OpenGarage-Firmware VS blynk-library

Personally I went with OpenGarage https://opengarage.io/. I have been using OpenGarage for 3+ years now. It has been amazing.

If anyone is lazy, but wants the functionality and insists on open source….check out https://opengarage.io/ ($50) which offers similar functionality. I switched to a MYQ door opener which made the opengarage need obsolete, but I’ve been happy with MYQ - however it does require cloud access.

I switched to opengarage.io - after trying a few garage door automation devices that utilized door sensors.

I recently got some Matter-capable IoT lightbulbs to try, and I am not impressed. They seemed to have all the same problems I've experienced with previous IoT products (connectivity issues, state de-sync between device and "edge router", firmware updates take ~10 minutes per device).

Then there are problems specific to Apple's IoT stack - like how it's impossible to set an RGB capable light to a ~specific~ white color temperature. Instead you get a shade picker and you have to guess what the color temperature is.

The best IoT experience I've had is with OpenGarage[1] using regular old WiFi, but overall I'd still never rely on IoT products for anything critical.

[1] https://opengarage.io

I got a opengarage thing instead. No door sensor. Uses ultrasonic sensor to see if the door is open or closed. All one piece, hardwired to power. It's been rock solid.

https://blynk.io/ (you can find an example that uses their legacy API in one of my releases)

Like it says, to try and keep up with the changing well levels in the summer at my house, I put together a project to monitor well water levels and update a Blynk app.

From the source code found here: https://github.com/blynkkk/blynk-library/blob/master/src/Blynk/BlynkConsole.h

Check out Blynk: https://blynk.io

I have an Arduino Mega 2560 with an ESP8266 module connected to it via Serial1 as outlined in https://github.com/blynkkk/blynk-library/blob/master/examples/Boards_WiFi/ESP8266_Shield/ESP8266_Shield.ino - basically, this sketch works perfectly as is, but I have it personalized, of course.

That Blynk library sucks badly... it's obviously NOT written with ESP8266 in mind, simply grossly hacked from an Uno to sort-of-work. I see a few places in the header file alone where it can hang and cause a WDT, and the 'ping' that's printed is buried somewhere else in the library, undoubtedly another poorly-planned while() or if-else-hang.

Agreed about google and would add clarity. In the field of IT clarity is critical. If OP had said blynk.io, the .io would have clicked with me that it was a web site. Another guy just asked about PS/2 - I thought he meant the keyboard/mouse interface. Others twigged that he meant Playstation 2.