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    Alexa Intergreation

    Hi there. Has anyone successfully managed to get alexa working with the SDJ-Vstat?

    #2
    Originally posted by codey View Post
    Hi there. Has anyone successfully managed to get alexa working with the SDJ-Vstat?
    I have to admit that I am not clear on how Alexa is supposed to work with Thermostats or at least how HS expects a thermostat to be set up so that it passes the correct information to Alexa. I can't find any documentation on this but if anybody can enlighten me I am happy to reconfigure SDJ-VStat accordingly.

    However, I do use Alexa with my VStats as I'll explain below.

    Mostly my VStats are automated, running schedules and changing modes based on occupancy. So very little direct interaction is required. I also have HSTouch screens in various rooms and on my phone so I can see the current state of VStats but also control them if necessary. These have good WAF because it is easy to temporarily increase the temp or boost the heating for a period with just a tap of the finger.

    For Alexa I use Jon00's Alexa helper. This allows me to set up specific ways of controlling VStats in the way I want, rather than conforming to any conventions. This again has good WAF. So I set up trigger phrases that can raise and lower the current target temperature or switch modes. Alexa also responds with information about the particular VStats current state.

    I hope this helps.

    Steve

    Comment


      #3
      Hi Steve, I believe the Device API, Type and Subtypes need to be set to specific values. Device API needs to be Thermostat API, Device Type needs to be either Setpoint or Temperature and then Subtype has a number of different options. You can use Visual Studio to browse the objects in the HS exe and dll's and see what the options are.

      Cheers
      Al
      HS 4.2.8.0: 2134 Devices 1252 Events
      Z-Wave 3.0.10.0: 133 Nodes on one Z-Net

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by sparkman View Post
        Hi Steve, I believe the Device API, Type and Subtypes need to be set to specific values. Device API needs to be Thermostat API, Device Type needs to be either Setpoint or Temperature and then Subtype has a number of different options. You can use Visual Studio to browse the objects in the HS exe and dll's and see what the options are.

        Cheers
        Al
        Thanks for responding Al,

        I do set the DeviceTypes and SubTypes, to the best of my interpretation of what they should be, but what I have not seen is any definitive description of which are applicable to the way HS3 and Alexa interact. I haven't managed to get the Homeseer Smarthome skill to discover any of my VStats as thermostats. But that may be down to other reasons as discovery seems to be a bit hit and miss anyway. The UK version may not support Thermostats, I don't know.

        What would be useful is if somebody who has a working ZWave Thermostat that is discovered by and works in Alexa could provide info on how Alexa interacts with it and what the DeviceType and SubType settings are for the various controls and readings that Alexa can show/announce.

        My VStats have several different SetPoints and multiple modes so I suspect Alexa/HS3 doesn't expect to see most of them. My assumption is that Alexa can:
        Display/Announce the current temperature
        Display/Announce the active SetPoint
        Increase/decrease or set the active SetPoint
        Display/Announce the current operating state/mode
        Change the current operating mode

        But this is just my guesswork and is probably completely wrong

        Using Jon00's Alexa helper I can set things up to interact anyway I want with a VStat, but of course I have to say 'Alexa, tell Homesser to...' or in my case 'Alexa, tell Frank to...'

        Steve

        Comment


          #5
          Hi Steve,

          I'm not running Alexa currently, but when I played with it, I believe my z-wave thermostat worked fine with it, although I can't remember the specifics. Here's a dump of my thermostat devices and their types/subtypes. Hopefully that helps, if not, maybe someone that currently runs Alexa can help.

          Cheers
          Al

          Code:
          Device: Main Floor Thermostat (384) Device API: Thermostat API
          Device: Main Floor Thermostat (384) Device Type: Thermostat Root Device (99)
          Device: Main Floor Thermostat (384) Device SubType: (0)
          Device: Main Floor Thermostat Fan Mode (387) Device API: Thermostat API
          Device: Main Floor Thermostat Fan Mode (387) Device Type: Thermostat Fan Mode (4)
          Device: Main Floor Thermostat Fan Mode (387) Device SubType: Fan Mode (0)
          Device: Main Floor Thermostat Mode (388) Device API: Thermostat API
          Device: Main Floor Thermostat Mode (388) Device Type: Thermostat Mode Setting (3)
          Device: Main Floor Thermostat Mode (388) Device SubType: Mode (0)
          Device: Main Floor Thermostat Operating State (389) Device API: Thermostat API
          Device: Main Floor Thermostat Operating State (389) Device Type: Thermostat Operating State (1)
          Device: Main Floor Thermostat Operating State (389) Device SubType: Operating State (0)
          Device: Main Floor Thermostat Heating Setpoint (390) Device API: Thermostat API
          Device: Main Floor Thermostat Heating Setpoint (390) Device Type: Thermostat Setpoint (6)
          Device: Main Floor Thermostat Heating Setpoint (390) Device SubType: Heating 1 (1)
          Device: Main Floor Thermostat Cooling Setpoint (391) Device API: Thermostat API
          Device: Main Floor Thermostat Cooling Setpoint (391) Device Type: Thermostat Setpoint (6)
          Device: Main Floor Thermostat Cooling Setpoint (391) Device SubType: Cooling 1 (2)
          Device: Main Floor Thermostat Temperature (915) Device API: Thermostat API
          Device: Main Floor Thermostat Temperature (915) Device Type: Thermostat Temperature (2)
          Device: Main Floor Thermostat Temperature (915) Device SubType: Temperature (1)
          HS 4.2.8.0: 2134 Devices 1252 Events
          Z-Wave 3.0.10.0: 133 Nodes on one Z-Net

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by sparkman View Post
            Hi Steve,

            I'm not running Alexa currently, but when I played with it, I believe my z-wave thermostat worked fine with it, although I can't remember the specifics. Here's a dump of my thermostat devices and their types/subtypes. Hopefully that helps, if not, maybe someone that currently runs Alexa can help.

            Cheers
            Al

            Code:
            Device: Main Floor Thermostat (384) Device API: Thermostat API
            Device: Main Floor Thermostat (384) Device Type: Thermostat Root Device (99)
            Device: Main Floor Thermostat (384) Device SubType: (0)
            Device: Main Floor Thermostat Fan Mode (387) Device API: Thermostat API
            Device: Main Floor Thermostat Fan Mode (387) Device Type: Thermostat Fan Mode (4)
            Device: Main Floor Thermostat Fan Mode (387) Device SubType: Fan Mode (0)
            Device: Main Floor Thermostat Mode (388) Device API: Thermostat API
            Device: Main Floor Thermostat Mode (388) Device Type: Thermostat Mode Setting (3)
            Device: Main Floor Thermostat Mode (388) Device SubType: Mode (0)
            Device: Main Floor Thermostat Operating State (389) Device API: Thermostat API
            Device: Main Floor Thermostat Operating State (389) Device Type: Thermostat Operating State (1)
            Device: Main Floor Thermostat Operating State (389) Device SubType: Operating State (0)
            Device: Main Floor Thermostat Heating Setpoint (390) Device API: Thermostat API
            Device: Main Floor Thermostat Heating Setpoint (390) Device Type: Thermostat Setpoint (6)
            Device: Main Floor Thermostat Heating Setpoint (390) Device SubType: Heating 1 (1)
            Device: Main Floor Thermostat Cooling Setpoint (391) Device API: Thermostat API
            Device: Main Floor Thermostat Cooling Setpoint (391) Device Type: Thermostat Setpoint (6)
            Device: Main Floor Thermostat Cooling Setpoint (391) Device SubType: Cooling 1 (2)
            Device: Main Floor Thermostat Temperature (915) Device API: Thermostat API
            Device: Main Floor Thermostat Temperature (915) Device Type: Thermostat Temperature (2)
            Device: Main Floor Thermostat Temperature (915) Device SubType: Temperature (1)
            Thanks Al, that's useful information.
            One thing I have noticed, looking at my VStats, is that the device SubTypes all appear blank even though I had set them. I will have to look further in to why those settings haven't stuck.

            Steve

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by sparkman View Post
              Hi Steve,

              I'm not running Alexa currently, but when I played with it, I believe my z-wave thermostat worked fine with it, although I can't remember the specifics. Here's a dump of my thermostat devices and their types/subtypes. Hopefully that helps, if not, maybe someone that currently runs Alexa can help.

              Cheers
              Al
              Al,
              Thinking about it, the Control Use settings may also effect the interaction between HS3 and Alexa and the Mobile App. They have various Setpoint etc options which I do set in my plugin, but again I’m guessing as I haven’t seen any documentation on these.

              It’s a lot to ask but if you have time some time it would be good to see how these are set in the Status Graphics of the various children for your ZWave Stat.

              Thanks,
              Steve

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by SteveMSJ View Post

                Al,
                Thinking about it, the Control Use settings may also effect the interaction between HS3 and Alexa and the Mobile App. They have various Setpoint etc options which I do set in my plugin, but again I’m guessing as I haven’t seen any documentation on these.

                It’s a lot to ask but if you have time some time it would be good to see how these are set in the Status Graphics of the various children for your ZWave Stat.

                Thanks,
                Steve
                Hi Steve, see below. No trouble at all.

                Cheers
                Al

                Click image for larger version

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                Click image for larger version

Name:	Cool Setpoint.PNG
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                Click image for larger version

Name:	Fan Mode.PNG
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                Click image for larger version

Name:	Operating State.PNG
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                Click image for larger version

Name:	Mode.PNG
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Size:	31.2 KB
ID:	1265502
                HS 4.2.8.0: 2134 Devices 1252 Events
                Z-Wave 3.0.10.0: 133 Nodes on one Z-Net

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by sparkman View Post

                  Hi Steve, see below. No trouble at all.

                  Cheers
                  Al
                  Thanks again.

                  Steve

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by SteveMSJ View Post
                    One thing I have noticed, looking at my VStats, is that the device SubTypes all appear blank even though I had set them. I will have to look further in to why those settings haven't stuck.
                    Actually it turned out the SubTypes I had set had stuck it's just that HS3 shows the SubType_Description on the advanced tab, not the actual SubType. It states that the SubType_Description isn't used so I didn't bother setting it. For API and Type the description is readonly. Not sure why SubType is different but there you go.

                    Steve

                    Comment

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