Using New Aqara FP1 presence sensor with good results

[ano]

Its not sold in the US but AliExpress will send it to you for about $50. Bought one and have 3 more on the way. So these sensors are about the size of a deck of cards, and they plug into a USB power supply. They are Zigbee, and will pair with a Zigbee hub, but they are made to pair with the Aqara Hub like the M2. So once paired with the Aqara hub, the hub is claimed to pair with Amazon Alexa and Apple Homekit. I have gotten it to work with Homekit, but NOT Amazon, and I do have the Amazon Aqara Skill installed. f you pair the sensor with a Zigbee hub, you CAN'T control the settings on the sensor, like sensitivity. To control the settings you must have the Aqara Hub and the Aqara app. on your phone.

So, what is this sensor? It uses a low power microwave sensor, to detect people, as apposed to a passive IR sensor that detects motion. So it covers an area of 120degrees about 5 meters out (15 feet). It takes maybe 10 seconds to activate and maybe another 10 seconds to clear. BUT its very good and does not shut off even if you don't move. I have mine in my bedroom and its been very reliable. No untrips all night.

Aqara just announced the FP2, but it is NOT Zigbee, so not sure how it connects or the price.

If you really want to turn on and off lights when you enter of leave a room, use an IR sensor to turn on lights for speed, then use the Aqara sensor to control the turn off for reliability.

 

[Frunple]

f you pair the sensor with a Zigbee hub, you CAN'T control the settings on the sensor, like sensitivity. To control the settings you must have the Aqara Hub and the Aqara app. on your phone.

That would depend on the Zigbee hub you used and if that device is supported by it.
New devices can be added to the hub by the developer.

 

[ano]

So I researched it more. And apparently its complicated. With Zigbee now, any Zigbee device can be paired with any Zigbee hub, at least it can understand on and off. But it seems Aqara (a Chinese company) doesn't use a fully compliant Zigbee protocol when it comes to passing signals in a Zigbee repeater. So, people say, YES it connects to a Hubitat hub OK, but some brands of Zigbee repeaters get confused by the uncomplient protocol. So have one of these Zigbee repeaters, and it breaks. Use other repeaters and you are OK.

Here is something that explains it better than I:
https://community.hubitat.com/t/xiaomi-aqara-devices-pairing-keeping-them-connected/623

 

[pvrfan]

Aqara just announced the FP2, but it is NOT Zigbee, so not sure how it connects or the price.

Probably Matter over Thread?

Aqara’s Matter transition begins in December with free hub update

Over 40 existing Aqara Zigbee devices will be Matter compatible when attached to the hub.

www.theverge.com

Craig

 

[ano]

This problem existed before Matter. When Matter comes out (it was delayed by Aqara) it will help solve the problem, maybe. Matter is a means for devices to be able to connect to Homekit, Google, Amazon, or others that support Matter. So many devices today support Alexa but not Homekit, or Homekit but not Google, etc. So now (eventually) Matter devices will support all of those. You still may beed a hub if the radio type is not supported.

Thread, is a bit like Zigbee or Z-wave but without the need for a central controller. Its a transmission protocol. And Thread is IP-based, and IPv6 at that. And Thread can work without an Internet connection, or with one. All good right? Not so fast, Thread doesn't support high-bandwidth devices, like cameras, and Matter doesn't either, for that Matter. Get it, Matter?

 

[ano]

Probably Matter over Thread?

Aqara’s Matter transition begins in December with free hub update

Over 40 existing Aqara Zigbee devices will be Matter compatible when attached to the hub.

www.theverge.com

Craig

These PF1 sensors are definitely Zigbee 3.0. Thread and Zigbee use the same radio and frequency (in the US) but Thread takes more resources than Zigbee, so its often the case that Zigbee devices CAN'T be updated to Thread ever, and I think that is the case for the FP1. BUT the Aqara Hub CAN be upgraded to Matter, so an FP1 sensor can connect to an Aqara Hub via Zigbee and talk to Homekit or Alexa via Matter. The new FP2, announced, will be Thread but NOT Zigbee. Sooooo...the FP1 Zigbee sensor NOT fully connecting to Hubitat is not related to Thread or Matter. Apples vs. Oranges.