Let’s connect! ✅ INSTA - instagram.com/shanecreates ✅ TWITTER - twitter.com/shanecreates ✅ Website - shanewhatley.com

Been using Homebridge for a few years. I have my Ring and Wyze cams set up, my Roomba, Samsung TV and MyQ Garage Door opener set up in it.

Shane, you have arrived with this channel, I'm so impressed how you've figured it out and grown it. You have engaging content that keeps me interested, you link to other videos to get other viewers, you have sponsors, and links that support your channel. I'm inspired, keep it going I could see 100k+ subs.

How cool Shane - I didn't even know I could load HomeBridge on my Synology NAS. Got it installed and now can use my alarm sensors for other automations - this is great !!!! I should add - you saved me a ton of money because I was going to scrap my current alarm and look for one that was HomeKit ready like the abode...

Sadly my Synology isn't one where I could run Homebridge, so I opted for HOOBS which has been rock solid. I'm also a fan of the Dummy switches for automation. You can get pretty complicated with those switches if you need it. Homebridge was definitely a way to get my ceiling fan and track lighting in my office into HomeKit, as well as control of a portable air conditioner through Sensibo.

I had no idea there was a software package to run homebridge on a synology nas!! I can finally free up my pi for other projects. I was also inspired by a previous video of yours to finally make the jump to Plex to host my movies. Ended up buying a syn nas as well. I hate using this word but, the synergy is amazing. Anytime you can consolidate resources and continue to build upon is always a win. As always, thanks for your work

Shane, thanks to your video, I just set up homebridge on my Synology. I plan on using it with our new Roomba and with timed switches. Thank for your great content!

Great video! I paid for, downloaded and installed HOOBS on my RasberryPi. I actually find Homebridge easier to use than HOOBS. Dummy switches are awesome for automations! I also use Homebridge for running my Harmony Remote Hub and connecting my TPLINK KASA switches.

Hi Shane ! Thanx for this new video which is perfect for people who are still wondering if Homebrige might bring something for them. Regarding me, I’ve installed homebridge because (among other things) I wanted to enable/unable things based on the type of the day (workday, vacation, holiday). For that, I’m using Calendar, Hue and ZP (for Sonos) : - Calendar : check my special iCloud Calendar created specially for this need that I’ve called « Family Planning » and shows events as doors sensors (open/close) - Hue : expose my Hue routines (schedules for wake up and go to sleep) as switches - ZP (ZonePlayer for Sonos) : expose my wake up alarm in my master bedroom with music as a switch also For configuration of the Calendar plugin, you have to name the sensors based on the name of the events you’ll create in your iCloud calendar (ex for me : Julien Vacation, Florence Vacation, Girls Vacation, Absent for vacation and Holiday). Thanx to all that I can now use automation to (for example with my girls) : - when the door sensor « Girls Vacation » triggers then - turn off girls « wake up » hue scenes - turn off girls « go to bed for school » scenes - turn on girls « go to bed during vacation » scene It’s the same thing for my wife and I with a little difference. Since we don’t always have vacation exactly at the same time, when one of us is on vacation, lights and music scenarios are off (so the one not working won’t be awake by lights or music). So, just by keeping my « Family Planning » calendar up to date, i don’t need to worry about turning on or off lights and music alarm scenarios. Homebridge helps me doing it automatically ! With this trick, I really feel like my house is getting smarter than ever ! Have a great day !

Thank you for this video! You just gave me the confidence to try Homebridge! I was going to buy the HOOBS, but I'll give this a try first! I love that you walked through an actual install!

I have Homebridge on a QNAP NAS container. I have managed to intergrate various accessories in a single platform (Yeelights, Mi Lights, Shellies, Roborock, LG TV's and an Aqara Hub). All works fine ! It did take quite a lot of reading, especially with MQTT but the overall experience is satisfying. A good way to spend lockdown hours.

Thanks for the Tip!! I did not know you could install Homebridge on sysnology. I was going to buy a PI, but thanks to you I save myself some money!!

