+Kat R, +Thomas Burgi and +Nenad Maksić - your comment are gone. Looks like once again bug with YT comments. Would love to read but, just can see notification and not the comment!
No comment - really no comment - +Kat R, thank you for your time and effort of re-posting - but it's gone again. This is so frustrating and people could think I delete comments while in my whole life I haven't deleted single one - good or bad. I apologise for this.
Thanks for the video. One question tough. You are talking about the HA companion app and using the device trackers of it. I installed the app on my iPhone and the Samsung of my wife but I can't seem to get information of my wife's location. Therefore I can't switch the heating on/off. I checked all preferences and it should work. Also excluding it from the data saver mode from samsung didn't work unfortunally.
Yes, HA companion app is great if properly configured - both in App and on Phone. I have on 3 Android phones and one iPhone. With Android I don't have any problem. App needs to be enabled to run in background, have access to location all the time, use high-precision setting for location, and of course have Internet connection enabled.
@07:25 - I use the Unifi integration. Just remember that you can speed up the process of the device connecting to the Wifi just by waking your phone when you arrive near your door. I always press the power button on my phone so it wakes and automatically searches for the Wifi. You can do without this but it can just takes a little longer as your phone might be in power save and only searches for wifi every so often.
Thanks for the tip. I'm using UniFi integration to check if devices are live or not (battery powered devices). And since range is good, phones get picked up usually in time, but I'm not using that for presence detection, at least for now.
For the HA app as a device tracker, for the zones to update, you need to expose your HA server to the internet, which is not ideal, otherwise the location won’t update as there is not a valid connection between the app and the HA server while you are away from home. That is my case at least as I don’t want to expose my HA server directly to the internet .
@@BeardedTinker I have vpn. The issue is that you have to turn it on and off every time you leave the house, so not practical. Only solution for now is a HomeKit automation with input Boolean. But just for home/not home usages, not for zones and location
If you have integration from your router, you can create an automation to turn Remote Access (for Nebu Casa) on or off based on whether your phone is on the network or off.
Thanks for the comment! I haven't ignored this, just needed some time to think on best way to do it. For Car, you can use TracCar - it's service that integrates in Home Assistant (there is even a AdOn server I think for it in HA if you are more into privacy) and it works with ton of trackers - from expensive ones to cheap(er) Chinese. www.traccar.org/devices/ And as for the kids now this is fun part. Really couldn't find anything simple. Most things there are are smart watches that have SIM card with GPS tracking, such as kidssmartgpswatch.com/products/gps-kid-tracker-smart-wristwatch But integration here can also be problem... You can also try using Tile, but for it to get position, someone in vicinity of the kid has to have app installed, so it depends on how many people around you use Tile. For my area we have around 100-120 people active with it so, it can, but doesn't have to be accurate.
Thank you for this great video, and all the videos you share with us. Can you please show us how to install google map on home assistant, I know you left a link for integration google map on home assistant, but I'm new here and it's easier for me with video tutorial and steps. Thank you a lot
My kids all have already phone, so using that. I was looking at some of the options to embed in school bag previously, but decided against it. That's the biggest issue... The only other option is something like Tile or similar device where they piggy-back on other people phones (if they have the app).
Is there a way to pull the location from the companion app? So that I can have a button to update the location (which would send a command to the specific (or all) companion apps to get the location at this moment)?
Will have to test it but I don't think there is. App should constantly update on the location it it's running in the background. And if not, Home Assistant also can't request any data.
BTW check this here - documentation on how to do it companion.home-assistant.io/docs/notifications/notification-commands?_highlight=location#request-location-updates
No, I haven't but have seen example on the net...There are also few threads in Home Assistant community forum on that one - for example this one: community.home-assistant.io/t/grafana-location-map-split-lat-lon-string-from-geocoded-location/194823
Not sure on that one. Its really a pain, BUT there is also currently a bug where new users that haven't set this up previously can't add it. Until this is fixed (Google changed something) it's impossible to export cookie.
@@BeardedTinker Thaks for the video. I want to ask for a video about HA configuration on internal trackers. I'm a beginner in HA. I'll be very glad if you do that.
That's good idea. I haven't bothered to look into that, but it should be excellent solution. Again, HA companion app should be easier to setup, but this can be a "fail safe" for when it fails to update. Should only need to test it with iPhone, to see if it also stops working after some time.
