As many of you know, I went for a different route. I just wrote my own MQTT-to-Vera publisher (in C#., running on .NET Core under linux) and it’s working very well. While I was there, I wrote a couple of APIs (Telegram, OpenSprinkler, MiLight, Tasmota) and integrated it.
I used it to learn some things about MQTT that could be useful to my job, but I digress. This way I can basically route MQTT messages to variables/actions under Vera, where Virtual Devices could be used to do the opposite.
Home Assistant is able to receive/push MQTT messages, so I still think that a native MQTT broker inside the Vera OS could be a game changer. It’s similar to what site sensor is doing for @rafale77, but it’s nearly realtime and very smooth.
The latest addition to the family is a Tasmota TH 16, running my humidifier, and it’s using a native (virtual) device in order to display humidity, status and so on:
(pardon the Italian name)
Status is pushed to the device via HTTP and the MQTT message enables real time status, thanks to the broker, when switched on locally (or by a rule/timer).
Supporting MQTT natively could make 3rd party integration very easy.
need to nudge this topic. as Vera is falling behind in support.
How is development going on the Plug In?
FWIW, Broadlink have released the RM4, which is not supported by the older Plug Ins, it is however (like many other devices not supported by Vera) supported by HASS.
I still use my own broker, written in C# and running on my Linux little box.
I prefer to get wifi devices and convert them to tasmota, that has native mqtt support.
I suggest to get devices that are convertible to tasmota, since they support http endpoints and it’s easier to integrate them. Mqtt is just to sync status, but this is not always necessary.
Never. Seems they are not interested in working with independent developers. At this point, even if they came around, I wouldn’t bother, given the impending EOL of the current firmware. My guess is eZLO is going to handle Tuya themselves for the new firmware.
What’s interesting is Tuya themselves are developing a link to SmartThings. They introduced Globe first and now Smart Life. Both…disasters. Globe probably took 6 months to be stable and Smart Life doesn’t work yet, though just out a week.
Hopefully if Ezlo chooses to support Tuya they do it themselves. Relying on Tuya will likely be unstable.
In case you change your mind I have a current support case open with Tuya and I have mentioned this and below is their response:
Dear user, we’re very sorry for the inconvenience. Please provide your developer’s account and details of you specific requirements so that I could help you submit the technical work order here, and the technical staff will do further investigation. You can also send an email to our service email: service@tuya.com. And we will get back to you asap. Thank you for your support and understanding.
Picked up a couple of these switches in Australia to control my Xmas lights for a month… so cheap ($17 aud) it would be great to get the ability to turn on/off in Vera…
I signed up for a developer account and never heard anything or received any further information. I sent inquiries to various addresses over the following weeks and got no replies whatsoever. Given that I hate the premise of cloud-controlled devices from the get-go, I let it go at that.
That is quite unfortunate. It would be so amazing to have that integration in Vera. After many years, I pulled out of Vera finally this year because things started feeling so stale. The original UI lacks so many modern integrations and the new app-only one is so limited in general. I just couldn’t do it anymore. That app/hub isn’t in beta. It is in alpha testing and has a long way to go. Meanwhile, I need a home that works. Tuya would be one of the number of integrations that would bring me back.
I will give this a bump. Have an Inkbird floating hot tub temperature sensor and of course they have no API. I heard that the devices can be registered via the Tuya app directly, which allows for a bit more of control via external methods. Has anyone gotten very far in being able to make API calls against Tuya and maintaining an authenticated/authorized connection to regularly get sensor updates?