I have MyQ for my garage door opener and Ring security, neither of which are directly compatible with HomeKit. MyQ requires a separate proprietary hub that runs about $70, to run it with HomeKit so going the Raspberry Pi route with Homebridge was basically a no brained. It was fun and easy to put the kit together, installing the software was very straight for and easy to set up. So far I’ve had absolutely no problems and an very satisfied I went this route.

Getting ready to jump in. Now to decide if I want to install on my Synology NAS or my PC.

Thanks!! Starting to explore home bridge for my house and HomeKit!! Just the channel I was looking for!

Great video Shane, thanks for recommending my Raspberry Pi HomeBridge video in the description, much appreciated!

Used Homebridge to integrate, Nest Thermostats, Ring Doorbell and Cameras, a Nest Camera, Harmony Hub, Hue compatible light switches (Lutron Caseta), and my ADT alarm system... They all work with HomeKit now. Worth the learning curve to get them going - not too steep. A little patience and Reddit go a long way. [Edit] P.S. Using Raspberry Pi 4 to run HB

I am using Homebridge for my Roomba and have two virtual switches for the going out and back home automation.

homebridge is SO useful, idk what i would do without it. hahaha

Shane, your videos are exceptionally informative and very much appreciated. In fact, watching some of your videos, has driven me to look at a different series of devices and solutions for home automation. Sadly, I've been given a number of devices that aren't HomeKit compatible, so when I watched your HomeBridge video's, I was intrigued. Sadly however, I've had next to zero luck getting it to work with devices I'd view as common such as Blink Cameras and MyQ Garage door openers. Yet, I was able to get my Samsung TV working with some of the basic features. Anyway, keep the great video's coming and I'll keep enjoying them.

Where have you been all my life! Great videos to guide me to a better smart home.

Yes newbie here thinking of setting up HomeKit thank you for your valuable info

I got Homebridge in a search to make our MyQ Garage doors easier to operate than their own APP (which is slow.) Now we use "When I arrive Home" to open my side garage door!

Thanks for the video. I personally use HASS's HomeKit integration. This is mainly used for my TP Link Kasa plugs, Feit Electric bulbs that work with Tuya's Smart Life platform, and my Broadlink IR accessories (alternative to Logitech Harmony). Funny thing is Feit Electric sells HomeKit only bulbs, but we used to use Alexa as our primary assistant

I’m moving to using Homebridge with my Ring and Insteon devices. I didn’t know you can install it on a NAS. i so happen to have a Synology NAS. Thanks.

Definitely! Thanks for sharing this info. Now I don't have to struggle choosing (from nothing) automatic window blinds. Hopefully there are some non-homekit ones available where I live

Shane, you’ve done it again! Great, concise video. Thanks buddy!

Another great video!! I just moved over to IOS from android where I was running Samsung smartthings HomeBridge has been awesome to bridge my existing smartthings setup and the Homekit world

well I am now! very interesting.. I love Sonos, so I can't wait to see how I can automate. thanks mang!

A few times you said “Homebridge or HOOPS” as if they were different things. Correct me if I’m wrong, but HOOPS is an appliance that allows a person to use Homebridge more easily because they don’t have to buy a Raspberry Pi or use a NAS. Either way you’re using Homebridge. Also you said your first choice would be devices that support HomeKit natively, but I think that begs the question of how good Homebridge is at doing the bridging job. Of course the quality of the plugins are the wildcard, but assuming there is a good Homebridge plugin, what’s the difference in practical terms between the two? Is the best Homebridge doorbell, for example, still inferior to using a lesser capable doorbell with native HomeKit?

Brilliant video. Really enjoyed your content. Let’s hope that ‘Matter’ gets released soon then we will have an industry standard way of communicating with IoT devices irrespective of eco system.

I'm running it in Docker on my DS2019+. It is soooo freaking awesome. If Apple breaks it, in my case I will just give up on Homekit. Given their track record, I would expect this to be the case since they like to EOL software, features, and compatibility on a whim.

