How reliable is Hubitat?

[roberto]

@ogiewon

The Hubitat Alexa Skill still does not support the use of Hubitat Contact or Motion sensors as Alexa Routine Triggers

Ok. Just one illusion less.
I'm trying to use OH with an hubless ST account. I can see the HE devices on OH dashboard, same as Alexa. If I well understood (virtual) switch cannot trigger an action on Alexa routines. Motion device does. Therefore I created a virtual motion device in HE, exposed to ST trough OH. Alexa can see it .

Now: how can I set the action status of the virtual motion device to "active" inside an RM rule in order to trigger an Alexa routine (switch on the light) when a phisical motion sensor detect a movement?

Thanks for support !

[marktheknife]

@roberto

how can I set the action status of the virtual motion device to "active" inside an RM rule in order to trigger an Alexa routine (switch on the light) when a phisical motion sensor detect a movement?

I think you could use a virtual device driver that functions as both a switch and a motion detector. So you could use RM to turn on/off the virtual device’s switch based on the state of your physical motion detector.

This post mentions such a virtual device, there might be others (or other methods entirely to accomplish what you’re asking), this is just the first one I found with a quick forum search.

Alexa TTS Workaround

I just wanted to post this for anybody looking for Alexa TTS without using a Raspberry Pi. The catch is that you will need a SmartThings hub. Thanks to: @JDRoberts , @krlaframboise , @ogiewon and @cwwilson08 Requirements: A SmartThings hub on the same network as Hubitat. I found you need the hub, cloud to cloud won't work. @cwwilson08 's virtual motion sensor driver with a switch that drives the motion (could probably be done with contact as well). Other Hub SmartThings Integration 2.0 App…

[ogiewon]

@marktheknife

I think you could use a virtual device driver that functions as both a switch and a motion detector.

Yes, you can use virtual switch/motion driver to create such a virtual device. It also automatically can turn itself back off. This makes sure it is ready the next time you want to trigger it. Turning the virtual switch 'on' will cause the motion to go go 'active' for a few seconds, long enough to create the event which is then seen by other apps.

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ogiewon/Hubitat/master/Drivers/virtual-motion-switch.src/virtual-motion-switch.groovy

[roberto]

@ogiewon

Yes, you can use virtual switch/motion driver to create such a virtual device. It also automatically can turn itself back off. This makes sure it is ready the next time you want to trigger it. Turning the virtual switch 'on' will cause the motion to go go 'active' for a few seconds, long enough to create the event which is then seen by other apps.

Thanks @marktheknife, @ogiewon I followed that way. The rule in HE sets the "virtual motion with switch" by @ogiewon on and motion=active. Unfortunately the Virtual motion device seems not to update in OH and therefore does'nt trigger the routine in Alexa.

EDIT: Now I can see the updates in OH dashboard, but not in Alexa (motion value changes does not trigger routine)

[mik3]

I’m almost done a complete switch to Lutron caseta through out my whole house.

I think their great! Down side is that I wish they were paddle switches.

Upside is that I think clear connect technology is a lot more reliable then any zwave or zigbee device.

[ogiewon]

@mik3

I think their great! Down side is that I wish they were paddle switches.

Upside is that I think clear connect technology is a lot more reliable then any zwave or zigbee device.

This, exactly!

While I miss the ability to simply swipe up or down my light switches, I have found the Lutron clear-connect/Hubitat combination to be so reliable that I am able to automate most of the lighting in my house based on time of day, motion, and/or contact sensors. I am starting to find it odd to have to manually press a light switch these days!

[spalexander68]

I too, love the lutron Caséta switches. My wife however, hates the push button rather than the paddle. The other thing she hates (and I do partly) is the ramp off instead of instant off.

If there was a way to adjust the ramp time turning off a switch, I could maybe convince her to switch. There, May already be a way that exists and I have overlooked it.

She does like the idea of the Pico remotes and placing them anywhere. She likes those but not the switches. Go figure lol

[SmartHomePrimer]

I know. It's not the same thing, but Insteon has paddle switches, ability to do instant ON, controllable ramp rate and rock solid dual mesh technology.

Local control is possible, you just have to add a RPi to their hub for HE integration. Once you do that, all control is local, very fast and very reliable. Not saying that Caséta isn't great and doesn't have a lot to offer, because it certainly does, but having both is pretty nice too.