Homebridge RFCom

Homebridge plugin for RfCom.

Usage

Setup an Arduino with RfCom and configure it (see RfCom manual). Devices configured in RfCom are automatically added to the platform.

  "platforms": [
    {
      "platform": "RfComPlatform",
      "name": "RfCom",
      "port": "/dev/ttyACM0"
    }
    ...
  ]

Setting up devices

To add a device, you have to make a serial connection to the Arduino. You can use Arduino Studio for this, but make sure Homebridge isn't running. Use list_devices to find a device ID that's not in use yet, or initialize if this is a first time setup. Then follow the instructions for the protocol of choice below.

Chacon DIO

To add a Chacon DIO device, pick a switch id (0 to 15) and a sender id (0 to 67108863). Then enter add_device <id> 1 <switch>,<sender>. Unplug the DIO outlet, and plug it back in. The LED should start flashing. Before the LED stops flashing, enter send <id> on. The outlet should respond by briefly turning on and back off. You can unpair the outlet the same way by sending off instead of on. After this, when restarting Homebridge the device should appear in Homekit.

Somfy

To add a Somfy device, pick an address between 0 and 16777216, and a rolling code (100 is fine). Then enter add_device <id> 2 <address>,<rollingcode> (substituting the values between < >). Take your original Somfy remote and hold down the PROG button (if you can't find it, it's the small hole on the back of the remote) until the blinds briefly go down and back up. Enter "send prog". If the programming is successful, the blinds will respond by going briefly down and back up again. You can test it be entering "send down" or "send up".

In the basic setup, the Homebridge plugin will only allow you to go fully up, fully down or to the preset halfway point. If you want more control, you need to add some additional configuration in the Homebridge config.json. You'll need to measure the time it takes for the blinds to go from fully up to fully down, and also the other way around (the blinds will be slower going up that going down). In the platform section, adjust the config like so:

    {
      "platform": "RfComPlatform",
      "name": "RfCom",
      "port": "/dev/ttyACM0",
      "extra_config": {
        "<id>": {
          "timeUpToDown": 52.15,
          "timeDownToUp": 58.65
        }
      }
    }

Again, remember to substitute for the actual device id you've assigned. Once this is setup, you can choose the percentage of window covering in Homekit, and the plugin will automatically determine when to issue a stop command if necessary. It relies on knowing the state of the blinds, so you can't use the original Somfy remote manually because then it will get out of sync. If it does get out of sync, fully lowering or raising the blinds should be sufficient to reset the sync. When starting Homebridge, the position is assumed to be fully up. If that should not be the case, you can use the same method to resync.