https://vimeo.com/937619052

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In the future we will be deprecating the Zigbee feature from COGS.

This has been a tough decision, but unfortunately since adding the feature we have seen that it does not achieve our internal standards for reliability and quality of experience. This is largely due to our reliance on both 3rd party hardware and firmware over which we have little control.

The Zigbee tutorial video will be restored with new messaging attached.

If you are already using Zigbee, see the ‘Depreciation Plan’ below.

If you are thinking of using Zigbee for an upcoming project, we advise you not to do so and look at the ‘Alternative Solutions' section below.

Deprecation plan

Any existing COGS setup using Zigbee will not be affected, and we will continue to support users who are relying on it for their shows. We will remove the feature in COGS 6 (towards the end of this year), and this will be accompanied by a warning beforehand to prevent accidentally updating to a new version with a project relying on Zigbee.

From this point on, a show using Zigbee should remain on the last version that supports Zigbee and auto-updates to COGS should be disabled.

Alternative solutions

There are a number of alternative solutions that can be migrated to over time, or used instead for new projects.

Philips Hue

• This is available now. Our current Philips Hue plugin allows Philips Hue scenes to be triggered. These scenes are configured via the Philips Hue app and can include the full range of Philips Hue lighting and smart plug hardware (see https://docs.cogs.show/plugins/)
• We shall be investing in improving this plugin over time to make the initial setup simpler and to be able to view your scenes directly within the plugin

DMX

• For lighting applications (e.g. LED tape), DMX offers a wired alternative which is the industry standard across theatrical installations. For more information on DMX see our tutorial here: https://cogs.show/tutorials/v/dmx

Wi-Fi smart devices

• We are currently investigating how to best control Wi-Fi smart devices such as the Shelly range. For venues with good Wi-Fi coverage already, this may prove to be a great alternative.
• We are also looking into other alternatives that allow use of Zigbee devices without relying on the USB dongle that COGS currently uses.

We’d like to apologise for any inconvenience caused whilst we transition away from the current Zigbee implementation. Our hope is that over time this leads to much more reliability and stability, which is always our biggest priority with COGS.

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In order to control Zigbee in COGS, you’ll first need to activate Zigbee within the Project Settings panel, this will then allow you to add and pair Zigbee hardware.

N.B. You need a COGS Plus licence to connect any DMX hardware.

This article covers how to use the Zigbee feature with COGS, including pairing the Zigbee dongle, connecting smart devices (like bulbs, plugs, and buttons), and utilising them in your show behaviours.

What is Zigbee?

Zigbee is a wireless communication protocol commonly used in smart home devices such as:

• Smart bulbs
• Smart plugs
• Wireless buttons

Zigbee operates on a mesh network, meaning devices can relay signals between each other to extend coverage.

Requirements