Getting started with smart lights

[GaryK4]

My Insteon light bulbs have died.  I have been looking at replacement bulbs. Hue and Lifx. I am also playing with HA. Is there a simple way to get either of these bulbs working with the ISY994i? Can it be done without Polyglot?
Is there a get started guide for light bulbs? I only need to add a few bulbs. Something like the kitchen, I installed a switch. I want it to work with a keypad.

[Dub]

You could use Network Resources.  Here’s a forum post that gives the process.

There are a few YouTube videos that show some how to’s if you search for Hue.

I’m using NR.

There are several Hue users here so you will probably get some good input from others too!

Edit: I’m using 8 button KPL and they work great with NR. 

Edited August 13, 2022 by Dub
KPL info added

[MrBill]

57 minutes ago, GaryK4 said:

I am also playing with HA.

as @Dub mentions you can use Hue with Network resources. 

It simpler and faster tho to add the Hue integration to HA.  Then add you KPL button to a scene on the ISY side.  Then create a automation on the HA side that controls Hue based on the ISY scene status.   I assume the same is true for LIFX but I don't have any.  If you need more detailed instructions for how to do this let me know.

[GaryK4]

Sound better. I need to learn the HA side. I just started today. The new test scene appeared after rebooting the PI.
I will let you know if I need more help. Thanks

 

[MrBill]

14 minutes ago, GaryK4 said:

Sound better. I need to learn the HA side. I just started today. The new test scene appeared after rebooting the PI.
I will let you know if I need more help. Thanks

BTW, your pi probably reboots super fast if you don't have a lot of integrations and add-ons yet.  Another neat trick tho, is from any dashboard (and some other menu areas) of HA, you can hit the hotkey 'c' and use the menu item "reload ISY" and/or at the bottom "Restart Server" to just restart HA core without complete reboot.

[Dub]

18 minutes ago, GaryK4 said:

Sound better.

Yes it does! @MrBillalways has Pro Tips!  I love them.  

1 minute ago, MrBill said:

Another neat trick tho, is from any dashboard (and some other menu areas) of HA, you can hit the hotkey 'c' and use the menu item "reload ISY" and/or at the bottom "Restart Server" to just restart HA core without complete reboot.

Good one too.  It popped up as I was replying.

37 minutes ago, MrBill said:

It simpler and faster tho to add the Hue integration to HA.  Then add you KPL button to a scene on the ISY side.  Then create a automation on the HA side that controls Hue based on the ISY scene status. 

@MrBillThank you for this.  That does sound much easier!!!  I like that I understand the NR as a backup, but I will be looking at this as well.

[MrBill]

Like the 'c' hotkey there is another....  'e' which brings up a popup entity filter.  with the last 6 months of improvements to the HA GUI overall tho, I don't find I need that one too often anymore--but it is nice if you actually need to create YAML.

[Geddy]

31 minutes ago, MrBill said:

'e' which brings up a popup entity filter.

okay...now you're just showing off. Thanks for that one! Worked for exactly what I happened to be working on at the moment. 👍

 

[GaryK4]

OK, This probably belongs on a HA forum.

I got a keypad button to turn on a light (eventually a LIFX light).
However there does not appear to be an else in YAML. Therefore, the off condition does not work.
If I make (2) automations (on, off) than everything works and I am ready for the next step.
Is there no else in YAMP? Would the choose function work for this?

I need to join a HA forum next.

 

alias: Switch Test
description: ""
trigger:
  - platform: state
    entity_id:
      - switch.rear_led_test
condition: 
  - condition: state
    entity_id: switch.rear_led_test
    state: 'on'
action:
  - type: turn_on
    device_id: 8dc687a1719ad96a0edecb00bd1d8bb3
    entity_id: light.rear_led
    domain: light
condition: 
  - condition: state
    entity_id: switch.rear_led_test
    state: 'off'
action:
  - type: turn_off
    device_id: 8dc687a1719ad96a0edecb00bd1d8bb3
    entity_id: light.rear_led
    domain: light
mode: single

[MrBill]

@GaryK4 It's not exactly straightforward the way we American's think tbh...

Trigger your automation as written, which is state change of the switch.

Skip the Condition field.

For Action, Pick "Choose" which is similar to a CASE statement in some languages.

then you can create multiple "condition... action" pairs beneath "choose".  in this case you need two.. one for on and one for off.

[asbril]

6 hours ago, MrBill said:

as @Dub mentions you can use Hue with Network resources. 

It simpler and faster tho to add the Hue integration to HA.  Then add you KPL button to a scene on the ISY side.  Then create a automation on the HA side that controls Hue based on the ISY scene status.   I assume the same is true for LIFX but I don't have any.  If you need more detailed instructions for how to do this let me know.

HA is a nice complement to ISY.  I have both Kasa and Lifx lights, and my experience is better with Kasa.