Alexa and homekit

Questions & Help
1

Hi all

Is there any kind of connection possibility between alexa and homekit via homey? For instance, if I add a device / skill to Alexa, can I see that device control or skill on homekit app of apple devices. Perhaps via virtual button?

Thanks

Gunay

2

Not like that, Alexa has no connection to HomeKit. But if you enable HomeKit in Homey you should see the devices that you see in Alexa (that are added from Homey) even in HomeKit.

To find and enable HomeKit in Homey open the app and go to More… -> Settings -> Experiments and enable HomeKit.

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You also maybe want to enable virtual devices, if you don’t run an app for that, because the only way afaik to trigger flows with Alexa is to add a virtual switch (virtual button does not show up in the Alexa app) and use the virtual switch as trigger for the flow from your Alexa devices.

3

hi there

Thanks for the reply. So just to check, if I add a device to Alexa it will also appear in homekit app through homey? Or do you mean, add a device to homey and it will appear in homekit? Here is what I hope to achieve:

  • Add a device to Alexa (i.e. light dimmer that homey normally does not support)
  • Alexa broadcast this device to homey and homey to Homekit
  • Control that device from homekit

or/and

  • add a skill to Alexa (i.e. Alex start Plex app on my tv)
  • Alexa broadcasts that skill to Homey and homey to Homekit
  • Then I can ask Siri to start Plex and through homey, Alexa starts Plex for me

Once again thank you very much your help.

Regards

Gunay

4

Devices you add in Homey will apper in Alexa via the skill and in HomeKit via the Experimental feature in Homey. Not all devices are supported by Alexa and HomeKit though, but most are.

As an example I have created flows for my “Cave” that are trigered by virtual switches, those switches are added in both Alexa (via the Homey skill) and in HomeKit (via the experimental feature by Homey).
I can for example say “Alexa, turn on Playstation” and my Tv, AVR etc. are turned on and switch to right channel (Harmony app in Homey). I can also ask Siri to turn on Playstation and Siri will do the same thing.

Another example is that I can control my Z-wave Danalock (not the HomeKit version) via Siri thanks to Homeys HomeKit function. However the Homey skill in Alexa do not add my lock into Alexa so if I want to control my lock via Alexa, I have to create a flow triggered by a virtual switch that are added into Alexa.

I do not know why the Homey skill in Alexa dosnt add all devices and why the flows isnt added as scenes in Alexa but I hope they will support this in upcoming updates. Home Assistant is much better in that aspect. More device types and scenes are added by their skill.

I dont think any devices added in Alexa or HomeKit are included in Homey. AFAIK no devices are added into Homey from other sources, you have to add them in Homey and then Homey can share those to other services like Alexa, Google and HomeKit.

This is my understanding of Homey works and it was the same thing when I was using Home Assistant before switching to Homey.

This probobly makes you more confused but just keep asking and someone that actually know something will step in. :slight_smile:

5

Thanks again- So sounds like getting an Alexa will do no good to me. I am using homey as a universal Bridget for anything that does not work with homekit directly. My ultimate solution is homekit. There are many cheap wifi devices in UK that work with Alexa but annoyingly not with homey or homekit. i.e. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Konesky-Stepless-Compatible-Assistant-withTiming/dp/B07FMTYF34/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=wifi+dimmer&qid=1562060013&s=gateway&sr=8-3

so I am investigating if there is a way to control these devices from homey and again ultimately via homekit.

6

You could use Flows to trigger a device via IFTTT. But if you looking into just having a HomeKit bridge, take a look at Home Assistant.
HA supports a lot more devices and both Alexa and HomeKit. You can install HA (which is free) on a Rasberry Pi (you have to add modules for the protocol you want support for other than WiFi) for almost nothing. HA also has a great community.

I switched to Homey from HA because I wanted a device with a more userfriendly UI with every protocol included.
I sure miss a few things from HA like support for my garage door (Gogogate2). At least I can open and close the doors via IFTTT but I cant get the status of the doors into Homey.
The HA Alexa skill is more advanced and show more types of devices and also scenes are included BUT I’m happy with the switch to Homey and I make sure all devices I buy now is supported in Homey.
There are a lot that are and they are (imo) cheep devices supported buy Homey.

Good luck and I hope you find a solution that works for you.

7
  • Add a device to Alexa (i.e. light dimmer that homey normally does not support)

Its actually possible, and will be added to [APP][Pro] Amazon - Alexa

Once I am happy that the connection is Information architecture (IA) are correct. :soon:

1 Like
8

Hi Jamie,

That sounds great. So basically this app you are developing will broadcast anything on alexa to homey and ultimately to homekit. Do I understand that right? If yes, where do I pay? :slight_smile: