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Anybody using HomeKit devices?

M

Michael CM1

macrumors 603
Original poster
Feb 4, 2008
5,681
276
I just bought a new deadbolt for my house that has a coded electronic lock and is supposed to work with the Wink app or other Zwave stuff. Well the Wink hub is a pain in the butt because apparently they forgot to make software upgrades easy -- or even work, it seems.

Not that I'm going to take this thing out since it accomplishes my goal of not being locked out of my home if a key and garage door remote are not available -- recent happening -- but I saw yesterday a newer model of this Schlage lock that supposedly works with HomeKit.

The one I got was on sale for $150 and this newer one is $229, so it's not really worth the change that way either (except no Wink hub needed). But I was just curious if anybody had tried out HomeKit products. I don't even know how they would work since I know I have a Wink app but haven't heard about any such app for my iPhone.
 
x-evil-x

x-evil-x

macrumors 603
Jul 13, 2008
5,578
3,236
wrong area for this but i love my wink hub actually. Ever after there little recall with them they have updated the app just fine with good updates and i have no issues with it. I set auto on and off based on location and i have it controlling 7 lights. the drop down menu in notification center is awesome to have on an iPhone now makes it easy for your custom modes in a second.
 
Z

zinned

macrumors regular
Apr 30, 2015
150
50
I use a couple of HomeKit products and the numbers are growing.

I have the new Philips Hue bridge and five light bulbs connected (tre multi color and two white) and I also use the Elgato Eve Room sensor for measuring temperature, humidity and air quality.

How HomeKit works? It's a framework developed by Apple that companies can implement support for in their products. If supported, the product will be added to you HomeKit pool, which backbone is your iCloud account. If you also own a Apple TV 3/4 (and being logged on with the same iCloud account there) you will have remote access to your devices over the internet.

Different products will communicate over different protocols (ZigBee for Philips Hue for exampel) but as long as they and your app of choice also have support for HomeKit, you can control them all from the same app.
 
M

Mac... nificent

macrumors 6502a
Nov 20, 2012
943
498
My entire house will be using HomeKit, mostly with Insteon. Next thing I'll be getting is the Ecobee 3 thermostat.
 
mattopotamus

mattopotamus

macrumors G5
Jun 12, 2012
14,671
5,883
I use the phillip hue lights....12 bulbs and a few light strips. They work great....granted they worked great even prior to the home kit updated bridge.
 
Z

zinned

macrumors regular
Apr 30, 2015
150
50
mattopotamus said:
I use the phillip hue lights....12 bulbs and a few light strips. They work great....granted they worked great even prior to the home kit updated bridge.
Click to expand...

Of course, the new bridge just gives access to your devices through Siri.
 
sigftw

sigftw

macrumors regular
Oct 26, 2015
117
51
Crystal Palace, London, England
I just want to add my Apple TV 4 so that I can ask Siri to wake it or put in sleep as that also turns on and off my AV receiver and television due to hdmi cec. Any way of doing this yet? I'm using Home for HomeKit for the software integration.
 
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M

MLJH

macrumors member
May 2, 2015
62
7
Newbury
sigftw said:
I just want to add my Apple TV 4 so that I can ask Siri to wake it or put in sleep as that also turns on and off my AV receiver and television due to hdmi cec. Any way of doing this yet? I'm using Home for HomeKit for the software integration.
Click to expand...

I'd also like to know if this is possible.
 
M

Michael CM1

macrumors 603
Original poster
Feb 4, 2008
5,681
276
x-evil-x said:
wrong area for this but i love my wink hub actually. Ever after there little recall with them they have updated the app just fine with good updates and i have no issues with it. I set auto on and off based on location and i have it controlling 7 lights. the drop down menu in notification center is awesome to have on an iPhone now makes it easy for your custom modes in a second.
Click to expand...

I like the shortcuts for some light bulbs. But the Wink Hub is being a little b@#%* with me. I just kind of wish I had known about the HomeKit Scalage lock before. Of course it would be nice if HomeKit hadn't seemingly been shoved to the back burner in terms of advertising and such. I've heard of about two devices before this that would work.

