC basics, and now want to learn how to set up, program, and connect Siemens Unified HMIs to the S7-1200 and S7-1500 PLCs from Siemens.
Taught by a factory-certified product specialist with over thirty-five years of experience, this course teaches you everything you need to know to get started using these HMIs with confidence.
Unlike other vendors’ courses that only become available after you purchase their expensive hardware or trainers, our course doesn’t require you to purchase any hardware or software — we show you how to get a free trial copy of the Siemens TIA Portal WinCC Unified and STEP 7 PLC programming software, which also includes free HMI and PLC simulation that can be used to complete the optional exercises included in this course.
For those who’d prefer to learn using a physical HMI and S7 PLC, we cover which Siemens Starter Packs were available at the time of this course’s release. We even provide an overview of every Unified Basic and Unified Comfort Panel currently available.
We stay involved after the sale: we actively encourage students to post questions in the lesson discussion area, where our expert instructors review and answer them within one business day on average. You’re welcome to come back, retake any lesson, and post additional questions as they come up — none of our courses expire.
Finish the course and pass all the quizzes, and you’ll earn an official Completion Certificate from The Automation School listing the Professional Development Hours you’ve earned by completing all of the required course content.
Unified Basic and Unified Comfort Panel HMI Course Topics:
Note: The course is currently in “early access” and the topic list below may change during the development of this course. For a complete list of current lessons, see the course lesson list.
- Vital Unified HMI documents & manuals
- Unified Basic hardware overview, details, and tour
- Unified Comfort hardware overview, details, and tour
- Software needed to program Unified HMIs
- How to get a free TIA Portal WinCC Unified and STEP 7 trial
- View remaining trial days
- Using the Automation License Manager
- TIA Portal WinCC Unified overview
- Choosing the correct model and revision
- Updating the HMI’s version (image)
- Resetting to factory defaults
- Create a project and simulate
- Create a project, download, and test with HMI hardware
- Create an increasingly complete project using core WinCC Unified features
- Appendix: Unified Basic HMI unboxing
- Appendix: Unified Comfort unboxing
- And more coming in the future!
Who Should Take This Course
Anyone who has some PLC experience and would like to learn how to set up, program, and connect the Siemens Unified Basic and Unified Comfort Panels to S7-1200 and S7-1500 Programmable Logic Controllers.
Who This Course Is NOT For
- Complete beginners who don’t know what a PLC is, or how ladder logic works — start with our foundational PLC basics course first, then come back to this one
- Anyone looking for HMI training on platforms other than the Siemens Unified Basic and Unified Comfort Panels (e.g. Allen-Bradley PanelView)
- Anyone looking primarily for in-depth S7-1200 or S7-1500 PLC programming training — this course focuses on the HMI, and covers the PLC side as needed to connect and test the panels
- Anyone who feels the need to complete the optional hands-on exercises, but is unable or unwilling to use either their own Siemens hardware and software or the free 21-day TIA Portal trial covered in the course. This is rarely a problem, but obviously some initiative is required of students who wish to complete the hands-on labs on their PC.
Meet Your Instructor
Shawn Tierney
Industrial Automation Instructor
Founder of The Automation School, The Automation Blog, and host of The Automation Podcast and Show
Hi, I'm Shawn Tierney, and I've spent more than 35 years helping electricians, technicians, engineers, and programmers learn how to setup, program, and troubleshoot industrial automation products and systems.
During my first 25 years I attended over fifty weeks of Rockwell Automation training, and earned several certifications, including becoming a Rockwell Automation Certified Controls & Information Specialist.
And since 2015 I've focused full-time on creating practical online and in-person training courses to help people like you build and maintain real-world PLC, HMI, and SCADA systems.
Throughout my career I've trained thousands of automation professionals in manufacturing, OEM, and system integration environments. Every course I create is based on practical field experience, emphasizing techniques you can immediately apply on the plant floor.
My goal is simple: help you become more confident, more productive, and more valuable as an automation professional.
