Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by matthewmcg 960 days ago
They can lock you out of the API, but they can't stop you from installing hardwired devices that simulate a press of the open/close button.

I just chucked my MyQ device and replaced it with a Meross MSG100HK--it works perfectly and natively with HomeKit--no cloud service required. Incidentally, the latency is much lower too.

The device is basically a wifi-enabled, USB powered "dry contact" switch. You connect the pigtail in parallel with your existing wired open/close button. There's also a magnetic sensor (similar to what old door alarms used) that goes near the door to verify it has closed.
1 comments
js2 960 days ago
That Meross opener is rock solid. I've had one for almost two years now controlling two doors. Even with a marginal wifi signal it always just works.

Homebridge + HomeKit is also an excellent middle ground between Home Assistant and HomeKit alone w/o having to go with some cloud-based solution.

For example, I wanted my garage door to automatically open and close as I leave and arrive in my car. Here's how I did that.

I have a pair of dummy switches in Homebridge. One of those tracks the state of whether my phone is in CarPlay mode or not. I do this with a Siri Shortcut on my phone that toggles the "CarPlay status" dummy switch when my phone enters/exits CarPlay mode. The second dummy switch triggers my garage door to open/close whenever the dummy switch turns on/off. This is a work-around for the opener itself being a secure accessory which HomeKit won't operate w/o the phone being unlocked. The last piece of the puzzle is a HomeKit location-based automation: if my phone leaves my home location and the "CarPlay status" dummy switch is on, then set the garage door dummy switch to off; if my phone enters my home location and the "CarPlay status" dummy switch is on, then set the garage door dummy switch to on.

I drew the home location as tight as possible around my home. The door opens just as I'm pulling up to my home and I see it close just as I'm leaving.

As to why I don't just use the CarPlay garage door button: I mean, why automate anything? Also, if you have multiple garage doors, there seems to be no rhyme or reason to which door CarPlay gives you the button for.

As to why I don't just use the button on my rear view mirror: Again, why automate anything? My mirror also has 3 buttons and it's easy to accidentally press the wrong one.

link