Early 2023 and I've spend a LOT of money on Nest and Ring. So here I am. I'm 52, so I get that this is today's version of VHS vs. Betamax. Of for the younger folks: Blue Ray vs. HD DVD> I am sunsetting Sonos and Alexa and for some stupid reason going all HomeKit. So Homebridge will hopefully make this less painful. We shall see!

Homebridge brought life back to my Parrot Flower Power soil sensors. Parrot discontinued the sensors and made the app unusable when they took their servers offline. After weeks of trying to get Homebridge plug-ins to work with them, finally got it done. Had to downgrade to High Sierra to get everything working

I got Homebridge up and running on a Raspberry Pi 3 to try to get some of the devices which do not support HomeKit. Setup was painless and I got it running in no time. I successfully setup my Blank cameras, however the performance is unusable. I couldn’t setup my Leviton dimmers, which I originally use on Wink and then on Smartthings as they were too old. I could have setup my Smartthings to get them to work, but that is just too many layers. Lastly, I tried but could not find a Homebridge plug-in for my Shark vacuum but, alas none existed.

I've had Hoobs for a while. Maybe I didn't set it up right. Lately I've noticed I can't run my Hue lights in HomeKit. I've given up on Insteon, which is why I think I got Hoobs. I tried to re-set my Hoobs terminal but it was more complicated than I had the patients for.

I just set HomeBridge up the int her day. Most of the “smart” stuff I have is Alexa and HomeKit compatible (I planned it that way) I use Home Bridge for my EZVIZ cameras (I’m slowly replacing these with Eufys) I wish they had a plug-in to control the Amazon Smart Oven.

Hey Shane. I installed Homebridge on my Synology NAS so I could get these cheap "Works with Siri" WIZ bulbs going with Home Kit. WOW! It works. Not only that, I got my gen 2 NEST thermostats working as well. So far so good. I'll say Homebridge isn't for the faint of heart, but with a little courage and I suppose my minor in computer programming from the early 90's, I was able to do it. Hopefully it will be set it and forget it for a while. Thank you for the video and thanks for saving me some cash. Nicely done. Keep up the great work.

I use a virtual switch to automate security system when last person leave home and first person comes home. I also use the Ewelink plugin for my SonOff stuff that I bought using Google Home before switching to Homekit.

I tried homebridge on old laptop but getting those tokens to devices is so annoying and not so easy. Plugins are not working as good as advertised etc.

I have enerj smart touch light switch running in Google home, how can I add this on the HomeKit I have raspberry pi running Homebridge

Looks nice.. but i not the Message to Install l Node 20 ? Where ? and how ?

Thanks for this video!

Definitely going to install HombBridge on the DS. Curious to see how well this works and if it just ends up being a black hole for time, but would like to have some of the devices we have into HomeKit. One I was thinking off is actually a tv that says it supports HomeKit (LG tv) but you can only turn it off, not on. Since I can turn it on with Alexa that works for now, but I’d really like to switch to HomeKit long term so this could be a good way to get that older stuff over. I’ll check out the Roomba example but looking for other examples that you may have done showing the steps. Thanks as always, useful videos!

Thanks for this!

Yes!

I would like to try Hoobs

Any idea how to get a Schlage Encode connected to HomeKit?

Great recommendation with instructions. Nice!

Outstanding, liked & subscribed

at the spa doesn't work anymore . When i try to install enemy Nas it's saying wrong format . I downloaded the latest spk.

I have Ring cameras setup In HomeKit via Homebridge. I can view live and setup automations but when I receive notifications it’s only text, there is no picture thumbnails? My Eufy cameras in HomeKit all have picture thumbnail notifications, is there a setting or anything I’m doing incorrect? Hoping you can help!

I may or may not have a Ring video doorbell that could use some Homebrdge love. I definitely need to look into this... or the logitech circle view video doorbell.

How would you connect Z wave to your Synology NAS? Would I run it connecting back through smartthings?