Iphones are a problem, I have trackers on family via the HA app, but I can not trust that they are "on" the app. Trying to track them a number of ways through wifi, both nmap_tracker and Unify wifi integration, the issue here is that when the person is not actively using wifi, Iphone turns off wifi. Android don't have this problem. I don't care where they are, just if they are home or not, I have a lot of automatons depending on it. For example, my robot vacuum cleaner is supposed to start when the last person leaves the house, but my wife and my kind might leave the house 15 in an hour according to Iphone wifi. Any tips?
+Kat R, +Thomas Burgi and +Nenad Maksić - your comment are gone. Looks like once again bug with YT comments. Would love to read but, just can see notification and not the comment!
No comment - really no comment - +Kat R, thank you for your time and effort of re-posting - but it's gone again. This is so frustrating and people could think I delete comments while in my whole life I haven't deleted single one - good or bad. I apologise for this.
To add on this - I've opened support ticket with YT and hopefully something will be done.
4 comments on this video alone have vanished.
Thanks, B.T. A very useful background to all the options and a potential way forward. Good to see the link up with Slacker Labs. Merry Christmas.
Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the comment and Merry Christmas!!!!
I see a future video of a DIY zigbee presence device for the dog collar.... Awesome overview!
That would be fun one to do!!! 😉 Thank you - and this one was inspired by you!!!
Thanks for the video. One question tough.
You are talking about the HA companion app and using the device trackers of it. I installed the app on my iPhone and the Samsung of my wife but I can't seem to get information of my wife's location. Therefore I can't switch the heating on/off. I checked all preferences and it should work. Also excluding it from the data saver mode from samsung didn't work unfortunally.
Yes, HA companion app is great if properly configured - both in App and on Phone.
I have on 3 Android phones and one iPhone. With Android I don't have any problem. App needs to be enabled to run in background, have access to location all the time, use high-precision setting for location, and of course have Internet connection enabled.
@07:25 - I use the Unifi integration. Just remember that you can speed up the process of the device connecting to the Wifi just by waking your phone when you arrive near your door. I always press the power button on my phone so it wakes and automatically searches for the Wifi. You can do without this but it can just takes a little longer as your phone might be in power save and only searches for wifi every so often.
Thanks for the tip. I'm using UniFi integration to check if devices are live or not (battery powered devices). And since range is good, phones get picked up usually in time, but I'm not using that for presence detection, at least for now.
Thanks B.T. I would like to see a video on the MQTT Device Tracker.
Noted! Coming soon! Have to think of good case for this one.
Great video! Very useful and articulated! All the best in 2022 and kepp up the good work!
Andrej, Thank you very much and also all the best in New Year!
For the HA app as a device tracker, for the zones to update, you need to expose your HA server to the internet, which is not ideal, otherwise the location won’t update as there is not a valid connection between the app and the HA server while you are away from home. That is my case at least as I don’t want to expose my HA server directly to the internet .
But you don't have to? For that specific case, where you don't want to open up ports or have access from Internet, you can get Nabu Casa.
I have donated to HA in the past, I am not into subscription model yet ..
@@Felipe-ij2lu than there is VPN... But you'll have to open port for that 😂
Also, there is Cloudflare that you can use to hide your public IP
@@BeardedTinker I have vpn. The issue is that you have to turn it on and off every time you leave the house, so not practical. Only solution for now is a HomeKit automation with input Boolean. But just for home/not home usages, not for zones and location
If you have integration from your router, you can create an automation to turn Remote Access (for Nebu Casa) on or off based on whether your phone is on the network or off.
Thanks for great video - what should i do if i have small children without phones yet or i just want to know where my car is?
Thanks for the comment! I haven't ignored this, just needed some time to think on best way to do it. For Car, you can use TracCar - it's service that integrates in Home Assistant (there is even a AdOn server I think for it in HA if you are more into privacy) and it works with ton of trackers - from expensive ones to cheap(er) Chinese. www.traccar.org/devices/
And as for the kids now this is fun part. Really couldn't find anything simple.
Most things there are are smart watches that have SIM card with GPS tracking, such as kidssmartgpswatch.com/products/gps-kid-tracker-smart-wristwatch But integration here can also be problem...
