If I don't plan on accessing Hubitat over internet, is there any benefit to registering the device? There's a notification alert for me to register, but does than enable any other features?
Also, I have a Philips Hue Dimmer switch controlling my Sonos speaker via Hubitat - toggling it on and off, and volume. This works great. What I want next is to choose a favorite (track or radio station) to play by pressing button on dimmer switch, but I'm not sure if this is possible? Anyone know or where to point me? I can see a "set track" field in the app, but it has no effect, and I don't know what value to put in that field.
BTW, as my first post I just want to say this Hubitat device is amazing. Well done to all involved in creating what I've been waiting for, for years. The rules engine I'm blown away by how rules can be disabled or enabled via other rules, that is powerful stuff and no small achievement. I previously had a SmartThings, but returned it after only 2 days, it just doesn't have the obvious dedication and talent behind the scenes, and I couldn't get it working with my Sonos speakers anyway. Hubitat is the exact opposite, and worked out of box. Very impressive.
Welcome to the community. If I remember right, I think you might want to register it, but it just needs to touch hubitat and then you can disconnect it again. I think there is a handshake that might take place so that you can get updates. I think .. I want to say you do. Anyway, you'll have to pay attention to platform updates as they come out.
I can remember reading similar questions in the forum about sonos. I don't use Hue or Sonos, so I'm no help there. but do a little search. I could swear that I just saw the same question asked recently. Sonos is popular, so you'll find a lot of info on that and on Hue.
Just wanted to finish up with "Welcome to the rabbit hole. We'll see you on the other side."
I have a development hub I never registered (I swear I will some day) and it does fine without this, FWIW. I know you need it for some cloud features, but if you don't ever plan to use them, I'm not sure how much it matters.
Can't help much on the Sonos issues. I have them but don't have them doing much in Hubitat yet besides TTS. Even play/restore is finicky (not sure anything works there--seems to be a goner once I use TTS), but I swear that some day I'll try to figure that out, too...
Really depends on what you want.
Easily accessing my dashboards, and integrating into IFTTT and Alexa was important to me.
On a side note, I love the Sonos integration. For many of my alerts including HSM I have my text "speak" to me on my various Sonos devices. Particularly useful for things like water leak detection, etc.
I also have a rule where when we are on vacation (vacation mode), the sonos will start to play music when there is motion detection from one of my cameras (Ring in this case). That way anyone - mail man, random person - hears something in the house if they are trying to listen.
In this thread I've mentioned how I play a radio station on my Sonos speakers.
Have a read and if you need any more information just ask here and I can give more information on my setup or others will follow up.
First, is your name really Jay Walker? That was my phony name when I was a teenager.
Second, in regard to the registration, you need to do it if you want to enable cloud services. If you don't register, you won't be able to use the mobile app, you won't get hub updates, and you cannot access the third-party services like IFTTT, Alexa and Google Home as mentioned already.
Thanks for replies. I will register the device soon, now I get what it means.
Haha, no just one of many online emails/names used for forums like this where my real name is irrelevant. I've just updated my nickname but it's not important.
Thanks bobbles, I'll read that linked thread and see what I can find out. -- Edit -- I figured it out, and glad it was easy! I'm new to Sonos too, and didn't realise there's be a play state JSON object to read and find out useful stuff like track URIs. So I'm all set, now on to next challenge of how to cycle through my fav radio stations with a physical toggle or dial.
In the end, I really don't like using apps.. which is odd I know. I used to love them. Now I crave actual physical controls - buttons, switches and dials. Opening apps and navigating screens is something I want to do less and less. My ultimate wish is for some kind of compact zigbee control panel, button box.
Choices in Zigbee are slim right now. There’s a new Zigbee 3.0 six button unit from Aqara Opple that I’m using, but it has issues when directly paired to HE at the moment. People with development skills in the community are working on that. Mine is joined via an Aqara hub and synced back through HomeKit/Homebridge.
Those have too few buttons. I mean like the ones people are making themselves for Kerbal Space Program for example. They hack together these cool button boxes to control the game. I'd like something like that for general home device control, and speakers. Would need smooth faders and knobs, and dials with fixed increments.
Also, sounds like you’re not the type that would do this, but for an all in one access point to everything, I use a Google Home hub. Many use inexpensive tablets with an HE Dashboard (all local if you want), or SharpTools (Internet required). Or just use your phone.
One other thing to remember is that each button does multiple things. For example HomeKit is more limited, but I still have three presses (click, double-click, and hold) per button. So I have 18 combinations with a six button controller. Many Devices paired directly to HE can do even more presses per button
I know you need it for some cloud features, but if you don't ever plan to use them, I'm not sure how much it matters.
