I don’t really use it much but that eve app is probably the best I’ve seen of all the homekit interfaces. Better than Apple‘s IMHO
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1, 5, and 10 on my iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
I use the Controller app to backup my HomeKit stuff. I’ve never actually tried to restore using it but hopefully it will help restore if I ever need to.
It also has some advanced automation functions not found in the built in Home app.
Purely anecdotal, but I’ve had a surprisingly stable experience with the 632 firmware. I even restarted my entire mesh network due to an unrelated issue and the Rachio controller reconnected to the network and HomeKit with no issues. I’ve even had my outdoor camera go offline but my Rachio remain responsive - and they’re both connected to the same mesh node. Strange, but I can’t complain
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I am jealous of your anecdotal story of happiness and contentment. I requested the beta firmware because mine was NOT working. Got the beta firmware, and now can no longer add it to Homekit, or roll back. So kind of in a holding zone until they get this sorted out.
I think this is the longest this thread has gone without any activity! Have we all just given up?
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Well, its about 2 weeks until summer, and still no closer to a solution for this homekit issue. Yes, think a lot of people have either given up, or sold their units and went with another company.
We are on our 4th “rep” now handling the messaging of the beta updates. I requested a beta be pushed to me 2 months ago, sent numerous messages to franz, and it has been radio silence. If they did care, they would 1) respond to messages as to why beta hasnt been pushed out to me and others and 2) be more proactive getting the beta out to more people so the issue can get fixed quicker.
NEITHER HAS HAPPENED
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I haven’t had to add mine back in since turning off IP6 but that doesn’t mean it is right. Often I have to put my iPhone into airplane mode and the back out of airplane mode to get HomeKit to refresh and then the Rachio goes back online. Sometimes I have to do this a few tines, It’s an improvement but it would be nice if it just worked as advertised.
At this point I don’t think the hardware is fixable in software.
I had a firmware update on my router. When my Synology mesh network rebooted the Rachio was the last smart device to join. Took about five minutes… Other than that my Rachio3 has been in HomeKit and rock solid.
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I really think the issue has something to do with routing.
In working out all the little HomeKit issues I’ve gotten my WiFi working better than ever with zero issues throughout my house and into my yard. Which has also resulted in a super stable HomeKit environment.
I’ve been in this house since the eighties so it has many years’ worth of cables from different technologies as tech changed.
So over the last month or so I’ve been cleaning everything up.
Little issues I’ve found along the way like cables plugged into switches not going anywhere and often in bad shape. Actually, I replaced a bunch of short cables, A few were so old they were Cat 3.
I found a switch plugged into a switch that was connected to a switch that was then plugged back into the first switch creating a loop that was kind of resulted in the loop issue that AppleTalk used to have.
It seems that HomeKit stuff is very picky and unforgiving of the network, While the Rachio has been by far the worst it is not the only HomeKit device that has acted up.
I wish I knew more about its stuff.
What I know is experienced based starting in the 80s with apple products on onward to the early days of getting everything networked and later on getting online and then the internet.
I think I am about done.
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Well I finally had to add mine back in after it working for a month or so.
Anyone know if Rachio could just solve all the HomeKit issues by adding native support for Matter? Or would that require new hardware?
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I don’t think support for Matter would make a difference.
This company is no closer now, than 2 years ago when the Homekit issue was brought up, to fixing it.
THey are just kicking the can down the road. We are already into summer, and they still don’t have a F’ing clue what is going on or how to fix it. The beta process is a mess, they aren’t sending out any more invites, we are on our 4th or 5th “spokesperson” on the boards to give updates, and the updates are as generic as can be.
They don’t care, and probably are either a) waiting for people to forget about homekit issues or b) stalling until a new product is released, with better support, so we spend more money on a promised (hopefully working) homekit support.
It cracks me up that you can still go on amazon, and the description for the rachio 3 states " Rachio 3 Smart Sprinkler Controller, 16 Zone 3rd Generation, Alexa and Apple HomeKit Compatible with Hyperlocal Weather Intelligence Plus and Rain, Freeze and Wind Skip"
Still advertising broken feature…
C’mon guys, get your shit together.
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It is discouraging for sure. If they intend to continue to market to the SmartHome type consumer though, it is in their best interests to resolve this.
That really doesn’t seem to matter to Rachio TonyPHX. We keep on bad-mouthing them here, they keep ignoring us. I’d venture to say that now is the time to go out there on all the smarthome forums and tell the world how good Rachio HomeKit integration is. Loudly and frequently.
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I don’t think being a brand assassin is going to help. I am not thrilled with what is going on, but to devote energy to broadcasting the issue just wastes valuable time.
Call me when you’ve spent 12 months of your valuable time being lied to and being strung along with false hopes and meaningless promises.
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Fair enough. I get it. Sometimes ya just gotta cut bait.