GE 45600 Handheld Remote as SmartThings Scene Controller (Edited: Does not work!)

Devices & Integrations
#66

It affects all “1st generation” Z-Wave hand-held remotes, including Intermatic HA07, of which I also have a couple. The way it works with Vera is that Vera add its own node ID to every scene that the remote supports, so pressing any button on the remote will cause Scene Activation command sent back to Vera, which then can do whatever it wants to do with it.

However, these remotes do not implement Z-Wave “Scene Controller Configuration” command class, like more recent remotes. So the only way to add nodes to the scene is either manually (by pushing buttons) or by copying scene configuration from another controller during “controller transfer”.

The manual method does not work, because the remote can only include compatible devices like switches and dimmers. It won’t include another controller. And the second method does not work because SmartThings hub does cannot create native Z-Wave scenes and therefore cannot transfer them to the remote.

Or… you could buy them in bulk, program them and sell to SmartThings community :smile: Considering my labor cost, I’d have to charge $200 per unit though. :smile:

#67

Are we gunna let this Device die or??? Hard to believe we can’t get this one to function, must be an easy workaround? Same issue with the GE wall-mounted version?

#68

As I mentioned in another thread, SmartThings hub does not implement Controller Replication command class required to program this controller. There’s no workaround. The device handler will still work if you somehow program the remote using another controller, but I don’t think is a practical solution.

The remote is still usefult as a secondary controller, but you have to program it manually.

#69

And only for zwave devices.

I bought four of these and tried for a couple of months to get them to work. The aeon minimote has come down to almost the same price as these remotes and it works as a button controller. I wish the GE worked, but it does not at this point.

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#70

I haven’t seen any Aeon’s for under $10, like the GE, got a link? Also only 4 buttons vs. GE’s 9+9 x3 modes…

#71

I said almost and technically the aeon has 8 buttons including long presses. It will also allow you to remotely pair your zwave devices. Pretty good bargain at 24.99

2 Likes
FAQ: Use Aeon Minimote for Inclusion
#72

Another ST shortfall, oversite? How hard to add this code to an update? Or HubV2 addition? Or in someone’s best intrest to not support a $10 (9+9 button) remote with a strong strong range?

#73

It’s unfortunate, but I wouldn’t call it an ‘oversight’. These remotes are obsolete, discontinued by the manufacturer and someone at StartThings had to make a decision whether they want to support obsolete product. They decided not to and I can’t blame them. And BTW, that’s the reason why the’re so cheap. :slight_smile:

1 Like
#74

You’d think GE would dazzle it up a little and flash the firmware and repackage it for $25-30 and sweep the market…

#75

How? SmartThings support said this wasn’t an option. I assume you are referring to pairing devices via the minimote and then transferring them to the hub?

Edit: I started a new topic about using the Aeon Minimote for Inclusion so as not to clutter up this thread.

#76

The 45633 isn’t cheap, but it isn’t discontinued either.

Zwave certified as a handheld remote.

Does it work with ST?

#77

Include and exclude using the Minimote as a secondary zwave controller works without special code. I’ve used it, so have others. Not everyone knows it works. i haven’t tried associate. (Zwave terminology)

1 Like
FAQ: Use Aeon Minimote for Inclusion
#78

It works the same as its cheaper sibling. It will act as a secondary controller for your zwave devices, but that is it. You cannot use it as a generic button controller.

#80

It’s a scenes controller by design, I’d think you could manual add a bunch of lights and brightness and even colors to any button.

Seems pretty similar to any other zwave controler, see manual at:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&ei=iN3cVKmRGJa_sQSJmoCABQ&url=http://www.smarthomeusa.com/product_images/a/Aeon%20Labs/AL-DSA03202x/AEDSA03202x_Manual.pdf&ved=0CB8QFjAB&usg=AFQjCNE586GS12cvBVNE7eOomxfuotoKhQ

#81

Never said the 33 was cheap, but the 45600 (main topic) non-LCD screen one is…

Ebay $10 & Amazon $15

http://m.ebay.com/sch/i.html?isRefine=true&_nkw=ge%2045600&ssPageName=GSTL

Functionally the 45633 is the same as the 45600, just a fancy screen…

I correct myself, the 45600 same as 45601, not the 45633…

#82

Sorry, I mentioned cheap because many people wanting a handheld remote larger than the Minimote have mentioned the now discontinued
GE products in part because they were quite inexpensive.

The Minimote is really small, about 1/3 the size of a pack of cards. The GE devices look like regular fancy TV remotes, which can increase the FAF (family acceptance factor, sometimes written xAF to mean “anyone who will use it who hasn’t entirely bought into the whole home automation thing.”)

Lately I see people saying lacking support for the 45600 shouldn’t matter because GE has discontinued it. OK, but there’s still a requirement for a fancy looking remote (xAF factor as well as wanting more buttons) and the 45633 is zwave certified as a secondary controller and not discontinued.

So I was just asking if it can work with ST as a secondary zwave controller or not. Or if we’re back to ST is only certified for the Basic (zwave terminology) command set. But I wanted to acknowledge that it might not matter to some people anyway, since the 45633 is much more expensive.

#83

Both GE’s pair up to ST and will allow you to manually add zwave devices to them with 3 diff modes and even have all off/on functions (if I recall last time the all off/on worked for all zwave on the hub, whether paired or not with the remote, nice just for this feature. For individual control you have to go around to each device again and hit the button and pair them to a button on the remote.

The Bad - only works with zwave devices, so even the all off/on feature won’t kill those zigbee devices/bulbs, even though it is paired with the ST Hub, it’s just a dead tile on the app. Also ST will not recognize the button presses to trigger events or devices like the minimote or zwn-sc7 wall mount.

Still worth it for $10 for the kids or visitors without a smartphone. ST should rebrand a version of this and add the necessary code to allow it to fully pair up like a minimote/zwn-sch and make a bundle. They should offer HubV2 with a compadiable included remote, not everyone wants to be tied to a phone to operate everything 24/7.

2 Likes
#84

I know what a zwave secondary controller is and I know how it should work. The issue is that ST only supports Basic (zwave term) command classes. So the 45600 will not be able to, for example, assign a mode change to a button, or a Hello Home Action, unless it was initialized by a different zwave hub like Vera first.

The aeon minimote is a zwave device but uses a different set up process, so I can use it to trigger a HelloHome Action (which could include actions by zigbee devices as well as zwave, since the real commands are issued by the hub) with one button press.

So my question is very specific. Not theoretically, but in actual ST deployment. Can the (not discontinued) 45633 be set up so that a button can be assigned to trigger a Hello Home Action? Not just toggle some local zwave devices on and off, but, like the Minimote, be used in an ST installation to control any device as a button controller?

#86

Wrong! GE45633 is an updated version of GE45601 (not 45600). But, unlike 45601 it does support Association command class, which means that, in theory, it should work with SmartThings the same way as Minimote. It also supports Z-Wave security.

#87

The 45631 is a wall mounted keypad controller, which several people said they couldn’t get to work with ST, recommending the Enerwave sc07 instead.

I’m asking about the 45633, which is a handheld fancy remote, same form factor as your typical TV remote, or the 45600 with the known problem.

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