Hello everyone! I’ve been diving into the world of smart lighting and virtual switches, and I wanted to share my experiences and some questions I’ve come across. Virtual switches have been a game-changer for me, allowing me to control multiple smart bulbs with ease. However, I’ve encountered a few hiccups along the way that I’d love to get some advice on.
One scenario I’ve been working with involves a virtual switch controlling two smart bulbs. While integrating these bulbs with Amazon Echo and Harmony has been seamless, I’ve noticed an issue where directly controlling the bulbs bypasses the virtual switch state. This can be frustrating, especially when my Goodnight routine relies on the switch state to turn off the lights. If the bulbs were turned on via Alexa without using the switch, the switch remains off, leaving the lights on unintentionally.
I’ve been wondering if there’s a smartapp that could maintain the switch state accurately. Ideally, it would update the switch state based on whether any of the bulbs are on. This seems like a straightforward solution, but I’d love to hear if anyone has recommendations or if there’s an existing app that does this. Alternatively, should I consider doing away with the virtual switch altogether? I’d appreciate any insights or experiences others have had with similar setups.
On another note, I’ve been exploring the integration of OpenWeatherMap into my smart home setup. I’m curious if it’s possible to trigger a rule when the OpenWeatherMap status changes from ONLINE to OFFLINE. This would be incredibly useful for sending notifications to ensure my system remains reliable. However, I’m not sure if the binding status alone can facilitate this. Any thoughts or workarounds would be greatly appreciated!
Lastly, I’ve been following the developments with openHAB 4 and am eager to try out the new features. I’ve noticed that there’s been a lot of activity around device drivers and app enhancements, which is exciting. I’d love to hear from anyone who’s already experimenting with openHAB 4 and their experiences with the new updates.
Thank you all for your time and for sharing your knowledge. It’s communities like this that make the journey into smart home automation so rewarding!