It is amazing how many new devices are being released with Bluetooth and at a much lower cost than Z-Wave or Zigbee. I think we have waited long enough for something we paid to have. By the time we get it our hubs will be replaced with a new version… I honestly think that ST should give us what we were told we were getting. This is just my opinion, and I know it holds no weight. At least ST should tell us what is happening with this.
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Given that ST just abandoned a few things, I don’t hold out any hope they will ever successfully integrate BT.
More vaporware.
Now really, I believe they did once see BT as very doable. But that was before all the issues of simply keeping the platform going as-is while integrating an ever-growing roster of components within the existing protocols became clear.
Not letting them off the hook, just acknowledging reality.
Well if they don’t activate the Bluetooth Transceiver on the Hub, how about support for Bluetooth devices like they did with WiFi devices.
Exactly how would you propose supporting BT devices without actually activating the BT radio ?
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Good question, I wasn’t thinking! Oh well a senior moment.
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Through some sort of networked BT controller.
That would be nice, but I don’t hold much hope.
I just got my hub for Christmas so that’s my excuse for any holes in my knowledge atm.
Are there any current uses for the USB ports? A thought I had is if your internet collection is lost, could it be possible, in the future, to run your ST network from a local copy on a flash drive?
No
The ( rumored ) plan was for local storage and WiFi/4G dongle. We all know about rumors though, so far they are just for collecting dust bunnies.
I believe the issue they have with the BT module is the open source coding. They need to allow it to have device handlers built for it.
@slagle might be able to comment more (I hope he does) to the issues they face doing this.
Personally it would be nice to have some unsupported availability on it and allow the community to start the initial design. but I think this is still an issue as they need to still have some base code like they do with the current groovy global declarations.
BT in the UK helps solve SO many missing devices and also means any US BT devices can also be used as its all the same.
Push buttons, Irrigation, Lights, Speakers, locks, Mowers, blind and curtain control… The list goes on.
Some or most are maybe available in WiFi or z-Wave the choices are so limited they are costly compared.