HomeKit - Anyone going down this route?

Forums › Gadgets, robotics, home automation, electronics (including wearables) › HomeKit - Anyone going down this route?

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#2347852 3-Nov-2019 19:39

sir1963:

Unless you can get a AU/NZ code of compliance certificate you are certifying these devices yourself.

This means that if a fire occurs, you have no insurance.

[..]

Not sure how any of this is relevant. Apple certifies the devices and they have to send multiple samples to an-Apple approved testing lab. The process is very stringent and controlled. You're not going to be buying HomeKit-certified devices without a SDOC.

Handle9

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#2347896 4-Nov-2019 05:54

boosacnoodle:
sir1963:

Unless you can get a AU/NZ code of compliance certificate you are certifying these devices yourself.

This means that if a fire occurs, you have no insurance.

[..]

Not sure how any of this is relevant. Apple certifies the devices and they have to send multiple samples to an-Apple approved testing lab. The process is very stringent and controlled. You're not going to be buying HomeKit-certified devices without a SDOC.

That's not how SDOC works. As the importer you have to supply the test certificates. What gets certified in the US or China may not be certified in NZ.

If you buy it from the local supply chain then that is someone else's responsibility.

davidcole

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#2347897 4-Nov-2019 06:17

Also if I can homekit with some free software, I doubt some of these places are going anywhere near Apple certification

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#2348198 4-Nov-2019 17:34

filboz:
Over the years I've installed a Vera and then Alexa, and now use one of these https://automationbridge.com.au to configure HomeKit options

The automation bridge was a bit buggy at the start but is ok now....

I may be misunderstanding this but do you need a fibaro HC in order to then use this or does it work standalone to integrate things? Also how much are they? The two NZ suppliers websites don’t mention the price.

Thanks

A

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#2348323 4-Nov-2019 21:35

AKT:

I may be misunderstanding this but do you need a fibaro HC in order to then use this or does it work standalone to integrate things? Also how much are they? The two NZ suppliers websites don’t mention the price.

Thanks

A

Early on I decided on having the Vera as my central hub using Z-wave devices (Z-wave is a bit more expensive, but IMO more robust!)

The Automation Bridge connects between a Z-wave controller (such as Fibaro or Vera) allowing the devices to show up in HomeKit (or Alexa and Google Home).

I purchased and installed it before Vera had Alexa integration and even now use it for my Fibaro Roller Blind controllers (Z-wave connected to Vera), they aren't supported directly by the Alexa integration on Vera.

Fibaro now has some HomeKit compatible products, but there a many many more Z-wave devices available (and I probably over 10 brands of devices connected to my Vera).

I think it was AU$180+GST (+ Freight)

AKT

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#2348332 4-Nov-2019 21:58

filboz:

AKT:

I may be misunderstanding this but do you need a fibaro HC in order to then use this or does it work standalone to integrate things? Also how much are they? The two NZ suppliers websites don’t mention the price.

Thanks

A

Early on I decided on having the Vera as my central hub using Z-wave devices (Z-wave is a bit more expensive, but IMO more robust!)

The Automation Bridge connects between a Z-wave controller (such as Fibaro or Vera) allowing the devices to show up in HomeKit (or Alexa and Google Home).

I purchased and installed it before Vera had Alexa integration and even now use it for my Fibaro Roller Blind controllers (Z-wave connected to Vera), they aren't supported directly by the Alexa integration on Vera.

Fibaro now has some HomeKit compatible products, but there a many many more Z-wave devices available (and I probably over 10 brands of devices connected to my Vera).

I think it was AU$180+GST (+ Freight)

This sounds pretty good in terms of making most non-homekit things HomeKit compatible. I've looked at the Fibaro HC2 before but it was around $1000 which I thought was a lot for a controller but the Vera seems more reasonable price-wise ($300 for the Vera Plus) and possibly with more compatibility. Am I missing something or is that the way to go? Also is the Vera Secure like a Vera Plus with security capabilities?

Thanks

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filboz

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#2348375 5-Nov-2019 08:35

AKT:

This sounds pretty good in terms of making most non-homekit things HomeKit compatible. I've looked at the Fibaro HC2 before but it was around $1000 which I thought was a lot for a controller but the Vera seems more reasonable price-wise ($300 for the Vera Plus) and possibly with more compatibility. Am I missing something or is that the way to go? Also is the Vera Secure like a Vera Plus with security capabilities?

Thanks

A

The Vera Secure isn't available here yet, the choice is a Vera edge or Plus at the moment.

Going with the Vera made sense to me ...

JimmyH

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#2348444 5-Nov-2019 11:48

sir1963:

I have a real issue with "smart" technology.

