Since we don’t know when the Matter On/Off Switch will be available, can I use the Matter Dimmer in Smart Bulb Mode and it would work the same as the On/Off Switch in Smart Bulb Mode? I’m thinking that I could get the dimmer and still be able to use my smart bulbs.
So long as your load is smart bulbs, yes. But if it is another type of load that requires a true on/off, no. But you indicated you want to use it with smart bulbs so you should be fine. You are probably better off with the dimmer anyway as sooner or later, hubs will likely support binding.
From your post, it looks like there could be some confusion, so just in case you were not aware …
Smart Bulb mode means that the switch continually applies power to the load so that the smart bulb can stay connected to its network. When in smart bulb mode, the switch reports back to your controller as if it were controlling the load, but it really isn’t since load power is always on / always 100%. That is, the switch does not provide control signals between the switch and the bulb, but will appear to the controller as if the switch was going into on, off, dimmer and other states. To convert this change in switch states into a control over your smart bulbs, you have to write an automation on your controller that detects changes in the switch state and then sends control from your controller to the bulb. Home Assistant is the most capable platform for doing this do to its more capable automations, but if you want just basic On / Off types of control, you could also do this using the simpler automations in iOS Home and other controllers.
Thank you Bry. Now let’s see if I can sneak one without the wife seeing. lol
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I’m currently controlling Nanoleaf A19 bulbs with Home Assistant. After seeing Shane Whatley’s video about the switches, I figured that I could put the switch on smart bulb mode and then the switch becomes a multi-button panel that triggers scenes from Home Assistant…
That makes sense. If you’re not already familiar with them…
- Take a look at the blueprint I reference in this thread: Home Assistant, Red Switch, Thread Bulb (Nanoleaf) - #2 by jvm33 . It works when the switch is in smart mode and operates to set the bulb to a dimmer level established by the switch.
- Also take a look at this blueprint: “inovelli_matter_switch_tap_sequences.yaml” here: GitHub - jvmahon/HomeAssistant-Tools
- And take a look a the Wiki writeup: Home · jvmahon/HomeAssistant-Tools Wiki · GitHub which gives more info. on how to set up the VTM31 tapping feature in Home Assistant (though the blueprint #2 is a shortcut for those who don’t want to learn the details of who it needs to be set up.
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