Hello everyone, there is no thread to talk about Apple Homekit so I started one.
I almost completed my Apple Homekit connected home that I wanted to do since a while (pending parents approval haha).
This is the post to thank you people who shared their previous experience here as a reference for me.
My house is about 4000sqft and for the Homekit Accessories I have about 30 Terncy Wall switches in the house, 25+ Philips Hue Lightings...and multiple Terncy Door Sensors, 3 Yeelight bedside lamps, 4 Apple HomePods, 1 LG B9 OLED TV.

For HomeKit to work, you need a spare iPad to leave at home, a HomePod or a Apple TV as the brain of your smart home. If you don’t have a Home Hub, app controls will still work, but automations would not work.
If you are renovating, please get a neutral line for all your wall switches.


For me, the most important criteria for RELIABILITY in a connected Home are
1. Solid 5Ghz wifi connection throughout the House - my house is currently using Ubiquiti Network
2. Zigbee 3.0 connection for connected devices - my house is 4000sqft, Zigbee3.0 allows each accessory to act as a repeater for the signals of the your Accessory, it is a more robust system designed for a connected Home.

A lot people would prefer something “wifi” and not a hub because of additional cost and wifi just sound simpler and easier.
However, I would not recommend “Smart" switches / multiple devices that connect to wifi because it would just congest your home network and... imagine you change your wifi password and you have to reset 30 devices..
Also the smart light bulbs or switches that connect via wifi is usually on the 2.4Ghz network, which is prone to interference.
I have an LG washing machine and 2 Xiaomi Air purifier connected to Wifi currently and for their purpose to send me notifications, I think it’s adequate.

For my connected smart home, smart switches is the most integral part because using I’m not rich enough to use smart lighting everywhere… I was looking for wall switches that support Homekit in May last year and there are initially four companies - Lutron, Aqara by Xiaomi, Lifesmart, and Terncy.
Lutron: This is the best and most established brand in the US. Only US switches available. Wanted to get this but ... out of my dad's budget.

Lifesmart: This brand had gave me bad impression because they falsely promised their user that their Hub will be Homekit Compatible "soon", but then after Homekit is approved and then they force their users to buy the new hub. Also my friend bought the old Wall Switches with Live wire from them and it looks REALLY good, but it spoilt after 3 months. And then they release a new one and ask my friend to buy It. (Friend in China). Your mileage might vary.

Aqara: Wanted to get this because of how cheap and affordable it is. The Xiaomi Devices are connected via Zigbee 3.0 too. However, it has one serious flaw that stopped me from considering this. The Xiaomi Aqara Hub is connected to your network via 2.4Ghz wifi and the 2.4Ghz wifi in my area is practically unusable because of how congested it is. Also, most of the Zigbee accessories does not support range extending… If you are living in a small place/rent with no interference and want to get start into the Homekit ecosystem , Aqara is a steal, but don't expect it to work reliably in a large or congested area. Xiaomi Aqara is REGION LOCKED. Getting from Taobao and getting from Malaysia will require you to get two different servers. Also, DONT get the Aqara N100 door lock. Check the long term reviews online before purchasing….
Xiaomi make good products like the Yeelight Bedside lamp (cheap, affordable, Homekit enabled) would TOTALLY RECOMMEND THIS if you want to test how the Apple Home app works.

Terncy: This is the one I got finally. Terncy Hub can immediately connect via an ethernet cable and was verified with Homekit. All the accessories are connected via Zigbee 3.0 and wall switches can act as signal repeater. (Only the neutral version) I saw this from the Apple Store in China and I bought one hub and one switch to test. The set up was initially bumpy because I bought it from an unofficial seller that sent me a hub with an older version but the customer service is excellent and resolved my issue promptly with an update. I bought one and asked my contractor to set up the box and test…. Just to test its range and reliability. It worked quite well.


I then…. Ordered 30 of them and pray that it works. It worked…. Because if it doesn’t and I spent 5k for this, my dad would kill me. Works GREAT, responds INSTANTANEOUSLY and VERY reliable for the past six months. Two of the switches are wired to my Autogate, where I can use phone/AppleWatch… to control. No more bringing remote control out of the house. And never failed me once. Automations like the one you see above are possible. Also, the door contact sensors are so damn reliable…… I have so many good things to talk about them. Range and control is great with the Apple Home app(you can see the video above.) -also partially depending on your wifi.

With the wall switches and Homekit… I made the outside lamps to turn on automatically at sunset and off at sunrise. You can have smart two way or three way.. or many way switches. I have a switch near the main door that will turn off everything at home .. with a click of a button. And another one near the stairs to turn off everything downstairs/upstairs depending on the keypresses. Also I programmed one of my room switches to turn on the stair lights… and the hallway light (2 way switches can be achieved wirelessly and reprogrammed in the Home App). Or have the switches do different things at different time… like morning when you click this button, it turn on the fan only.. after sunset, it will turn on the fan and the lights.