But whatever. At least I know in the future, and the lock still works for the purpose I got it and was a bit cheaper. Plus these light bulbs are insanely cheaper than the Philips Hue bulbs. Interested to see how the HomeKit stuff stacks up as far as controls.
 
Z

ZolakJHS

macrumors member
Apr 15, 2008
58
11
Wake Forest, NC
This topic really needs a forum or sub-forum, as it stands now people aren't posting because we don't know where to post the comments. This prevents posting, as well as experienced HomeKit users responding to posts. We have sub-forums for all sorts of niche topics, I don't see why creating one for HomeKit would adversely impact anyone else, and it would provide a benefit to those who need it.
 
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pjarvi

pjarvi

macrumors 65816
Jan 11, 2006
1,289
190
Clovis, CA
With an Apple TV, you can (in theory) control your Homekit devices while away from home using an iPhone (not sure about iPad). I'm actually testing this out today, I have an ATV4 hooked up at home and an iHome Smart Plug that has a fan plugged into it. I just told Siri to turn the fan on and she reported that she did so successfully. I won't know if she was lying until I get home later tonight though. :rolleyes:

I don't know if Siri can control devices using the Siri Remote on the ATV4 though, I don't expect it to do so since there are no Homekit related apps for setting up Homekit devices on the ATV. It just acts as a network relay for now.
 
d21mike

d21mike

macrumors 68040
Jul 11, 2007
3,320
356
Torrance, CA
I have a number of z-wave devices (thermostat, door lock, power plug) I would like to tie them into SIRI. Is there a HUB that would support z-wave devices and home kit?
 
gcmexico

gcmexico

macrumors 6502a
Dec 22, 2007
965
209
Littleton, CO
I have the Ecobee thermostat, really dig the ability to change temp with siri on watch...pre ordered the August smart lock that will work with siri...I believe Wink has declared bankruptcy so I wouldn't buy their stuff anymore
 
arijaycomet

arijaycomet

macrumors member
May 23, 2014
39
14
Cleveland, Ohio - USA
I've posted in a bunch of threads here, but I have a TON of HomeKit devices at my home right now:
Admit that the Insteon stuff is at work but still stuff I'm playing with and testing.
 
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Z

ZolakJHS

macrumors member
Apr 15, 2008
58
11
Wake Forest, NC
Just wanted to state here that I upgraded my apple tv from an ATV3 to an ATV4 and the remote stuff actually works now. I also added an Ecobee Thermostat to the setup. Apple should stop saying that the ATV3 supports remote HomeKit access, it doesn't (at least not in real world usage). I can finally unlock my door with "Hey Siri" when I drive down my street!
 
Mr. Buzzcut

Mr. Buzzcut

macrumors 65816
Jul 25, 2011
1,037
488
Ohio
Michael CM1 said:
I just bought a new deadbolt for my house that has a coded electronic lock and is supposed to work with the Wink app or other Zwave stuff. Well the Wink hub is a pain in the butt because apparently they forgot to make software upgrades easy -- or even work, it seems.

Not that I'm going to take this thing out since it accomplishes my goal of not being locked out of my home if a key and garage door remote are not available -- recent happening -- but I saw yesterday a newer model of this Schlage lock that supposedly works with HomeKit.

The one I got was on sale for $150 and this newer one is $229, so it's not really worth the change that way either (except no Wink hub needed). But I was just curious if anybody had tried out HomeKit products. I don't even know how they would work since I know I have a Wink app but haven't heard about any such app for my iPhone.
Click to expand...

The down side of the Scalage HomeKit lock is it has to be in range of an Apple TV, according to their doc. I do not want to have to rely on that bluetooth connection working. The z-wave model will work with any z-wave hub, not just wink.

