Lutron adds support for Alexa and Sonos

[ControlFreak]

This was out a few months ago, but I just noticed.

This is for HWQS software, but similar additions have been made in Beta for RadioRA2 software.

From latest release notes.

New Features Version 10.4 (BETA) – September 9th 2016
Sonos Support: Systems with the [Lutron] Connect Bridge and Connect App can program buttons in their system to control Sonos devices in their home.

New Features Version 10.6 (BETA) – October 29th 2016
(note that version 10.5 was skipped)
Support for Alexa voice control: You can now link voice commands to buttons on existing physical and virtual keypads in your database from the Lutron Connect App. This feature works for Single Action and Toggle Buttons. This feature does not work with phantom keypads or dynamic keypads.

[dgage]

You'll need the Lutron Connect Bridge for RadioRa2/HW (CONNECT-BDG-1), which Prolighting has the best price I could find. Be careful as the Bridge for Caseta has a -2 at the end and I've also seen it called Pro for whatever reason and those won't work with RadioRa2. I'm ordering mine and plan to set it up so I can setup Alexa native lighting control. Also have the Harmony Hub to do native TV control as well. Best Buy has the Hub on sale for $50 though some wait until the remote and Hub are on sale near $70.

Edit - At least for RadioRa2, you won't need the bridge if going through CQC via Alexa. For me, I'm going to implement native lighting control directly with Alexa, which does require the bridge.

[dgage]

I ran across this on AVSForum and thought I'd share some of the limitations of the Lutron Bridge here. Makes me want to save money and another network opening to just use CQC, a little more complex but better functionality.

I have added an Alexa and Echo Dots to my home. Unless I am missing something, the only thing it will do is scenes. It does not enable control of individual devices, at least yet. It also won't allow certain scenes with words like Off and On in them, so I am not able to use my All Off scenes (without renaming them). I'm sure there may be work arounds for all of these limitations like creating phantom scenes but I will have to wait for the Christmas break before I'll have time to explore further. As a plug a play device, it's pretty limited currently in terms of what it will do.