Possible stumbling block in supported list

[dhrowe]

While the getting started list is SOMEWHAT helpful, their are several changes that I think would help especially newish people.

I will suggest my changes and then put my rant at the end . I know that’s backwards but there already seem to be lots of very long posts in various threads.

1. A device is supported it must have the part we are talking about. No part then it’s not supported. So you look at the list and see something that says supported, only the one you got is too old too new too?. And it’s another $ in the toilet.

2. Add a primary key to each line.

3. Add who said it was supported?

4. Best of all a button to do a download of the table in Csv or tab delimited or some reasonable text format.

Rant:

I am not a unsophisticated user. As many of the gray-haired people in this community I have only been programming professionally and recreationally since the 70s.

But I never did x10 this is my first hub and there is an incredible amount of documentation a some conflicting or maybe assuming you invested a lot of time to this. I have a new home I am finishing up and I want it to be smart and I keep stubbing my toes on stuff people already know. I have bought stuff on the pitch it in the trash list on the podcast. I keep coming back to the what is supported and how and sometimes it is not helpful.

I got blinds. They are from Somfy. Not reading very carefully it says 2 button controller is supported. I thought ok let’s see what they deliver. It is not what I got and so for fun I spent a couple of nights ago trying to find a Somfy 2 button ( no model) controller on the internet. I couldn’t find one.

With a little more data especially the primary key I can download the list and add another drawing table or two so that I can look at my system versus what’s here and have it with me when I’m cruising out looking for more silly sensors to buy.

Also need to tie doc to URLs of the videos, but that’s another thread.

Dhr

[zarthan]

I have been doing home automation for a long time and I still regularly throw stuff out because I didn't read closely enough or didn't bother asking before I made a purchase. I would highly recommend that you plan first, ask, plan again, refine questions, plan again, get consensus on your plan and then start. People here are more than willing to answer the same questions in as many different ways as necessary to help get you on the right track.

[homeauto2112]

I have to agree. I've just cleared out a hall closet full of old stuff (Wink, Apple, various motion, wireless speakers etc) that I have collected over the years. Some if it was due to finding something better. Some of it was due to not reading the fine print carefully. And, some of it was due to the "your milage may vary" not working in my favor. Home Automation is still mostly about personal research and development.

And, as a fellow grey-haired person, it still boggles my mind how I can get the question wrong