Apple Homekit

charlieharper

charlieharper

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Anyone doing home automations using Homekit?
Considering starting with Homekit cameras.

Any good local suppliers for supported accessories?
 
Homekit devices were pretty expensive and difficult to find when I did some research.

For me I wanted it to look and feel like it was integrated into the Home App

Ive managed to setup HomeKit and the home app using homebridge and a raspberry PI

I can turn lights on and off via Sonoff, can also automate this
Can control my sprinkler system with Hunter Hydrawise
Open and close garage door, gates with Sonoff

You can integrate with Hikvision Cameras but its quite clunky
 
I am using light bulbs and various multi-plugs. Bought for relatively cheap at IKEA.

Also looking at getting a few EUFY cameras.

I have also got a few TP-Link plugs that I got working via HOOBS, making able to speak to HomeKit. Also getting a few garage door and gate openers that will piggy back off HOOBS. The benefit of this is, as all my cars use CarPlay, I can trigger commands to open my gates and garage as I drive up to the house. Looking at integrating my alarm systems with HOOBS too, but haven’t had luck with that yet.
 
I wouldn’t recommend HomeKit as the base for your smart home, but rather just a front end.

It’s deeply lacking in automation functionality and as was mentioned already hard to find compatible devices at decent prices.

Rather use Home Assistant which can talk to almost anything, and then push your devices into HomeKit and use it as the access layer.

The only actual non-Apple HomeKit device I have is an Aqara camera and that works brilliantly and then 44 other accessories pushed in from Home Assistant including two Wyze cameras.

I would happily replace the Wyze cameras with Aqara ones if I did it over.

Also bear in mind you need a paid for iCloud subscription for the secure camera recording.
 
SauRoNZA said:
I wouldn’t recommend HomeKit as the base for your smart home, but rather just a front end.

It’s deeply lacking in automation functionality and as was mentioned already hard to find compatible devices at decent prices.

Rather use Home Assistant which can talk to almost anything, and then push your devices into HomeKit and use it as the access layer.

The only actual non-Apple HomeKit device I have is an Aqara camera and that works brilliantly and then 44 other accessories pushed in from Home Assistant including two Wyze cameras.

I would happily replace the Wyze cameras with Aqara ones if I did it over.

Also bear in mind you need a paid for iCloud subscription for the secure camera recording.
Click to expand...
Do you mean the Smart Life app? Smart Home was in a foreign language with no reviews? Thanks!
 
jezzad said:
Homekit devices were pretty expensive and difficult to find when I did some research.

For me I wanted it to look and feel like it was integrated into the Home App

Ive managed to setup HomeKit and the home app using homebridge and a raspberry PI

I can turn lights on and off via Sonoff, can also automate this
Can control my sprinkler system with Hunter Hydrawise
Open and close garage door, gates with Sonoff

You can integrate with Hikvision Cameras but its quite clunky
Click to expand...
Hi @jezzad I am looking to build a similar set up. Very curious about how you did the Hydrawise and Garage door integrations? Did you just use the standard plugin for Hydrawise? And a specific Sonoff product for the garage doors?
 
iaanvn said:
Hi @jezzad I am looking to build a similar set up. Very curious about how you did the Hydrawise and Garage door integrations? Did you just use the standard plugin for Hydrawise? And a specific Sonoff product for the garage doors?
Click to expand...
@iaanvn Hydrawise plugin “works” but doesn’t allow for much control. Basic on and off. But yes the standard plugin.

In terms of garage door and driveway gate I used the below

www.robofactory.co.za

Sonoff Gate / Garage Wifi Smart Switch

With this device you can make your electronic gate or garage door smart. When this device is installed, you can open or close your gate/door with either the eWelink app, any voice assistant or home automation hub.
www.robofactory.co.za www.robofactory.co.za

This can also be used on a pedestrian gate.

You can also setup a shortcut with Siri so you could say “Hey Siri, open the garage” there is a bit of a delay but it works.
 
jezzad said:
@iaanvn Hydrawise plugin “works” but doesn’t allow for much control. Basic on and off. But yes the standard plugin.

In terms of garage door and driveway gate I used the below

www.robofactory.co.za

Sonoff Gate / Garage Wifi Smart Switch

With this device you can make your electronic gate or garage door smart. When this device is installed, you can open or close your gate/door with either the eWelink app, any voice assistant or home automation hub.
www.robofactory.co.za www.robofactory.co.za

This can also be used on a pedestrian gate.

You can also setup a shortcut with Siri so you could say “Hey Siri, open the garage” there is a bit of a delay but it works.
Click to expand...
The Siri garage door sounds great! Assuming this is going through a hub that connects to Homebridge? Or direct?
 
I was using Home Assistant but found it incredibly unreliable as it would mix up the state of devices - homekit capable ones. For example Homekit thought a light was on, but Home Asst. thought it was off. Kept having to re-sync them.

I've now just gone Shelly 1's all over the place with the Homekit firmware flashed and they're working wonderfully. As for Wi-Fi bulbs, I bought Yeelight. They're ok but also not very reliable. In my other thread about binding them to AP's if you have a mesh - it did make them a bit better but in themselves they have bugs. For example tell Siri to set lights to 50%. Then ask Siri to make it 100% brightness and Yeelight says its done - but it never is. You have to open the Yeelight app and manually drag the slider to 100%.

Small things, but can be irritating. I imagine Home Assistant comes into own with multiple non-homekit systems being consolidated.
 
neoprema said:
I was using Home Assistant but found it incredibly unreliable as it would mix up the state of devices - homekit capable ones. For example Homekit thought a light was on, but Home Asst. thought it was off. Kept having to re-sync them.

I've now just gone Shelly 1's all over the place with the Homekit firmware flashed and they're working wonderfully. As for Wi-Fi bulbs, I bought Yeelight. They're ok but also not very reliable. In my other thread about binding them to AP's if you have a mesh - it did make them a bit better but in themselves they have bugs. For example tell Siri to set lights to 50%. Then ask Siri to make it 100% brightness and Yeelight says its done - but it never is. You have to open the Yeelight app and manually drag the slider to 100%.

Small things, but can be irritating. I imagine Home Assistant comes into own with multiple non-homekit systems being consolidated.
Click to expand...

Why would you put HomeKit capable stuff in Home Assistant and then duplicate it back to Homekit? Just run directly into HomeKit and exclude them in HA?

Are those Yeelight native Homekit ones or also via HA?

Direct is always going to be better.
 
SauRoNZA said:
Why would you put HomeKit capable stuff in Home Assistant and then duplicate it back to Homekit? Just run directly into HomeKit and exclude them in HA?

Are those Yeelight native Homekit ones or also via HA?

Direct is always going to be better.
Click to expand...
The Yeelight's were initially on HA because i got irritated that they need you to scan the HK barcode while they're on which i can't do because they're in light fittings and you can't see their body.
 
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