However, they also offer a Terncy app and the Terncy app is not polished and I would not recommend using it as your daily driver until they push an update - If you want to use with an android device, using the app is the only option, unless you get google home/Alexa - Terncy supports them too. You can connect a device to both google home and apple HomeKit. That’s the only complain I have for this product. The customer service told me that an update is scheduled in this year end…. And I’m crossing my fingers for a design overhaul.


Lighting
Philips Hue is the way to go. It’s the only way to go if reliability and speed is important to you.
It is expensive, but it is so damn reliable. It’s the best. Nothing else even comes close because everyone else is using Wifi or Bluetooth.
I recommend only use Smart Lightings at area where you use most…. Like Living room and Dining room For other cases, use smart switch to cut down the cost.
If you want a bedside lamp that is connected via wifi, go ahead and get a Yeelight Bedside lamp because that is a reasonable choice. Or you are renting an apartment and just want a simple Homekit downlight, you can get from yeelight and it will work reasonably well.
Hue…. Works wirelessly via Zigbee 3.0 and also responds INSTANTANEOUSLY.
You can see in one of my automation… when the Tv is on… the backlight (Hue light strip) turns on and the Hue downlight (dims to 10% brightness), when the Tv is off… then it turns off the backlight and increase the brightness of the downlight again (100%)… the best part.. the automation will only turn on the lights when it is after sunset.

The conclusion I can make is… if you can afford it, go for Philips Hue. You won’t regret it. They have a wide range of lighting solution - you can always get from amazon if not available in Malaysia.
The app is well done and polished too….
The only downside of Hue… is the price.
The ones I got is ceiling downlight, Philips Hue E27 bulbs and also Hue Lightstrip.

Also if you want to choose Smart lighting for ceiling lights…. Consider getting the Terncy Wall Switch because if you have smart lighting, you need a constant power supply so you can control them with your phone. Using the wall switch, you can turn on the relay function and enable constant power supply for your smart lights… How I use in my bedroom is the first button would give a warm light scene, the second button would give a cool daylight scene and double pressing would give a relax scene with dimmed lights.

The LG B9 OLED TV is also excellent! It supports both Homekit/Airplay and I can use my iPhone as a remote control for the TV to adjust volume etc. They are on discount on Senheng if anyone interested....

This is my conclusion for Homekit. I had a Yale YMI70 for my digital door lock - for access into and out the home without key, but that one is not Homekit enabled. But I just bought a Homekit-endabled one from Terncy... as they had gave me very good impression in the past few months. Looking forward to update my review here.

Looking to get Homekit-Secure-Video cameras soon!

This post has been edited by kokhoong0624: May 29 2021, 03:23 AM

Reserved

Thanks for sharing.

Your network design is pretty close to what I’m exploring for my use case. I intend to deploy Zigbee-based devices as much as possible since they’ve the best HomeKit support among competing wireless technologies (apart from WiFi). WiFi is easy to setup but has its own maintenance and configuration issues as you noted. Incidentally I’m also using Ubiquiti with a dedicated WiFi VLAN for the IoT devices, so that everything is isolated from the main Wi-Fi users.

There is actually a Smart Home topic under the Properties board but they are a bit newbie agnostic as most of the people who hang out there have been doing this for ages and HomeKit is not one of the recommended system (due to the lack of good options locally).

I have not heard of Terncy before this. Will need to research on them more. Hue is just too expensive for me, despite the good HomeKit track record. I’ve also tried IKEA Tradfri (with the Tradfri Hub - not sold in Malaysia). It can be made to work but System stability is an issue for many people, though I have not encountered it myself since I only have one Tradfri LED driver for testing. Assigning static IP address to the Tradfri hub is one of the essential steps for stability.

HomeKit version is also important. Either stick with iOS 12.x or else upgrade to 13.4.x and above. iOS 13.0 - 13.3 had bad incompatibilities with earlier iOS version and/or other bugs. I think the AppleTV is the best option as a HomeKit hub since it is locally available and always on.

Currently Aqara/Xiaomi is the brand I plan to use for my home renovation (unless I decide to switch to Terncy, haha). With the latest Mi Version 3 Hub (USB powered version), it is pretty stable and HomeKit automations are quite responsive. The only drawback is that you must connect to the CN server for it to recognize the various Mi-branded devices. Controlling the devices using the Mi-app has some lag due to the need to access the CN server. There is supposed to be a way to implement local LAN control but I haven’t explored this yet. My goal is actually to not use the app for normal control but to use physical devices (e.g., smart switch) and HomeKit automations, so the Mi-app response time may not be very important in the long run.

Note that I’ve only tested the Mi-HomeKit automation (created in the Home app, not in the Mi-app) using the Aqara branded Motion sensor, other sensors such as the Mi light sensor are visible in HomeKit (not sure about the latest Aqara D1 wall switch, but not all Mi-branded devices are visible in HomeKit yet), but cannot be used as triggers. Other HomeKit apps (e.g. Eve) may provide more support but I haven’t spent time developing automations yet. The Aqara motion sensor is used to trigger the Tradfri driver on/off, so HomeKit does support some level of cross-brand compatibility.

