I'm sure this has been asked before. I'm a fairly novice BI user and I also have several items connected to Smartthings, e.g., lights. I want to trigger some lights when a camera senses motion. For a while, BI Fusion (I believe it was) worked for me. I integrated that coding into Smartthings and then the Smartthings app allowed me to trigger lights on when motion detected. It seems the API (or whatever it is) has since been updated and I can't rely on that method anymore. Is there a reliable and simple way to do this? Any good step-by-step guides on doing so please? I saw some posts about edgebridge, but that seemed somewhat complicated? Will Blue Iris eventually integrate better with things like Alexa or Smartthings (or Homekit)? THANKS!!!
Smartthings automation
- Thread starter CedarTree
- Start date
FYI, Blue Iris can "speak" directly to Shelly Wi-Fi switches to turn on lights, no hub or cloud needed. Be sure to open the attached PDF file found at the following link and go to "Output from Blue Iris":
ipcamtalk.com
One of many devices, there's the Shelly Plus Plug US:
There's also the Shelly Duo E26 lamp:
Simple Blue Iris I/O using Shelly1 Wi-Fi Devices
Simple Blue Iris I/O using Shelly1 Wi-Fi Devices I spent hours assembling the info and the images but could not post, not sure why, maybe it was too lengthy. Anyway, I still wanted to share so below you find a PDF attached of the process to use Shelly Wi-Fi switches to send input to BI and to...
One of many devices, there's the Shelly Plus Plug US:
There's also the Shelly Duo E26 lamp:
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Yes, Shelly has their own API which supports HTTP and MQTT protocols and others which you implement with Shelly devices.
Please expound on how you turn on a light now ".....when a camera senses motion."
Just curious....does your current setup require an account, hub, bridge, cloud or app to work?
The Automation Guy
Known around here
The "problem" with home automation today is that there are so many different communication protocols being used. Most companies develop their own protocol and they aren't supported by other manufacturers usually. Of course this isn't always the case, and some of the larger "consumer grade" manufactures have recently agreed to start supporting a common protocol called Matter. However BI doesn't support that yet directly. Honestly there are really two ways to make BI interact with your automation system. 1) Use MQTT as a common protocol between your existing system and BI (which supports MQTT). Of course you have to be using equipment that also supports MQTT. 2) Use CURL commands to "create" your own protocol. This is harder to set up initially (because you have to build out the URLs according to your system's API, and it replies on that API which can change over time. Obviously this is the solution that you have been using up until now and with the recent API changes, it seems to have broken your system (which is all too common when using this method). You should read up on the new API changes however. It may be they simply changed some of the syntax/command structure and by changing your URL's to be compatible with the new structure, it will begin working again.
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The Automation Guy
Known around here
I guess I misunderstood your initial post. You aren't using this method currently to integrate with BI? BI does support CURL commands (HTTP calls) already.
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The Automation Guy
Known around here
Also, as "soap box" type post, I completely understand why BI doesn't spend a lot of time and energy trying to support a bunch of "automation" protocols. Automation protocols are a dime a dozen and there are dozens of new ones created every year while dozens of others have their support dropped/changed. Therefore BI supports two of the most basic protocols - MQTT and CURL commands. While this is far from an exhaustive list, it allows for powerful integration using two very basic protocols that many devices support.
If Matter really takes off, then perhaps it would be wise if BI supported it. "On paper" it sounds great with it being supported by so many major manufacturers, but honestly time will have to tell if that protocol gains enough momentum and use that it really ends up being widely used. Right now it is too new to really know if it is going to last the test of time, and therefore I think using any time/resources to support it is premature at this point.
If Matter really takes off, then perhaps it would be wise if BI supported it. "On paper" it sounds great with it being supported by so many major manufacturers, but honestly time will have to tell if that protocol gains enough momentum and use that it really ends up being widely used. Right now it is too new to really know if it is going to last the test of time, and therefore I think using any time/resources to support it is premature at this point.
