re: Let's talk home automation doo-dads. What do you really need WiFi enabled?

Do we need a Foscam thread now?

Car.. Everything should be WiFi. You should go ahead and set up an admin, operator and user role while you're at it to get familiar with what each role can do.

I recommend using a free ddns if you want web access to the cam add that's easier than dealing with a dynamic IP.

You have full access to the api remotely by issuing http commands with your user name and password embedded in the string but that's no good long term.

Foscam viewer or tiny cam is what you should use on your phone.

To view via browser you will need to install their custom plugin for IE or Firefox/chrome.

There is a mjpeg stream you can set as a secondary stream that should work in the browser without a plugin but I haven't gotten that working right.

What are your biggest questions right now?

next set of questions CAD,

I know these are relitivily cheap cameras for indoor use. Have you done any research on outdoor cameras with a server or cameras that can be set up on a home server? im looking to get 2-4 outdoor security cameras.

*bump*

posted in the cox thread but info too good not to share:


the quite capable schalge deadbolt fricker is quickly becoming my favorite 'home automation product that i've purchased by far

it has ANSI Grade 1 commercial security strength (you should have seen the size of those son'bitch screws i drove into the door jamb)

it is on my home network and i get a notfication every time its locked or opened.

it has a built in alarm with FOUR levels of security:
1. you can set it to beep when it opens
2. it will go off if someone enters the wrong code a certain # of times (which you can set)
3. it will go off if it detects someone tampering with the lock or door jamb
4. it will fricking pierce your ears with a decibel crazy loud alarm if it detects excessive force like someone using a crowbar or something.

on top of that, you can customize the amount of pressure before it reacts.

i spent a day just testing all this out until i was happy.

Another update. I have solved the problem of not being able to schedule my front door to lock at a given time each day in a convoluted way but it works. Here's what to do:

- schedule a light to turn off at say 10pm every day.
- create a robot based off the detection of that light turning off.. But fence it in by setting the event trigger period from say 9:45pm - 10:15pm
- if the light turns off within that time period the robot will lock your door as well.
- as a check also have it send a notification to you

They need to make the UI more consistent. It's dumb you can schedule a light but not a deadbolt or garage opener. It also doesn't make sense you can see how long the garage has been open or closed but you can't see that information about lights or door lock.

See the wink hub thread a few posts down. It was 99 cents last week at home depot and controls everything with a single app. That's what I'm using in this thread.

Dp

Another bump.

Going to grab a $49 Kidde 5 in 1 smoke/fire/CO2 detector as well. Why not?

It's got voice alarm to tell you what it's going off for and I like the fact I can get remote notifications at work that my house is on fire.

Bonus that I've got a separate CO2 on the wall that's ugly as sin that I can now remove and repaint the drywall.

The one i I'm replacing is near the kitchen goes off at least once a week when cooking something on the gas range. That means I have to grab a chair and run to it and reach up to reset it. I'm positive it's making me go deaf.

It's worth $50 alone if I can do that from my phone now and Kidde is the standard when it comes to smoke detectors.

Will report back.. oddly only home depot sells this. Not available at Lowe's or amazon.

Eta it's got a bacon smoke setting whatever that means lol. That's what sets my existing one off so crossing fingers.

Eta2 nest took their unit with the magic wave your hand to turn it off feature off the market and replaced it with a neutered unit. No thanks.

Any idea if you can send a test command to the smoke/CO2 units? If so, I think I'll just get 2 for opposite sides of the house and add some sensors that send the test command when they are triggered.

Get it! Iris and zwave are the same thing. I got mine for $129 off eBay but that seller doesn't have any more at the moment.. I'll ask him directly if he's doing more auctions. It's an incredible deadbolt. I love mine.

Not sure about that lutron switch. What type of bulbs?

Myq works with every garage door.. Except any built pre 1993 if they don't have those red safety eyes.

I paired mine with a genie and it took about 5 minutes.