how smart has your home gone?

Ignore previous question as I've gone down the Google home route.

However does anyone have any experience with replacing light switches with their smart counterparts rather than using smart bulbs?

Do they fit in a standard single gang box ok?
 
Remember its only as smart as whats inside it, so in my case, not very smart at all.

I do fancy getting some of the smart stuff, even just for the novelty factor but as I rent it just seems pointless, even though my landlord would be fine about it and im likely to stay here for quite a while.
 
Been working on the front end, still WIP but getting there.

Basically controlled via a wall mounted iPad with chased in ethernet cable fed back to a switch for POE. The front end is HomeSeer Touch off the back of a HomeSeer server.

Currently controlling TADO, SONOS, Z-WAVE, SOMFY and any HomeSeer device (network, events & scripts)

If you don't mind messing around with Photoshop (or the like) then you can get some pretty decent results (apols for the squif pics)

Z1.jpg


Z2.jpg


Z3.jpg


Z4.jpg
 
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timmeh said:
Don't get the Ring doorbell, get the Nest one. The Nest app and 24/7 recording is wayyyyy better than the Ring offering. I'm wanting to swap my Ring Pro for a Nest Hello but I can't bring myself to spend over $200 on a bloody doorbell.

I've been trying to add my TV to Homebridge so I can controll it with HomeKit/Siri but it's not returning the access token for some reason.

Hopefully Apple will release a HomePod Mini or something in the near future so I can get some more around the house without having to drop $250 on each one.
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The montly cost of Nest is terrible though. And Ring are about to offer 24/7 recording, no doubt still a lot cheaper than Nest.

The Nest video quality if better though. But that wasn't enough to make be buy into the higher running costs.

ps: The app has improved quite a bit recently IMHO.
 
QUESTION: Any of you folks use the Broadlink RM Pro (RM33 or RM34) with your Amazon Alexa?

Thoughts?

Thinking of getting one to simply create scenes to setup the amp and TV etc for audio, or tv, or blueray, or Plex, or Netflix, or Prime etc....
 
NeilFawcett said:
The montly cost of Nest is terrible though. And Ring are about to offer 24/7 recording, no doubt still a lot cheaper than Nest.

The Nest video quality if better though. But that wasn't enough to make be buy into the higher running costs.

ps: The app has improved quite a bit recently IMHO.
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Yeah, if you only have the one Nest thing the cost can be an issue. I pay $20/month for 3 cameras already so adding a doorbell would be another $5/month ($2/month more than Ring) so it'd be a no brainer to go for the Nest.
 
timmeh said:
Yeah, if you only have the one Nest thing the cost can be an issue. I pay $20/month for 3 cameras already so adding a doorbell would be another $5/month ($2/month more than Ring) so it'd be a no brainer to go for the Nest.
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Yeh, the Nest is the platinum solution no doubt quality wise. But the Ring is pretty good, and getting better.

And with their all inclusive, as many cameras as you like, with 30day history, for a monthly cost of just $9 or something is obviously great!
 
NeilFawcett said:
Yeh, the Nest is the platinum solution no doubt quality wise. But the Ring is pretty good, and getting better.

And with their all inclusive, as many cameras as you like, with 30day history, for a monthly cost of just $9 or something is obviously great!
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Yeah that price is pretty hard to pass up. I wonder if Nest will ever lower their prices to compete.

I've just had a quick play in the app and it has improved significantly, 24/7 recording looks to be the main thing it's missing now.
 
timmeh said:
Yeah that price is pretty hard to pass up. I wonder if Nest will ever lower their prices to compete.

I've just had a quick play in the app and it has improved significantly, 24/7 recording looks to be the main thing it's missing now.
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...and 24/7 is on the way for an monthly additional fee I believe...
 
Everything smart in my house! Have a centralised auto system!.When need tea auto switch kettle on while auto checking level in central postion flip tea bag into cup while putting milk which i samrt see how much is left so being Smart plan it into a visit out.
When ready i smartly drink it while smartly looking on here once it's smartly booted up after i auto pressed the power buttons while smartly turning off light as the screen and pc Smartly provide enough light if evening time.
If gets cold can smartly flick switch to ON! so smartly heated.
When need food i smartly shop after working out whats where for what with deals then get the smart bus back as it seems to know where to go!
The led lights in house are smart as go off when switched off!
Even the phone is smart as makes horrid noises as dies to plug it smartly in.