In terms of technology, my first preference is Zigbee. I’ve tried BLE (Yeelight BLE Mesh spotlights) but they’re not very responsive (2-5 sec response time) compared to Zigbee which responds within 1-2 seconds normally. However, in iOS 13.4, switching devices on/off from the Home App is now quite slow. I don’t know why that is happening (Maybe it is due to the iPhone being in a separate VLAN from my AppleTV hub which is in the IoT VLAN), though automation response time are unaffected and is still responsive.

This post has been edited by tcwan: Apr 18 2020, 08:56 AM

From my quick googling, this is what I managed to find out about Terncy Smart Switches.

Pros:
- All switches have 4 buttons (Option for up to 4-gang)
- Depending on the number of actual gang for the switch, the buttons which are not associated with a physical circuit will be used as a wireless programmable switch (for automation)
- Multiple colors, aesthetically more organic looking (this is subjective, but it looks nicer than the Aqara D1 switches, which is only available in White)

Cons:
- The only device which I find interesting from Terncy is the smart switch. I’m not really interested in the others. In that sense, Xiaomi has more devices I am interested in.
- Power loading: it is rated at 600 W (no-neutral), or else 2000 W (with neutral). I think this is supposed to be total load. This is not actually stated in their website. Aqara D1 Power loading is supposed to be 800W per gang (with neutral).

Unknown:
- I don’t think any of the current smart wall switches in the market are safe for powering fans, due to the start-up power-factor. I haven’t looked into Zigbee smart plugs (since they’re not UK standard) Or Switching modules (need special installation), so currently I’m just planning on using normal mechanical switches for fans and A/C.

My auto gate was using those push button switch. Those 1 gang or 2 gang compatible or not?

Tradfri is also a great option AND they work on Zigbee 3.0!! The reason I didn't get is not available in Malaysia. Did you get them from Singapore? I believe there are limited choices here in Malaysia. Yes. Homekit provides cross-brand compatibility and it does it really well....

Aqara is really good for what it does. Due to it being region locked and... my house is 4000sqft so I think the 2.4Ghz connection wouldn't cut it. I had visited a friend house with Aqara set up and pressing anything requires 1-2s of waiting time.. which I find it unacceptable haha I had a couple Yeelight bedside lamp and a study lamp and for what they do, they are excellent.
The thing I like about both Philips Hue and Terncy is they are VERY reliable and VERY responsive. I think it matters a lot when working with a smart home and you want to click something and see it responds instantly. Terncy supports Sign in with apple too.. and from the customer service I think they plan to put an option to stop all network traffic back to china (manual update) in a future update. The only downside is their app.

If you can read Chinese, their brand is called Xiaoyan in China and they are just starting to expand globally using the name Terncy. They are doing relatively well in China.
https://www.apple.com.cn/shop/product/HMKF2CH/A
https://s.taobao.com/search?q=小燕+开关...ab=mall&ie=utf8

This post has been edited by kokhoong0624: Apr 18 2020, 12:48 PM

I think if you can draw or post your schematics here I can help you see.... If yours support you can instead get a switch module from them... don't have to replace your current switch, just add an additional module behind the switch.

BOTH the neutral and non neutral has a max per gang load of 2000W and total load of 2200W according to their official spec page in Taobao. (I think they updated it)
I had been using my switches with ceiling fans (10 of them) for the past six months.. and they are performing quite well. Being said my fans are all D/C. For Aircon definitely not.

This post has been edited by kokhoong0624: Apr 18 2020, 12:57 PM

I got my Tradfri hub from Japan actually, but since it’s the same item globally it really doesn’t matter where you get it from (though I guess you do need to go to an IKEA store to get it). The thing I don’t like is that their iOS app is not available from the MY store but it’ll work just fine once you download it.

Thanks for the info. You are right, the responsiveness of the system is important for a Smart Home. It is probably more responsive because it is Ethernet connected unlike the Mi hub (Ethernet also allows the use of PoE to power it with a PoE to Ethernet+USB adapter). I like the fact that they support Sign in with Apple. It shows that they’re serious about playing in the Apple ecosystem.

Ok. I really don’t know how to interpret Chinese specs, although the words used are similar but one different word means something else totally (single line vs. zero line, for example).

If it is max per-gang of 2000W, and max load of 2200W, it means that total amperage is 10A, divided among the 4 circuits. That seems to be better than the Aqara specs (800W max per gang), but all that is by reading their specsheets so I really don’t know how much to trust it.

However, the Shopee link you referred to only lists 1 or 2-gang switches. Is there any Shopee/Lazada retailer who carries the 3 or 4-gang switches?

I looked at DC fans, they’re a better choice in terms of power factor loading, but currently it’s really expensive. I guess that is why you don’t really face a problem attaching fans to the smart switches.

I am not very familiar with electrical circuits.. but I gave the customer service agent with the info from my contractor before I purchase and they told me it will work with ceiling fans and my other lights. And well, thankfully it worked.
Eh.. the official Shopee shop do carry the 3-gang and 4-gang switches.. I just bought two for a friend a week ago.. Anyway I asked the seller and the seller say it should be updated and available in the next few days because there is a mistake in the descriptions and pending Shopee approval

Thanks for sharing. This is good thread

I'm still quite new and learning all these and still figuring out how to set up a VLAN without breaking the internet..during this WFH period haha

Thanks! Hopefully more people can share their experience too.