You can also try using Tile, but for it to get position, someone in vicinity of the kid has to have app installed, so it depends on how many people around you use Tile. For my area we have around 100-120 people active with it so, it can, but doesn't have to be accurate.
@@BeardedTinker Thanks again :) I will test some solutions that you propose (maybe without that one for kids ;)
Thank you for this great video, and all the videos you share with us. Can you please show us how to install google map on home assistant, I know you left a link for integration google map on home assistant, but I'm new here and it's easier for me with video tutorial and steps. Thank you a lot
Thanks for the video, for kids who does not have phone yet, which device are you using?
My kids all have already phone, so using that. I was looking at some of the options to embed in school bag previously, but decided against it.
That's the biggest issue... The only other option is something like Tile or similar device where they piggy-back on other people phones (if they have the app).
Is there a way to pull the location from the companion app?
So that I can have a button to update the location (which would send a command to the specific (or all) companion apps to get the location at this moment)?
Will have to test it but I don't think there is. App should constantly update on the location it it's running in the background. And if not, Home Assistant also can't request any data.
BTW check this here - documentation on how to do it
companion.home-assistant.io/docs/notifications/notification-commands?_highlight=location#request-location-updates
@@BeardedTinker That's something to try. Thank you!
Have you ever used the tracking data in Grafana?
No, I haven't but have seen example on the net...There are also few threads in Home Assistant community forum on that one - for example this one: community.home-assistant.io/t/grafana-location-map-split-lat-lon-string-from-geocoded-location/194823
Can you please make a video where you setup google_maps. Integration from start to end. You are the best i know in UA-cam to make useful video's 😊
Not sure on that one. Its really a pain, BUT there is also currently a bug where new users that haven't set this up previously can't add it.
Until this is fixed (Google changed something) it's impossible to export cookie.
@@BeardedTinker thank you for the answer🙏
Can I setup so when lets say my smarttag2 is at my Door, my home alarm will turn off?
Yes, of course. I don't do it with alarm, but with my heating, but it's more or less same thing.
How do I add my smarttag2 to home assistance?
why don't you give an example (coding) in Ha?
For what part exactly? Each tracker could be separate video - if you have suggestion on what to record, I'll do it. ;)
@@BeardedTinker Thaks for the video. I want to ask for a video about HA configuration on internal trackers. I'm a beginner in HA. I'll be very glad if you do that.
Thanks for video! I'm using now similar app. Umobix phone tracker, very very good for my child)
That's great! Looks good and with resonable privacy policy!
May I know how did you combine both DL and UL in 1 graph like this? 07:02
That's HACS mini-graph-card and you can have multiple entities on one graph.
@@BeardedTinkerthanks and yeah just found out last night after my comment although still struggling learning about using it.
Thank you for your interesting video. Have you thought of having a Traccar server running locally and then have everyone using a Traccar client?
That's good idea. I haven't bothered to look into that, but it should be excellent solution.
Again, HA companion app should be easier to setup, but this can be a "fail safe" for when it fails to update.
Should only need to test it with iPhone, to see if it also stops working after some time.
Doesn't home assistant have it's own offline map and tracking, I or does that rely on Google?
It's using Open Street maps for maps, but it's not locally installed.
@@BeardedTinker nice one
Iphones are a problem, I have trackers on family via the HA app, but I can not trust that they are "on" the app. Trying to track them a number of ways through wifi, both nmap_tracker and Unify wifi integration, the issue here is that when the person is not actively using wifi, Iphone turns off wifi. Android don't have this problem. I don't care where they are, just if they are home or not, I have a lot of automatons depending on it. For example, my robot vacuum cleaner is supposed to start when the last person leaves the house, but my wife and my kind might leave the house 15 in an hour according to Iphone wifi. Any tips?
Sorry to say, but no. I'm still fighting with that one and only device. Probably will add additional tracker device to keychain or something similar.
@@BeardedTinker Please let me know if you solved it :-) I have quite some more ideas for automation based on people being home or not.
oo pa jel ste to Vi iz hrvatske? i ja sam 😁super video i kanal
Pozdrav Karlo - da, da - iz ZG sam :) Hvala puno!!!!
Well stated!
Thank you!!!! 😊
I don't like that the dog doesn't have a phone 😒
He was loosing it constantly... :D
@@BeardedTinker 😂
nothing usefull
That's awesome! Than you probably are using something better that you can share with us - and that's the point of community!