Author Topic: HomeKit?  (Read 3161 times)

mopac01

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HomeKit?
« on: September 14, 2016, 03:39:37 PM »
Does anyone know if there are any plans to do any integration with Apple's HomeKit, particularly with the latest improvement and dedicated Home app in iOS 10? 

I have an Ecobee 3 thermostat with HomeKit integration.  Slowly Apple's starting to develop an ecosystem here that should make home automation easier.  It would be great if it was easier to take actions on other HomeKit enabled devices based on weather events monitored by WeatherCat.....

Weatheraardvark

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Re: HomeKit?
« Reply #1 on: September 14, 2016, 08:42:02 PM »
From what i have read, Homekit is open to developers.  I am certain there are hurdles to jump.  Just what they are i do not know.
I don't have any Homekit items.  i do have a Honeywell Bluetooth air purifier, actually 2, as well as Belkin's Wemo control.   I like that because I can either set to a timer  when we are off on holiday, or trigger them myself.

I guess I am going to wait to see what else happens with homekit.
 
Right now it is an open market.
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elagache

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Tools for the DIY types starting to show up (Re: HomeKit?)
« Reply #2 on: September 14, 2016, 11:08:33 PM »
Dear mopac01, Weatheraardvark, and WeatherCat expansionist types,

Does anyone know if there are any plans to do any integration with Apple's HomeKit, particularly with the latest improvement and dedicated Home app in iOS 10? 

I haven't heard anything from Stu about supporting HomeKit.  I suppose the reason is the usual one - is there enough interest to justify such a change?

I have an Ecobee 3 thermostat with HomeKit integration.  Slowly Apple's starting to develop an ecosystem here that should make home automation easier.  It would be great if it was easier to take actions on other HomeKit enabled devices based on weather events monitored by WeatherCat.....

If you want to get your hands dirty, there are some tools that can be accessed via AppleScript which WeatherCat supports.  Here is a article that describes some of the available tools:

https://bendodson.com/weblog/2016/05/24/homekit-and-airplay/

However, I'm not sure what you would be trying to automate based on the outside weather conditions.  I have AppleScripts and an AppleScript synthetic channel that tells me when to open and close windows.  However, our house is 69 years old, so not surprisingly, it doesn't have automated windows.

I'm a bit puzzled by the idea of using outside temperature data to change your thermostat.  After all the whole idea of an enclosed space to be free of the extremes of the outdoors.  You should set your thermostat to make you comfortable - no matter what the outside conditions are.

The one area where I had hoped to employ WeatherCat in a home automation realm is controlling the sprinklers.  There is an open-source standard called open sprinkler:

https://opensprinkler.com/faq/

There is a Mac interface to Open Sprinkler:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/opensprinkler/id903464532?mt=12

However, I haven't been able to determine if you can communicate to the app via AppleScript.  If you could then you could adjust your watering times based on the Evapotranspiration data that WeatherCat makes available.

Alas, I'm way behind on my sprinkler automation project so this isn't going to happen anytime soon.  Still, that seems to me to be a much more promising attempt to use WeatherCat to adjust something based on data WeatherCat collects about the outside environment.

Cheers, Edouard

mopac01

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Re: HomeKit?
« Reply #3 on: September 14, 2016, 11:33:31 PM »
Well, one item would be an motorized awning that I have over the deck.  It also drastically cuts thermal gain in my living room since it shields the large window and french doors from afternoon western sun exposure in the summer.  However, it should not be deployed out when the wind gets too strong.  We've had instances where we've forgotten to retract it although gratefully not in connection with a high wind event.  But I figure rather safe than sorry.  I'd prefer to automate it's retraction based on known windspeed, particularly gusts. 

As far as outside temperature factoring into thermostats there is an application.  I have a heat pump and it isn't efficient once the outside temperature gets below 32.  So once it drops below 32 it makes more sense to just cut off the heat pump entirely and use the backup furnace. 

WCDev

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Re: HomeKit?
« Reply #4 on: October 01, 2016, 12:07:35 AM »
I know all about Homekit form other work, so it's deff. doable - I'll add it to the feature request list. Thanks for the suggestion  [tup]

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Re: HomeKit?
« Reply #5 on: October 02, 2016, 07:50:45 PM »
HomeKit has become significantly better with iOS 10. We have an "Eve Energy" appliance that is much easier to control using Apple's "Home" app in iOS 10. We can also talk to Siri on an Apple Watch to control the Eve Energy appliance.