Bro the seller just informed me... I think its available at Shopee now.
https://shopee.com.my/Terncy-Wall-Switch-wi...3185.4221749863

Tq for sharing very good information.
Just get to know about tradfie

Did u put terncy switch on the Philips hue? I’m thinking just normal switch coz hue should stay permanently on right?

Also what’s the reason to get neutral in the socket? Lights normally use without neutral right. I’m thinking Aqara at first but now that I saw this I shall consider terncy for now.

I’ve bought HomePod, aqara n100, hue, Logitech circle2 wired, Ismartgate, now hunting smart switch and thinking those curtain or blind. U got any idea on these?

The brilliant part about the Terncy Switches is you can enable permanent power via the app on the gangs you connect the Philips Hue. (Terncy is the only brand I know that does this) Then after that the buttons will appear to programmable in Apple Homekit. Then you can set what each button does.. like in my bedroom the video you can see one button press it will change cool light, another button it will change warm light. Long press to relax. Double press to on the fan as well.
The BEST part about this Terncy Switch is next time if you want change to non Hue lights, you can turn off the settings and make it like a normal smart connected switch again.

Theres another category called Friends Of Hue that I initially plan to buy, but with these you either have to permanently attach the hue to power source or have a battery.... in your switch.
That's why I was thrilled when I found out Terncy has this option.
https://www2.meethue.com/en-gb/friends-of-hue/switches

Terncy has blinds and curtains too... I think they are very well reviewed in china.. you should talk to the seller before purchasing though.
Ikea Tradfri also has just released their smart blinds... but only available in Europe and US currently

[EDIT] Keep in mind to ask the seller about warranty and installation before purchasing curtains or blinds. these things are very fragile and you really want them to ship properly ..

This post has been edited by kokhoong0624: Apr 19 2020, 02:07 AM

The neutral switches respond very fast compared to the non neutral one... if you use the non neutral one it would not be like the effect in my video. It wouldn't be slow la and my original one is a live wire one and I think it's okay, but there is like a 0.2s delay
Also I think only the neutral version of the switches act as signal repeater.... which increase the signal strength etc
The non-neutral one doesn't have this signal repeater property.

Also, among ALL the non-neutral connected switches, I personally think Xiaoyan and LUTRON are the better options ... from my knowledge, this is because the switch has to be powered continuously to provide feedback and wireless transmission without leaking electricity to the load like your lighting etc. Lifesmart has a previous version that is trash and fail after a couple months and they discontinued it . Aqara non-neutral ones has multiple reviews about notresponding and producing a static electric sound in Taobao. But I had never experienced Aqara stuffs personally so your mileage might vary.
I have one Xiaoyan non neutral one powering the laundry room and its working fine till now. Lutron has been praised everywhere and my cousin is currently using it in the US.... they even have a smart fan switch that works with AC fans.


Getting a neutral wire installed is the safest and I believe even if you decide to get Aqara the neutral version will also work more responsively compared to the non-neutral one

This post has been edited by kokhoong0624: Apr 19 2020, 02:16 AM

Haha no problem
Tradfri is really good too.. AND CHEAP.
I almost forgotten about this because I never really found a way to buy these in Malaysia

hopefully ikea will bring this into Malaysia soon.
Ikea tradfri bulbs can be added to the hue bridge too if anyone wants to use tradfri and hue
but the tradfri bulbs will not be exposed with Homekit if connected to hue bridge
and you need Homebridge to make them usable in Homekit

This post has been edited by kokhoong0624: Apr 19 2020, 12:21 AM

Anyone planning to experience Homekit and how it works without wanting to spend too much can consider the Xiaomi yeelight bedside lamp/Tablelamp... with charger. It is excellent although its connected via Wifi because:
1. it's unlikely you have to have 30 of these at home. 2. you don't require a Xiaomi account for it to work or the Xiaomi app if you are worried about your privacy... you scan the code at the back of the lamp and it will work with apple Home.

My house have 3 of these and I recommend using these with a motion sensor - PhilipsHue,Terncy or Aqara (you need a Homekit Hub) like when you wake up at night and walk it will light up automatically. The colours are not as vibrant as Philips Hue, but for what it does, it is excellent!



These are the bedside lamps. There is one model with a wireless charger that my mom use and it is really good!!!
I would attach pictures of them if anyone is interested.

where did you place your HomePod ?

Two in the living room, one in my brother bedroom, one in my bedroom..

The ability to make a line permanently powered is a wonderful feature. Previously I was hesitant on installing smart bulbs for normal mechanical switches because people are conditioned to switch the lights off, but the ability to power the circuit off is still important for safety and maintenance (reprogramming the bulb).

