Questions about an old setup
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So I have been out of the MySensors loop for a number of years now, but still have a number of version 2.0 devices that are still running in my house with my Vera Plus controller. Prior to the Vera Plus I was running Domoticz on an old Orange Pi and I am thinking of possibly switching back to that as there were some features of it that I liked. I have a few Raspberry Pi 2B+ boards that I could run it from. My question is, will my old 2.0 NRF24L01 gateway still work with the latest version of Domoticz and recognize my devices? Another question has to do with my sprinkler controller. The sprinkler controller was part of the reason I switched to the Vera in the first place. The reason being that Domoticz, at the time, didn't support the variables 1,2 and 3 for setting the 2 zone time options and the zone name like this:
I am wondering if Domoticz has gained better support for these things or if I will still have these hangups with the sprinkler controller?
The last thing is my alexa devices. I currently have this working with my Vera controller and am able to control all of my MySensors devices. I see that there is a skill called Controlicz.Has anyone used this and if so, ho well does it work for the MySensors hardware?
I remember this being a GREAT community of people. I am open for any insight into this issue. I know my Vera controller is getting old and will one day die on me leaving me stranded. I want to catch things before that day comes.
Thanks all.
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@dbemowsk
I can only comment on the Controlicz skill. I did a trial for myself, lasting 5 or 6 months, and it worked very well. I discontinued only because of my basic tennet of not wanting to allow data outside of where it needs to be, and wanted to see if the convenience of voice control was worth it. I decided for me, it is too high a price to pay, but it did work very well.Regards Nigel
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@Nigel31 I also want to play with voice control, but don't want to connect an outside service to MySensors. What I'm hoping/planning to work on when I get a chance is Rhasspy. It's a local voice control which sounds like it might be good enough to be useful. Though I don't know if it will connect very easily to domoticz, since I've never used that. I use home assistant, and it seems to plug in to that very easily.
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@Nigel31 and @ejlane, My Vera controller has a built in app/plugin for alexa. My wife uses it alot and would be sad to see that functionality go. So Controlicz is a skill that I would have to add to Alexa? Currently the plugin for Vera uses the built-in smart home feature of Alexa. As I recall, I didn't have to set up a special skill for it to work on the Vera. I did however have to install the app on the Vera that would talk to it. I think that does use the vera portal to work though as I have to log in to my Vera account to be able to update my Vera connected devices.
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@dbemowsk I'm sorry, I really don't know. I've never tried domoticz, not to mention any of its plugins.
I do have Alexa working with my system, but I don't like it, just because of sending recorded voice out of the house all the time. So I plan to replace it once I get time to get Rhasspy going, assuming that I can get it going well enough.
Alexa works very well with home assistant. Though we use a service that costs $5/month to be the cloud piece to interact with the Alexa service so that I don't have to get something standalone working here for that. Though I think that service is really only for integrating to home assistant, so it probably wouldn't do you any good. It's saved me a bunch of time, and as I want to use my time to replace the whole thing with Rhasspy, it's been worth it to me.
But part of the reason I mention all of that is that with a quick search, it looks like controlicz is a similar service. Although they do say that you need to add the skill to your Alexa account. That would be annoying to me - doesn't that mean you need to say something like "Alexa, ask controlicz to turn on the kitchen light" or whatever?? With Nabu Casa, it also just uses the built-in smart home skill, so you don't have to install anything extra, leaving those extra words out each time. After the 10th time of having to do it I bet I'd really be gritting my teeth!