I'm patiently waiting for some HomeKit hubs to start showing up so I can integrate everything. So far, I got nothing that is directly HomeKit enabled.
 
steve knight

steve knight

macrumors 68030
Jan 28, 2009
2,735
7,180
x-evil-x said:
wrong area for this but i love my wink hub actually. Ever after there little recall with them they have updated the app just fine with good updates and i have no issues with it. I set auto on and off based on location and i have it controlling 7 lights. the drop down menu in notification center is awesome to have on an iPhone now makes it easy for your custom modes in a second.
Click to expand...
I had a couple of bad hubs when they came out. switched to smartthings. not perfect but much mroe powerful and programmable.
 
brianbunge

brianbunge

macrumors 6502
Aug 11, 2011
386
38
Kennesaw, GA
arijaycomet said:
I've posted in a bunch of threads here, but I have a TON of HomeKit devices at my home right now:
Admit that the Insteon stuff is at work but still stuff I'm playing with and testing.
Click to expand...

Ari, I've read a lot of your reviews and they have been very helpful. I was wondering what your opinion is of the iHome smart plug. I have use for a couple of them but the reviews I've read have mentioned lots of disconnects. So I'm hesitant to try them.
 
M

mellofello

macrumors 65816
Feb 1, 2011
1,257
556
I'm still waiting on the sidelines for this whole home automation thing to get one standard. It seems like there are too many different products that don't talk to each other
 
HobeSoundDarryl

HobeSoundDarryl

macrumors G5
Feb 8, 2004
12,357
15,981
Hobe Sound, FL (20 miles north of Palm Beach)
mellofello said:
I'm still waiting on the sidelines for this whole home automation thing to get one standard. It seems like there are too many different products that don't talk to each other
Click to expand...

People have been sharing your "waiting" thinking for decades now. Wasn't X10 THE (one) standard in the 1990's, maybe the 1980s too? (edit: actually, all the way back to the 70's: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X10_(industry_standard) Homekit is just a recent push by another company making such a play. And, maybe it's just me, but doesn't it seem like the Homekit premium is very steep? Keyless locks for $229 that can be locked or unlocked with an iPhone via Homekit vs. keyless locks for less than $100 that can be unlocked with the keypad even if you don't have your phone with you? Smoke detectors with Homekit for $100 so you can know your home is burning down when you're not in it vs. smoke detectors without Homekit for $30 so you can be alerted by them when you are actually in danger? Etc. Is there any Homekit-enabled device that is priced even close to about the same thing without Homekit?

And I don't know if there will ever by ONE standard. IMO, the thing about this particular thrust is that it seems to lean a bit too heavy on a gimmick ("look, I can turn the lights off while sitting on the couch") or a relatively odd event in people's lives ("oops, I locked myself out of my house... but since I have my phone with me..."), etc.
  • The first one is like getting a tattoo- you get a little "look at me" joy(?) out of showing it off and then most of who have potential to be impressed have seen it.
  • The latter is like the classic teenage play for justifying a cell phone (emergency situation or car broken down) which is valid... but hardly ever happens in reality.
I guess I'm not very impressed with the whole concept... less so when one factors in the price premium. Sure, I too can conjure up the odd scenario or the "look what I can do now" scenario but what does Homekit-like functionality really bring to us that does something meaningful or somewhat needed? I can adjust the lights for free by getting off the couch and walking a few steps to the switch. I can lock/unlock the doors while I'm standing at the doors. Etc.

Convenience is OK. The "look at my new tattoo" game can be fun until pretty much everyone has seen it. But then it seems to lean heavily on a subjective perception of what we gain as individuals from this "power." To me, it seems like something that better fits the world of humans in the movie Wall-E... where we're all living in pods, fat, not having to move because everything can be done from where we are...

6a00d8341bfb1653ef017d4158076b970c-550wi
 
M

macaximx

macrumors 6502
Apr 5, 2009
311
123
arijaycomet said:
I've posted in a bunch of threads here, but I have a TON of HomeKit devices at my home right now:
Admit that the Insteon stuff is at work but still stuff I'm playing with and testing.
Click to expand...
Are there any LED lights like the Hue that work in enclosed ceiling lighting fixtures?
 
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