Now I’m really interested to try Terncy switches out. Unfortunately it will add another hub to my collection.
A small rant about non-WiFi Smart device ecosystems is that the hub from the vendor is needed for firmware updates so even if it is not normally powered on (assuming that it can be paired to another vendor's hub) we still need to keep one around.

I am not convinced about automated curtains yet. Often some customization is needed due to the different widths of the windows or doors. Also the reliability of the IKEA model was pretty poor from what I’ve read.

This post has been edited by tcwan: Apr 19 2020, 10:26 AM

how to set the led respond when door open/close ?

Yup I think this is a great feature and not very sure why they didn't advertise this... and the settings to allow a line to permanently powered is hidden under other settings in the app itself. I can't wait for their UI update and I hope they would put this feature at a more obvious position as it would certainly benefit many people who has a dilemma to choose between a smart switch or smart lighting.
Also really sorry there is a mistake I made ytd, my order for the live switch for my friend just arrived today and I checked the specs on the box and the recommend power load each gang is <600W like you mentioned yesterday, but instead with a fixed max total power load of 2200W per switch, which I find it very weird because the sum doesn't add up. Nevertheless what I can say is if you are just powering lights and fans it should be quite ok.


I agree and I think that's the general consensus why people don't really like hubs.
Fortunately.. I only have 3 currently .. 2 Philips Hue ones and a Terncy one.

Automated curtains require good customer service I guess - to measure or install. but if those people still renovating with a contractor then can consider cause can ask them install haha or at least leave a power plug for future installation.
Yeah I read about the Ikea blinds.. they had been delayed for so many months. Have to wait for them to iron out the kinks before considering LOL
Hopefully someone will have Homekit curtains installed and leave their reviews here

[EDIT] Also, if you think that the Philip hue bulbs/LED are very expensive, check out a brand called gledopto. they are very affordable and can be exposed to HomeKit via Homebridge (if you really want to do it) + the LED controller is Zigbee and can be connected to the Hue hub, controlled via the excellent Hue app with no extra configurations required.

This post has been edited by kokhoong0624: Apr 19 2020, 09:29 PM

I used the Terncy Door Sensor and Philips Hue with apple home to set this automation.
When the door is open, wait for 10s (because that's how long my autogate takes to fully open), then change the Philips Hue lighting to red.
When the door is closed, check the TV whether it is on, if it ons, change it to the original backlight color (white), if not turn off the backlighting.
All these can be configured in the Apple Home app.

[EDIT] The Terncy door sensor is not rated to be water resistant but because it is not very expensive... I just wrap it in a layer of foil and stick it to the gate

This post has been edited by kokhoong0624: Apr 19 2020, 09:25 PM

set automation by using apple home app or other app ?

Using the Apple Home app. In the Automation tab. Only can use Apple Home because both devices different brand..

mind to guide how to setup ?

Yup. Sorry for the late reply.
Just go to the automation tab, set up a new automation, and choose when a sensor detects something...
Then I choose the trigger to be "when the door sensor closes", and when selecting accessories and scenes scroll to the end and convert the automation to a shortcut.
Then what happens is after the door closes,
it will turn off the light. then it will check if the tv lights are on, if they are on, it will change the backlight to the original color



Hope it helps you and just ask me if you any more queries

Are you using iPad as home hub? if so, if you unplug power from iPad, then few hours later plug charging cable to iPad again, will the automation work again?

No I am not using iPad as home hub. Currently my home hub is a HomePod. And I think for an iPad to work as a HomeHub it doesn't matter... and the automations should work whether it is plugged or unplugged, but the network might disconnect if the iPad is sleeping and you cannot bring your iPad out of your house. There's many people who use an iPad as a Homehub only if its their spare iPad as the Home Hub is mounted to a wall like this.

But I would recommend getting an Apple TV or HomePod as a dedicated home hub instead, they will work much more reliably from what I read.

I have tried using iPad before. My HomeKit devices always out of response when I forgot to plug power for the iPad. Then I got a Apple TV to work as Home Hub. It's so stable, never failed me even once.

what iPad wall dock is this ?

This post has been edited by INGfusion: Apr 27 2020, 07:11 PM

Sorry I am not very sure what dock is used here because it was a sample from reddit. I think you can check Lazada for iPad docks there should be many like these available

you hide charging cable inside wall ?

This is not my set up hahaha I don't have a spare iPad but yes in this scenario, the cable is directly attached behind the wall and most visually pleasing. (requires hacking)

bila mau test Netgear arlo pro 3?

hahaha that one too expensive cause my house already got CCTV system d plan to get the Eufy ones at some time in the future though because they just cost 30USD.
Planning to integrate google home too and see how well it runs.

Eufy got 30USD product meh

Yes! Hahaha but they haven't support Homekit Secure Video yet so I will wait until that is confirmed and released.
https://9to5toys.com/2020/04/17/anker-eufy-indoor-cam-2k/
Very the worth it and make the other security cameras so overpriced haha

ei, this 1 ok le, open for order already but not shipping to my

I picked up 8 of them, 4 pan tilt and 4 normal ones.

Looking forward to seeing how they work out when they eventually ship end of May.

On TOP of cheap price they had an insane preorder promo which was too good to let go of.

