Any informed opinions on the iHome iSP100 vs iDevices Outdoor Switch?
Would like to automate my christmas lights.
Would like to automate my christmas lights.
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HomeKit outdoor switch: iHome iSP100 vs iDevices
- Thread starter gildorn
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I have the iHome iSP100 that I picked up on a whim at Bed Bath & Beyond. I use it with my outdoor landscape lighting that is plugged into a low voltage transformer box. Takes a few tries to get it to connect with HomeKit and if I have to reset my router, it doesn’t reconnect to the WiFi on its own about 90% of the time, in which case I’d have to remove it from the HomeKit app, factory reset it, reconnect to the WiFi, then reconnect to HomeKit and then re-add it to all my automations and scenes. When it’s up and running though, I’d have to say it works great. Never get a “No Response” and the automations and scenes work as they should. FWIW, it’s mounted to a stone wall right outside my house, where my outdoor electrical outlet is, so that may be the reason for the WiFi issues. I been meaning to pick up the iDevices version for the dual outlet but I don’t have one yet so can’t comment on it. If I could do it over again, I’d probably have just went straight for the iDevices one although the iHome isn’t bad at all if I don’t have to reset my router.
I've been using an iSP100 for my Christmas lights. When it's connected it works perfectly. So far (and I'm new to HomeKit stuff) I'm impressed at how quickly these things respond to a tap of the button on my iPhone. My one problem with the iSP100 is that when my internet is completely out or I restart my router the plug will not reconnect to HomeKit unless I go outside to unplug it and plug it back in. It reconnects to the iHome app right away, just not HomeKit. Mildly annoying but that's about it.
So it’s not just me with the plug not reconnecting to HomeKit. Didn’t know unplugging and replugging does the trick. Good to know! I’ve been factory resetting it every time lol. That’s majorly annoying.
Definitely annoying. And of course iHome says it's a HomeKit issue and Apple says it's an iHome issue. I talked to both companies via their Twitter pages. So not expecting a fix any time soon.
Sheesh. I actually dread restarting my WiFi for this one device, having to go back and add it to all my scenes and automations. Hopefully at the very least, your method of just unplugging and replugging saves all the smart stuff. Been meaning to give the iDevices outlet a shot and it has dual outlets.
Maybe next year I’ll replace this one. Or maybe one of the companies will own up to the issue. It’s probably some small simple fix but it’s easier to tell one customer to suck it up.