Share your Home Assistant ideas

I’m no expert on the HomeKit ecosystem. I don’t know a thing about the device communication protocols. I’m just wondering why you think these devices are more secure than others that use zwave, zigby, WiFi, or RF — if you don’t mind sharing?

^^^ This! ^^^ :+1:

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I like the way you think! :+1:

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Apple has stringent security requirements for a device to become HomeKit certified. In the early days it actually required specific chips to ensure security, but that was slowing down adoption so they have transitioned to where you can do it via software now.

Below is a link that goes into detail on it, but basically when the device is first added keys are exchanged. Those keys are maintained and updated as needed, and valid keys are required for communication. It’s not like a lot of other iot things that are running a web service on port 80 with tons of exploits, etc.

2 posts were split to a new topic: Help with making light switches smart

A post was merged into an existing topic: Help with making light switches smart

Was not aware of a Pro Lutron bridge or how it enables other functions in some way.
Not sure how people program the Pico remotes to work with other things, since I assume they use RF maybe Z-wave on certain frequency that the Lutron dimmers also use.
I checked the kit i got from Home Depot and its not the pro model smart bridge.
I know i can add into the Lutron app the Pico remotes as a separate device, not just the in the wall dimmer/switch itself. But that only would control Lutron devices.

Anyway, I see a now locked spilt of thread....reason i went with the Lutron Castea, is it only needs 3 wires, red, black, ground(which is not necessary but recommended). I do not have neutral wires, and the ground even is not used on the switches, but is connected to electrical box in the wall it self in my building that was built in the late 1960's.
Smart switches/dimmers that are all in one, no hub needed, have a additional wire required, I assume cause the "Smart" parts need its own power supply. Friend tried to install one in his old home, and it needed 2 separate red or black wires(i cant recall which), and it said not to install it if you only had one.
I am not sure what a Neutral wire does and no idea why some more modern devices require it. From what i briefly read on the subject, neutral wires was uncommon and optional thing that most electricians did not run, at least in the past.

We're using them in combination with Home Assistant. With the Pro bridge, Home Assistant can receive events when the Pico remote buttons are pressed. We write automations that are triggered off those events to control other items we have connected to Home Assistant.

Some Caseta devices require a neutral, some don't. All smart devices need some way of completing the circuit so they can work but some (the ones that don't require a neutral) do it by cleverly using the neutral that is connected to the light. That gets complicated and I have to hold my head just right to remember how it works. Anyway, the Pro bridge allows a telnet connection that provides a simple and fast connection. Once integrated with HA, the pico return a simple number depending on what button is pressed (1, 2, 4, 8, or 16). Once you have that, you can use it to automate whatever you like.

I see. I use HomeBridge on a Raspberry Pi4 to bring into HomeKit my Ubiquiti Unifi Protect cams and my Nest Protect smoke detectors.
I looked at Home Assistant, but it seemed to be more complex to setup and use, and did not have the Unifi Protect plugin in needed, it had Unifi Video, but that is a discontinued product and i use Protect.

I personally can not see a use case where i would want to use the physical remote of the Lutron Picos to control other things, my goal is to use voice control for everything i can, and the only automation aspect for me, is so that things go off when i leave, come on when i come home, automatically.

Indeed, for got about that. The simple on/off switch model, does require it, i found that out when i replaced my kitchen switch that goes to ceiling fan. Was surprised at that. Thankfully, there was a bundle of white wires stuffed in the back of the box, and i connected it to that, and it works fine.
I have the dimmers installed next to it for the kitchen light and in other places for the lights in my unit, and the dimmer does not even have a neutral wire, just 2 blacks and the green ground.
No idea why dimmer can function fine as a switch as well, without neutral, but a simple switch model can not.

It’s pretty complex but it gets the neutral via other means. There would probably be more devices that don’t require a neutral but I’m guessing it’s a demand thing.

This guy does a great job of explaining how the no neutral thing works:

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For me I use Hue four button remotes to trigger HomeKit scenes. I have one in the living room that triggers a scene to turn off or on all lights and fans in the living room, a scene for when we leave the house (turns everything off, sets alarm, etc.), and a scene for when we go to bed at night. Very handy.

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Shhhh. Grownups are talking. :slightly_smiling_face:

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What does this response mean? And for the record, you quoted that poster out of context.

I was drawing on the intense debate between those who think Philips Hue products are awesome and those who think they are overpriced garbage. I’m a smart ars.

Ok, well it seems unnecessarily provocative especially when the full sentence read "For me, I use Hue four button remotes to trigger HomeKit scenes."As these remotes are HomeKit compatible they can be used to control any HomeKit device. No Hue bulbs even needed. Your pot-stirring is also off-topic. So, can we just not?

I happily disengage. As you were.

And anyone wanting to install smart switches or anything that involves working with AC home wiring, TURN OFF the power at the breaker.

Home AC power will kill you if you get a good enough contact with the wires ever for a very short time.

You also can cause a short if the hot and ground touch each other they can then weld them selves together and cause the whole wire run to heat up and melt causing a fire anywhere in the walls. This has happened to a friend of mine many years ago, and it cause severe damage to their home. Most homes do not have GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) or AFCI (Arc Fault circuit interrupter) breakers. Those type of breakers only started being installed in very modern or high end homes only in recent years i read. Standard breakers only trip when there is a overload condition, when too many AMPs are being pulled than the breaker is rated for, which is different than a ground or arc fault.