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Thread: Connect Bridge black vs. white model

  1. #1
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    Connect Bridge black vs. white model

    Looking for a connect bridge, specifically, the BDG2, HomeKit compatible model. See that there are 2 colors available. Is one the new model? Or is BDG2 available in both colors? Doesn’t matter to me what color it is, but want to make sure I get the right one and not end up with an old model.

    Thanks, Nick

  2. #2
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    I always thought that all Connect Bridges were white and it was RA2Select main repeaters that were black. But I could be wrong.

  3. #3
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    Older models were white and probably NOT Homekit compatible. Black models with "2" in the model number are. Apparently Apple compatibility required a hardware change, not just software or firmware.
    Convergence Technologies Raleigh, North Carolina
    www.convergenceusa.com

  4. #4
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    Thank you !

  5. #5
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    Randy, you are not wrong, but turns out there’s more to it. I got a hold of 2 connect bridges, both say -BDG2. One is white, one is black. BOTH have the HomeKit code on the sticker....

    I had to call Lutron tech support about something else and asked them about the bridge color/model confusion. Immediate answer was white is -BDG, pre-HomeKit, black is -BDG2 with HomeKit hardware. I mentioned that I have a white one in front of me that says BDG2 and has a HomeKit sticker. Support engineer did his best not to tell me I am crazy and put me on hold to ask his coworkers. Few minutes later he got back on the line and told me that originally, it was a white only -BDG that didn’t support HomeKit. Then they released a black -BDG2 that had HomeKit support. THEN, at some point down the line they switched to making white -BDG2!!! He didn’t know for sure if they stopped making black bridges and completely switched to white or were making them in both colors for a while (or maybe still make them in both colors)...

    So, it appears that the only certain connection between color and model number is BLACK is always a BDG2. White can be either a BDG or a BDG2.

    My “conspiracy theory” about this is - since they probably make way more Caseta bridges and the connect bridge uses the exact same box, they just decided to not bother with a different (black) plastic box for RA2 connect bridges and started raiding the Caseta parts bin. I wonder if at some point they will do the same with RA2 Select bridge/repeater.

  6. #6
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    >My “conspiracy theory” about this is...

    And here's mine...

    Has anyone done a teardown of the Caséta, RA2 Select, and RR2 boxes? I really wonder if they're identical save the firmware.
    Last edited by TokyoJim; 07-24-2019 at 07:38 PM. Reason: formatting

  7. #7
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    I can't say for sure whether there is a significant difference between the Caseta and R2S boxes, but the RR2/HWQS Connect bridge is totally different. It is not an RF device in any way; you could put it a hundred feet away from the nearest repeater and it will work just fine. Not to say all Lutron RF lighting systems aren't very similar with different licensing stuff.

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