The new home automation standard is already a reality, with many products already compatible, and others on the start ramp to be launched on the market. What about your current products? Should I buy a new plant? All the answers here.
No more looking at the labels of the products you buy to add them to your home automation system. Matter has arrived to make all light bulbs, sockets, switches and other home automation accessories work on any platform. If you have an iPhone and your wife has an Android, you can use one of two systems to control the lights at home. If you have a HomePod in the living room and an Echo in the kitchen, you can issue commands to either. That’s great news, but for those of us who already have a fair number of home automation accessories in our homes, what about these? Should we start from scratch? Not at all, most likely whatever you have can continue to be used with Matter without issue.
Drivers for Matter and Thread Border Router
To use Matter, the first thing you need is a controller. It’s what HomeKit users now call “Accessory Central.” it is the heart of your home automation network which controls automation, remote access and connects your devices to the internet (if necessary). Each of the rigs you want to use will need its own controllerie if you want to use HomeKit you will need a compatible controller (HomePod, Apple TV etc), if you want to use Alexa you will need an Amazon Echo etc. With a HomePod you won’t be able to use Alexa, or with an Echo you won’t be able to use Siri, that’s not how Matter works.
Matter works over WiFi, Ethernet and Thread. The latter is the least known connection at the moment, but it will be one of the most used due to its low energy consumption, rapid response and great coverage thanks to the interconnection between devices. . The Thread connection allows the accessories to be connected between if they are compatible with the Controller, as well as if they have a bombilla with the Controller not being passed, so they can be connected to a connection that has a medium path, also compatible with Thread, and they are compatible until.
There are controllers that are also thread edge routers, i.e. Thread-enabled devices can connect to it and you don’t need anything else. But there are other drivers that are not, but that does not mean that they do not work with Matter, it will be enough to add a Thread Border Router so that everything works perfectly.
- Controllers:
- HomePod 1st Generation
- WiFi Apple TV 4K 2022
- Controllers + Thread Edge Router:
- HomePod Mini
- HomePod 2nd Generation
- Apple TV 4K 2022 Wi-Fi + Ethernet
- Apple TV 4K 2021
If you thought your old HomePod wouldn’t work with Matter, you’d be wrong., all you have to do is add a Thread Border Router to your home automation setup, which can be any accessory that supports it, like one of the Nanoleaf light panels (Canvas, Shapes, Elements, or Lines). this router will take care of connecting via Wifi to your controller, and Thread-compatible accessories will be connected to the router, and everything will work perfectly.
Nanoleaf Lines
Accessories compatible with Matter
Most home automation manufacturers are betting big on Matter with the first products hitting the market in the coming weeks. It’s more, We already have products fully compatible with Matter, although few at the momentBut what about all the accessories we already have? Most of them will be updated over the next few weeks to be compatible.
At the moment, no lights are already compatible with Matter, but many updates have already been announced that will make current lights compatible. Nanoleaf was one of the hottest companies in this category announcing that its entire range of light panels (Lines, Shapes, Elements and Canvas) will be updated shortly, and as I said before, they will also serve as a Border Router. Another of our favorite brands, Twinkly, is also going to update its lights. It’s about what we already have in the market, because there are a lot of things coming that will already be compatible from the moment we take them out of the box. The same happens with sockets, switches, sensors… new products will be released but the ones we already have will be updated to be compatible.
Bridges to be modernized towards Matter
There are many other accessories that cannot be updated because their hardware does not allow it, such as many Philips or Aqara accessories. Don’t worry because this has a solution too. Just like Philips bulbs, you use them via their own bridge (Hue Bridge) or Aqara accessories using their multiple “Hubs”, with Matter it will be these bridges and hubs that will be updated to be compatibleand in this way the accessories that connect to it will also be.
almost no one is left behind
In a technological world where we are accustomed to being dumped at the first opportunity, it is strange to believe that Matter can be as good as we are told. Everyone will work with everyone, new and old. Although it seems incredible, it’s a reality and it’s already there.
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