Homekit: Same device shared via Homekit App and Homebridge?

Can anyone confirm if I can share the same device via MakerAPI/Homebridge and the new Homekit app? I wanted to create a "test" home and add my current devices to the app without deleting the devices from my current Homebridge setup.

Thanks for your help.

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I don't see any reason why not. Creating a test home is a good idea, too :slightly_smiling_face:

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I can confirm that it is possible. I initially tried to add HomeKit integration with my primary / production HomeKit Home, but ran into issues and started messing with current design because of beta issues with Hubitat HomeKit integration and of learning curve. I was frustrated. I was also negatively impacting family members who have started to use HomeKit app to control devices. So, removed Hubitat Bridge from the primary / production home, reset everything back up for HomeBridge. Then I created another home and called it "Test Home". I have only added Hubitat to this "Test Home". I do not share or add others to this test home. I just use it to try out the Hubitat HomeKit integration. So yes, you can continue to use Homebridge with existing HomeKit home, and create a new home and add Hubitat for testing out the same devices. It works very nice. I have super high hopes for the Hubitiat HomeKit integration. However, I maybe forced to keep Homebridge around for those devices that Apple HomeKit will not support natively either directly for through Hubitat. It all new so we will see how this goes.

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@atchinson - thanks! That was the approach I was going to take. I will keep Homebridge around for the locks/garage door (and also because I run my Node-RED instance off the HB image).

Yes I have already done this so I can make sure it is all working well before I decide to use the homekit integration on the main "Home". Just dont spend a bunch of time putting rooms or names on devices since it will have to be redone once you move the hubitat bridge to the main "Home"

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Yep - I wanted to run things in parallel before I migrated complete. My HB setup has been working flawlessly for over 2 years or so and I don't want to muck that up!

Works brilliantly! Took me all of 5 minutes to share my devices to the new "test" home. Also, the ability to hide attributes that are not needed is awesome. (UPDATE: I guess it doesn't really hide the attributes as I can still see those in the home app)

Quick follow up question - when I'm ready to move the devices over to the "real" home in HomeKit, all I need to do is add accessory and scan the same code, right? I don't have to duplicate the app, generate a new code or anything like that? I will be deleting the "test" home when I'm ready to move things over...

Right.
If you haven't updated to 16.2, do it before adding anything to the new home. It's best to work the kinks out on the test setup.

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Make sure to update all ATVs and HP minis (under Home settings/Software Update) and also run the optional Apple Home update.
On a side note, you could have run both Integrations in the same Home, which is what I’m still doing. Since this integration doesn’t yet support Adaptive Lighting (hint hint @gopher.ny) all of my non Hue RGBW lights are integrated through the Homebridge-V2 app. I also use the Homebridge integration for my locks and garage door.

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That would have confused other family members, right? They would see duplicate devices with the same state...

I think I have everything already updated, but will confirm. Thanks.

@gopher.ny - did you see this?

https://9to5mac.com/2022/12/21/apple-pulls-new-home-app-architecture-in-ios-16-2-as-users-complain-about-homekit-issues/

I haven't upgraded to the new architecture as yet, so I don't think I need to do anything but others may.

I upgraded back when 16.2 was still in beta. It immediately broke the HE Homekit beta Integration, but has never effected Homebridge for whatever reason. The introduction of relaxed pairing on HE fixed the Homekit beta devices unresponsive issue for me. I doubt that there will be a reversal of the Home architecture for those that upgraded; more likely that there will be another update to fix the issues at some point. I’m currently using 16.3 beta and still running smooth. I haven’t seen any mention of fixes in this release, but Apple isn’t especially transparent in its release announcements.

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