I wanted to try using some Homematic IP devices. I got a good deal on a radiator thermostat recently.
Up to now I have mostly Tasmota devices, and a lot of Bluetooth devices, including Bluetooth thermostats. They work well but the range is limited.
Now I have a x86 server with Proxmox where HA runs in a LXC. No problems yet. I bought a USB HMIP dongle to not have yet another network device to deal with.
Now, how can I most simply add the HMIP thermostat to HA? I was a bit shocked to read that it seems I have to add a virtual CCU (piVCCU or YAHM or …) and then use Homegear on top of that to connect that to HA?
Is it really that complicated? Or am I missing something? I had hoped that just by adding the HMIP-USB I would be able to somehow use it directly from HA, much like a lot of other protocols like Z-Wave or Bluetooth.
That’s not correct. Homegear would provide similar functionality to piVCCU etc. in form of installable software. It’s an alternative. However, Homegear does not support HmIP (as far as I can tell).
If you are using hassio, you can use the HomeMatic add-on. That way you wouldn’t require an additional device to run your HomeMatic-hub.
In any case you need some piece of software that emulates a CCU. It’s your choice which of the available solutions fits your setup the best.
Ok thanks, so I wasn’t mistaken it seems. It’s a pity because HMIP seems to have a lot of devices at reasonable prices, but if the only way to use it is to run proprietary binaries in makeshift solutions then I might look into alternatives like Z-Wave.
Have a look at this. debmatic, docker-ccu and piVCCU should all be runnable on an existing Linux installation. I don’t know which hardware they support since I have never used them. But theoretically you should be able to install this in parallel on your system.
Thanks, I had seen that page before. Somehow I had seen an interesting project which was pronounced unmaintained, and that kind of kept me off.
However, I checked again now and I found that RaspberryMatic has just started releasing OVF images. So I grabbed the latest, fired up VirtualBox on a Windows machine I use as a frontend for HA (a PiPO X9S) and passed through the HMIP USB stick to it, and it worked.
Then all I needed to do was to point HA to it and immediately my tought-in thermostat showed up. So I’m happy now with that.
I do really have a problem with the Homematic documentation page though. I mean, what does Homegear have to do with it, really? It seems like a very optional piece to me.
A lot of things on that page are confusing IMO. It seems that many people do a lot of automation in additional software (e.g. set up automations in the CCU or using Homegear with the CCU), but for me that doesn’t make a lot of sense. My Home Automation software is Home Assistant, so why would I run other automation systems next to it?
Anyway, I found my “simple” way of using Homematic in HA, and I might do a write-up on it some time, for others who want the same simplicity.
The specific mentioning comes from when the HomeMatic integration into Home Assistant initially arrived. Back then there were few other options than the CCU2 (the old one) and Homegear. It’s also important to be aware, that Homegear is different from a CCU. Back then it did emulate the CCU at a lower price, while providing support for other device ecosystems (EnOcean, MQTT, Intertechno, even more than that). Even today the CCU only supports Philips Hue and Osram Lightify (without addons / CUXd). So it was valid to use Homegear instead of the CCU, and still is.
A key difference to the CCU (and alternatives like RaspberryMatic etc.) is, that it only implements a very specific part of the CCU. Because of that not all features the CCU provides are available, or only available when using different options (like resolving names). These are limitations Homegear users have to be aware of when considering Home Assistant. But still it should be clear from the documentation, that Homegear is supported.
For the other CCU alternatives this isn’t a question, because they emulate the CCU pretty much 100%. So in those cases it just doesn’t matter which solutions you chose. It’s just a matter of taste. That’s why they aren’t mentioned explicitly.
This depends on the perspective. A lot of HomeMatic users start using Home Assistant (or other Hubs like ioBroker) long after they have already built their system. After all HomeMatic has been availalbe for almost a decade now. So it’s just their history because initially they had to do all the automations within the CCU. Of course they’ll migrate (most of) their existing automations from the CCU to Home Assistant, that’s why they are integrating it into their setups after all. But for you, someone who seems to just be starting with HomeMatic, there obviously is not heritage to migrate to Home Assistant.
That being said, the HomeMatic system has something that is called DirektverknĂĽpfungen. These are immensly quick compared to scripted automations and work even when your network is down. With battery powered devices even when you have an electricity outage. For example: there is the KeyMatic device, which is a battery powered motor for door locks. It comes with a remote control to operate the lock. Of course the unlocking can be done via an Home Assistant automation. But this can easily fail if you have network problems or no electricity. With DirektverknĂĽpfungen on the other hand you simply pair the remote (or multiple remots) with the lock, and because of the battery powered operation and independence of the CCU / Home Assistant, it will always unlock the door.
Similar things can be done with door/window sensorts and thermostats, which turn down the heating when you open the window. This too can be done in Home Assistant. But it will fail if for some reason Home Assistant is down. By using DirektverknĂĽpfungen these basic functionalities keep working even if you primary logic-hub is unavailable.
If you need this kind of stability depends on your own preferences. But for me basic infrastructure things like the door lock or heating automations should be available close to 100%.
If you’re interested in the Direktverknüpfungen and what they are capable of, have a look at this video.