I’m currently using 2 OMNA 180s and 2 Arlo Baby so I have high expectations set for these Eufy devices.

After the pain of setup, it’s reliability has been amazing.

I’d definitely recommend the blinds if you are keen

You need the patience of a saint to set it up, however if you’ve bought them let me know, I’ll spare you the painful headache I went through setting them up

wah, got extra ?

PLEASE update your review sometime here hahaha when you get them it would be really helpful hahaha The reason I didn't get them is that I already had a dedicated Security camera system (which I bought before finding out the whole Ubiquiti Network protect system). And yes I was so tempted to order with the 30% off deal. Are you currently residing in Malaysia or the United States.. because I see no cheap or efficient way to ship them here with the current pandemic.

Currently residing in Singapore
I shipped it to a forwarding address.
Shipping is generally about 8sgd / kilo so I’m hoping it should be less than 10 kg for all of them

Wow... mind sharing the forwarder and do they ship to Malaysia? Hahaha I might pick them up sometime in the future when they officially support Homekit Secure Video. I mean there's leaks this year about iOS 14 supporting facial recognition in HSV, so I'm really looking forward to get some Homekit cameras. hahaha

I plan to buy more actually if they work well.

Again I’m really happy with my OMNA and Arlo, and also curious about the Arlo Wireless ones.

These 8 are for my house in Malaysia in fact, so in the future ( when this fiasco is over ) maybe I could ship a couple of extras and can ship it to you in Malaysia ( or meet you depending where you are )

Also looking forward to their doorbell being HomeKit compatible ! I have a ring doorbell that I’m not a fan of

Omg thanks so much in advance! Hahah I'm currently residing in Klang Valley. do update me if you looking to purchase more in the future and also some review for the product (I'm still waiting for HSV).

I was debating between OMNA and Netamo Welcome for a very long time, and at the end I still can't justify the price hahaha
The Arlo wireless ones run on battery right? I think I would prefer a wired set up especially for security so can just "set up and go", if not forget to replace and something shitty happen it's too late
My house kena burglar during CNY when I went to Singapore to visit my sick grandma.. when I haven't install the CCTV system

For the smart doorbell I was initially looking at Netamo because they support HSV. I'm waiting for everything to "stabilise" in the market for players like Eufy because currently everyone is overcharging for the security cameras being Homekit compatible although a lot of them have trashy specs

Don’t forget HSV ends up making it an expensive subscription based offering since you need to have a premium iCloud subscription and you have device limitation as well

This is where the Eufy appeal comes into
Play because they claim that it is RTSP compatible so I can stream HomeKit direction as well as save video on my Synology NAS

Many different approaches to take with cameras.

Truth be told I’m still quite confused on what I want to do as far as cameras go.

For security contact sensors are good too

The response time for the alarm system from Aqara is great too.

I think the idea of a security camera is praying that you never need it but glad that you have it when you need it... Learnt it the hard way
Yeah I think that route is so much better than my proprietary system from hikVision now (also with a NAS).
I am currently on the 200GB iCloud family plan so I just feel like it's a bonus because the burglar/etc might steal the NAS if I don't have an offsite backup.. So I'm just considering one or two HSV ones to have an offshore backup.

I'm just thinking out loud, not sure if this is a possibility,
But if you have a friend that has extra bandwidth to spare, maybe a solution is to mirror some captured recordings from certain cameras between certain times to another NAS offsite, password protected for privacy reasons.

The privileges of having mostly drywall in the west.

Just cut a hole and run power from behind.

You can create this case with any photoframe pretty much. Just need to get the right size.

I'm considering a 3D printed mould to have an iPad mount like this, if I get enough time to get to it.

I find going to an iPad on the wall counter intuitive

I jumped on the bandwagon with Netatmo over the public Holiday

Bought 2 Netatmo Smart Indoor Camera's and 2 Netatmo Presence camera's.

Another case of poor software.

Smart Indoor Camera :
Image quality not as good as the OMNA 180 either, but most crucially it does support homekit secure video.

Outdoor camera :
Bad experience so far, one of them has a flood light not working
Another one can't join my wifi for some reason.

Not a good start, lets see where this goes

I finally received my Terncy shipment today.
I purchased the 3-gang no-Neutral switch for testing, along with the hub and a few accessories.

It seems to work fine with a normal analog fan running on high. I will have to take more time to test it.

However, the device on-boarding process is a bit confusing. In the Terncy app, I selected "Add Device (+)", then clicked the 2 buttons based on the instructions (TopLeft/BottomRight), and waited for it to appear in the list of devices.

However, it didn't do so. After several tries, I found out that it has already been added to the list of devices after cancelling the Add Device screen.

The other question I have is how to convert one of the gangs to a Wireless Switch. I can't find the setting anywhere in the Terncy app. When I select the Wall Switch, it lists the details but I cannot make any changes.

In the Apple Home App, I can program the 4th switch (which does not have any physical gang), but I cannot do anything to the other 3 switches.

