We recently took a look at the new Netatmo Smart AC Controller, a pretty simple device that allows you to control your air conditioning system from anywhere, even if it doesn’t have WiFi or smart home integration. The Smart AC Controller connects to the WiFi itself and then relays any IR controls to the AC unit. Our full review of this device is coming soon, but this is a look at how the device works and how to get it setup with Apple HomeKit.
First of all, the device was launched pretty recently and is only on sale via Netatmo directly. It costs £99.00 in the UK and works with Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa and Google Home.
Note: This is a first impressions, full review coming soon.
What comes in the box?
I’m from the UK and wasn’t too impressed to find that Netatmo hasn’t included a UK adaptor, instead only an EU one. However, it does use microUSB for power and I have plenty of those. In the box is the AC Controller and then a EU power adaptor with included cable, which is permanently attached to the power socket.
How to setup with HomeKit
The setup process is super easy, simply scan the QR code on the base of the device and use the Home + Control app to setup the device and make sure it can read the commands to and from the AC unit. See our video for a more complete demonstration. However, once it is adopted to HomeKit, the Netatmo app isn’t required much.
Tech Specs
Netatmo has their own dedicated app, called Home + Control and this app can be used to control other Legrand and Netatmo accessories. The device connects to 2.4GHz WiFi only and is “compatible with all AC models and air-to-air heat pumps that use an infrared remote control with a screen that displays all its settings.”
For compatibility, the device works with pretty much any AC device, so long as it supports an IR remote control with all of the settings on the remote itself. You can check with Netatmo to see if your AC device will work.
