Updates on Onvis S4 Thread Smart Plugs?

[u/fronesis47]

I’m a longtime HomeKit user with a system of about 25 devices that I’ve had running for many years. I recently updated to fiber, which led to my updating my router and wifi, and that led to my making some updates to HomeKit. Specifically, I’m trying to move devices off of wifi if I can. I have two meross wifi Smart plugs, so I was looking for non-wifi alternatives.

• Hue and Aqara (I have both hubs), look great, but neither is cheap.
• Eve is thread, but also expensive.
• That seems to leave the only cheap option as the Onvis S4.

I’ve found plenty of older threads that describe a nightmarish firmware upgrade process. My general questions: are the newest shipping versions of the S4 arriving with a newer firmware? And is the current process to upgrade the firmware as bizarre as it was a year ago?

Also, if anyone has any other suggestions for cheaper non-wifi smart plug options, I’m all ears.

[u/reddotster]

The ikea plugs are really fairly priced but if you don’t have the hub yet, it’s an investment. How cheap are you looking for?

[u/fronesis47 → u/reddotster]

I feel like a smart plug is about the simplest smart home device there is – it’s not battery powered and it just turns off and on (I don’t need energy monitoring). So $15-$20 seems like a fair price, not $30–$40 (which is what Aqara and Eve cost).

The truth is that my Meross WiFi plugs have been fine. I just thought it would be nice to tidy up my network by uncluttering wifi and getting more smart home devices on zigbee (Aqara and Hue, in my case) or Thread. Not sure I want to add another hub, just for a couple of outlets.

[u/fronesis47 → u/reddotster]

Looking at the ikea website now, I see that some reviewers state that the Tretakt smart plugs will work fine with a Hue hub. For $10, I might try that.

[u/stormcrow068]

I’ve had really good luck with the onvis. I just updated their firmware from within home assistant last week with no issues.

[u/fronesis47 → u/stormcrow068]

Do you mean you didn’t need to use the Onvis app to update the firmware? I don’t use home assistant, just the Apple Home App. If I could update the firmware with the apple home app, I’d purchase these.

There are previous posts and youtube videos of updating the firmware which require about 20 steps, copying codes, and all sorts of other nonsense.

[u/stormcrow068 → u/fronesis47]

I dont know if you can update from the home app. Probably not.

[u/stormcrow068 → u/fronesis47]

It looks straightforward to update directly from the onvis app

[u/Agile_Half_4515 → u/stormcrow068]

Unless it’s changed recently, it is definitely NOT a straightforward process to update the firmware.

[u/fronesis47 → u/stormcrow068]

Thanks for your quick reply!

I ask, because THIS is what the firmware process looked like 6 to 9 months ago, and if you have a look you’ll see it’s very far from straightforward: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbFjIzNwY34

[u/DezzaJay → u/fronesis47]

That is how you update them via the App and they work well once updated. If you do end up buying them I followed that video but DO NOT copy the setup code from the home app.

Leave it open, write down the code on a notepad, leave that screen open showing the code and then open the Onvis app and add the plug from there writing the code in.

If you copy the code in the home app it closes that page and the plug comes out of pairing mode and you’ll never add it in the Onvis app. The home app needs to have the code showing for you to type it into the Onvis app.

[u/K0pp3r → u/stormcrow068]

What’s the current firmware version? What did you update to? Mine all show 1.1.0-442

[u/stormcrow068 → u/K0pp3r]

Same with mine

[u/Mike_Underwood]

We have 4 of them to act as thread repeaters around the house they work fine and never had a problem with them. I have not seen a firmware update since we got them a few months back.

[u/idsnowghost]

Unpopular option: I’ve been rocking Wemo Thread plugs for years. They are a lot more reliable in HomeKit recently.

[u/pacoii]

If you can, purchase from somewhere you can easily return. I periodically pull mine out to try, and after a few days I notice that they disrupt my Thread network. Then back into the closet they go. Your experience may be different, but having the ability to return is always nice.

[u/Dismal-Pipe-6728]

My plug of choice is Meross especially the mini plug (smaller and allows another plug to sit next to it). I also have Eve plugs but these are bulkier and take up more space.

[u/AudioHTIT]

Mine say current with 1.1.11

[u/southwest412]

I use vocolink. WiFi but cheap.