This post has been edited by tcwan: May 8 2020, 07:10 PM

How is the support of the Smart Indoor Camera with HSV? I've seen many reports where HSV stopped reporting notifications after a few days. Please update! And thanks for your early review.

To make the switch permanent on, you can click on a button of the switch"Top Left Button or the one you want" and turn on the programmable switch option.
If you don't see this option, I think you have to update the firmware and then it should appear in the settings like these:



Oh and yeah I agree the app is a little confusing and sometimes when you add something the UI doesn't feedback properly.. so I don't recommend using the app as a daily driver at all at it's current status

This post has been edited by kokhoong0624: May 8 2020, 07:54 PM

I think the idea is to have a quick look of the statuses in the house before you leave home and to turn off everything at once... But I find it a waste of the iPad functionality just to use it as a hub... HAHA unless rich then it's okay la
I think the iPad Pro will look really good as a Home Hub... but what a luxury to use one for the sole purpose of a "control everything at home" switch hahaha

I'm not sure what it is, I've enabled HSV, but I don't get the time line like what others show in reviews. It could be possible that it's not recording while I'm home and there's no motion she I'm out, or that I barely go out these days because of the movement restriction.

On a side note the netatmo app and facial recognition is pretty nice.

But the price of the netatmo is a little ridiculous

Way more expensive than other cameras but I wouldn't say much better

Sorry I'm not sure I follow the instructions. I tried pressing and holding dow the Terncy Wall Switch Top Left Button, as well as tried it for the 3rd button (Bottom Left), but it doesn't seem to do anything. The switch specific LED comes on after about 3 seconds and blink 3-4 times, but I'm not sure if that is just indicating a Long Press action or something.

The center LED remains stable on during the entire time.

I checked the Terncy iOS App Device page for the wall switch. None of the tabs can be pressed other than the Power State slider for each Switch 1, 2 and 3. I'm enclosing the screenshot for reference.




Also, the Terncy App on iOS doesn't show the screen you included in your post. Is that an Android App function?

Note: I've updated the Home Center to Firmware version 2.6.33 before onboarding the wall switch the first time.

This post has been edited by tcwan: May 8 2020, 09:45 PM

Hello! I had checked with Terncy and they mentioned that the permanent on feature is being released just a while ago for the neutral switches and will roll out to the non-neutral one via a software update in the Terncy app in the next 3 days. The feature was rolled back in the non-neutral one because of a bug with low wattage bulbs and its being fixed and tested so it will be available very soon. If they message me that they update d ill drop you a PM. So sorry for my unclear instructions. The options should be available in the Terncy app without any physical interaction with the switch when the update is rolled out.

This post has been edited by kokhoong0624: May 8 2020, 10:10 PM

I am very interested in the Netatmo Welcome but because it is an old spec so I want to wait for an update before making any purchases

finally Aqara new G2H camera going to ship out soon

Yes I saw that in JD china, did you buy one yet?
Heavily considering one just for fun haha

yes, already pay deposit, waiting 31th to pay full payment

Just to clarify a point regarding Aqara region lock.

With Aqara product you have the possibility of using Mi App or Aqara App.

If you are using Mi App, the region of the hub has to match your region setting. Meaning if you buy a chinese hub you will need to set the region to China. So there is region lock.

But if you are using Aqara app, you are free to switch between regions (except Russia if I remember correctly). It will function essentially as NO region lock. Two things to be aware of: 1) EU region does not support automation because of legal requirement, 2) different region shows you different types of devices that you can add, that is why most people set it to China because they offer widest range of support for devices.

You will typically only use one app. I think it is not possible to have a hub added in both apps at the same time. Child devices will follow the hub according to the region. If you switch region, the hub will loose all child device bindings and you will need to add them again. But if you switch to one region, and then just switch back you will find all child devices are still there.

If you are using Homekit only, I recommend that you use Aqara app to help you add child devices. After that you don‘t use the apps anymore (except for firmware updates). Then essentially there is no region lock for you.

Aqara products are nice because they offer the lowest cost of entry to Homekit system. But you need to check that the device you want to buy actually support Homekit because not all Aqara branded products support Homekit.

Other bits about Aqara:

Currently all hubs are 2.4GHz only I think. Communication with child devices are not using the latest Zigbee protocol yet. But there is newer hub that will use Zigbee 3.0 protocol coming to market.

There are limit to the number of devices that can be controlled by a hub. The current hub can control 32 devices. You will need to add more hub for more devices. Newer one can control upto 128 devices.

Battery powered devices will not work as repeaters but most mains powered devices will be, for example, wall switches.

Last point for wall switches. In general (not just Aqara product), wall switches with neutral line will work more reliably simply due to the way they work. A lot of non-dimmable LED lights run into problems when used with wall switches without neutral line.

ya I use Aqara app just to add child devices, most of time im using Apple HomeKit

Thanks for your explanation. I get mixed responses from both my friends and the Taobao customer service.
I am getting a G2H camera. That one comes with an Aqara hub, am I right? Do you know how many accessories can the G2H camera connect?

