There are a wide variety of solutions for operating a “smart home”. Most people probably rely on wireless solutions such as Hue and Co, because they can be easily retrofitted and therefore do not pose any problems when operating in rental properties. A wired solution is more reliable, as is the case with the Internet connection. They are more likely to be found in new buildings. The KNX bus system is widespread and also not unknown: the Smart-Home-System Loxone, the Austrian manufacturer of the same name. Opinions often differ when it comes to use, but Loxone also offers an interface to the KNX standard. By the way: Loxone took over the German speaker manufacturer Quadral in 2020 to implement audio solutions.
While a Raspberry Pi (with Home Assistant, iOBroker & Co) often serves as the center and “brain” of the smart home for “handicraft solutions”, Loxone also uses a mini server. That has now received official certification for Apple’s HomeKit, what henceforth the voice control of the Loxone Smart Home by the voice assistant Siri is also permitted.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNfU6dRCdi0
According to Loxone, this makes it the first manufacturer of professionally installed automation solutions with native HomeKit support, although some KNX gateways can also communicate with HomeKit. A second-generation Miniserver and Config version 12.2.12.1 or higher are required for HomeKit support with Loxone.
Setting up or connecting to HomeKit is very easy. This requires full local access to the Miniserver. Internet access is required for the setup process. The new menu item “Apple HomeKit” can now be found in the settings. This guides you through the setup step by step and spits out the required HomeKit setup code or QR code, among other things. The setup in the Apple Home app takes place as usual. During the setup process, you can also choose which functions of the created Loxone users HomeKit should be made available to. Finally, you have the choice of which devices you want to transfer to the home app and control from there.
Once set up, Loxone passes various devices and scenarios to HomeKit. These include lights, windows, gates, the room ventilation control, various switches and audio players as well as scenes defined in the Loxone app.
The following blocks or functions are supported:
- mood lighting scenes
- Automatic blinds, automatic blinds integrated and roof window shading
- room ventilation control
- skylight
- Tor
- Intelligent room control
- Audio Player (On/Off Only)
- Switch
- Staircase light and comfort switch
- virtual input as a switch
- Scenes defined in the Loxone App
Various control commands can then be issued using Siri:
“Hey Siri… fan at 50%”
“Hey Siri… light Cozy on”
“Hey Siri… espresso machine on”
“Hey Siri… close the living room blinds”
“Hey Siri… Office lights off”
“Hey Siri… skylight open”
“Hey Siri… living room “cinema mode” on”
“Hey Siri… kitchen music on”
When it comes to data security, HomeKit and the Miniserver communicate in the local network. Remote access via HomeKit is also possible via a HomePod, an iPad set up as a control center or an Apple TV.
In addition: Loxone building blocks can now also be used in Apple’s shortcuts app for further automation.
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