The Wink home automation thread

[atyoyo]

Four out of my five GE-link bulbs are on a circuit controlled by a dimmer switch. I had some problem pairing some of them. The only issue I've noticed is that when I dim them(via Wink), I see a noticeable flicker.

So it worked for you, interesting. I have a Lutron in-wall dimmer, not sure the model but no remote control ability. I wish there were some way to get basic on/off functionality working with these GE bulbs as all my lights are on dimmers except for one.

 

[atyoyo]

One more thing, if these bulbs are not meant to be used with in-wall dimmers why is that not stated anywhere on the package/instructions?

 

[BillinGlendale]

So it worked for you, interesting. I have a Lutron in-wall dimmer, not sure the model but no remote control ability. I wish there were some way to get basic on/off functionality working with these GE bulbs as all my lights are on dimmers except for one.

I just turned the dimmer switch to max, seemed to work. One of the reasons I never used the built in lights here, and used floor lamps; I reconfigured the living space and the switches are now in another room behind a toaster oven.

 

[brinkbart]

I'm loving the latest app update (today - 12/18) - you can add shortcuts from the Wink app as a widget.

Yeah, great, except if your shortcut names suffer from any sort of descriptive phraseology—that is to say, more than ten characters in length—you can forget about it.

Pardon my French, but look how fucking stupid this is:

(By the way, the rest of it is: dim, half, full)

Another half-baked feature. Who signs off on this stuff without testing all possibilities? Where are these beta testers? Were they shown this feature before release? Did they get a say? Because I know someone noticed this. I dont believe for a second I'm the only idiot naming my shortcuts like this..

 

[lsd]

The trippers are not out yet and I don't think the app has been updated to allow them. I have a Lowes sensor I've been waiting to try but I have a feeling all the zigbee stuff is whitelisted.

Tried the lowes sensor and it doesn't connect. Oh well.

 

[MjnMixael]

Yeah, great, except if your shortcut names suffer from any sort of descriptive phraseology—that is to say, more than ten characters in length—you can forget about it.

Pardon my French, but look how fucking stupid this is:

(By the way, the rest of it is: dim, half, full)

Another half-baked feature. Who signs off on this stuff without testing all possibilities? Where are these beta testers? Were they shown this feature before release? Did they get a say? Because I know someone noticed this. I dont believe for a second I'm the only idiot naming my shortcuts like this..

Oh come on... I.. whatever. That one's on you dude. How else should they do the naming on a widgets screen? (The character limit of which is likely partially tied to iOS.)

 

[brinkbart]

How else should they do the naming on a widgets screen? (The character limit of which is likely partially tied to iOS.)

I think they should have done two lines of text. Suggesting there is a hard character limit imposed by iOS is ludicrous. Widgets can contain any information the programmers desire. This simply wasn't tested properly.

This is a recent app update; users have had their shortcuts named for MONTHS. Now, what, we all have to go rename our shortcuts if we want to use the Widget feature?

And yes, I did rename my shortcuts. It wasn't hard. I know it sounds like I'm complaining, but I am not. It's just exasperation, that's all. This can be soooo great! I'm just getting discouraged, that's all.

EDIT: Snark removal.

 

[tsupersonic]

I think they should have done two lines of text. Suggesting there is a hard character limit imposed by iOS is ludicrous. Widgets can contain any information the programmers desire. This simply wasn't tested properly.

This is a recent app update; users have had their shortcuts named for MONTHS. Now, what, we all have to go rename our shortcuts if we want to use the Widget feature?

And yes, I did rename my shortcuts. It wasn't hard. I know it sounds like I'm complaining, but I am not. It's just exasperation, that's all. This can be soooo great! I'm just getting discouraged, that's all.

I see though, that I've touched a nerve. Aren't you a beta tester?

I think what would be cool to supplement the shortcut names would be a meaningful icon - so you would have icons that show a light bulb that is off, on, or dim.

