Does ANYONE like the new smart things app?

Thanks I do. I’m on your trial also the one for actiontiles. Some of my important devices won’t import into sharptools (but they do into actiontiles OK) which is a shame as it looks really appealing visually. I’ll PM.

Thanks for reaching out. We can continue the chat there if you’d like, but I wanted to post some details here as well in case anybody finds it while searching.

The main web based authorization flow shows the core set of capabilities that SharpTools supports (Switches, Contact Sensors, Locks, etc), but you can also manually authorize devices using the following instructions:

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Thanks ill try that and send you some example info. Maybe better having a new thread for this tool discussion as its gone a bit off topic, this was supposed to be about +/- on the new ST app. Glad t see there are viable alternative though, I never knew that.

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I only have the Samsung Smart TV and before the update it worked great with Alexa. I could tell her to turn it off or on or change the HDMI, raise or lower volume. After the update all I get is “TV not responding”. I have confirmed I have added Alexa to the SmartThings app, I have confirmed the TV is showing on the Alexa App. The SmartThings skill is still enabled and has been updated. Yet, the TV now does not work at all with Alexa.

I have a 55" Samsung 4K UHD RU7100 (new in January).

It is very slow and at times will not load the connection I don’t like it it is a terrible layout and hard to deal with in relation to the classic app maybe they should get some advice from users before they release these things . In the early days it was ok since they sold to Samsung it’s been more miss than hit!

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The layout is the most frustrating bit, I sometimes find it faster so can’t complain there, but the layout is just so inefficient, both on the list/home screen, and of course the device pages. My device handlers were all built so you didn’t need to scroll up and down, with all key controls being visible on one screen, but now virtually every single one requires me to scroll up and down. Mind blowing!

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I have been a loyal SmartThings user since its beginning back in 2012. Though the years, I have experienced a few small problems relating to bugs in the classic updates but NOTHING compares to ALL the problems I’m experiencing with the new version. I’m terribly frustrated almost everyday. It’s sad to see a solid performing application like ST Classic destroyed and replaced by a dramatically inferior app that has too many problems to list. I hope the ST developers and management can turn things around soon. Otherwise, my days being a loyal ST user will finally come to an end.

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Funny thing, the stupid thing doesn’t even work properly with the tv’s. I have a 1 year old samsung tv, and it can’t turn it on…functions don’t work until you manually turn the tv on…i thought they were building a full ecosystem. BUT YET, my 3 year old Sony can be turned on and controlled through smartthings smh.

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OMG I’ve been beating my head against the wall for a year because of this and I was CONVINCED I was doing something wrong because this was the first Samsung TV I had that said “it worked with Smartthings”.

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve removed/re-added this device.

My older Samsung TV works way better with Harmony between.

What you described is exactly how it works (or doesn’t as it were). Once the TV is on, you can control it by voice. Here’s the kicker, while the TV is off and you cannot control it, the TV seems to have no issue receiving network communication error alerts or “fridge open” alerts.

I’m not saying this is a good solution for the TVs that won’t turn on, but there is a workaround.

You can add a SwitchBot mini hub IR blaster for under $50. It has a smartthings integration in the new app. Then you can use Switchbot to turn the TV on and from there do everything else with the official tv features. That gives you complete voice control.

Again, I’m not saying this is a good solution or that they shouldn’t fix it, but it does work. I myself am quadriparetic so I can’t use the button remote. So I did this with my smart fire TV, which could do everything except turn on by voice.

Here’s my thread on that project. (The topic title is a clickable link)

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Now got ActionTiles up and running with my ST hub fine. Thanks for the advice. From the point of view of monitoring and controlling devices I would say it’s better than the Classic app TBH. Obviously can’t configure them so use the new app and Groovy IDE for that still (aware the latter is going too…). If IDE and things like Webcore don’t have decent futures it will probably push me off the platform. Really annoying as others have said I’ve invested $100s in ST devices and need the flexible automation on top. Big shame.

its a give and take between the old and new apps. the old app was been around for a long time and we are all used to it. just like when win 10 came out and everyone was used to using win 8, but in time people got used to win 10. ive been using the old and new apps in parallel to get used to the new app. slowly, its growing on me. how, if possible do i change the bamboo weed pictured though!

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I am having a miserable time with the new ST app after years of the Classic app working just fine.

My biggest gripe is a simple automation that detects when either my phone or my wife’s phone arrives home after being away for longer than 5 min and UNLOCKS the front door smart lock. The automation simply does not work.

I have traded a dozen emails with ST staff with them each time asking me to send screenshots. They have not told me that unlock automations are unsupported. I simply just want to return to the Classic app but doesn’t look like that’s an option any more. I am considering creating a new user account and setting up everything again in the Classic app if it will let me.

Extremely disappointed. And my wife thinks I’m a complete dummy for not being able to get the door unlock to work like it used to before. Losing my techie street cred.

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The classic app will be retired in a few weeks, so I don’t know if that’s worth the effort.

Meanwhile, have you tried setting up a separate automation for each of you? There have been quite a few reports that automations in the new V3 app that have more than one person in a presence condition don’t work well. That’s not the only problem that’s been reported with presence, but it is one thing you can try.

I just deleted the ST app on my phone and my wife’s. Then reinstalled, logged in and all my devices and automations showed up again. I deleted the joint automation to unlock the door and followed your suggestion- separate presence detection for my and my wife’s phones to run a scene that unlocks the front door. Double and triple checked that the use phone for presence option is selected on both devices and iOS has location set as Always for the ST app. Will try it tonight when we go out to see if it works, not keeping my hopes up.

Separate issues-

  1. Sometimes I will check the automation and the WHO section will have lost the phone names. I will have to set and save it again.
  2. Two My homes locations show on my wife’s device (which is a member of my ST app), I have both homes selected. Deleted the old classic apps from both our phones already.
  3. Device status update is delayed and I have to refresh the screen to get the latest status, doesn’t happen automatically.

Amazed they would decommission the Classic app when the new ST app is so buggy. Really feels like a beta version.

As someone else said, the old Classic app worked wonderfully and with 99% reliability. We had grown accustomed to the door being conveniently unlocked when arriving home. With the new ST app, it’s annoying each and every time to come up to a locked door, put bags and groceries down just to enter a PIN code.

Is there an alternative app others are using now that just works? I have a Yale Assure SL smart lock (zwave).

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The short answer is no, there are still a number of functions which are restricted to the official app

The longer answer is no, but you can try one of the third-party dashboard apps and you might like that better for every day use. See the following recent discussion:

FAQ: Sharptools , actiontiles or native ST app for your wall panel? (2020)

I suppose I’m at the point where I will give up on SmartThings altogether (or at least for unlock automation based on phone presence) and move to another ecosystem altogether. I like the Yale Assure SL zwave lock that I have and I’m sure there are apps that can control it to do something as simple as lock when no one home and unlock when someone arrives. I will retain SmartThings app for just the garage lights on/off at sunset/sunrise (although at that point I can just move to a more intelligent smart switch and dump ST altogether).

Just disgusted with the new ST app.

I see this regularly too.

If you’re willing to spend the money, you can probably upgrade your existing Yale Assure lock with a new module so that it will work with August technology and then you can use the August app to unlock as you approach the door. It works very well, and you can still use it with smartthings as well. But you are shifting from a zwave connection to smartthings to a Wi-Fi connection to smartthings. ( The unlock rule is set up in the August app and is based on Bluetooth.)

I think the upgrade costs around $130, but you can check with August to find out.

More about the upgrade option:

.
https://us.yalehome.com/en/support/connected-by-august-faqs/

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