Tech Home automation anyone?

[Denny Crane]

This is somewhat related to the home theater thread...

Anyone into home automation? I'm just starting to investigate the tech and possibilities.

With the right gear, you could have a smart house almost as futuristic as Star Trek. You can do things like command the system by voice using Amazon Echo. "Lights on!" Or "Watch Netflix!"

At the very least, you can set things up so when you turn on the A/C via a Nest thermostat, the ceiling fans also turn on. Or at 10:00 PM, when you go to bed, all the lights and ceiling fans get turned off.

Motion sensors add more possibilities, like if you walk into a room and it's after sunset, the lights turn on. As it gets later past sunset, the lights dim.

Minimally, you can replace an existing wall switch with a smart one and add one or more additional switches anywhere you want to create 3-way or 4-way set up. The additional switches talk to the first via wifi.

I'm interested in anyone else's experience. What gear do you use? Does it work well? And so on.

 

[barfo]

This is somewhat related to the home theater thread...

Anyone into home automation? I'm just starting to investigate the tech and possibilities.

With the right gear, you could have a smart house almost as futuristic as Star Trek. You can do things like command the system by voice using Amazon Echo. "Lights on!" Or "Watch Netflix!"

At the very least, you can set things up so when you turn on the A/C via a Nest thermostat, the ceiling fans also turn on. Or at 10:00 PM, when you go to bed, all the lights and ceiling fans get turned off.

Motion sensors add more possibilities, like if you walk into a room and it's after sunset, the lights turn on. As it gets later past sunset, the lights dim.

Minimally, you can replace an existing wall switch with a smart one and add one or more additional switches anywhere you want to create 3-way or 4-way set up. The additional switches talk to the first via wifi.

I'm interested in anyone else's experience. What gear do you use? Does it work well? And so on.

I totally have all that. Pretty spendy though, about $10.

I just clap my hands. Clap On... Clap Off.

barfo

 

[3RA1N1AC]

i remember when i got my first universal remote.

i was like "this changes everything."

 

[rasheedfan2005]

If I had the money id play with it for sure, right now im just working on getting new cupboards in the kitchen and clearing the over grown backyard so I can build a green house with an aquaponics system. My chainsaw works.

 

[Denny Crane]

Here's a starter system:

http://www.smarthome.com/isy994i-ir-pro-insteon-home-automation-starter-kit-premium.html

About the price of a low end UHD TV.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

This is somewhat related to the home theater thread...

Anyone into home automation? I'm just starting to investigate the tech and possibilities.

With the right gear, you could have a smart house almost as futuristic as Star Trek. You can do things like command the system by voice using Amazon Echo. "Lights on!" Or "Watch Netflix!"

At the very least, you can set things up so when you turn on the A/C via a Nest thermostat, the ceiling fans also turn on. Or at 10:00 PM, when you go to bed, all the lights and ceiling fans get turned off.

Motion sensors add more possibilities, like if you walk into a room and it's after sunset, the lights turn on. As it gets later past sunset, the lights dim.

Minimally, you can replace an existing wall switch with a smart one and add one or more additional switches anywhere you want to create 3-way or 4-way set up. The additional switches talk to the first via wifi.

I'm interested in anyone else's experience. What gear do you use? Does it work well? And so on.

You should apologize for whatever the hell you did and beg Mrs Crane to come back home. No tech is going to replace her.

 

[Denny Crane]

You should apologize for whatever the hell you did and beg Mrs Crane to come back home. No tech is going to replace her.

She never left home. Have you stopped beating Mrs. Dog?

 

[SlyPokerDog]

She never left home. Have you stopped beating Mrs. Dog?

You can't have a pimp hand if you never use it.

 

[rasheedfan2005]

Here's a starter system:

http://www.smarthome.com/isy994i-ir-pro-insteon-home-automation-starter-kit-premium.html

About the price of a low end UHD TV.

Thats not a bad price. Once im self sufficient ill probably look into it to increase efficiency. What id really like is blinds to go up during the day on the north side of the house when I walk in the room. Pulling up shades is just too much work so much so that I usually just turn the light on during the day.

 

[Denny Crane]

Thats not a bad price. Once im self sufficient ill probably look into it to increase efficiency. What id really like is blinds to go up during the day on the north side of the house when I walk in the room. Pulling up shades is just too much work so much so that I usually just turn the light on during the day.

