Do I need to buy a new C8 Pro to get bluetooth or will mine get via firmware upgrade?
Yes.. It's a C-8 Pro only feature.
If you have a C8 Pro, you don’t need a new one. Just update to the newest firmware.
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Yes, thanks, I just asked Gemini, told me same. The reason I asked is Add Device does not show it, so it seems I just need to do a radio reset?
Ok.. I misunderstood the question... I thought you meant earlier models..
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This is an app. Go to Apps tab, and +Add Built-In App.
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Do we have any documentation about developers using Bluetooth.
This could be a game changer for Govee support.
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What are the criteria for a particular Bluetooth device working with a C8-Pro? Is there some specific version of BT that is required for communication? Can anyone point to an example of a BT device that communicates directly with a C8-Pro?
The device must use the BTHome V2 format, per the release notes. There is an integration app you can add to discover such devices, but if your hub detects such BLE traffic (and you haven't dismissed the notice), you'll also see a suggestion on your hub's home page that you can add these devices to your hub, similar to suggestions for other devices detected in your environment that have been added in recent releases.
Shelly Bluetooth devices are the only ones that have been tested, but technically anything that uses BTHome V2 and has a suitable driver should work. Shelly devices are just the most popular/widely available, presumably because their manufacturing company, Allterco, is the main backer/sponsor -- but they have made the format free and open.
Arbitrary Bluetooth devices are not possible to use at the moment, as it requires specific support in the hub, outside the driver, to at least pair. But if you have any BTHome V2 device that does not have a suitable driver, the format is documented, or looking at what comes into parse() is probably an easy way to see in the driver.
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So this is a bit new for me. Dumb q
Does an Apple iPhone support this without HomeKit?
Ie can the hub do presence detection directly with an iPhone….
I’m guessing not, but that would be awesome
FWIW, you can use the Hubitat app on your iPhone for presence already.
No. If you look at the website I linked to above, devices/brands they know of are listed, the main commercial options being Shelly's "BLU" series of devices. (This requires a specific BLE format called BTHome, version 2.) I'd also be curious about the use of a phone as whole-home presence sensor given that it would requite it to be within BLE range of the hub to count, which might not happen in all environments (and I'm not sure how you might gracefully handle things like OS updates or reboots in general), but it might at least a useful supplement!
Like the above poster, I'd suggest looking into other ways to do this, one of which is geofencing with the Hubitat mobile app (if you don't want to use Apple Home or Shortcuts, either of which can also create automations based on the same, to name some of many other ways) -- but perhaps you are already doing so and were just curious?
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Thanks! I use quite a few BT iBeacon devices today via the Geofency app. A hub based BT sensor would only work for a few triggers for rules. Today, motion sensors when I get back from taking a walk change the mode to Home again. Things like that, where I knew I'd be within close proximity to my hub.
When I searched for BTHome support for an iPhone...there is an app for it that can send a webhook. I was just wondering if something like that could be used to link the two platforms.
What are you trying to do?
Use your phone as a presence sensor that uses Bluetooth to connect to the hub and trigger arrival/departure?
It sounds like you’re describing an iOS app that can send a webhook when your phone connects to a BTHome device.
If that’s the case, how would that be different than using Geofency to send a webhook when your phone connects to an ibeacon?
From time to time my iBecons need rebooting…making rules fail.
I would hope the hub would be a little more stable.
Also, it just seems like if there’s an app that can speak the BT home protocol through your phone Bluetooth device then you could communicate to the hub directly… But that’s not my expertise by any means.
Probably a good time to update the C-8 Pro features page:
