GE 45633 as button controller for HelloHome Actions?

[JDRoberts]

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

@JDRoberts

Ok, so the 45633 should work as a button controller, based on the conformance statement.

So the answer to this topic (which is a FAQ) should be:

“The discontinued 45600 uses a zwave command class not currently supported by ST. If you’re willing to spend more, the newer 45633 has a similar form factor and should work like the Aeon minimote as a HelloHome Action controller, although you may need to customize the button controller device type to account for the number of buttons.”

Does anyone actually have one in use? And if it does work, why isn’t ST selling it?

[JDRoberts]

As @geko reported in the original topic, based on Amazon reviews and forum discussions elsewhere, looks like this is a “should work, but doesn’t” device at the present time. It’s acting as a local controller, but not a button controller. So it can likely control zwave devices it is line of sight to through direct association, but couldn’t control zigbee devices or run a Hello Home Action.

If anyone has one that works as a button controller, let us know.

[geko]

@JDRoberts

As @gecko reported in the original topic

That’s @geko, not ‘gecko’
I ordered one just for the kicks.

[JDRoberts]

@geko

That’s @geko, not ‘gecko’
I ordered one just for the kicks.

Corrected, thanks!

Let us know how it goes. I suspect it may act as a local controller (direct association) but not a Hello Home Action controller. But it would be great to know one way or the other.

[jimmay3]

If it meets the specs then we’ll just need a devicetype and SmartApp modified to handle the extra buttons…

Would still seem if you could get a 45633 up and running as a button controler, you could then use the cheap GE 45600 in one of its clone modes (9661/9662) to transfer the data to it and make it functional. Someone did get a 45600 to work as a button controler, but had to attach to the network via a Vera vs ST, which would back the concensus that ST is missing the required code to get the older GE’s to work…

[JDRoberts]

@jimmay3

If it meets the specs then we’ll just need a devicetype and SmartApp modified to handle the extra buttons…

Would still seem if you could get a 45633 up and running as a button controler, you could then use the cheap GE 45600 in one of its clone modes (9661/9662) to transfer the data to it and make it functional. Someone did get a 45600 to work as a button controler, but had to attach to the network via a Vera vs ST, which would back the concensus that ST is missing the required code to get the older GE’s to work…

It’s been officially confirmed that ST is using the association class to make zwave button controllers work as button controllers. So devices that don’t support that command class can’t be used that way. There’s an older command class that could have been used to reach the same outcome, but that’s the one ST hasn’t included. So basically you’re in an apples and oranges situation. The 45600 asks for an apple. ST offers an orange. The 45600 doesn’t know what to do so the correct communication doesn’t take place.

You can try cloning or whatever but frankly I’ll be astonished if it works. There are serious hardware incompatabilities between the 45600 and the 45633. The older device has less memory, doesn’t use encryption, and doesn’t support some other security features. We’re talking hardware features, not software. So you can’t just flash the firmware and turn the 45600 into the 45633, the infrastructure is different.

Even if you do initialize the 45600 with a vera (using the older command class) and then include it in ST, I think you’ll find there are things it can’t do that the 45633 can, like talk to doorlocks directly. But then you may not care if you have it working as a Hello Home Action button controller and you let the hub talk to the door lock instead.

But if you can make it work, you’ll have a lot of happy people, so go for it.

[jimmay3]

@JDRoberts, thanks for the info…

@JDRoberts

So you can’t just flash the firmware and turn the 45600 into the 45633, the infrastructure is different.

My ref to flashing firmware was just to get the point across that a very functional controler could be developed/mfg’d for a low cost by maybe GE resurectiing the old 45600 framework with some updated guts to pull it off… it very well may need a new chipset, but seems easy to sweep the market with a nice formfactor… or ST could include one with v2 that would come out of the box functional…

I like to see a survey on how many would like a functional multi-button remote and even the same on a wall-mounted form factor… Seems like a market I’d pursue, if in charge… Margins could be from a few $ cost to $25-30 retail… Maybe 10x margins…

[JDRoberts]

[quote=“jimmay3, post:7, topic:11083”]

I like to see a survey on how many would like a functional multi-button remote and even the same on a wall-mounted form factor… [/quote]

We absolutely need both, if just for the xAF. I esp. like your idea of bundling remotes + hub. If they had a remote that worked only with v2 and it came in a kit with a wall switch and a 45633 type form factor handheld remote that would pull the trigger for me real fast.

[jimmay3]

I’m with ya on the GE form factors (45600/45601/45633)…

Something like a zwn-sc7 is nice too… If we can ever get supported DeviceTypes and fully functional SmartApps for them… I’d rather have these options over useless non-rechargeable backup batteries and some of the other early leaked features…

http://www.smarthomesd.com/products/enerwave-zwn-sc7-z-wave-7-button-scene-controller

[MJK]

I have 6 of the 45633 GE and trying to decide if I want to invest the time and effort to use a Smartthing as the primary controller keeping the 6 secondary.