- 35+ Years in Industrial Automation
- Rockwell Automation Certified Controls & Information Specialist
- Instructor to Thousands of Automation Professionals
- Creator of The Automation School
- Author of The Automation Blog
- Host of The Automation Podcast and Show
Learn more about Shawn at The Automation Blog.
Video: The Newest Starter Kits from Siemens
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Course Pricing
| Feature | Unified Basic & Comfort Panels On Sale! |
|---|---|
| Price | |
| Instant & lifetime access | ✓ |
| Lesson Q&A support | ✓ |
| Completion certificate with PDHs | ✓ |
| Optional exercises with hints | ✓ |
| Quiz prep with every quiz | ✓ |
| Enroll | Buy Online Course |
Note: to purchase this course as a gift, or for someone else to take, choose the Voucher option at the top of the page.
Student Reviews
All students who complete the course are invited to leave a review, and you can see all the existing student reviews on the Reviews tab above.
Course Requirements
Requirements to follow along and/or complete any optional exercises
After purchasing this course, the only requirement to take the course is an internet connection to access this website. The hands-on exercises are completely optional, but students who wish to complete them, or just follow along with the instructor as he teaches, will need the following:
- An internet connection to take this online course
- To create HMI projects and PLC programs, an installed and working copy of Siemens TIA Portal STEP 7 and WinCC Unified — the free 21-day TIA Portal trial (STEP 7, PLCSIM, and WinCC Unified) can be used to complete most of the optional exercises
- Instructions on how to get and install the free 21-day trial are covered in the course
- Optionally, to download and test with hardware, a physical Unified Basic Panel or Unified Comfort Panel, the matching TIA Portal STEP 7 and WinCC Unified license, and an S7-1200 or S7-1500 PLC
- A Windows PC compatible with the above software
- Note: a common question we get is whether we provide hardware or software with this online course. Since both are many times the price of this course, we do not.
Note: since it may take students with busy lives more than 21 days to complete this course, we highly recommend completing the course before downloading and activating the 21-day trial, since it is not designed to be reset once it expires.
Course Pre-sales Questions
Have a question about this course? Send it to the instructor below.
Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
Do I need previous PLC experience?
Yes. This course is designed for students who already understand PLC basics and know how to use a Windows PC.
Those with no prior Programmable Controller experience are encouraged to take our PLC Basics course first, then come back to this one.
Who is this course designed for?
This course is designed for electricians, technicians, and engineers who already understand PLC basics, and now want to learn how to set up, program, and connect Siemens Unified Basic and Unified Comfort Panels to S7-1200 and S7-1500 PLCs.
How long does it take to complete?
The required video lessons total more than five hours of instruction. However, that does not include any additional time you choose to spend completing the optional hands-on exercises.
The course is currently in early access, so more lessons are planned. And since all of our courses include lifetime access, you can return and review any lesson as often as you like.
Is the course finished?
No. The course is currently in early access, and more lessons are planned, so the topic list may change as the course is developed.
Since none of our courses expire, enrolled students have access to new lessons as they’re added.
Is the course self-paced?
Yes. The course is completely self-paced, and you can take lessons in any order and retake them as needed.
Because all of our courses include lifetime access with no expiration date, you can also revisit and review any lesson as many times as necessary.
Is instructor support included?
Yes. At the bottom of every lesson is a discussion area where students can post questions.
Our expert instructors review and answer those questions within one business day on average, and you’re welcome to come back and post additional questions as they come up.
And if a written response isn’t enough to resolve your question, eligible students may also schedule a short Microsoft Teams meeting with me during office hours (see Lesson 1.11).
Note that the number of complimentary live meetings available depends on the course you’ve purchased, and these sessions are specifically intended to answer questions related to the course material, and not as a free consulting or tech support service.
For those students seeking assistance beyond the course content, paid mentoring services are also available for topics covered in my training (see Lesson 1.12).
Does the course include hands-on exercises and quizzes?
Yes. The course includes optional hands-on exercises with hints, along with quiz prep for every quiz.
If you don’t have access to Siemens hardware or a TIA Portal license, we walk you through how to use the free 21-day TIA Portal trial to complete most of the optional exercises.
