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Chance to Start Over on Smart Home - WWYD?
Posted on 5/7/18 at 7:20 pm
Posted on 5/7/18 at 7:20 pm
Shortish version, we moved in the Fall. For Smart Home stuff, we had a Nest cam we used as a baby monitor; we also had an awesome alarm company, who turned on z-wave functionality for free so I used that for our switches, locks, thermostats, and garage door, and it was all controlled/automated through the alarm.com app.
In our new house, the Nest cam has come with us and the new alarm company wants $3 a month for the z-wave functionality. Since I left everything z-wave, I figured this would be a good chance to start over and bring everything into one App, and stay away from getting locked into another monthly fee. I also want to get away from Nest since their stuff is so expensive, I have to pay a monthly fee for any sort of video playback, and the app is extremely inconsistent for staying open all night (Total crapshoot on how stable it is based on iOS and version).
I would like something with cameras that I can store the footage for a couple of days (Even if it is local and requires a bit of setup), a stable app (Baby monitor camera needs to stay on all night), and something I can control the thermometers/lights/locks/etc. I have heard wink and homesteer in my brief research, but I haven't dug much into it yet.
So, if you could start over on your smart home what would you do?
In our new house, the Nest cam has come with us and the new alarm company wants $3 a month for the z-wave functionality. Since I left everything z-wave, I figured this would be a good chance to start over and bring everything into one App, and stay away from getting locked into another monthly fee. I also want to get away from Nest since their stuff is so expensive, I have to pay a monthly fee for any sort of video playback, and the app is extremely inconsistent for staying open all night (Total crapshoot on how stable it is based on iOS and version).
I would like something with cameras that I can store the footage for a couple of days (Even if it is local and requires a bit of setup), a stable app (Baby monitor camera needs to stay on all night), and something I can control the thermometers/lights/locks/etc. I have heard wink and homesteer in my brief research, but I haven't dug much into it yet.
So, if you could start over on your smart home what would you do?
3
Posted on 5/8/18 at 8:49 am to LSU Delirium
quote:
I would like something with cameras that I can store the footage for a couple of days (Even if it is local and requires a bit of setup), a stable app (Baby monitor camera needs to stay on all night), and something I can control the thermometers/lights/locks/etc. I have heard wink and homesteer in my brief research, but I haven't dug much into it yet.
I am in the same situation. Previous home was my first foray into smart home now I want to do it right.
I use PoE cams connected to a homebuilt NVR running Blue Iris. Essentially I took an unused desktop and threw in a WD Red HDD.
Door locks - Schlage Smart Deadbolt
Wink Hub 2
Phillips dimmable bulbs with hub
Chamberlain Door Opener
I'm finding I really like voice controls so I will be setting up a few Echo Dots soon.
This post was edited on 5/8/18 at 8:52 am
Posted on 5/8/18 at 9:08 am to Tigeralum2008
quote:
setting up a few Echo Dots soon.
I gotta say this has been the single best home automation component I've added.
Having these in every room mean you can always control virtually anything anytime.
Alexa's strong track record with weirdo WiFi doodads is exceptional. Even stuff that doesn't work with wink integrates with Alexa so I don't even pay attention when grabbing random HA clearance stuff.
Latest example this weirdo WION wifi outdoor smart outlet I picked up at Walmart for $10 and a geeni smart bulb someone bought me.
This post was edited on 5/8/18 at 9:09 am
Posted on 5/8/18 at 9:12 am to CAD703X
quote:
I gotta say this has been the single best home automation component I've added.
Examples of what you have used Alexa for?
Posted on 5/8/18 at 9:24 am to HailToTheChiz
quote:
Examples of what you have used Alexa for?
- drop in on any dot in the house to communicate with kids and my wife can get me out of the garageb without looking for me
- use announce to broadcast it's dinner time to all kids
- named timers that also integrate with ifttt to flash lights when timer is done in case I'm out of earshot of the dot the timer was started on
- tell any speaker in the house to play any music without getting up
- turn the TV speaker off without going into the living room and hunting for remote
- change hue to various preset color scenes with a single command
- of course turning on/off/dimming any light in the entire house
- turning my pool pump off in the middle of the night from my bed if I decide it needs to go off
- yelling at the HVAC to warm or cool my house from under the covers.
- setting ad hoc groups of lights that can then be turned on at the same time (ie all outdoor lights)
- if I want to make my house go dark I can just tell Alexa to shut it all down and every speaker goes silent and every light goes out
- control my fire TV Plex (play, pause etc) without having to tell the kids to pause their show
- Alexa greets me every morning and tells me everything on my Outlook calendar for the day...
I'm sure I'm leaving tons of stuff out
This post was edited on 5/8/18 at 9:26 am
Posted on 5/8/18 at 9:40 am to CAD703X
quote:
I gotta say this has been the single best home automation component I've added.
obligatory post of the most useless thing around
Posted on 5/8/18 at 9:56 am to LSU Delirium
What would people say with Wink vs. SmartThings?
