SmatThings Integration.. or Not

Third party integrations
1

I’m an software integrator by trade… So I know a bad interface when I see it and after spending the last two weeks with HA… and after reading copious posts here (nearly all are “I’m lost can someone… anyone please help”) I can tell you that integrating anything into HA is not necessarily a sure bet…

The platform is well thought out and its ability to control devices locally is why we’re all here… but its ultimate configurability and flexibility makes it not a casual undertaking to use.

So In my world we sometimes use “Tools” to transform data from one state… format etc into another so as to make it easier palatable… or a piece of equipment to provide an interface between two “nodes” that were not meant to interface… but we need them to talk to each other now.

So,after watching a couple of videos I got to thinking… dangerous thing me thinking…

Riddle me this batman… Might having a SmatrtThings hub be an easier import path than the “Hap -hazard” approach … that is to say hit and miss device discovery that HA processes?

I ask because I’ve been trying for a week to figure out why HA wont/cant discover and integrate a flashed sonoff switch in to the system.

My Alexa see’s it… my Wink hub sees it IFTT sees it hell even Yonomi sees it …but HA is blind… (Actually it discovers it but cant finish the integration for some reason) My post is here…

I watched the two videos below and began to think… for 60 bucks… the cost of a SmartThings Hub… and a lot less time ( a week for a single switch is obscene and cost WAY more that 60 bucks) I could build a ecosystem of switches , routines and scenes in SmartThings… and then with a few clicks have them imported into HA…reliably where I could then manage them and tie them into HA where they would be automated etc…

Am I crazy?.. I know Im lazy… and spending more time beating a dead horse… or sonoff switch is not appealing…

So I have a questions… outside the box sort of questions…

Q1. When entities are imported into HA from ST and a command to change the state of said devise is initiated from HA… does that command do a round trip to ST’s cloud or does it just do a closed loop between HA and the entity?

Q2. I’m pretty sure that scenes created in SmartThings would most likely utilize SmartThings’s cloud, agreed?

Q3. I’m pretty sure that routines created in SmartThings would most likely utilize SmartThings’s cloud as well, agreed?

Q4. If any of you have done the import from SmatrThings… was it as easy (Ha… easy)… lets say “straight forward” as the videos.

and then his follow up

2

If you want free, local controller software that strives for reliability, look at OpenHAB. I detest Java but they have a pretty good, flexible system going.

Both OH & HA are going through major changes. OH just decided to delay their next release to im[\prove stability.

3

JAVA… NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOooooooo
LOL

Both are open source… so by definition there is allot more change going on in the product… the trick is keeping up whit those changes.

Ive found that most open source products have a high “Geek Factor” and those who like that are all about the tinkering aspect… Vs the product aspect.

Most of us are looking for a product… not a new hobby… and theirs the rub!

I’m thinking that using a “Product” to identify entity’s and stage them for import into HA might be worth the $60 buy in

4

You realize SmartThings was open source before the “Borg” Samsung assimilated them?
For hardware too, some people like Vera

5

You know your question (and I think your others) are answered in the docs GitHub - arendst/Tasmota: Alternative firmware for ESP8266 and ESP32 based devices with easy configuration using webUI, OTA updates, automation using timers or rules, expandability and entirely local control over MQTT, HTTP, Serial or KNX. Full documentation at .

Samsung SmartThings is integrated into Home Assistant through the SmartThings Cloud API.

and

The SmartThings integration utilizes a webhook to receive push updates from the SmartThings cloud through …

This is also the case in your other thread. Hate to say it, but RTFM :slight_smile:

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Bosborn… no I never knew that… but now they’re not… and the stability shows… Well relative stability at least…

I’m not against open source tools or applications… they just have inherent “limitations”… not a bad thing… just sometimes not easy to work with…

Ahhhh nickrout… thanks for the answers… and directions

Hahaha… I knew I missed something… what did I miss?

Wait " push updates from the SmartThings cloud …" Software updates or entity state updates… I’m sitting at a .Mil terminal… … and github if filtered out… so I cant read what you’re pointing to…

THX all…

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You’ll need to sort that to read the docs

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probably this??

(warning: this feature is not included in sonoff-basic.bin and sonoff-classic.bin )

On each Tasmota device which should be automatically discovered by Hass, enter the following commands in the web console:
SetOption19 1 - Enables MQTT discovery\

By executing command SetOption19 1 the automatic discovery feature is enabled and a retained MQTT message starting with topic “homeassistant/…”, as defined in user_config.h HOME_ASSISTANT_DISCOVERY_PREFIX, is sent containing parameters used by Home Assistant to automatically configure a device.

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@BitViper I fully agree with you about Home Assistant currently not being user-friendly enough for most potential end-users, and my guess is that many potential users quit and give up after they spent hours of trying to get a new installation of Home Assistant to work with local integrations for the first time, even those with a technical background/interest who has the potential to become Home Assistant biggest userbase and advocators if only it was easier to get started with integrations that one feels should only require GUI based interfaces to configure, especially after one come from using commerical GUI interfaces in products like Samsung SmartThings, Google Home and Google Chromecast devices where getting started feels like a breeze of fresh air because it is so easy.

I an IT-technician myself but my scripting have never been my strong side so diving into the deep-end of Home Assistant integrations feels overwhelming, to say the least, and because of this it today feels like Home Assistant is still really only made for skilled system integrators and hobby programmers, that is, people who can code well themselves. This is why I still use my Samsung SmartThings Hub as my main controller for devices, today with the Google Home app as my main day-to-day interfaces, which I also like have awesome GUI interfaces, though they are of course less flexible than Home Assistant in almost every way, as ease of use is the compromise you have to pay for flexibility.

I have however been following Home Assistant progress for a couple of years and it is getting better, and if you read the non-release blog posts on the site it seems that the goal of Home Assistant’s lead developers has shifted towards making its interfaces more GUI oriented and easier to get started with integration. My wish and hope are for Home Assistant’s developers to take inspiration from the GUI interfaces and especially GUI-wizards/guides for adding new devices and integration in popular commercial products like the Samsung SmartThings Hub and Google Home. And you can, for example, read about this already existing shift in focus for Home Assistant 1.0 and onwards in these three blog posts:

1 Like
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Gamester17… Oh… no way am I giving up… its personal now, Its me or it !
LOL
aidbish… Nope I found that (even though it was not in ONE of any how to youtube videos)

I actually got them (my sonoffs) loaded… then one stopped DOH!

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The only reason @BitViper had problems is that he didn’t read the documentation. I assume he will now be editing his post to record that it was his screw up not home assistyan’s that led to his angst.

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Actually… it was a little of both… But hey… I’ll take the hit sure…

As I see it… whats needed is a recipe approach… especially for us noobs. Most likely impossible to do because of all the possible variables in machines and systems… But bouncing from page to page is NOT a concise way… in my humble opinion.

Look… I’m not blaming anyone… its a critique nothing more… that said…

Sure I didn’t understand the instructions!

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FYI; slightly off-topic but you should know that Itead have a few newer Sonoff devices out (Basic R3，RFR3 and Mini) which has a updated firmware that includes a “DIY mode” which enables a new REST API that is designed for local LAN access without using their cloud. Hopefully that new REST API could mean that noobs do not need to flash third-party firmware or use the cloud to control their newer Sonoff devices with Home Assistant in the future.