Using smartthings hub to trigger multiple devices from different companies at once?

SmartApps & Automations Automation Ideas
1

Can smartthings integrate multiple companies devices into one action? I would like to be able to come home and just say “Alexa, I’m home” and have this trigger several things. Set my ecobee4 to home setting (68 degrees), turn on several lutron Caseta in wall switches to 10%, turn on several philips hue bulbs, tell my Logitech harmony hub to turn on activity watch TV.

So far, I have gotten by with just the basic bridges that came with the other products, but I would really like to be able to set this all up in one command. It would be useful for “Alexa I’m home, leaving, going to bed.”

2

Yes, you can definitely, easily do that. Compatible vs incompatible is more of what matters… manufacturer is insignificant.

3

All of the actions you described can be done in a SmartThings routine, and routines can be run by an alexa voice command.

I think you have to say, “Alexa turn on…” so it’s not necessarily the most natural terminology. And there are certain restrictions on what devices can be in a routine that Alexa runs. See the support article for more.

4

You can do that without SmartThings via Routines in Alexa. If you want to do it automatically, when you arrive, at certain times, etc you will need SmartThings.

5

You may also want to look into the community-developed smartapps “ask Alexa” and “echosistant.” They are more complicated to setup but allow for a more customizable experience when using Alexa and ST together.

6

I was under the impressions that I could only control lights with the routines in the alexa app? I am also able to chose Logitech harmony activities and set the thermostat? I may have to play with this when I get home today.

7

Allow me to be the advocate for webCoRE right about now. I’m using the Echo devices in a couple different rooms and I have it as the trigger for a couple different webCoRE routines (pistons) to allow the Echo to control devices that it normally knows nothing about.

I’m leveraging the new “Routines” feature in the Echo so that I can say something like “Alexa, Start my day” and then she will respond by telling me the weather and then I have her turn on a Simulated Light Switch that I created in the ST IDE. I then use this switch turning on to start a Routine in webCoRE that automates turning on a sequence of lights and fans and the TV to the channel I want, etc.

Basically with this combination you can get the Echo device to manipulate things that it does not normally know about. So you could have an Echo routine that started by saying “Alexa, good night” and have it turn off all your lights and lock your doors.

Works pretty well once you go through the process of setting it all up. I like to say it’s a good winter hobby… :slight_smile:

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8

Sorry if I sound dumb, but if alexa is able to handle these functions with routines I am struggling to see the need for ST at all? I’m sure I will find out when I start diving into the routines in the alexa app and its limitations, and when I go past the most basic home automation level. But the hub seems kind of redundant to me if the alexa app can handle it by itself?

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9

My bad, looks like you can’t set the thermostat via an Alexa Routine. But you can turn on a Harmony activity. They show up under scenes.

10

Pretty sure I can set up a harmony activity to set my thermostat too…Kind of a round about way, but if it works what the heck right?

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11

Just one example… My ST hub “knows” when I’m home, but I’d have to tell the Alexa.

So from your initial post… Do you really want to tell the Alexa to do something every time you come home…or do you want your Presence to just trigger the actions to happen automatically? They do call it Home ‘Automation’ for a reason… :slight_smile:

Also, you can’t tell the Alexa to do things if you’re not there or asleep… But with ST you can setup routines and actions to happen whenever you want them to happen. Monitor motion sensors, ensure that your sump pump is still operating, turn off any lights you might have forgot about, close your garage door…

Besides the list of things that ST can work with it considerably greater than what the Echo can do (provided you bought the new one with the built-in hub…cause if you didn’t get that one then it isn’t talking to anything else you have).

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12

I guess technically you could get the Echo to perform actions using the new Routines at various times of the day and such…but the rules engine is rather weak and it’s still only working with the devices it knows about, which is still rather limited.

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13

Adding SmartThings allows you to use some devices which can’t work with echo on their own, and also allows you to have a much more complex kind of rule, including rules with conditions like “unless” and “while” and also as @Mike1616 mentioned, automatic home/away recognition.

See the following FAQ (this is a clickable link) and it should explain. :sunglasses:

14

That really is the big question for most people new to the smart home are: do you want home automation or home control.

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