Accessible irrigation timer

By JP, 23 May, 2022

Forum
iOS and iPadOS

Hi all,
I'm looking for a smart irrigation timer that works with Voiceover on an iPhone
I recently purchased an Orbit four zone B-hyve controller and I found out that it is impossible to use it, the App cannot read most of what is on the screen
Before the purchase, I contacted Orbit customer service to find out specifically if it will work
They assured me that is going to work because they tested it
It seems that they don't know how to test it as many other App developers as well.
Anyway, I'm reaching out to you to find out if there is such a timer that you know of, that works with Voiceover.
Please let me know.
Thanks,
John

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Comments

By Travis Roth on Wednesday, May 24, 2023 - 01:14

Hi,
I just noticed that the B-Hyve app (used for home sprinkler controllers) had an update May 14, 2023. I just opened it and the app is much improved. On the Home tab one can tell when the next watering is scheduled, if there is a rain delay, and are able to clear the rain delay.
On the Programs tab I can turn programs on and off. Programs can be opened to edit as well, but this appears to not be entirely accessible. E.g., setting certain days of the week to on/off is still inaccessible, and I am not sure about changing run time of a zone (I didn't want to mess up what I already had set).
Under the My Account > Devices section I was able to adjust weather sensitivity settings such as don't delay unless there is at least a 50% chance of rain. And confirm that the controller's firmware is up-to-date.
Before this I resorted to using the web based control panel for most settings, which can be found at my.orbitbhyve.com. Probably a good idea to still keep this link handy. (Note: initial setup has to be done using the mobile ap.)
I am not convinced, especially with the scheduler issues, that setup is doable entirely accessibly by a VoiceOver user. However once programs are configured operation appears more accessible than it used to be.