How to control Z-wave devices with IR Remote?

Looking for a way to integrate an IR remote with HE so I can trigger events with IR remote key presses. As an example, when the Power button is pressed I want to turn off/on a Z-wave outlet.

The closest solution I've seen is using the Harmony Home control buttons - which I understand is no longer supported. What I'm not clear on, is using the Harmony Hub integration will HE see all key presses on the remote (Activities', volume, power, etc.)? If yes, I assume I could trigger events from remote keypad actions?

Why IR?

There are Hubitat-compatible zigbee and z-wave button controllers (i.e. remotes) that can be used to control any device paired to Hubitat. Lutron Pico remotes can also be used for the same purpose.

Infrared remotes lack the versatility that zigbee/z-wave/Lutron remotes have. For example, they are restricted to line-of-sight operation. In addition, there are no IR remotes that are directly compatible with Hubitat (with the exception of a few IP/IR, z-wave/IR, and zigbee/IR gateway devices).

4 Likes

Look for Tomw integration, but like @selsom1 I guess it isn't the most recommended approach, but it is possible.

Harmony Hub integration also works very well, with all the controls responsive.

1 Like

Do the Harmony or Broadlink integrations allow HE to trigger events from IR code reads, or just learn and generate/write codes?

I've read all the documentation for the Harmony driver and app and can't get a good answer to this. From a different thread it appears one user is generating events from Harmony "activities".

I’ve been wanting an IR to IP solution too but I never found anything and eventually just bought a cheap Zigbee 4 button scene controller.

I’d still rather be able to send IR commands from my remotes that trigger scenes in Hubitat. We have a couple of expensive (back when they were new) MX-980’s with the RF base stations.

An IR Controller flashed with Tasmota can "see" ir codes and then could send webhooks back to hubitat. I have a small driver that i wrote that acts as a pushable button controller in hubitat. I'm planing to use it with a sofabaton X1 that have on the way.

I have two of these that I flashed with Tasmota that I'm currently using to send IR codes. There is also this one available that is preflashed if you didn't want to flash it yourself. I'm hoping to do some testing once the sofabaton arives this weekend.

1 Like

Also wondering this.

Are you already using a specific IR remote, and controlling other devices via IR, that you want to continue using?

I use Lirc hooked up to a linux box for that.

WHY? because I'm lazy: I already have the remote in my hand and I don't want to grab something else.

1 Like

This is actually working far better than I expected. The only llimitation is the tasmota IR device only has enough memory to store about 18 codes. I ended up building another receiver device with an ESP32-C3 and a 1838b so i have another 18 codes to use.

From the console web page of the Tasmota IR...when you push the button you want to "record" you just grab the data value that pops up and enter it into the driver page. and then every time you push that button on the remote you get a button press in hubitat. I can now control my curtains, lights etc from my remote control. This should work with any IR remote but it works great with the sofabaton. Since the signals are all sent from the sofabaton hub, I can use the remote anywhere in house.

Here is a link to the driver code if anyone wants to try it out

Before I switched out all of my light switches to smart light switches about 4 or 5 years ago. I had lutron IR Dimmer switches in the bedroom, living room and basement. I could control them with my harmony remotes. Once I swiched everything over to caseta... controling the lights with my remotes was literaly the only thing i missed. I have picos everywhere and I will still keep them, but it's nice being able to adjust things with a remote that I already have in my hand or right next to me.

I didn't realize tasmota will automatically compress rules to save space... This driver now supports upto 40 IR codes as pushable buttons.

1 Like