Aeotec Garage Controller

Hi,

Just migrated my aeotec garage controller from smartthings to homey.
I’m using the standard aeotec app for this under homey. However, the interface appears rather basic with an on or off switch to represent the status of open or closed garage door.

In the smartthings interface, it illustrates the different states i.e. opening, open, closing, closed and unknown. I recall it also shows a battery status which i assume is the battery status of the tilt device to determine the position of the garage door.

Anyone have experience on this garage controller for the homey. Have i missed some configuration or is it really this basic?
The feedback given on the intermediate states was pretty nice on smartthings, so would have thoughts this would be the same on the homey setup.

Also i’ve not been able to find this homey device under the Alexa integration after discovering devices. Every other homey device that I have added to date has found its way into the Alexa integration, but not this garage controller?

Cheers,
Hung

I don’t own an Aeotec Garage Door Controller, but as listed in the app store it seems like that there only some basic features.

From my point of view, there are two possibilities:

  1. Try the SmarthingThings app from the community app store.
  2. Contact Aeotec and ask them to enhance the features.

I have already contacted Aeotec and awaiting for their response.
But not hoping for much.

I came across the Smarthings app previously. But didn’t really consider it as it would mean having to run another SmartThings hub purely for a dedicated device. Was planning on doing away with the hub, and now using homey for everything.

Thanks

Ok pretty useless reply from Aeotech Support in regard to the different states of the GDC i.e. opening, open, closing, closed. Basically no help…?

"The representation of the GDC in Homey is solved in such a way due to the defaults by Homey. Unfortunately, we currently have no possibility to change this.

Homey itself is responsible for the integration of Homey into Amazon Alexa, unfortunately, we have no influence on this. It is quite possible that locks will not be allowed to communicate with Alexa for security reasons. In this regard, please contact Homey support."

Best regards

Field Application Engineer
Aeotec

Ok, that’s really not helpful. But it seems that it is not Aeotec’s fault but Athom/Homey’s. So maybe contact Athom.

As a workaraound, you could start a timer with the length it usually takes the door to open / close to represent the opening/closing. As long as the timer is running, it is probably in transition. The Chronograph - Adds precise timer, stopwatch and transition functionality to Homey or similar allows for testing if a timer is running, and/or you can change a variable when the timer starts/ends.

If you cannot get the device to show up in Alexa, I would look at the [App] Virtual Devices to find a kind of device that does show up and allows control. If you find one that works, you can use flows to link virtual device state and actions to the Aeotec controller.

That, or you could use favorite flows that Alexa can call to control the garage door.

Yup have done so, but not confident that i’ll get much?

I think the key was to capture this state on the actual interface for the given device, rather than rely on looking up variables.

I didnt know that flows could be accessible via Alexa? But will certainly look into Virtual Devices as suggested.
Thanks,
Hung

Get that, that’s why I called it a workaround. And as for calling flows from Alexa:

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