I have liven in a house that was 100 years old, still had the same locks on the doors, the old round light switches and a couple of rooms had pull cords for the light switches.

Are any of these tech companies going to be around in 100 years ?

Is any of this "smart" technology going to be supported in 10 years time ?

Are you locked into proprietary technology/protocols ? [.....]

I don't have this concern.

Firstly, the stuff I have been buying isn't expensive. Chromecast Ultras at circa $90 on sale, Google Home Minis at circa $45 etc. Aside from over $350 on lighting panels that my wife got for my birthday, most of the kit is really quite cheap. It's very cheap in fact, one of my smart speakers costs about the same as one round of drinks, or a couple of bottles of mediocre wine. Plus, much of the kit from different makers is interoperable. If Google shuts down their ecosystem than I just have to dump the minis and switch to Alexa and my light panels will still work, etc. The expensive bits are my server (which isn't tied to a manufacturer and has a defined life), and networking (ditto).

Smart home kit is an IT product, and I purchased it fully expecting it to have much less than your quoted 50 year lifespan. It won't have. Neither will your TV or computer for that matter - I highly doubt you will still be using either in 2069, or that you expected you would when you purchased them. Even 10 years is a stretch.

I purchased in the knowledge that it's an evolving landscape and there will always be something better along next year. I regard the devices more as semi-consumables, and installing them as a bit like a hobby. Given the low cost, if I get several good years of use out of it before it's upgraded or obsolete, as well as learn something and have fun along the way, then I'm happy.

AKT

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#2348665 5-Nov-2019 22:18

filboz:
[

The Vera Secure isn't available here yet, the choice is a Vera edge or Plus at the moment.

Going with the Vera made sense to me ...

Where did you get the Vera stuff from? And for that matter the homelink bridge device?

Thanks

Andy

AKT

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#2348730 6-Nov-2019 06:48

Has anyone tried using a Homey? It would seem that would be like Vera with the HomeKit bridge adaptor and price wise comes in a touch cheaper.

Homey.app

A

filboz

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#2348757 6-Nov-2019 08:13

AKT:

Where did you get the Vera stuff from? And for that matter the homelink bridge device?

Thanks

Andy

The Vera was from https://activeautomation.co.nz/controllers

and the Automation Bridge was from https://www.smarthome.com.au/z-wave-automation-bridge.html

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AKT

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#2370697 8-Dec-2019 21:17

Just came across this on GitHub - makes Sonoff switches HomeKit compatible.

https://github.com/Gruppio/Sonoff-Homekit

davidcole

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#2370704 8-Dec-2019 21:27

AKT:

Just came across this on GitHub - makes Sonoff switches HomeKit compatible.

https://github.com/Gruppio/Sonoff-Homekit

A

id be more likely to control the so off in homebridge, as it’d be more supported than a single isolated project.

Dratsab

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#2370715 8-Dec-2019 21:52

richms:

sir1963: I have a real issue with "smart" technology.

I have liven in a house that was 100 years old, still had the same locks on the doors, the old round light switches and a couple of rooms had pull cords for the light switches.

It worries me that people still have houses with that old stuff in them.

Heh - my house turns 165 in January. There's a resonable amount of 'old stuff' in it, in fact one of the door locks (J A Carpenter, No 60) is even older having been manufactured sometime during the reign of William IV (1830-1837) according to the brass plate on it. I had the levers in another lock rearranged not long after buying the house. A locksmith (collector) saw it and offered $350 on the spot plus free replacement/fitting.

I have an issue with smart technology too: I want some but think it'd be too hard to install in my old house. I need someone like @davidcole to come round and advise what is/isn't feasible. Replacing the above locks probably falls into the latter category :-)

davidcole

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#2370717 8-Dec-2019 21:56

Dratsab:

richms:

sir1963: I have a real issue with "smart" technology.

I have liven in a house that was 100 years old, still had the same locks on the doors, the old round light switches and a couple of rooms had pull cords for the light switches.

It worries me that people still have houses with that old stuff in them.

Heh - my house turns 165 in January. There's a resonable amount of 'old stuff' in it, in fact one of the door locks (J A Carpenter, No 60) is even older having been manufactured sometime during the reign of William IV (1830-1837) according to the brass plate on it. I had the levers in another lock rearranged not long after buying the house. A locksmith (collector) saw it and offered $350 on the spot plus free replacement/fitting.

I have an issue with smart technology too: I want some but think it'd be too hard to install in my old house. I need someone like @davidcole to come round and advise what is/isn't feasible. Replacing the above locks probably falls into the latter category :-)

i haven’t done locks. But yes could come look at what else you want to do.

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