Hi Shane, good video - I’ve been using homebridge with HomeKit for a few years now on a rp3+. Have it configured to run as a service and auto-restart and do all that cool stuff, the difference with having a native install of HB on a pi is that your po, can be used for other things too, I mainly use mine to expose my HikVision DVR with all motion detection alerts directly in HomeKit along with all my cheap Zigbee devices - basically everything that is smart is connnected through homebridge to HomeKit - I even has a broadlink rm mini to control devices that are only IR or RF controlled from within homebridge - the possibilities are endless

Great video, very helpful

Hi Sahne ! Find the Mistske on my Synology! Fixes! I added the QCR into my HomeKit. BUT i can t see ist in the room. I find it in BRIDGES wir the notice of no certification. And now? Stay healthy!

Hey dude, Can help me with this frustrating issue. I latest Hoobs box and latest update. I have 30 shelly. I can only turn some of them on and will absolutely can’t turn them off. Help please

Great job Shane! I use homebridge on a pi to do a bunch of things. Most recently I set up scripts to automate logging into my MacBook and Mac Mini when I start my work day. I use several plugins but the one that helps me with the login thing is called shell switch and I had to code my own scripts that SSH into the computers and run some commands. Another one I really like is the OnStar plug-in so I can say hey Siri I’m going somewhere and she opens the garage door and starts my Malibu. Keep up the great videos!

Great explanation Shane!

I have a homebridge. I want to get a doorbell. I’m thinking Ring is so much better than any other doorbell that I might buy Ring and use my homebridge. If I go ring/homebridge route, and do not deal with the ring app at all, what feature s am I missing out on? What will be disppointing?

You can also buy the Hoobs image. “Recommended donation” of $10 for the image… its great. I paid the $10 happily and have all images forever. For orange pi too if you clamor already have a raspberry pi 3 or better

Great Video! Thx 🙋🏻‍♂️

I have homebridge running on my iMac, I got my nest cameras to work, very easy install. But cannot get nest thermostat to work. Can you point to a step by step site to configure this?

Can I use a chromebook to do the raspberry pi?

Problem that there are not that many cool products with native AHK support. Even those vacuum cleaners. Homebridge is must-have IMO

hey, how is it going, quick question. do I need a home hub like an Apple TV or home pod, iPad... to use my accessories and to run the homebridge (of course using a pi or another compatible device)?, or the home bridge will be the hub?, if you can clarify to me, please.

The Timer topic is actually a painpoint when it comes to Window sensor automations. Siri shortcuts are often not working if the timer is longer them 2 minutes. Also I like to use shelly relays for roller shutter, which have not HK-Support.

Happy Sunday 🍻

Really well done script for the installation on Synology docker , but I can't get it to show up in Home App.

I setup homebridge on my Mac, but Homebridge goes down when my Mac goes into sleep mode. It is not a big deal but, I have to go and re-push the Hue Bridge button everytime. Otherwise it works awesome.

do i need a smartthings hub also? Like to hear more about virtual switch too

Shane, love your HomeKit / Homebridge / HOOBs stuff. I had been using HomeBridge on a Windows Surface Tablet in Hyper-V. I have since upgraded to RPi4 and love how stable it is! I use it for all of my Chamberlain Garage Door Openers and Light Switches, Ring Doorbell and other things, since I have only been at the Smart Home stuff for a year or two so far. HomeBridge has replaced my former IFTTT connections to control the same devices. Most impressively, have been able to integrate my Alexa speakers into HomeBridge / Homekit, so it all works whether I use Siri or Alexa commands! Currently looking into what additional connectivity I should include (Home Assistant?)?

Exported devices from homebridge are available to trigger some initial automations ? Like switch state change?

Hi there! I know this is a very late question, but can Homebridge be installed on other NAS devices? We have a QNAP NAS.

Hay Shane another great video, what model of Synology NAS are you running or do you know which models support Homebridge?

Great vid as always Shane! I love that you mentioned the potential security and certifications that come along with Homebridge! Totally fine with people doing what they want, but definitely agree they should walk in with open eyes. Unfortunately, I’m also in the camp where my Synology is too old to run Homebridge. Might be time for an upgrade!

