API / Developer SDK

I’m not yet an Anova owner, and it’s specifically because I won’t buy it until their is a public API/SDK for it. I want to use it in my cheese making setup. I don’t care about cooking steaks and the like with it. I want it for the precise temperature control that is required in cheese making. Unfortunately, it lacks several convenient features like being able to script several timers and temperature changes to be run in sequence, or setting a new temp and indicating how long I want it to take to reach that temp (e.g. 1 degree every two minutes).

I’m constantly asking Anova owners if these features are present, and they have yet to see them. With an API/SDK, I could implement these myself, but instead Anova seems intent on me having to beg their (seemingly apathetic) developers for relatively simple features. This is not something I’m willing to do, and certainly not something I’m willing to pay for. I’m not going to buy a device that leaves me relying on vague promises that something might happen someday, especially when there are already indications that should it be provided, Anova intends to slap current owners in the face and only offer it on a new (and probably more expensive) model.

So consider me a lost sale. Not because the device doesn’t seem intriguing, but because Anova can’t be bothered to listen to it’s own community and potential customers such as myself. If Anova can’t provide what is being requested, someone else will, and you won’t even have a potential customer anymore.

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People really should learn that asking for a feature is different to demanding one. I’d hate for someone to tell me how to run my business or how to develop a product I created. Self entitlement is not cool.

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Hi! I understand your frustration, and using the anova to makes cheese is an amazing idea. I do wish I could be more concrete with a release date for this, but right now I cannot promise one, and don’t want to pretend I can.

I will say it is something we are planning on doing, we are not writing off these requests and try to incorporate as much feedback as possible into everything we do from the app to recipes.

I look forward to the day when you can make your cheese with it!

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I just got my first Anova Wifi and I have to agree with most people in this thread that having an open API would be a vast improvement for this platform.

The app (iOS) is not exactly what I would have expected from a smart device. It feels like a very basic remote control and not a smart device.
I understand the desire to keep things simple which would be fine if we had a chance to build apps ourselves.

I would have loved to integrate the Anova into my current home automation system. Target temperature reached? Flash my lights green. Set an alarm for tomorrow? Make sure the poached eggs are done 10 minutes later. Use a recipe all the time? Start it with 1 click from my kitchen iPad’s web interface.

Most manufacturers have seen the potential of opening up their platform, just look at the community that has built around the Philips Hue system. Being confined to the manufacturer’s app is very disappointing.

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I would also like the API for my device. I really hope that your competitors wouldn’t do it before you are.
If I would know that other company have an API for their device I would for sure choose them.

Make it happen as soon as possible or you will lost a lot of new customers. But first make sure you will ship devices as promised and second ship the right and ordered devices. A lot of mistakes for a company as you are …
A lot to improve …

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I’ve just signed up here to add my voice to this.

My wife would really like an Anova. We have a makeshift solution atm, and would like to develop it. I thought this would be an excellent solution, esp if I could bolt it into the Home automation/monitoring I’m developing at the moment. My first search for api came up with this, and I must admit I’m as disappointed as many of the other contributors to this thread.

Back to the home made/home developed solution I think - cheaper too :wink:

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Not when you factor in your time :wink:

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+1 on the API for the current model.

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New Anova user, and would also love the API to be released!

Seems just absolutely crazy not to allow the community to make the device even better.

Mat

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Wanted to say that this is the only thing keeping me from getting one. I run a few windows tablet around the house and would love to integrate it in my system.

An API is a must (making a good API is not easy I understand that)

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This would be amazing: https://youtu.be/rAi9-f5qsTo

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That video is exactly what I want to do, but not with Alexa (OK, Alexa too, just because I can, here’s my coffee maker and Alexa via HomeSeer).

The poster says, and I quote:

I had a chat with Anova about what I was doing, and they asked me if I’d mind not releasing it for approx a month, while they shored up some stuff internally, though they aren’t terribly forthcoming on what exactly.

I suspect that they’re setting up some kind of oauth mechanism to link anova accounts to amazon alexa stuff. this is largely what is needed to allow the average user to use the skill, as otherwise they need to discover the cooker_id and secret somehow.

Here’s hoping the API is getting closer! :smiley:

@HunterC, now would be a good time to enlighten us… :slight_smile:

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So i just bought one of these today (awaiting delivery - very excited!!) but like so many other people I use windows 10 on all my devcies including my phone.so I also really want the same app that iOS and Android users have or an SDK or API we can use.

Just from reading this I can see it has been 4 MONTHS since people have started asking for this and still nothing, not even a hint of news… this is very disappointing for a new customer, especially when I see how supposedly “integrated” the sous vide is meant to be. I just don’t understand why you ignore the most popular platform in the world - it’s not just all about phones! I use a Windows 10 tablet mounted pernanently in my kitchen for recipes and ordering shopping, programming my coffee machine (etc) so obviously I would love to be able to take control of my sous vide via an app as well.

I am a professional Windows 10 UWP/C# developer and I am offering to write you the app for free (in my spare time) just so I could get this happening for the Windows 10 platform. This would run on any Windows 10 platform including PC’s, tablets, XBox and Windows Phones. I am completely 100% serious about this - I don’t want any money for it, I just enjoy writing apps for cool gadgets like the sous vide and am happy to share it with the community - you have my email if you want to contact me about this :slight_smile:

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Hi @nzmike! I have just passed this on to our developers, I will let you know what they say :). We know the windows people are eager for an app.

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Still no API?

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Haven’t tried it, but there is a Node.js library on GitHub that appears to have reverse engineered both the Bluetooth and REST APIs.

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I too am developing a home automation system. Would love to see what you have?

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This was my next move; only got my Anova yesterday, but was going to pull apart the Android app and/or see if there was anything of interest between my phone and the connected Anova with a packet monitor. Thanks for the link, REST API would be very useful.

Edit:
“These commands and notes have been extracted from the Anova Culinary app v2.1.0 APK after sniffing traffic from the app.” - Awesome, saved me from having to do the same thing haha.

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Hey gang - Just finished chatting with my dev team. Looks like its possible to release an SDK and in the coming weeks will be something we’ll sort out and push to the group.

In the meantime, please list out the feature sets you’re looking for and I’ll communicate it back to the right peeps to see how we can make this a solid release! :slight_smile:

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What would be good

  1. Open API up so that we can write triggers for WiFi devices to integrate with other home automation (IFTTT.com would be a good start). A Postman collection would also be useful.

  2. SDK to allow PCs with BTLE to start/stop and check progress of a cook without using a phone.

There are a number of people who have reversed the existing protocols, so it’s not like it’s some secret that no-one knows. Putting some effort into this would mean that people are getting accurate information rather than having to work backwards from captured information. Given your customer base (tech-lovers) you have a ready base of users who will take your hardware and add functionality that they want. Other than having to write the specs I don’t see the reticence, as the added functionality will only make the product better.

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