Posted on 5/8/18 at 9:59 am to mctiger1985
quote:
obligatory post of the most useless thing around
hey cad can evolve...
i admitted that in that thread.Posted on 5/8/18 at 10:00 am to Freauxzen
quote:
Wink
owned by a Black-eyed pea :/ but amazon is bundling it in their security solution so maybe amazon will acquire it and rejuvenate it?
quote:
SmartThings
owned by samsung but also has its warts. nice if you want your hub to integrate with your $6,000 samsung fridge
This post was edited on 5/8/18 at 10:01 am
Posted on 5/8/18 at 10:17 am to CAD703X
Getting really tired of the barriers for devices. Ugh.
Posted on 5/8/18 at 10:22 am to Freauxzen
quote:
Getting really tired of the barriers for devices. Ugh.
ST and wink are 'ok' for what they do but it sucks that someone like google, amazon or apple didn't opt to add those other wireless standards (lutron, zwave, zigbee, etc) into a home-brewed hub.
there's nothing but upside to low-power radio standards like zwave and apple's homekit certification process is a joke.
amazon LITERALLY has to bundle a wink in their security solution because they have no way to control zwave sensors without it.
This post was edited on 5/8/18 at 10:24 am
Posted on 5/8/18 at 10:27 am to CAD703X
Good to know.
SmartThings it is I guess. Nest is the only hold out but it looks like an SmartApp has been created for that.
SmartThings it is I guess. Nest is the only hold out but it looks like an SmartApp has been created for that.
Posted on 5/8/18 at 10:28 am to Freauxzen
quote:
Good to know.
SmartThings it is I guess. Nest is the only hold out but it looks like an SmartApp has been created for that.
other things to know: chamberlain myQ is a mess. they keep changing who can access their API and now to use it with IFTTT you have to PAY A MONTHLY FEE.
frick chamberlain. i'm looking to replace my myQ controller.
Posted on 5/8/18 at 10:50 am to CAD703X
quote:
ST and wink are 'ok' for what they do but it sucks that someone like google, amazon or apple didn't opt to add those other wireless standards (lutron, zwave, zigbee, etc) into a home-brewed hub.
The newest Echo Plus has zigbee built in.
Posted on 5/8/18 at 10:59 am to CAD703X
quote:
other things to know: chamberlain myQ is a mess. they keep changing who can access their API and now to use it with IFTTT you have to PAY A MONTHLY FEE.
frick chamberlain. i'm looking to replace my myQ controller.
I'm not happy with the MyQ monthly fee direction they went to. I'm still confused how they haven't integrated their light switches into any other platform. I have a MyQ light switch on the light over my kitchen sink. I'd like to set it to turn on at dusk. I can't don't that, I have to set a time, which changes with the seasons.
Who is using Home Assistant on a RPi? I'm about to order the latest RPi 3 B+ this week. Arrow has them for $35 with free shipping.
Posted on 5/8/18 at 11:04 am to CubsFanBudMan
I was using Hass.io (Home Assistant) on a RP2. I recently moved it over to an old P4 linux machine as I was having issues with the Pi and SD card corrupting.
I use HA to control a few lights in the house, the alarm system, and garage door. I'd like to add more but $$.
Forgot to add, I also have 2 echo's tied in with HA so like CAD, I can control things via voice.
Since I switched from the Pi I no longer have the IO ports I used to control the garage door. I'm looking to use this.
I use HA to control a few lights in the house, the alarm system, and garage door. I'd like to add more but $$.
Forgot to add, I also have 2 echo's tied in with HA so like CAD, I can control things via voice.
Since I switched from the Pi I no longer have the IO ports I used to control the garage door. I'm looking to use this.
This post was edited on 5/8/18 at 11:18 am
Posted on 5/8/18 at 11:08 am to mchias1
quote:to do what with exactly? Does Amazon have a list of natively supported zigbee devices? Like an Amazon basics thing?
newest Echo Plus has zigbee built in.
I'm very meh on zigbee because there's always a problem. Mesh reconfiguration is a nightmare if you move devices around.
Can't say I've ever had a zwave device fail ever.
This post was edited on 5/8/18 at 11:11 am
Posted on 5/8/18 at 11:11 am to CAD703X
Oh I agree, I dislike Zigbee because of compatibility issues. Zwave being proprietary means all Zwave devices work together.
With the Echo Plus you can control Hue lights with out needing a Hue hub. That's all I have ever seen them advertise.
With the Echo Plus you can control Hue lights with out needing a Hue hub. That's all I have ever seen them advertise.
Posted on 5/8/18 at 11:30 am to LSU Delirium
quote:
So, if you could start over on your smart home what would you do?
I plan on moving in the near future so I'm going to be starting over myself. First thing I need to decided is if I want my security, lighting, and A/V all in one seemless control system. I'm leaning on separating my security from everything else just because alarm.com hands down has the best security back end right now. I'd likely group my locks in with security along with a video doorbell and maybe some exterior lights. That way all of those things live in one realible system with a refined app.
I'm going to do everything else on a separate control system which will most likely be Savant with Lurton for all my lighting and shades (if I go that far). My CCTV will be in this system too.
Posted on 5/8/18 at 11:51 am to TigerWise
I tried lurton but found it hard to get support.
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