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Thread: Using iOS 10 HomeKit Automation to trigger Lutron scenes (via a switch or a Pico)

  1. #1
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    Using iOS 10 HomeKit Automation to trigger Lutron scenes (via a switch or a Pico)

    The new iOS 10 Home app uses the HomeKit framework to do some things most of the 3rd party apps didn't do before (maybe it wasn't possible)...namely, using a Lutron light switch (or Pico) to set a scene (Caseta) or turn on other lights. And, similarly, a recent update to the 3rd party Home app by Matthais Brutella takes advantage of "non-readable characteristic as trigger event". Anyways, it looks technically possible to use the state-change of one Lutron light to set a scene (or just turn on other lights). This solves similar problems as using the Pico switch to set scenes.

    I got very excited the other night after setting up one trigger and scene. It actually worked. Turning on the floodlights then, through the HomeKit Automation, turned on the desk light. Another HomeKit Automation allowed the Floodlight switch to turn off both the floodlights and the desk light. However, it was flaky. Sometimes it worked and sometimes not. I turned on/off the conditional setting for "only trigger after sunset" and it worked again but later it wouldn't work. Now I can't get it to work no matter what I try. The 3rd party app Eve says the Rule (automation/trigger) never runs which may be a clue.

    When the trigger did work (whether the floods were on/off) it was directly turning the desk light on/off as iOS 10 allows for that. The third party apps only allow the automation to turn a scene on/off. So I created a HomeKit scene with only the desk light in it and tried triggering that but that didn't work either. Now nothing works.

    My Home Hub is an Apple TV 4 running tvOS 10 and I'm using an iPhone 6 running iOS 10.0.2. Has anyone else got this to work reliably? I haven't tried restarting the Apple TV but could. The state of a Lutron light isn't exactly a "non-readable characteristic" so it should work. Maybe an iOS update is needed?

  2. #2
    @Picree
    Southbo and some other members have some good hacks to use Pico to trigger multiple systems.
    https://forums.lutron.com/showthread...HomeKit-Scenes
    i have it if working flawlessly after playing with their recommendations. So activating Caseta and Hue combos. As long as hue bridge has Philips bulbs then good as the Cree ones are not HomeKit compatible. Well the hue bridge purposefully prevents them from working with Siri. I am using the Eve app.

  3. #3
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    I realize that and that solution would do something similar. I know what I wrote was complicated but that is not what this thread is about. Simply put has anyone been able to use the latest Apple HomeKit framework and native Home App on iOS 10 and tvOS 10 to programmatically set a scene using the on/off/brightness state of a Lutron light switch as a trigger? It is a feature in the Apple Home app and should be possible.

    All I am concerned about is Lutron Caseta. I have 50 devices but no Hue or any of that other stuff.

  4. #4
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    I just tried it but it didn't work for me as I would expected. I need to confirm that I have the latest software on the Apple TV but I am pretty sure I do. I will let you know if I can get it working.

  5. #5
    I have tried setting up scenes on the Apple Home App with the Lutron switches/plug in dimmers and they seem to work from initial testing as long as I am inside of my WiFi network. However with that being said, as soon as I turn off my WiFi network connection and switch over to cellular network connection, all communication with the Lutron Home Bridge is lost via the Apple Home App. This is purely a Lutron problem as my other Homekit compatible devices work outside of my home WiFi network flawlessly. I hope Lutron is working on a solution as my home automation setup is useless as far as being able to control it remotely via Apple Homekit Home app or with Siri when I am not home.
    Michael Pinto
    Lutron System: Lutron Caséta Bridge 2, 16 accessories
    Control Devices: Apple iPhone 6s (iOS 10), Apple TV 4 (TV OS 10), Apple Watch (Watch OS 3), Apple iPad Air 2 (iOS 10)

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Michael.Pinto View Post
    I have tried setting up scenes on the Apple Home App with the Lutron switches/plug in dimmers and they seem to work from initial testing as long as I am inside of my WiFi network. However with that being said, as soon as I turn off my WiFi network connection and switch over to cellular network connection, all communication with the Lutron Home Bridge is lost via the Apple Home App. This is purely a Lutron problem as my other Homekit compatible devices work outside of my home WiFi network flawlessly. I hope Lutron is working on a solution as my home automation setup is useless as far as being able to control it remotely via Apple Homekit Home app or with Siri when I am not home.
    I could not get Siri working remotely no matter what I tried. After months I gave up. When iOS 10 was released I replaced my Apple TV 3 with a Apple TV 4. I see you are using an Apple TV 4. Have you tried resetting the Apple TV to factory default and setting it up again?

  7. #7
    Lukeetal,
    I reset my Apple TV 4 back to the Factory Settings and all is working now. I have remote access to all of my Homekit enabled Lutron Caseta Devices. Thank you.
    Michael Pinto
    Lutron System: Lutron Caséta Bridge 2, 16 accessories
    Control Devices: Apple iPhone 6s (iOS 10), Apple TV 4 (TV OS 10), Apple Watch (Watch OS 3), Apple iPad Air 2 (iOS 10)

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  9. #8
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    @Michael I'm glad that worked for you and maybe that's all you need to post but please get your own thread and quit hijacking this thread. This isn't about getting HomeKit to work remotely (there are tons of threads about that. RTFM. They all say to log out of everything and reboot everything. QED). This thread is about using the HomeKit framework to activate a scene or another light using a Lutron switch as a trigger. That was not possible before iOS 10. Please stay on topic or start your own thread.

    For those following the original topic please know, that for now, restarting the Apple TV seems to have reinstantiated the ability of HomeKit to trigger a scene with a Lutron switch. Lets hope Apple (or Lutron) refines this in future updates. It looks like it works for now but is flaky and could use updates. The current configuration includes a light switch that triggers a scene and in the scene is the one additional light I want to control. The alternative is a light switch triggering another light directly. That worked for a while and I would guess it would work again but I haven't tried it that way since restarting the Apple TV.

    Please post back if anyone else gets this working or has ideas. This very much enhances the overall functionality of Caseta.

  10. #9
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    Quick follow-up: The Lutron light switch triggers work to trigger either a scene, or another light, or a collection of lights. For now it works but having to restart the Apple TV seems to indicate it is fragile. Combined with the "Southbo" stuff this opens up a lot (I even tried combining what they did with this and made a bunch of lights all cascade and turn each other on/off so with iOS 10 there are many more possibilities...as long as it is reliable).
    Lutron Caseta System 2 Hub, 50 devices, iPhone X, iOS 12, Apple TV 4 tvOS 12, Home iOS App, Eve iOS App

  11. #10
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    Sorry to keep talking to myself but after a couple of hours the Apple TV "forgets" and the triggers quit working. Restarting the Apple TV fixes this. Anyone have any suggestions? My Apple TV is set to never sleep so it isn't that...
    Lutron Caseta System 2 Hub, 50 devices, iPhone X, iOS 12, Apple TV 4 tvOS 12, Home iOS App, Eve iOS App

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