Now thats a smart house!:p How the F have we survived for so long without having to add another layer of cost into the house!

Opps forgot the smart fridge open the door notice naff all in there so smartly think about refilling it!!!

NO Eavesdropping/spying rubbish here
 
I guess you don’t own a mobile phone then. They are always on and always transmitting..
You don’t own a smart TV, always on always transmitting..
You don’t own a pc or tablet... tracking cookies gathering information on your browsing history...
You don’t own any store loyalty cards, average card has 2 - 3 Gb of personal data on you...
You don’t have smart meters in your home, always transmitting information on your energy usage...
You don’t have a Facebook account, 100s of Gb of personal data shared with ALL of their select business partners, including anyone you link to on Facebook...
Need I go on? We live in a digital world where data about every aspect of your daily existence is harvested. Unless you live off grid and are airgapped. The fact that you post here, says that you are not....
Welcome to the cloud!
 
area51 said:
Everything smart in my house! Have a centralised auto system!.When need tea auto switch kettle on while auto checking level in central postion flip tea bag into cup while putting milk which i samrt see how much is left so being Smart plan it into a visit out.
When ready i smartly drink it while smartly looking on here once it's smartly booted up after i auto pressed the power buttons while smartly turning off light as the screen and pc Smartly provide enough light if evening time.
If gets cold can smartly flick switch to ON! so smartly heated.
When need food i smartly shop after working out whats where for what with deals then get the smart bus back as it seems to know where to go!
The led lights in house are smart as go off when switched off!
Even the phone is smart as makes horrid noises as dies to plug it smartly in.

Now thats a smart house!:p How the F have we survived for so long without having to add another layer of cost into the house!

Opps forgot the smart fridge open the door notice naff all in there so smartly think about refilling it!!!

NO Eavesdropping/spying rubbish here
Click to expand...

Cool story bro
 
SimonR said:
I guess you don’t own a mobile phone then. They are always on and always transmitting..
You don’t own a smart TV, always on always transmitting..
You don’t own a pc or tablet... tracking cookies gathering information on your browsing history...
You don’t own any store loyalty cards, average card has 2 - 3 Gb of personal data on you...
You don’t have smart meters in your home, always transmitting information on your energy usage...
You don’t have a Facebook account, 100s of Gb of personal data shared with ALL of their select business partners, including anyone you link to on Facebook...
Need I go on? We live in a digital world where data about every aspect of your daily existence is harvested. Unless you live off grid and are airgapped. The fact that you post here, says that you are not....
Welcome to the cloud!
Click to expand...

Do have a phone but smart with it disable as much can run very few things also and if find anything awry uninstall it!
Have a pc on it now but have many things in place mSN gets the ar8e with me says my browser F's there things up lol and ad's never get clicked on either.
Don't do/have TV or smart fridge/washing machine/toaster.
Bum book rarely ever visit have false info on there anyway and don't use it near my phone!
No smart meters either.

My thing wasn't that it was why do so many need to add another layer of effort and cost info there lives and by time found the phone could have switched the light off already! or on as need that to find dam phone.
 
SimonR said:
Posting on a technology forum, oh the irony!!
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Been playing with this tech before you'd even seen/heard of it in it's expensive wrapping.
Had LED lights before was mainstream and worked with radio/wireless comms in trial stages and other things and many things we designed yonks back amongst a group and been sold on.
Have friends involved in these fields and far far more that isn't out in public domain! so Techno phobe no have my head on yes! as seen/know where going so for me it's my house etc and im in control!
Somethings you can't get away with being "seen" but try to minimise as best as if they want my data/info/do there work/make money out of me then they'd better be paying me/giving me some benefit from it.

But to me if i want the lights on i turn them on along with heating etc Had leds where can change colour with a remote years back.
Because if your going "Smart" where does it stop? you'll have an app/bot that does exercise for you and walks the dog/does the cooking/washing/Shopping/driving the car/Then maybe wipe your botty while slobbered in front of the smart TV? all 30 stone of you as been stuffed by a smart app that feeds you smart delivered pizza.

We are becomming/are far to lazy as a race

But leave you all to it!
But i will say do have a think and look into things before letting your lives become ruled by these things when letting them in your house!
I already have friends that have had things plus things on phones etc and have got shot of/deleted them as found things out they didn't like!
 
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