FAQ: Full list of buttons and remotes confirmed to work with SmartThings [Not all devices listed work with the 2020 Platform]

[quote=“Boruguru, post:35, topic:9729, full:true”]
Has anyone used this device called “GE 45600 Z-Wave Basic Handheld Remote”. Seems to be a z-wave device which can act as 18 button switches.[/quote]

There is much discussion of these in the forums.

The reasons they’re not listed in this FAQ topic is that, unlike most of the devices here, they cannot be used as a “button controller” in SmartThings terminology, meaning ST will not be notified when a button is pressed and they can only be used with zwave devices, not Zigbee or to change a mode or run a routine, even indirectly.

Also, because of the way SmartThings implements certain Z wave commands, they cannot be used for scene control unless you have initialized them with a different zwave controller.

Basically, they can only be used to toggle some Z wave devices on and off. (Some of the GE models, but not all, also have an additional limitation that the device IDs must be 32 or less.)

Some community members do use them for that purpose, so you will find some forum discussion about them. But they’re not a general-purpose button controller like the Aeon minimote or the Securifi key fob.

1 Like

I wonder if a humidity sensor would trigger if you blow on it? You wouldn’t have to touch anything. Although if you lived in a humid climate it could false trigger.

(Osram: US and EU. Nortek: US only.) Two new battery operated Devices with a very similar form factor now have community created device handlers. They can be used as either a wall switch or a tabletop remote.

This is a smart switch cover. It’s a battery-operated device, which means it will not act as a repeater. The idea is that it fits over the top of an existing switch. You leave the existing switch always powered on, so that there is power to the smart bulbs. But the cover has its own buttons that you can use to send a wireless signal either to the bulbs or in some cases to the hub to instruct the bulbs to turn on and off.

If the device allows you to send a signal to the hub, it may be possible to use it as what SmartThings calls a “button controller” like the Aeon minimote, which would mean you could then use the buttons to control devices of a different protocol then the switch cover itself, or maybe two arm/disarm smart home monitor, etc.

And again because these devices are battery operated, They can also be used on the nightstand or to create a virtual three-way or again to arm/disarm smart home monitor without having to cover an existing switch.

Two of these have recently come on the market.

The first is the Osram/Sylvania Lightify smart switch. This is a zigbee device. A new community-created device handler has just been released for it (March 2016). (Updated to note that as of May 2017 there is now an official device handler for this device, and it will work straight out of the box with SmartThings. :sunglasses: )

The second is the Nortek Z wave smart switch cover which is being sold under several brand names, including domitech and go control. It is brand-new, but a community member already has a button controller device handler for it which is reportedly working well. :heart_eyes:

These both solve the problem of household members turning off smart bulbs at the switch. :sunglasses:

The Osram should be available in both the US and EU. The Nortek is only available in the US.

2 Likes

GE 45600 Comments:

This has been fixed on the latest V2 Firmware update by @duncan.

Not true, I have all my devices above 32 from multiple testing, I think you are confusing this unit with the wall-mount version (45631).

1 Like

Thanks, I have made the corrections to my post above. :sunglasses:

(US and EU) This one is interesting. It’s battery-powered, but looks nice on the wall. Sells for around $50. It’s smaller than you’ll think when you first see the pictures, so I’m including @erocm1231 's photo of it next to a minimote. He’s created a device handler for it.

This is a Z wave plus device, brand-new in 2016, so it should have a significantly longer range then most of the other devices in this thread. :sunglasses:

You can buy it at zwave products. There’s one bad review of it on Amazon, but it’s from somebody who didn’t know how to exclude the device so they never actually got it connected at all.

Remotec ZRC 90

There is just room for a tiny text label on each button if you want one:

US frequency:

Also available on the EU frequency from Vesternet:

1 Like

Update September 2016: it appears this device is been discontinued. You may still find it at some resellers or move into a house that has one so I will leave this post here, but I don’t think you’ll be able to find one new.

(US only?) I just realized we’ve never covered the Enerwave SC7 in this topic because originally I had thought we were only talking about battery-operated devices. But there are a couple of other devices mentioned in the thread that have to be wired into mains power. So depending on how you define “button” the SC7, which is quite popular in the community, might work for a particular use case.

This is sort of an unusual device in that it has to be wired into regular power, and usually replaces a regular light switch, but does not itself control the load on that circuit. But of course that also makes it more like a “remote” than a typical wall switch. :sunglasses:

It fits well in the space of a single gang box and is sold by most zwave retailers for around $45.

One community member said that Enerwave was displaying an SC8 at their booth at CES 2017, and that it looks basically the same except there are two buttons at the bottom instead of one big one. I’m assuming it will also be zwave plus. But it hasn’t gone through certification yet.

(UK Only) there are several battery operated wall-mounted zwave “scene controllers” which will work with a device handler that @AdamV created. Each of the four corners is a pressable button, so you can get multiple functions from the same device. Brands include popp, Devolo, and Z wave.me,

They typically retail for between £40 and £50, but shop around.

They are available in different colors and styles.

Only available on the EU Z wave frequency. :sunglasses:

And another community member has designed a frame for these to fit over an existing UK style light switch.

We should also note that Aeon labs, which makes the aeotec brand, makes most of their devices in almost all zwave frequencies, including the US and EU.

That includes the minimote, the Aeotec key fob, The aeotec panic button, and hopefully the new wall controllers once they are released.


.

.

As mentioned up thread, all three of these work well with SmartThings in either the US or the UK. Obviously, this is a good thing, but it does mean that if you buy from an international seller, you need to make sure you get the frequency that matches your hub. :wink:

1 Like

7 posts were split to a new topic: Using a Contact sensor as a light switch?

(US and U.K.) Logitech has just released a new button, which basically acts as a one button remote. It’s quite large, about the size of a drinks coaster, and will retail for about $40. It comes with its own Bluetooth bridge which is a little wallwart that plugs into any outlet

At $39 each, this is an expensive option, but it will be very useful for some people. You do need to buy the $99 starter kit ( The bridge and two buttons) to get the Bluetooth bridge for your first purchase.

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Starter-One-Touch-Control-Devices/dp/B01JO8TIH4

And in the U.K.:

The flic button, which is very similar and already has harmony integration, is much smaller and also has its own IFTTT channel. It now regularly sells for 4 for $99 on the manufacturer site. But it requires a phone or tablet to be nearby.

Because the Logitech pop has its own Bluetooth bridge, you don’t have to worry about the phone being nearby. The large size also makes it much more suitable for use by young children, as it would definitely pass the choke tube test.

The battery is replaceable and is supposed to last about two years. Like the Flic button each Pop button can have a single press, double press, or long hold.

It has official integrations with IFTTT, the harmony hub, SmartThings, the Phillips hue bridge, WeMo, and a few other systems. Set up for these is easy, but obscure. There are instructions on the Logitech site, but none in the box. Basically, you just Open the pop app, choose the menu, choose devices, and tap the plus sign and then you will get a list of available integrations.

http://support.logitech.com/en_us/product/pop-home-switch

The SmartThings integration works just like echo or IFTTT – – you can select specific devices that you want to authorize to be available to the pop app. Then when you set the controls for an individual pop button, you can select from those devices. You can also combine SmartThings devices with other devices from other systems that you have authorized to pop. You can even have a single button press trigger both an IFTTT recipe and turn on some devices. That’s a very nice feature. Again, the instructions are obscure but the process is actually pretty easy.

http://support.logitech.com/en_us/article/Working-with-SmartThings?product=a0q31000009vuqLAAQ

SmartThings doesn’t know that the pop button exists, but when you use a pop button to turn on a SmartThings-controlled device, the SmartThings mobile app does update that device status at the same time that it is sending the command.

The press required for the single press is quite light. My service dog was able to learn it in three or four tries, much faster than the Flic which took several days of training. When we put it on the wall I was also able to work it easily with my knee.

It’s clearly a cloud to cloud integration for most things, and there is a noticeable lag for the SmartThings controlled devices versus the Phillips hue bridge controlled devices. At my house that lag was 2 to 3 seconds. But it was less than the lag I typically get for IFTTT. It may vary differently at someone else’s house.