Nice video shane!

Hi Shane Any tips to get a smart life fireplace remote to send status and temp data to HomeKit via homebridge? Device is connected and functions but shows “no response” in home even though control does work. I’d also be interested if you have the correct format to alow cameraffmpg to access a video stream from an old Swann nvr480 ip camera? Thanks! Great vids!

Hope they provide support for DSM 7 soon because it isn’t going away, :-)

This video is way beyond my league. Don’t get me wrong: it’s beautifully made, as usual. But for me, as a beginner, this is of little use. Maybe/hopefully in the (near) future I will need this information.

I have a NAS but I have the most difficulty with the damn thing, it never backs up and I can’t access anything on it when I’m not at home. The files app just won’t retrieve the items in the NAS, I can’t even save to it, it’s so aggravating, I just ordered a HOOB, wish I’d known it would work on the NAS

Hello. Must i have docker installed to install and run homebridge on my Synology?

unfortunately i dont think it runs on the new dsm 7.0 :(

Hey, do you have something for Homebridge and DSM 7.0? Thanks.

Does it work with DSM 7. We need a update for DSM 7.

I'm seriously contemplating using a mac mini (m1) for Homebridge and a plex server. I'm currently using a Starling Home Hub.

Great content as usual ! I was wondering : the topic here is about Homebridge alone, without Hoobs. A few years ago you made a previous video about Hoobs. Is there actually any reason "not" to use Hoobs with Homebridge ? Does it bring any kind of limitation ? Since both can be flashed (Homebridge or Hoobs) for free on a Rasp-pi, I guess it is not about price ? I am seriously considering getting a Ras-Pi-4 with Hoobs (or not ?) to monitor and hopefully regulate Atlantic radiators through the Atlantic smarthome system (Cozytouch) that is not natively supported through Homekit. Keep going !

thanks for this video! I wish I could use homebridge but I don’t own a computer. Strictly iPad and iPhone for internet devices. Hoobs might be my only option?

As somebody wanting to jump into the smart home devices I find this world extremely confusing. I mean, I already bought a couple of ikea switches and lamps because I saw they can work with or without a hub so I could start simple and after being happy with it wanted to get some more ikea devices but they have nothing available right now, so trying to see how could I mix brands and devices I ended up in your channel and I don’t see the light yet. I found the Aqara brand thanks to your videos to be a very interesting brand but I’m not sure yet if I can mix an Aqara hub with ikea bulbs or not, or how. I find this market is yet very confusing and complex. Maybe I should wait until the new protocol you mention in another video starts to see the light (pun intended).

Do you think I’ll be able to implement all this through a Linux virtual machine within my windows pc? How well would that work?

how to install on dsm 7.0 ?

Would this work on a QNAP as well?

Shane - love your videos mate! Great content and really informative. I was completely on the Alexa platforms because it was just a cheaper platform but in the process of switching to all homekit. Looking into homebride and was just wondering have you tried installing this on your Mac before the synology? Have any issues? Have my iMac on all the time so will be perfect rather than having to get a raspberry pi.

Can I pass my homekit smart plugs through Homebridge, so my Iphone does not have to act as a hub and I can still control my smart plugs with harmony remote for example when my iphone's wifi is off?

Does anyone know where the plugins are on the Synology get installed. Need to try and get the blid and password for roomba

Hi Shane, this is Holland 🇱🇺. I like your video’s! Can I run Homebridge or Home Assisant from a DS120j? If not which one do you recomend? I don’t use much devices yet..😃

I just bought a Samsung fridge with the built in speaker and tablet, any idea if this will allow me to use sort of an AirPlay 2 kinda effect with the speaker on the fridge? This is my only accessory that doesn’t work with HomeKit haha

Do you recommend Homebridge or HOOBS? Have you found some differences that made you use just one of them on regular basis?

If I buy a raspi do I need to buy a computer screen or can I hook up to the pi and then use a app to see what I’m installing?