That's a good idea. Another is if you open a window, the system turns off the A/C so you're not wasting money cooling the yard.

 

[rasheedfan2005]

That's a good idea. Another is if you open a window, the system turns off the A/C so you're not wasting money cooling the yard.

That would be good in oregon. Down here you simply dont open windows because even in the rare case it is below 75 at night the bugs are horrible and "no-see-ums" can get through most screens.

How about automated windows linked to a thermostat outside, opens them up at 65degrees, close if house gets too cold or too hot.

 

[Haakzilla]

...don't you mean Gov't Home Spying System?!

 

[SlyPokerDog]

...don't you mean Gov't Home Spying System?!

Not if Denny gets an Apple iOs based system.

 

[oldfisherman]

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

my bro got those phillips hue lights, sick shit, you can change the color in your pad on your phone.

 

[bodyman5000 and 1]

My GE oven has wifi, never connected it and don't plan to.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

I'm married.

I've already purchased home automation. Why should I buy more?

 

[barfo]

I'm married.

I've already purchased home automation. Why should I buy more?

For that hot home automation-on-home automation action.

barfo

 

[MARIS61]

My home is fully automated to keep weather, wildlife, and worrisome strangers out. It requires no power and operates continuously.

 

[oldfisherman]

I'm married.

I've already purchased home automation. Why should I buy more?

You must have one of the early models, their not made like they used to be.

 

[Denny Crane]

I'm married.

I've already purchased home automation. Why should I buy more?

Q: How do you turn a dishwasher into a snow plow?

A: Give her a shovel.

 

[bodyman5000 and 1]

Got the wife an echo dot and a smart plug for about 35 bucks. Hooked the dot to my hk onyx Bluetooth speaker and it is pretty awesome.

Ordered some smart light switches to try and we'll go from there. Already hooked the dot to the nest thermostats and that's pretty cool.

We're the Jetsons

 

[MARIS61]

You must have one of the early models, their not made like they used to be.

Sounds like operator error to me.

 

[stampedehero]

My son gave us the Nest thermostat as a Christmas present . Looks like we are going in that direction. The one thing that limits us is the limited storage space on our "older" Apple smart phones.

 

[bodyman5000 and 1]

Ok. Now have three echo dots.

One in the kitchen is hooked to a HK onyx speaker I've had and loved for a couple of years.

Have one tp link smart plug and installed tp link light switches yesterday.

Have the wife's dot programmed to turn on the light by her bed and the light in the living room when she says "alexa, start my day" it also tells her the weather and says a compliment to her when she wakes up. She fucking loves it.

Have 2 of our 4 thermostats already replaced with Nests. Love them but I disabled the learning part because we don't always watch movies upstairs and it changed the temp on it's own.

Now, I ask Alexa what the temp of the theater is and if it isn't what I want I tell her to change it. Works great.

I think the google minis are supposed to be better when you say something that confuses it but whatever.

 

[bodyman5000 and 1]

Oh, also I have a routine set that all I have to say is "turn off everything"

Can leave the house with the lights on and turn them off whenever.

 

[jonnyboy]

my bro got those phillips hue lights, sick shit, you can change the color in your pad on your phone.

Those are dope. My buddy is building a house next door to me which is basically a giant bachelor pad with a full bar room that encompasses the entire second floor. I think I've got him talked into some Hue lights up there.

 

[bodyman5000 and 1]

Those are dope. My buddy is building a house next door to me which is basically a giant bachelor pad with a full bar room that encompasses the entire second floor. I think I've got him talked into some Hue lights up there.

I think I'm going to install some of these above or below the kitchen cabinets. Haven't decided yet.

 

[andalusian]

I think the google minis are supposed to be better when you say something that confuses it but whatever.

I got both the Google Home and Echos installed (develop for both). The Google voice recognition is clearly superior to the Amazon one, but Amazon's smart-home integration is much better than Google's at this point.

 

[BrianFromWA]

I think I'm going to install some of these above or below the kitchen cabinets. Haven't decided yet.

Have the Philips Hue in the bedroom (x2) in the bar/hallway/entry area (x3). If the Philips app starts acting up, there are 3rd-party apps that are better.