Anyone experienced with controlling native HomeKit devices (not emulating HK Devices) via node-red

General
1

Hello,

I'm trying to control native HomeKit Devices with node-red with the node-red-hap-controller.

Just to clarify my case I'm not trying to emulate HomeKit devices to bring them to the home app - for that use case I'm using Homekit Bridged

My Question is affecting the opposite case - pairing native HomeKit Devices with node-red and controlling them.
Pairing of the Devices via HomeKit Code is done - but I've no clue how to control the devices with payloads. The GitHub site isn't delivering examples so I'm a bit lost and confused (I know it's beta).

Ive openend an issue on the GitHub site with that question, but it seems that there's no reaction concerning other open issues that are more than 2 years old.

Maybe someone has a hint or is experienced with that node or has a alternative approach to control native HomeKit devices via node-red.

2

Hi @mac89muc

I would recommend using some other API offered by those devices.
With that said however, this node you're using, is using the below Library.

So look at the examples, and it may lead you to the correct payloads,

Look at the section Get/Set Characteristics

3

As far as i know, you cannot control 'native' homekit devices, because they are not being exposed to a public/homekit API, which is why you need something in between that allows for this control, ie. homebridge, homeassistant, a hap controller. The devices are 'created' on those proxy programs, which in turn you can control, because they are publicly exposed.

In homebridge there is a dummy switch that can be used as a 'conduit' to trigger native devices for this reason (if dummy is on then turn native device on)

I use homebridge-mqtt which is a homebridge plugin and i can create devices on the fly using mqtt.
I don't think the node-red hap controller plugin is fully functional to actually 'pair' a native device, that would quite a task. looks like they have implemented the pairing. checking the code a bit more.

4

Disclaimer, I own zero apple kit and know almost nothing about apple devices or the ecosystem but I am fairly certain that matter can be used for integration.

You could try using node-red-matter-controller (node) - Node-RED

5

Many homekit devices don't support matter/thread, it is getting better with newer devices, but older devices don't.