Small suggestion to Improved Hubitat Elevation C7 Hub. It can be done!
Note: There is already is one color changing heartbeat LED on the Hub.
With any leftover ARM I/O just have the extra I/O go to different, extra, user programmable color LEDs on the front panel. This way an end user could easily ascertain "quickly" different critical alerts in his/hers automation system. The cost of this "user programmable" LED additions would
be insignificant but would be very useful to the end user if the HE hub was in a location that was easily seen. Of course, the end users could always use his/her dashboard but constantly checking
the dashboard, to me, is a waste of time. I spent greater than $150 on my HE Christmas Tree Annunciator Project when all that was needed was less then $5 worth of user LEDs on the front hub panel!
I will have my checkbook/MC/Visa ready if Hubitat would make this happen!
This is why I use Inovelli Red Series (and soon Blue Series) switches and dimmers. HomeSeer also makes a motion sensor/LED that could do something similar, but I avoided it due to mixed reviews (and HomeSeer prices and genreal HomeSeerness).
Do people prominently display their hubs? I think most have them hidden in a closet, behind or on top of something, or in the basement. I would think this to be of very limited value when I can just pull it up on the phone or my desktop. I am too lazy to go look at the device itself when I have a computer on me at nearly all times.
If you can't say anything nice, it is better to not say anything at all. So no comment there.
You can get push notifications on a phone or tablet, you can get switches like an Inovelli that has the LED indicators built-in, or you could use a LED strip and Zigbee controller to get status. Even an LED strip with controller is less than $50, and you already have a phone or computer.
I do not, hub is not exactly hidden, but certiainly not front-and-center, and WAF for prominently displaying it (or any of my tech gear) would be non-existent no matter what it could do. Sometimes I'm surprised that I'm even allowed in "her house."
It's really dependent on your home layout. Most routers, gateways are located near entertainment sections of the home. Also, the better half has a say in this matter.
There should be a survey taken to see if other users have their HE hubs on display.
Nope none of mine or my clients are visible. Mostly in closets etc. The one that IS somewhat visible is in a garage. I think the light indicators as @bertabcd1234 and @neonturbo mentioned are probably the best "passive" way to go..
I just have my system send alerts/emails when things start to get funky.
That would be a subject for another conversation - I use a system called Node-RED for all my rules etc. which is external to the HE hub. NR has a secure email node available.
I’m not sure it’s so simple. But I can’t tell if this is something you see on the future version of the hub, with another LED, or repurposing the LEDs on current C7s?
I really don’t see hub LED’s being a useful addition and the need is far more usefully achieved and with immediate feedback using messaging or dashboards / remote app.
I might add that even though an end user does not have a complete visual on the hub it doesn't mean that these extra LEDs would not be useful. Having the ability to "user programmed" these extra diagnostics/statuses LEDs on the HE Hub from devices and sensors would be extremely helpful to the end user.
Adding something like that might cost pennies per unit (which seems kind of expensive) but you would also have to factor in manufacturing board and case design adjustments etc. Is it worth the cost of doing this over say something like external antenna connectors?
HomeSeer also makes a motion sensor/LED that could do something similar, but I avoided it due to mixed reviews (and HomeSeer prices and genreal HomeSeerness).
