I'm still on the first version of Smartthings hub and using the classic app. I know I'll have to move over to the new app and most likely upgrade my hub. I'm really regretting it because my system works great. I have pretty simple routines using the classic app and a few more complex ones that require Webcore. My security system uses the Konnected device.
I'm home a lot now like many of us because of the Covid and I thought may be its best I rip off the bandaid and make the transition to the newer Smartthings platform while I have time. I started reading and getting caught up on the latest news and came across Hubitat. Reminds a lot of the early years of Smarttings but a lot better. And recall using Rule Machine before the move to Webcore. The one thing I really like is the local hub processing and not the cloud of Smarttings. Since the C-7 hub is out of stock I have to wait so I'll continue to learn and map out my transition without my wife getting too pissed that things don't work. All of my devices are Zwave with a lot of GE light dimmer switches and outlets.
A few questions;
I use tables around the house mounted on the walls that use Actiontiles to display various devices. I guess the HE dashboards does the same thing?
I have a solid presence process (no delay) that in turn triggers a couple of Webcore pistons. The process uses our cell phones and involves Tasker, Sharptools, autolocation Android apps. It's the Sharptools app that allows the Tasker events to connect with Smarttings. I believe Sharptools works with HE but wondered if there are any issues.
Join us down the Rabbit Hole! When you make the change, you will find lots of help on this forum. Don't be afraid to ask!
I don't use tablets a lot, but there are alternatives to ActionTiles: Sharp Tools, Hubitat's own dashboards and others. A new one that works well is Hubitat Dashboard.
I use SmartThing Presence sensor and Life360 (the Hubitat app works ok for Geofencing, but sometimes does not report when closed (even though it has been set to)
No clue about your thermostat question. I'll leave that for someone else.
Also check out HubConnect if you want to migrate slowly. It allows for device to be shared between hbus.
I use to use the tasker, sharptools, autolocation before when Life360 was flakey but it's been rock solid for about a year now. Might want to give it a try.
Although Hubitat will certainly handle your zwave switches, you may want to upgrade to zwave plus in order to facilitate a stronger mesh. In addition, many of the old switches would not report their status immediately - while the new zwave plus switches do.
I'd like to also tell you that while Hubitat looks very superficially like a local version of SmartThings, the design premise is very different. There is a much greater emphasis on strength of mesh - the stronger the better. Zwave Locks in particular do much better with zwave plus switches nearby.
Welcome aboard, don't be afraid to ask any questions!
Thanks for your information on zwave plus switches. Unfortunately I have a lot of the standard zwave and some are 3 way switches. It was a big money and time investment. I need to continue to use them.
The issue with the older switches and dimmers is that they don't report physical changes. As long as you are fully automated, the lack dwindles to nearly nothing. BUT if you base automation on the physical movement of a switch or dimmer, then that status is not sent. It's not a Hubitat created problem, it's a Lutron one because they owned a patent that scared many of the big vendors and they created devices that didn't send status. That patent expired AND the ZWave creators found another way. Thus ZWave Plus is the answer to a question you might not have. And you can always decide to buy just ONE to go in that super critical spot.
SmartThings worked around it by Polling Everything, needed or not. Hubitat created a ZWave Poller app that allows you to select specific devices to poll. The obvious problem is that polling eats away at the mesh speed. The 'holes' between ZWave packets are reduced.
SO.. two things, one, determine if you require physical change to drive automation. For a lot of people, they want those switches showing on Dashboards and that demands you poll. Again, think hard about this. Decide if there's ONE that might be a candidate for replacing and use that antique in a spot you always wished you could automate, but just wasn't worth the bucks.
Two, similar, if you only have a few devices, polling isn't going to eat so much time that you'll notice, clearly SmartThings polls a lot and no one complains, but the cloud latency hides it. We all just blame the cloud and not their poller.
Underlying all of this is that Hubitat opens opportunities to expand -- what people around here call 'the rabbit hole' and you will likely find you want to add devices and automate more. I've been using Hubitat for more than 2 years and I added a new device just yesterday... so, yea, addicting.
My son has used Life360 on his last two Android phones, Motorola G5 and Google Pixel 3a, with excellent geofencing performance for the past 2+ years. My wife and I use iPhones with Life360 as well.
I spent 10 minutes trying all of my keys just to figure out which was the key to my 5 year "new home". I have not used the key once in 5 years, just figured I should know where it is!
Decide if there's ONE that might be a candidate for replacing and use that antique in a spot you always wished you could automate, but just wasn't worth the bucks.
