cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/7783032
When I started at Ars in the summer of 2022, the next generation of smart home standards was on the way. Matter, an interoperable device setup and management system, and Thread, a radio network that would provide secure, far-reaching connectivity optimized for tiny batteries. Together, they would offer a home that, while well-connected, could also work entirely inside a home network and switch between controlling ecosystems with ease. I knew this tech wouldn’t show up immediately, but I thought it was a good time to start looking to the future, to leave behind the old standards and coalesce into something new.
Instead, Matter and Thread are a big mess, and I am now writing to tell you that I was wrong, or at least ignorant, to have ignored the good things that already existed: Zigbee and Z-Wave. I’ve put in my time with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and various brittle combinations of the two. They’re useful for data-rich devices and for things that can stay plugged in. Zigbee and Z-Wave have been around, but they always seemed fidgety, obscure, and vaguely European at a glance. But here, in the year 2024, I am now an admirer of both, and I think they still have a place in our homes.
I’ve had next to zero issues with my Hue setup. It’s performed near flawlessly.
I’m very glad your setup works! Totally get that my experience isn’t the same as everyone’s. Outside of the Hue Sync box, my Hue lights work more consistently than my Govee and Nanoleaf lights.
The Sync box does not like Dolby Vision despite a recent firmware update adding support. It will randomly cut out the feed to my TV so I’ve had to continuously disable Dolby Vision on inputs when I catch them reverting back. It’s especially frustrating when playing games or watching sports. Not what I expect out of a $250 HDMI passthrough box.