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Just saw an ELI5 on SmartHomeHarmony Systems interoperability and it got me thinking. Beyond just "does it work with Alexa/google," it's really about how well different devices and protocols understand each other. A basic example is a zigbee lightbulb responding to a command sent from a Wi-Fi hub. The hub has to translate, and the bulb has to interpret accurately. That translation can be where things get clunky.
The ELI5 mentioned consistent data representation as key. What's even more interesting is how that impacts automation. If my door sensor reports "open" in one way, and my thermostat interprets it as "heating is unnecessary," that's smooth sailing. But if there's a mismatch, the whole routine crumbles.
Anyone have experiences where seemingly compatible devices acted unpredictably due to poor interoperability? I'm curious if people have found specific hubs or interfaces that consistently handle translations more effectively than others. I'm also wondering what the future of interoperability looks like. Will Matter truly be the solution, or are we destined for more protocol fragmentation?