I have a LED controller that uses the App Magic -LED. I can see the MAC address of it, but I am unsure how to add it as a device. I thought it may come up as a Zigbee or Zwave, but it doesn't. Is there a way to add generic bluetooth devices?
No, the hub doesn't support Bluetooth connections.
However, some Googling suggests there may be an ESP8266 inside of LED strips that use the app you mentioned. If you're feeling more adventerous than I am at the moment, you can probably search and see if anyone's managed to flash the firmware with something customized that lets it connect over Wi-Fi, through another device, or with another more-easily-suppported protocol.
EDIT: If you do want natively compatible LEDs, there are a few options, but besides Hue (I have the Lightstrip Plus model and use them via the Bridge), the Osram/Lightify strip is a popular choice that uses ZigBee and can connect directly to the hub. You can also get (or flash) RGB/RGBW controllers with generic lightstrips and make those work if you're feeling more adventerous--perhaps even with your own depending on how they're designed.
I don't mind trashing this controller even. I want the cool light shows with the LEDs, Don't care how I get there ie wifi/bluetooth/magic. I can control it with the phone app, I will do more research on how to control the leds and pick a better solution.
Do a search in the forums. Someone just created an HE app/DH for these type of devices. Do a search on Magic.
If you have philips hue, you can use this to directly control LED strips:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/GLEDOPTO-ZIGBEE-Led-Controller-RGB-CCT-WW-CW-zigbee-controller-LED-DC12-24V-LED-strip-controller/32858603964.html?spm=a2g0s.13010208.99999999.312.17053c00XLITpL
That is it.
I have the hue controller on the actual Hue rope lights and that is already working fine. But what you posted should actually work with my other led strip lights it appears. I'm looking to see if this one has the animations built in
You can directly connect it to philips hue, so probably also all functions within. Don't have it myself yet, using a cheap wifi one now with ifttt
I sure did! Big updates coming out for it this week, too
A separate note---my coworker has the RGBW Zigbee controller and he likes it a lot. I'd considered getting one, but the updates to my driver that I'll be rolling out really bumped up the performance on them, and I think I'll stick with what I've got. Don't let that stop you from getting the Zigbee set, though! They're great, too.
Edit: Something I'm unsure of: Does the Zigbee RGB/CCT controller let you have all 5 channels on at once? Or does it force you into RGB mode/CCT mode? That's a pretty big feature for me that might impact some users.
Not sure, haven't researched it that much yet
I see there will be a sale on 11/11 on AliExpress. I'll pick up one then and have a definitive answer some time in December
Are you planning on going with analog or digital LEDs? I went the digital route, since they provide more options for cool effects since they are individually addressable. Currently I have 4 strips, 2 in my office, one in the living room and one in the bedroom. I have two controllers hooked to all of them. All the controllers are ESP8266 boards. For each strip I have one running McLighting, an implementation of the WS2812FX library for neopixel LEDs and one running diyHue, for easy control for "normal" lighting through HE as a CT bulb. The switching between the two is in the form of a relay controlled by the McLighting board. So, if I start an animation with McLighting, it diverts control from one board to the other. It's working really well so far. If anyone wants further details, let me know. McLighting has an HTTP Rest API so you can issue GET commands to change the effects. So, I use that for some lighting alerts. And DIYHue allows the strip to act as a CT bulb so I can control it as I would any other light in HE without the need for virtual switches or anything cumbersome like that.
I am interested. When I get to a computer I will read your implementation better
Let me know if you need any clarification. This is the one area of Home Automation that I have a LOT of experience. Every avenue to get addressable LEDs into ST (and now HE) I've tried. And there are a LOT of terrible ideas out there.
I’d love to hear what terrible ideas you’ve heard
I’m using a set of serial LEDs with DreamScreen behind my TV for a nice bias lighting.
Well, one person integrated with a Particle Photon through the Particle cloud. The device status didn't save in ST and it took up to 10 seconds to get an update to the lights. I tried to build a DTH that basically was a virtual SUPER minimote that sent pre-scripted commands to the strips controllers for different automations. It look OK in the ST app but didn't work at all anywhere else. I scraped that one pretty quick. If it's on the ST forum about addressable LEDs, I've tried it.
I'm thinking of doing an Hyperion setup for my living room. Something akin to this:
Nice! That’s a lot like what I have.
If you already have the LEDs and don’t want to go through the setup hassle with the raspi, you can usually nab a dreamscreen on eBay for $60 or so.
If you want 4K capability with the “1080” dreamscreen, buy a $10 HDMI splitter, run one end into your TV, and the other into the dream screen. Works like a charm.
Thanks for the heads up. I currently use an RPi 3B+ on that TV with Kodi as the main entertainment system. So, adding on the Hyperion is basically free. And I love free.
Just received the zigbee controller for the LED strips. Connected straight to the hue hub and working perfectly! i recommend them for sure. 5 meter strip with controller and supply for +-30 euros.
Nice! Any reason you decided to connect to Hue hub instead of directly to Hubitat? Does it use ZLL and not ZHA?