EDIT: the updated aqara hub does not support 128 devices by itself:
* In the FAQs for the Aqara M1S, it goes on to state the following;

Question: How many Zigbee sub-devices can be connected to this gateway?
Answer: 1. The gateway can directly connect 32 Zigbee terminal devices. 2. If you need to add more Zigbee sub-devices, you can first add Zigbee relay devices to the gateway, and then add Zigbee terminal devices. The relay device has an expansion function. After expansion, the gateway can support up to 128 Zigbee sub-devices. 3. Among the Zigbee products of Aqara and Mijia brands, the products with zero live wire power supply are relay equipment, and the products powered by battery or single firewire are terminal equipment. Each relay device can expand 16 terminal devices.

This post has been edited by kokhoong0624: May 29 2020, 09:07 PM

To follow up, I have been in contact with the Terncy support via the Shopee vendor support and they’ve released new versions of the iOS app and have a new server in Singapore which resolved a lot of the connectivity issues related to firmware updates. I am now fully up to date in terms of firmware versions and I can reassign the unused switch as a wireless switch.

I’m happy with the Terncy devices I’ve used so far. They are a lot easier to integrate into HomeKit compared to the Mijia devices. Aqara devices work fine in HomeKit but the onboarding process is a bit more involved.

Oh yes! I heard about the Singapore server but I hadn't update because... everything is working OK for me now. I recently got their lock installed (in the process of testing but impressed so far) and planning to get their motorized blinds as well. The option to provide continuous power is damn awesome haha. If not mistaken you are using the Live wire one right? I think if you had a chance to renovate you should get the neutral ones. They are miles ahead compared to the live one.

I'm glad it worked out for you..I think their support team in Taobao is really helpful as they have direct access to the programmers. Try out their door sensors too if you had a chance... when paired with a neutral switch they worked like magic HAHAH it's so fast it's hard to believe it's from a battery powered device (when the automation is set up in the Terncy app).

I'm getting the Aqara G2H camera because the website say can just scan the code and add and don't have to download the app. Finger crossed to see what happens.

I’ve ordered the neutral wire switches for my renovation. It is definitely better to have neutral wire switches if you can do so, they are more reliable in terms of network connections, and they will extend the range of the Zigbee network as well.

I haven’t decided if door sensors are more useful compared to motion sensors. So far I find that detecting when someone enters a room is more useful than detecting that a door has been opened. Usually room doors are left open unless there is a need for privacy.

I’ve played around with the Aqara motion sensors which work well with the Tradfri LED drivers (Both going through their respective hubs), so you can string automations for different vendor devices together in HomeKit.

Oh that's great. Yup the neutral ones are much more reliable for so many reasons.
I understand, what I use for the door sensors is putting them in the cabinet (turn on cabinet lights). And my house was broke in during CNY, so now I will set the alarm to notify me if anyone opens a door when no one is at home (using Homekit). And also for my autogate just to remind people to close the doors.
I'm planning to get the Aqara "vibration" sensor and see if they can detect that the washing machine is done washing or not and see what they can do haha

bought Aqara G2H and Eufy pan and tilt XD

I bought both Eufy's however disappointed to see that they're not HK compatible out of hte box.
lets hope they deliver on their promise.
the non PTZ ones are on their way. Reviews look promising!

I'm very disappointed to hear that. They promoted Homekit as their main feature and its not ready out of the box? And how does the Eufy connect? via 2.4Ghz wifi too right?
I gotten a aqara g2h one to see what happens. My 2.4Ghz network sucks no matter what I do, there's like 18 wifi network detected in my living room. gonna see how it performs haha

where to buy the g2h. I'd like to get one too

I got it from Taobao.. just search Aqara G2H Can you read Chinese? The original price is 499 I preordered for like 379 Chinese yuan. I think there might be another offer during 6/18.

Mmmm bummer me no read Chinese

Bro if you interested you can PM me I can help you buy on 16/6 (second wave for 399) and ship directly to your house.

hmm hmm , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJJX_4EAobY&t=1160s I purchase after I watch this youtube

should be 16th of June for 399 RMB

Aqara G2H just shipped out today, Eufy camera still pending had to wait July only will ship out

Hello guys any recommendations for security door that can help me install my smart lock? I bought aqara n100 for HomeKit but the contractor I found only selling their lock together with the security door.

I received 3 of my eufy cameras today in Singapore

They were received in US late last week.

No homekit yet so just waiting patiently

Just got notification that my PTZ ones shipped.

I'm really wondering if I should try the G2H

If you find one let me know
I'm also thinking of buying the lock on my own and having someone else install it since the selling price in Malaysia is quite insane but might have to just live with that If that's what it takes

need to wait for their update

They should have been forthcoming about that prior to selling that HomeKit idea everywhere.

Casts a bad light on them

Hi bro. Can check if the LED on the center of the wall switch can be switched off?

My G2H need wait 6/15... You bought on JD?

Can. It can be switched off via the settings in the app!

Thanks bro for the information. I’m just curious what is the function of that LED, perhaps it will be quite a distraction during night time if it remains on all the time. That’s my only concerns. Otherwise I think this wall switch is really nice.