So as @brad says, matter/thread will make things local. What will be cloud based is the main matter router. So if you use alexa, siri, google as a router, those will definitely be passing info back to the cloud but actual command and control will still be local. So if Hubitat gets their Matter/Thread stuff lined up, matter devices will not need the internet and of course you know Hubitat is not going to pass info upstream...
But what's the actual advantage over Zigbee and/or Z-Wave? Maybe they can standardize the reset and pairing processes somehow, but how do you make a contact or motion sensor that has one pressable button have the same operation as a fan controller with no accessible buttons? I'm just not seeing a reason why I'd be happier if any or all of my zigbee and z-wave devices used matter instead.
There are a lot of things available in other protocols that are not available in z-wave or zigbee. Some really cool stuff... Locks, sensors (some that work way better than zigbee or z-wave) certain lighting etc... I mean an example sort of is Lutron. While there are z-wave and zigbee switches, face it, Lutron typically beats them all. Zigbee and z-wave aren't going anywhere, but when HE adds an integration such as Lutron or Matter/Thread, that just opens up the pool of device we can use. As long as it can be contained locally like Lifx or Lutron, I'll be happy to buy them...
Sure, but at 2x to 6x the price or more. And the margin of "beats" is thin, especially with a good mesh. I say this having a house full of Lutron devices -- no complaints. But my Zigbee and Z-Wave things work just as well, even faster in the case of Zigbee bulbs.
6 Likes
Worth it lol.... But that said, it still opens is up to more devices. Obviously quality will vary though like anything else..
1 Like
Search Amazon for a Matter device. Zip and pip. At this point, it's still all talk...
6 Likes
No argument there. If Matter starts to matter, then Hubitat will bring out a C9 hub (or a USB plug for older hubs?) that talks to it, and I'll migrate. Maybe a really good ceiling fan control might win me over. But I don't see any reason why I should replace my 28 Zigbee contact sensors with new Matter based ones.
A Thread network does a better job of managing itself than a Zigbee network. Including managing and changing channels when appropriate.
Agreed..... Even the videos I see of available devices are having issues getting paired. I do hope it gets better. Time will tell.
The c8 is matter/thread capable already, the c7 will be matter capable after that.
Oh I wouldn't change my 36 window sensors either. It's going forward and having new stuff come to market. No reason to replace what already works but nothing wrong with opening up to new market either. Actually if I had a crappy sensor and a matter one worked better, I probably would replace it but fortunately all my stuff works well.
1 Like
Good to know. At this point the only thing I really want is a replacement for my eight ceiling fans with Hampton Bay Zigbee controllers, which are (other than the Alexa interface) the ONLY things that frequently fail in my system.
1 Like
If you feel comfortable flashing with Tasmota, the Sonoff iFan04 is fantastic.
add a good repeater nearby them or go with bond...
I had the worst experience with Bond. Great idea in theory but I had to reset all its connections with literally every firmware update. I gave up on it after about two years and switched to Broadlink's RF remote.
I see a lot of people having good experiences with the build in bond integration that @bcopeland created.
You must not be using a C8.
I'm KEEEEEDING!!! But seriously... That's a bold statement given the C8's track record for Zigbee so far. Hoping you guys figure it out soon.
Yeah, they are a real pain in the drain to get connected to the Zigbee network too.
I used the Hampton Bay (AKA King of Fans) Zigbee controllers in a previous house. The only way to make them work reliably is to have a Zigbee repeater as close as possible to the fan in the same room.
Wow mine has been trouble-free. I am using the Pro bridge and the community integration. Really been flawless and one bridge covers the whole house... 2 fireplaces, 3 fans.
It wasn't the HE integration that was the problem. The problem was the I lost every connection between the Bond and my devices every time there was a firmware update.
Yup. Number 927 in particular. 
