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mm wave presence sensor?

PostPosted: Fri Oct 13, 2023 9:21 am
by Different Computers
Why isn’t there a z-wave version of this device? I’ve just integrated two Aqara FP2 presence sensors into my HomeKit setup, and while they’re expensive per device, they come out cheaper over regular PIR motion sensors because one FP2 can detect presence in so many different zones that in large open rooms it can replace three or even four PIRs.

Plus the level of sensitivity and being presence vs motion sensors makes them entirely more reliable.

I integrated them into HomeKit, but it’s also possible to use the HomeKit Controller integration of Home Assistant and then expose them to Indigo with the Home Assistant Agent plugin.

For anyone considering presence detection, I highly recommend these devices.

Re: mm wave presence sensor?

PostPosted: Fri Oct 13, 2023 11:27 am
by siclark
I’m guessing a zwave version would cost even more?

Which version dis you use to include into HomeKit?
I think most of us with them have the zigbee version and included into Indigo via zigbee2mqtt.

Agree they are good but I still find one at seat height pointed directly at the sofa still fails to spot us whilst sitting still watching tv so far from perfect.
Maybe ceiling mounted they might work better but I can’t get that past my wife.

Re: mm wave presence sensor?

PostPosted: Fri Oct 13, 2023 12:02 pm
by Different Computers
As mentioned, I have Aqara FP2 presence sensors.

They are a bit pricey, though again, one of them to cover a 20x30 room divided into multiple zones is cheaper than the three PIRs previously doing it--and doing it poorly.

I tried getting my head around MQTT.... and gave up.

Ceiling mount is, from my cursory reading, for fall detection not for zones, so I never even considered it.

mm wave presence sensor?

PostPosted: Fri Oct 13, 2023 12:41 pm
by siclark
I think the FP2 comes as wifi or zigbee?

Guessing You have wifi if you couldn’t do zigbee?

Edit. Sorry I was thinking of their earlier mm wave sensors. The PM2 is different.

Re: mm wave presence sensor?

PostPosted: Sat Oct 14, 2023 3:56 pm
by Londonmark
I’ve just bought one of these but can’t connect it to HomeKit or the Aqara app. The app wants me to use HomeKit but HomeKit gives an error and won’t link. Have read loads of suggestions but can’t solve the problem. It says my phone needs to be connected to a HomeKit enabled router. I’m using a Linksys Velop mesh network which it thought would be ok. But it isn’t. Suspect I’ll be returning the Aqara sensor to Amazon. Shame.

Re: mm wave presence sensor?

PostPosted: Sat Oct 14, 2023 5:05 pm
by Different Computers
I can't speak to how it performs on a mesh network, but I had no troubles at all connecting my two to HomeKit on my Unifi-based wifi.

Re: mm wave presence sensor?

PostPosted: Sun Oct 15, 2023 4:01 am
by Londonmark
Played around a bit more. I created a second home in HomeKit and have managed to add the FP2 to that home. But I can't find any way to move it across to my real home. So two choices, I think:
1. I find a way to move it! Feels challenging.
2. I find a way to get Indigo to work with two different HomeKit homes. Has anyone tried this?

Re: mm wave presence sensor?

PostPosted: Sun Oct 15, 2023 9:01 am
by Different Computers
Far as I know, there’s no way to transfer a device directly from one home to another without removing it from the first home first.

I don’t think HomeKitSiriLink works with two homes either.

Re: mm wave presence sensor?

PostPosted: Sun Oct 15, 2023 9:26 am
by CliveS
Londonmark wrote:
Played around a bit more. I created a second home in HomeKit and have managed to add the FP2 to that home. But I can't find any way to move it across to my real home. So two choices, I think:

2. I find a way to get Indigo to work with two different HomeKit homes. Has anyone tried this?


Add 2 automations in HomeKit (one for On, one for Off) for the Occupancy Sensor and change to a shortcut and then use the Indigo v2 API to trigger an Indigo action. That's how I get my FP2 to control Indigo

Re: mm wave presence sensor?

PostPosted: Sun Oct 15, 2023 9:30 am
by Different Computers
Clive, I'm not sure this helps londonmark, but could you post the v2 api code that makes the shortcut talk to Indigo? That would help me out with my stuff.

Re: mm wave presence sensor?

PostPosted: Sun Oct 15, 2023 9:54 am
by CliveS
Different Computers wrote:
Clive, I'm not sure this helps londonmark, but could you post the v2 api code that makes the shortcut talk to Indigo? That would help me out with my stuff.


Just found my message of how I set it up, hope this helps, any questions just ask.

https://forums.indigodomo.com/viewtopic.php?f=136&t=26924&p=217978#p217978

I have just found another good zigbee presence sensor that is a lot cheaper but no multi person like the Aqara FP2 (which I think is great now I have it set up)

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005962280933.html

Still evaluating it but to your original question, why no Z-Wave, basically Ali-Express is full of cheap Zigbee devices and no profit for a Z-wave device I suspect.

Re: mm wave presence sensor?

PostPosted: Sun Oct 15, 2023 1:48 pm
by Londonmark
Add 2 automations in HomeKit (one for On, one for Off) for the Occupancy Sensor and change to a shortcut and then use the Indigo v2 API to trigger an Indigo action. That's how I get my FP2 to control Indigo


Unfortunately not possible because the test home (to which I have added the FP2) is not linked to a Hub (I only have one Apple TV and that's the hub for the real house) and that means no automations.

It's really frustrating as I feel I've got so close. And this is after trying all sorts of things - eg. dismantling the mesh network so that I could run a 2.4GHz only network. Given that I have managed to connect to a test home, it's clearly not the mesh network. It seems to be something to do with my HomeKit hub.

Re: mm wave presence sensor?

PostPosted: Sun Oct 15, 2023 3:25 pm
by CliveS
Yes it looks that way, having both HomePod Mini and Apple TV I have not had the problem. Have you turn the Apple TV off waited a few minutes and turn on, clutching at straws but maybe.

Re: mm wave presence sensor?

PostPosted: Sun Oct 15, 2023 6:10 pm
by Different Computers
Afraid I need to understand how to get the various api calls and their payloads..

Re: mm wave presence sensor?

PostPosted: Mon Oct 16, 2023 12:46 am
by CliveS
Different Computers wrote:
Afraid I need to understand how to get the various api calls and their payloads..


Does this help

https://wiki.indigodomo.com/doku.php?id=indigo_2022.2_documentation:shortcuts