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by HunterWare 951 days ago
I use Home Assistant and have this openner. My installer recommeneded it because he’s had happy customers like me who use home automation. I can tell you that I a) will never recommend or buy the brand again, and b) have already complained to my installer about his recommendation of this line (and he is moving to another brand).

I wish ratgdo a ton of success and have several on order.

4 comments

On top of the lack of integration support, the MyQ app used to open garage doors is full of advertisements. It's ridiculous. I regret buying their products.
And there you have it folks. That's the number one reason why they are forcing you to use their app.
As discussed elsewhere in the thread, it seems that this would be the number two reason, the number one being trying to be the only service that can profit from in-garage deliveries.
Actually, some other commentator statet, that when he's about to open/close his garage door, he opens the official app and where there's been a "open/close" button is now a video ad and to reach the button, you have to scroll the screen until you reach it.

I would try to sue that manufacturer. I hope it we'll be pulled to a court.

> the MyQ app used to open garage doors is full of advertisements.

This will most likely be a significant factor in though, though good luck getting them to admit it.

HA users will mostly be bypassing the app and therefore not providing revenue via ad impressions.

The fact that a garage door accessory company relies on showing ads is a triumph for MBAs programs and a tragedy for the human race.
The stuff I learn in this thread is so unbelievable that I don't even know what to say anymore. This feels like pulled straight from Idiocracy.
To some extent, serving ads is like owning a money printer. I can't really get upset that everyone wants to own a money printer. I just hope that there is a backlash against ads someday, where they start having a negative effect. "Oh, Toyota is constantly advertising in my garage door app? I'm going to buy a Ford instead." People say that the US government defaulting on its debt would be the end of the world, but the real end of the world is one where advertisements stop working!
Ow, My Balls
As far as I can tell, fwiw, the ads are all cross sells for chamberlain products so there isn’t an impression based revenue stream, just conversions.
> have already complained to my installer about his recommendation of this line (and he is moving to another brand).

What brand is he moving to? Does it work with Home Assistant?

I can't recall the last time I saw a garage door that wasn't Chamberlain or one of the brands they own. At least in my area they seem to have a near-monopoly.

Genie Aladdin is supported by HA (don’t have one so don’t know how well it works)
Genie is what I heard. I haven’t deep dived, as I’m going to get along with Ratgdo. But if I needed new ones that’s where I’d start. =)
Hopefully it has a native HomeKit integration.
I don't blame your installer for recommending it. I've had a myQ opener since 2015 and it's been rock solid... it has been the most reliable home automation product I have ever owned, until now.
I don’t, and would happily use that installer again. =) But unless you give feedback on how the choices are working out how can you expect them to know and have a better choice next time? (Genie, is what I heard for the future… I’ll have to check further when/if it becomes relevant)
Yep, fair enough. Good feedback for sure.
I also just left my installer a voicemail explaining that they are going out of their way to break compatibility with the software I use, and I recommend that they look for another brand, at least for folks who are interested in wifi connectivity.