hi all!
I just have a conceptual question. I got a hub as a late Christmas present and cannot wait to get everything going.
I have the current devices connected to my new echo show 2
echo
echo dot x 3
american standard thermostat
ring doorbell pro
roomba
I have a kwikset 954 lock not connected to anything.
chromecast x 2
So my question is this: will all my devices connected to the show show up as manageable by the hubitat under the add devices?
Or will only the ones that the show cannot connect to show up there, everything else manageable by the hub rules thru the show?
The Hub will integrate with your Echo devices. Ring, not so much. There are several community efforts you might want to review. There's also at least one community developed Roomba driver.
american standard thermostat <-- if ZWave, it might work with the inbuilt generic thermostat driver.
If you want to control them with Hubitat, you're going to have to connect them to Hubitat.
Echos- how do you want to connect them? For audio notifications? This is possible, there's a bunch of posts on this one.
Ring Doorbell - can be used as a motion sensor with IFTTT or Alexa (there are posts for both on the forum)
Roomba - i assume you have a Wifi model. you can integrate with IFTTT not directly to HE.
It doesn't actually appear that you have any zigbee devices that would require you to reset them to connect to HE instead of the Echo Show (with the possible exception of your thermostat) So, you wouldn't have to remove them from the show first. But you can't issue commands to other devices through the show, the HE integration with alexa doesn't report back contact sensors to allow you to create Alexa routines to control the devices. But you can control most of them directly through IFTTT.
The one that will probably disappoint you the most is your AS Wifi Thermostat. From what I can tell, the only way to remotely control these wifi thermostats if through the Nexia ecosystem, which requires a paid subscription plan. You can then control them through IFTTT but it's going to be a cloud, to could, to cloud, to device integration. SO you're likely to see a VERY slow reaction time.
thanks. it looks like the older kwikset locks are supported. I emailed support to see if the newer one will be soon.
I
I think I just need to read more about what the HE can help me do. I had hoped after getting it, that it would allow me to use the alexa/echo show 2 for voice control for things the echo currently cannot control. That is possible, right?
Currently I can control all of my devices with the show 2 except for my kwikset, ironically. I think once I get some bulbs/switches/whatever else I can integrate them into the HE. Time will tell, I think. My giftee thought the hub would link my show compatible devices with those that are not.
edit: that was in reply to both of you thank you
edit2: going to read more and watch some vids
Echos don't talk Zigbee or ZWave, or any other protocol but WiFi...
You pick the devices you want Hubitat to expose to Echo and the Echos will instantly popup with "16 new devices found... " and a suggestion about what to speak. Use the Amazon Echo Skill ONLY. The other app is for countries where the Skill has not been approved, don't mix.
I have added other skills to Echo, but I believe that was just to play on day one. I looked and I see I have my Thermostat skill and my robot vacuum skill. I'm sure I haven't used them 10 mins after installing them. They were installed just to see what skills can do as I began learning Alexa.
Ignoring all the silly things my kids ask Alexa, 100% of our use is via the Hubitat skill.
I will likely keep the roomba, thermostat and ring on the echo show 2 and check out community efforts in the mean time. My son uses his tablet to see who is at the door if he is home alone and someone rings the doorball (fire hd10) but that happened once. Roomba is easy, it just runs its schedule but we talk to it thru any alexa device. so that works well.
I am excited to get switches/bulbs to be able to do movie lighting routines, bed time routines (with the lock eventuall), etc.
I am lucky that I can bypass nexia and use alexa to control the thermostat.
For a large percentage of 'regular users', an Amazon Show 2 + a Philips Hue lighting system would meet all of their typical home automation and remote control needs. We bought my brother-in-law a Philips Hue starter kit, an Echo Dot, and a Ring Pro Doorbell for Christmas. He's having a blast setting up lighting automations. The great thing is that I don't have to provide support for the system, as all of those pieces and parts work very well together.
A few years ago I bought my father a SmartThings v1 hub as I thought he'd enjoy tinkering with home automation (after all, he's the one who got me started on X-10 a very long time ago!) Turns out, my father really didn't enjoy the non-intuitive process of pairing devices, worrying about Zigbee and Z-Wave meshes. etc... He still has it, and uses it for some things, but in general he loves the Amazon Echo support for WiFi outlets, Harmony Hub, etc...
It is interesting watching how Amazon is slowly picking and choosing how they want continue to enter the home automation market.
But for me, I love my Hubitat Elevation system as it checks all of the boxes that motivate me. Local processing, private data, developer friendly, and of course - an amazing Hubitat Development and Support Team!
this is what i cannot wait to get into. I know I will be greatful for local processing. will get there eventually. got some bulbs on sale this weekend, look forward to setting those up. Now I need some switches.
Which bulbs did you get? Some specific zigbee models/brands are are know to cause problems with the Zigbee mesh network. Just want to give you a heads up before you start the head-scratching...
Or, you could go Philips Hue for your lighting, as Hubitat has native integration with the Philips Hue bridge. Some users prefer to pair all of their Zigbee lights to the Philips Hue Bridge, and then use the Hubitat-Hue integration to control them via Hubitat.
If I can offer an opinion, and it is only my opinion, I would keep away from smart bulbs.
My reasoning is that you always have to leave them powered up to be able to control them.
I initially went for bulbs and occasionally, more often when we have guests, is that they will get turned off at the switch and therefore they can no longer be controlled.
I changed to smart switches and smart devices that can be wired behind the existing switch or in the ceiling rose where the light fitting is.
These can then be controlled manually by the switch or automatically using HE rules.
Just my opinion though.
Have fun on your automation journey. When you start you will want more.........................
The TP-Line of plugs and switches are good. The community integration mentioned below includes integration for the current TP-Link offering except the HS210. For the HS210, there is an issue that I need data to resolve.
thank you everyone.
I certainly have places I can use the smart bulbs i bought. I will look into the bulbs thank you. I plan on mixing in a lot of switches and smart plugs (cheap repeater).
what smart plugs are recommended (also to act as a cheap repeater?)
