this post was submitted on 09 Nov 2024
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Matter 1.4 has some solid ideas for the future home—now let’s see the support - Ars Technica (arstechnica.com)
submitted 6 days ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Ugh, I was working on a DIY smart lock. "I'll use Matter!" I naively thought.

Ok you need a border router for Thread support. No problem, I'll buy one. Should be cheap right since an ESP32 can handle it. Nope! You pretty much can't buy a standalone border router. All the articles are "don't worry, you might have one already if you have a Nest Hub or a Home Hub or...". Well I don't have one.

Pretty lame. I guarantee if they make a vendor neutral border router dongle you can just plug into your router's ethernet port and sell it at cost price (like £5) they'll see triple the uptake.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 days ago (1 children)

There's a few cheap dongles about, but they're £20 rather than £5

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Even that's ok. I couldn't find anything at all when I looked about a year ago. Only one model that the Thread people were still recommending despite it being discontinued.

I had another look and still couldn't find anything vendor neutral and cheap. Can you post some links?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 days ago (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 days ago

Any from reputable manufacturers?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 days ago

Freeing home energy gear from vendor lock-in. Matter 1.4 adds some big, expensive gear to its list of device types and control powers, and not a moment too soon. Solar inverters and arrays, battery storage systems, heat pumps, and water heaters join the list.

Yeah I seriously doubt solar inverter providers will sign up to this. Here's what QCells said when I asked them about an API:

I’m sure it is possible and we’re in discussions with some providers over opening up to their requirements, but it’s not something we’d offer to individuals unfortunately.

They view control of their "virtual power plants" as a commercial asset and they don't want to give it away for free.

Don't buy a QCells solar inverter btw. I should have done more research! I believe GivEnergy are less stuck in the 80s but don't quote me on that.