Homeseer HomeKit Controller

[The Barnacle]

I see that Home Assistant has the ability to control HomeKit devices, link attached. Is this possible to do in HomeSeer via HomeBridge commands?

I'm looking to gain local control of my Ecobee t-stats and Abode alarm system.

[Rupp]

Have you tried using the existing Ecobee plugin that currently exists?

[The Barnacle]

Hi Rupp,

Thanks for the quick reply. Yes, I've been using the Ecobee plugin for about a year now. However, that plugin queries the Ecobee server every 4 minutes or so. Due to this delay, HS cannot see when the AC or Furnace has kicked on in real-time, which I'd like to use to trigger other events. Same goes for real-time temp readings.

Also, due to the cloud connection, I also lose the ability to control the t-stats during server or ISP outages.

[jvm]

I see that Home Assistant has the ability to control HomeKit devices, link attached. Is this possible to do in HomeSeer via HomeBridge commands?

I'm looking to gain local control of my Ecobee t-stats and Abode alarm system.

Yes. See the plugin homebridge plugin "homebridge-homeseer4" https://www.npmjs.com/package/homebridge-homeseer4

[The Barnacle]

Hi jvm,

My understanding of the homebridge-homeseer4 plugin is that it exposes HomeSeer devices to Homekit, via config file. I'm not sure that it can go the opposite direction, by exposing Apple homekit devices to HomeSeer. Do you know if the latter is possible?

If that's not possible, I have found an mqtt2homekit plugin that might offer a roundabout way to do it....

[jvm]

Hi jvm,

My understanding of the homebridge-homeseer4 plugin is that it exposes HomeSeer devices to Homekit, via config file. I'm not sure that it can go the opposite direction, by exposing Apple homekit devices to HomeSeer. Do you know if the latter is possible?

If that's not possible, I have found an mqtt2homekit plugin that might offer a roundabout way to do it....

Your understanding is correct with a limited exception. You can set up Automations in the iOS Home application which set other devices. This can be used to expose a HomeKit device to HomeSeer. The way to do this is to first create a virtual device in HomeSeer - say a light switch with On and Off values. Then in the iOS Home application, you can create an automation that turns on / off that switch when another HomeKit device changes. This gives you a limited ability to communicate back to HomeSeer the state of another HomeKit device.

[The Barnacle]

Very interesting, thank you for taking the time to reply! Any idea if this will work for variable data (such as t-stat temps)?

Otherwise, it looks like the MQTT path with an MQTT broker should yield close to real time data. TBD!

[jvm]

Very interesting, thank you for taking the time to reply! Any idea if this will work for variable data (such as t-stat temps)?

Otherwise, it looks like the MQTT path with an MQTT broker should yield close to real time data. TBD!

No, I don't think it works for variable data like thermostats. Thermostats aren't a triggering device in the iOS Home app. Unfortunately, the iOS Home app automation are incredibly simplistic. You can, however, use the iOS Automations to communicate geofencing information. See https://github.com/jvmahon/Homebridg...ng-in-HomeSeer

[The Barnacle]

The geofencing could be really helpful, as its baked into iOS and should be more reliable than other geofence approaches. Thanks jvm!

[mik3]

The geofencing could be really helpful, as its baked into iOS and should be more reliable than other geofence approaches. Thanks jvm!

I use exactly this to trigger a virtual switch. That switch then control devices I want based off events.

It works really well!

[randman]

Your understanding is correct with a limited exception. You can set up Automations in the iOS Home application which set other devices. This can be used to expose a HomeKit device to HomeSeer. The way to do this is to first create a virtual device in HomeSeer - say a light switch with On and Off values. Then in the iOS Home application, you can create an automation that turns on / off that switch when another HomeKit device changes. This gives you a limited ability to communicate back to HomeSeer the state of another HomeKit device.

This is a great idea and what I use to take advantage of HomeKit's geofencing. But I have a related question when it comes to using HomeSeer virtual devices...

I'm planning on getting the Abode security system, which integrates nicely with HomeKit. The system has door sensors, motion sensors, and of course, a security alarm. All these devices would show up in HomeKit. I'd like to expose these devices to HomeSeer. As you suggested, I can create HomeSeer virtual devices for each door sensor, each motion sensor, and the security (armed, disarmed, triggered) status. For the security device, I'm looking to do automations like:

1. If Abode security Arms, then arm the HomeSeer virtual device (aside: I don't know why but HomeKit automation only allows you to have the condition "when Home Security arms" but it does not let you distinguish between armed away, armed home and armed night).

2. If the HomeSeer virtual device arms, then arm Adobe security.

So, above routines will allow me to arm the security from either HomeKit or from HomeSeer.

My question is: will the two routines above cause an infinite loop? If routine #1 is called, then will it cause routine #2 to be called, which will (?) cause #1 to be called again, which causes #2 to be called, and so on? Or is HomeKit automation smart enough to only invoke the automation if the actual device changed status (sort of like HomeSeer events where the IF condition is "changes and becomes..." instead of "had its value set to...")?

[MattL0]

I believe I saw a hombridge plugin that allow you to receive state nd control hombridge device.or maybe it was from nodered . I do not remember.

[MattL0]

I know there is one here on iobroker... but i am almost sure sure I saw another one on nodered or hombridge itself

[MattL0]

I think this is the one https://flows.nodered.org/node/node-...dge-automation