 

[sethburnett]

I ordered 8 trippers and they arrived late last week. The app got updated on Thursday to add support. But so far I've tried connecting two of them to the hub/app and they can't seem to find each other. And so far nothing more than an automated reply from wink about my support ticket.

Anyone know if their phone support is better? Anyone else able to add the sensors to their setup?

 

[Tech_Greek]

Hub update just dropped today, a push notification of that would have been nice.

Seth, I would use Twitter to contact them personally as it seems to be the fastest response time during the workday - after hours, phone.

 

[sethburnett]

So iOS app is at 2.3.0.21 and hub at 00.47, right? Btw never got a push for the hub update...weird.

I just tweeted at them. Hopefully hear something soon.

 

[Tech_Greek]

My hubs at 0.33 at the moment. Still updating. :/

 

[mcrimm]

Mine just updated to .47. Hopefully the bugs are getting fixed. I'd like to see consistency in commands and robots.
Mike

 

[Tech_Greek]

Awesome. Still updating. I have a feeling it just deaded itself.

 

[Tech_Greek]

Disregard. Apparently I had one too many drinks last night and changed my wireless password and forgot. I think I have a problem! Lol

 

[RossMAN]

Remind me how do I know what version our hub is using and if an update is available?

 

[lsd]

For hub firmware press the hub, then the dots on the upper right, then hub under hub units.
I think if a update is available a button shows up at the bottom of the first hub page.

 

[CAL7]

My hub downloads the update (flashing red LED) but then hangs installing the update (solid red LED). The instructions say the install should take < 5 minutes, but mine is installing for 30 minutes and counting.

 

[nyvram]

I'm so frustrated. WINK doesn't provide the option to schedule the deadbolt to lock at a certain time each day and so I share on the quirky forums how I worked around the issue using the lights as a trigger and suddenly the app is updated and you can can no longer see the lights or anything else in the robots as a trigger for something else.

Why??

At least they didn't delete my existing robot so it still works but I don't get it. Why did they remove these devices from the robot??

Surely something as useful as checking for unlocked doors and open garages on a schedule and automatically closing and locking them is the most common thing people want to do.

I don't know if they're fighting with chamberlain or just intentionally leaving out garage door functionality so their garage device when it ships in January is more attractive but this really seems like they are deliberately making those devices less useful and I'm starting to lose faith it's just a software defect.

 

[nyvram]

Proof it worked before

 

[ramblinwreck001]

My hub downloads the update (flashing red LED) but then hangs installing the update (solid red LED). The instructions say the install should take < 5 minutes, but mine is installing for 30 minutes and counting.

I had exactly the same issue. It finally worked for me last night. The only thing that changed between previously failing to update, and then being successful last night are:

• 
  newer version of mobile app (now using 2.3.0.21 on iOS)

• 
  moved the Hub further away from my wireless router (was previously within a few feet -- I've seen reports of this being an issue, although all other hub functions worked correctly despite the previous placement)

I don't know if if was chance or one of the above items, but I successfully upgraded to 00.47. I started it before I went to bed last night, and it was up and running with the new version this morning.

The FW update process is definitely buggy.

 

[RossMAN]

For hub firmware press the hub, then the dots on the upper right, then hub under hub units.
I think if a update is available a button shows up at the bottom of the first hub page.

I'm tempted to but our Wink hub has actually been reliable for the past ~2 months.

What if it throws a virtual monkey wrench and goes haywire on me?

 

[ieee_raider]

My hub downloads the update (flashing red LED) but then hangs installing the update (solid red LED). The instructions say the install should take < 5 minutes, but mine is installing for 30 minutes and counting.

I had to reboot twice then the third time it took.
On the third, it rebooted itself twice in the process and came up solid blue.

 

[ef141]

I had to reboot twice then the third time it took.
On the third, it rebooted itself twice in the process and came up solid blue.

mine took ~20 MIN.......

 

[Tech_Greek]

I hit the button a few times, then got annoyed and just gave up for the night. Woke up and it was updated. It was going through a rainbow spectrum of LED lights with no explanation as to what each light means...another fail on their part. I shouldn't have to google this information.