SmartThings has transitioned their hubs to a new architecture with primarily local control. This is a good step but the new Edge drivers do require new solutions.
You mentioned "Edge Bridge" and that's the solution I would recommend. It isn't as difficult as it sounds.
This post on SmartThings community forums has details on the steps. In short, you copy the edgebridge executable onto your BI machine. I suggest having it start automatically as a service using NSSM. This acts as a bridge between your BI machine and the SmartThings hub.
Next you create a virtual motion sensor using the LAN Motion driver. In BI, when the camera(s) detects the desired motion (e.g. a person on the front walkway camera) you send an http command to the edgebridge service.
In the SmartThings app, you should now see the motion sensor being activated. Finally create a routine that does what you want (for example, if it is between certain hours, if motion is detected, turn the light on for 3 minutes, or whatever).
If you have issues, you can post in that thread and get help. Or if you like, I can try to post my setup as an example.
You mentioned "Edge Bridge" and that's the solution I would recommend. It isn't as difficult as it sounds.
This post on SmartThings community forums has details on the steps. In short, you copy the edgebridge executable onto your BI machine. I suggest having it start automatically as a service using NSSM. This acts as a bridge between your BI machine and the SmartThings hub.
Next you create a virtual motion sensor using the LAN Motion driver. In BI, when the camera(s) detects the desired motion (e.g. a person on the front walkway camera) you send an http command to the edgebridge service.
In the SmartThings app, you should now see the motion sensor being activated. Finally create a routine that does what you want (for example, if it is between certain hours, if motion is detected, turn the light on for 3 minutes, or whatever).
If you have issues, you can post in that thread and get help. Or if you like, I can try to post my setup as an example.
Yes, it uses the new local Edge driver architecture rather than the older cloud-based Groovy architecture and it all works with the current SmartThings app and local processing.
We had an Internet outage a few weeks back and the camera motion still triggered the correct routines. That wouldn't have been the case previously with the now deprecated Groovy methods.
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looney2ns
IPCT Contributor
You can use a Homeseer Pi4, and Bi can talk directly to it via URL's and JSON. I'm doing exactly this.
shop.homeseer.com
ipcamtalk.com
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Getting BI and HomeSeer Talking To Each Other
Wanted to share how I get BI and HomeSeer (HS) to update each other so that the two applications remain in sync. This can apply for just about anything needed to share between the two, but in my example it is for the BI profile. I must keep the two applications in sync so that they each behave...
Thanks again. Okay so I'm running the edgebridge server (how do I get it to run as a service eventually?) on the same PC that has BI. I've also installed the LAN motion "app" on Samsung smartthings (I think!) On the alert tab in BI, I'm sending this for my backdoor: . The 201 is the address of the PC. Should I use the IP address of the camera? When I test the alert, I get this message on the Edge server... unregistered address or invalid . So it seems the call is working but not much else. What am I doing wrong? THANKS!!!
EDIT: These are the extra modules on SmartThings that I installed, but still no luck:
LAN Motion Device Driver 1.5
LAN Device Trigger V2b
LAN Device Monitor V1.3b
and I thought I also installed the edgebridge server as a channel but I don't see that anymore?
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So it sounds like the LAN Motion Device hasn't been able to reach your edgebridge server and register itself.
Can you post the settings from your BackDoor motion device in the SmartThings app to confirm you have the correct settings?
Also, in the same folder where you copied edgebridge on your BI machine, what do you see in the edgebridge.log? Has the IP address of your SmartThings hub been written to .registrations ?
Can you post the settings from your BackDoor motion device in the SmartThings app to confirm you have the correct settings?
Also, in the same folder where you copied edgebridge on your BI machine, what do you see in the edgebridge.log? Has the IP address of your SmartThings hub been written to .registrations ?
In the App? On both my laptop and Phone app, I see no backdoor motion devices. When I start edgebridge, it says "No registrations" - so yeah, I must be missing that step at least. I've tried sending the HTTP call to 201, right (the PC?) And I put the EXE file on the Desktop but I don't see a log file.