Will I receive a certificate?
Yes. When you finish the course and pass all the quizzes, you’ll receive an official Completion Certificate from The Automation School.
Your certificate lists the Professional Development Hours (PDHs) you’ve earned by completing all of the required course content.
Hardware and Software Questions
Do I need a physical Unified HMI or S7 PLC?
No. You do not need a physical Unified Basic Panel, Unified Comfort Panel, or S7 PLC to complete this course.
We show you how to get a free 21-day trial of TIA Portal STEP 7, PLCSIM, and WinCC Unified, which includes HMI and PLC simulation, and how to use that trial to complete most of the optional exercises.
For those who’d prefer to learn using a physical HMI and S7 PLC, we cover which Siemens Starter Packs were available at the time of this course’s release (see free preview Lesson 1.02B).
What software do I need to complete the hands-on exercises?
To complete the optional exercises, you’ll need Siemens TIA Portal STEP 7 and WinCC Unified, either with a license or using the free 21-day trial covered in the course.
Since it may take students with busy lives more than 21 days to complete this course, we highly recommend completing the course before downloading and activating the trial, since it is not designed to be reset once it expires.
Is HMI hardware or software included with the course?
No. Since both the hardware and software are many times the price of this course, they are not included.
Instead, we show you how to get the free 21-day TIA Portal trial, and we cover the Siemens Starter Packs for those who’d like to purchase hardware.
Which version of TIA Portal is used?
The trial software lessons cover how to get and install the free TIA Portal V19 trial.
Technical Questions
Which HMIs are covered?
The course covers the Siemens Unified Basic Panels and Unified Comfort Panels, including hardware overviews, details, and tours of each.
We even provide an overview of every Unified Basic and Unified Comfort Panel currently available, along with unboxing videos for both panel families in the appendix.
Which PLCs are covered?
The course shows you how to connect Unified HMIs to Siemens S7-1200 and S7-1500 PLCs, and how to test communications to those CPUs.
Will this help me choose the right Unified HMI?
Yes. The course covers selecting a Unified HMI, including choosing the correct model and revision.
Does the course cover updating the HMI image and resetting to factory defaults?
Yes. The course covers supported versions, how to update the HMI’s version (image), and how to reset the panel to factory defaults.
Does the course cover software licensing?
Yes. The course covers the software needed to program Unified HMIs, software requirements and licensing, using the Automation License Manager, and how to view your remaining trial days.
Can I test my HMI projects in simulation?
Yes. The course covers creating a project and testing it in PC simulation, as well as testing with PLCSIM.
For students with hardware, it also covers creating a project, downloading it, and testing it with a physical HMI.
License Agreement and Permitted Use of Our Online Courses
This section covers the license agreement and permitted use of our online courses and course bundles, which also includes any course materials, code snippets, downloads, and provided software — taken together, referred to collectively as a “course.”
The purchase of a single copy of a course grants a single individual the right to use the course for personal instruction and reference only. Purchasing a course for yourself (or for another) does not grant anyone the right to distribute or share that work beyond the single individual who registers to take the course.
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This means the course and course materials may not be shared with friends, relatives, co-workers, students, or anyone else, as each sale is for an individual license to access, view, and take the lessons, quizzes, and exercises, and to download any course materials, documents, code, files, and software included with the course.
This per-person licensing helps ensure that the instructor — who created the course and exclusively holds its copyright — can cover the cost of creating it, keeping it available to new and existing customers, and answering ongoing student questions, while receiving fair compensation for a course licensed on a per-person basis.
It is unlawful to share this copyrighted course and course material even if you do not charge or profit from doing so — including for non-profit and governmental organizations — since this proprietary educational work is designed as a chargeable training resource, not one made freely available to the public.
Any unauthorized sharing of the course or course materials would reduce the potential for additional sales and licensing, directly impacting the instructor’s ability to cover costs, keep the course available, and support customers who purchased it lawfully.
If you have questions about the above, please contact us using the “Contact” link in the site menu.
Course Content
About the Instructors