The biggest advantage it has relative to the Flic is that it has its own connection through its bridge to your Wi-Fi so you don’t need to have a phone nearby. The size will just depend on the use case. For some use cases people will want the larger button, for some they will want the smaller. The tactile feel for both is very similar, solid rubbery button with a soft click.

This picture shows the SmartThings motion sensor, the Logitech pop button, and the flic button.

@Tyler

1 Like

(UK) NodOn NIU Le Bouton

This is a small Bluetooth button similar to the Flic in the US, but a little bigger. Single press, double press, and hold. It does not connect directly to SmartThings, but it does have its own IFTTT channel, again just like the Flic. Comes in many different colors. So if you are in the EU and you had been wishing you could buy a flic, these are worth looking at. You can buy them from Amazon France, some of the specialty home automation retailers like Vesternet ( currently £28) , or the manufacturer.

Like the Flic, it needs a nearby Bluetooth device with Internet, either a phone or a tablet, or it can’t work.

Manufacturer site, in english:


(US) Leviton VRCS4, mains-powered. Typically costs around $125.

This one is tricky to get set up, but appears to work well once it is. There are two different models. One does not control the current, so it acts only as a scene controller and will not work if the Internet is down. The other model has one of its buttons dedicated to controlling the line that it is wired into, but then that means one of the buttons is reserved for that purpose. So read the thread carefully so you know which one will fit your own needs.

The Fibaro button has finally been released. Unfortunately, multiple community members have reported that it just doesn’t work very well. It’s supposed to have tap, double tap, and long hold but the device is not reporting all of the button presses correctly. So I’m listing it here because people will expect to find it here, but it doesn’t seem to be a reliable option at this time.

See discussion in the following thread:

(US and U.K.) Push Microbot and Prota bridge from Naran. “A robot finger.”

This is a strange and expensive little device but it can solve problems that other devices can’t. It’s available on Amazon in both the US and the UK. It’s from a Korean company with very strong engineering credentials.

The “push” is just a very small actuator. You position it to push a single button, say on an existing coffee maker or dishwasher or even a laptop.

You can pair it to a phone with Bluetooth, in which case you can just use it from that phone. This still has value to people like me who have very limited hand function.

But when it really gets interesting is when you add the $89 Prota bridge. Then you can schedule it, operate it remotely, and it has its own IFTTT channel which gives you SmartThings integration.

I don’t expect most people will want this – – it’s just too expensive for the purpose. But there will be some people who have a specific use case where this is a fast, easy, and fairly good-looking solution.



1 Like

Was just reading your update re the fibaro button - somewhat disappointed if actual use feedback is not so great/reliable.

I nearly purchased one but realized I made a schoolboy error (was wrong frequency -European standard) thanks to an eBay seller who corrected me. Are these yet to be released in the US?

Let’s hope manufacturer tweaks something to get it corrected as I really think theres a need for this type of simple use device. Fibaro have to live up the their amazing YouTube advert for the button.

I have anoher button type on Kickstarter called Dot that I’m backing - they’re keen to be smart home friendly so we’ll see if that translates to ST friendly.

I have the logi pop too, not massively impressed but it works.

I’m also considering making something as a hack project with an esp8266 microcontroller - loving the ease of that $5 beauty.

I have a question about the Aeon Minimote buttons and not sure this is the correct place to ask. There are 4 buttons under the slider; 3 are labeled (plus, minus, join) but the bottom left is an unlabeled button. What does it do? Can this be programmed?

Yeah, there are other places that are better to ask this, but the buttons inside the case are for administrative purposes. Adding a new device to the network, associating two devices, etc. They are not programmable. See the user manual.

If you need a battery powered device with more control options, take a look at the remotec listed up thread in post 43. It’s not much bigger than the minimote and has 24 control options. :sunglasses:

Has anyone had any luck with getting the Lutron to work in parallel with the Hue Bridge? I’d like to implement this if it is possible, but it looks like it did what JD said, stole the bulb from Hue Bridge.

Discussion of this device in the following thread:

Please post followups there, I’d like to keep this FAQ just to list the devices. Thanks! :sunglasses: