Smart Home Ecosystem Suggestions

Finner on 10/03/2020 - 09:43
Last edited 10/03/2020 - 09:52

I'm after some advice on the best way forward with my Smart Home set up and whether it's worth investing in a new, single ecosystem.

I currently have a couple of the old Wemo Insight smart plugs, and a couple of the Brilliant smart plugs (the Wemo are sometimes too chunky to use). I also have a couple of Yeelight bulbs that I'm using.

I mostly use all this to turn on/off lights using Google Home, where I can also turn on/off the Nvidia Shield + TV.

I find that to do all this I need multiple apps; Wemo, Brilliant, Yeelight, Google Home, and I also use IFTTT for widget buttons - it seems a mess for something so basic, and not ideal if I want to extend my home automation in the future. It also makes it harder to set up lighting scenes etc.

I've seen that Brilliant have a small range of products these days that aren't too expensive, but I'm not sure of the overall quality?

Is it better to use a system with a hub? Are devices more responsive when using a hub? Is there a particular brand I should consider; Phillips, LIFX, Xiaomi, etc? Something that won't break the bank…? Anything with an especially good Android app (with widgets)? Using a Samsung S10, but also an old HTC as a make-shift touch screen control with IFTTT button widgets.

Thanks!

Electrical & Electronics Voice Assistant

Comments

  • Diji1 on 10/03/2020 - 09:58
    -4

    So your doing more work instead of less and you call this automation for some reason.

    You will lose money with no knowledge of it happening in the future because your data was collected.

    I can see why people do this!

    • trankillity on 10/03/2020 - 10:16

      I agree with the first statement, not the second.

      Automation should be exactly that - automated. Motion sensors, contact sensors, timers, all that sort of stuff is basically mandatory for a smart home to be automated.

      • Finner on 10/03/2020 - 10:29

        I think people are missing the part where I said I use Google Home; "Hey Google, it's TV time" - Google turns on the Shield, TV, and living room light… "Hey Google, it's bedtime" - Google turns off Shield, TV, living room light, turns on bedroom light.

        Sometimes button widgets are quicker/easier for a single device.

        It's been slowly building up over time and there's much more available now, so sensors may come down the track - but I need to be sure I'm on that right track if I want to get there.

  • kahn on 10/03/2020 - 10:19
    -1

    Switching lights on and off manually? Did we lose a war? That's not Australia, that's not even Mexico!

    Have you considered the Can't Someone Else Do It automation system? Developed by HJ Simpson.

  • trankillity on 10/03/2020 - 10:20
    +3

    If you're keen to tinker (and let's face it, home automation is a tinkerer's hobby), then I'd STRONGLY recommend going straight to Home Assistant. It's free, open-source, powerful, can run on anything, and supports the widest variety of devices.

    However, it's very technical and will take you months to get comfortable in it if you're not already a programmer.

    Some of the things I've automated using Home Assistant:

    • Lights
    • Doorbell
    • Security cameras
    • Dishwasher/washing machine alerts
    • Music
    • Occupancy
    • Location alerts
    • TV/Receiver/PS4/Shield/Plex
    • Air conditioners/climate control

    While it is daunting, the community is ridiculously helpful and the Discord server is very active. I went from knowing very little about Linux to having a full instance of Home Assistant up and running in under a weekend.

    If you're not technically proficient, and not interested in spending a lot of time tinkering, your options are a little more limited. Something like Samsung SmartThings may do the job, but you are quite limited in the devices that will work with it. I started off with SmartThings but only had it for 1 week before I realised the limitations would annoy me before I upgraded to Home Assistant.

    • tryingtohelp on 10/03/2020 - 11:06

      Hi trankillity,
      Can't PM you , so writing it here.

      I have been using RaspberryPI with homebridge to connect a lot of non-compliant accessories with apple homekit. Have been successful in getting the garage door, wemo lights, configured ESP8266 to sonoff firmware and connect motion sensors, door sensors etc.
      I'm keen to learn more about Home Assitant, how to begin with and how you manage to get :

      Dishwasher/washing machine alerts?
      Air conditioners/climate control?

      Thanks

      • mbck on 10/03/2020 - 11:24

        Yeah same here

      • boomramada on 10/03/2020 - 12:48
        +2

        Get a Raspberry PI - 3 is fine.
        Install HA in it as docker, no need to : https://www.home-assistant.io/docs/installation/docker/
        Once you setup HA, that will be your main interface which is the gateway to any ecosystem, https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/
        And build our smarts within the HA.

        You can then attach your google home or Alexa to it.
        Wifi = Cheap, usually no hub required.
        Zwave = Expensive
        Zigbee = Slightly expensive.

        More sensors you have, better your automation.

        Pro tip, if you have Wifi based device, always use Tuya Smart as mobile app, as they all from one base wifi chip set that support by Tuya, you don't need app from each vendor.

        • tryingtohelp on 10/03/2020 - 15:17

          Thanks Boomramanda, i'm saving this as note for my reference to give this a shot at some point :-)

          Regarding Tuya, i agree, have been using it and works great.

          Thanks again

      • trankillity on 10/03/2020 - 14:08
        +3

        I've got no experience with Homekit unfortunately so I can't really comment on that.

        The way that I'm automating the notifications for dishwasher/washing machine is simply via power monitoring smart plugs. I simply check for changes in current and if it's above a certain wattage for a certain period of time, the dishwasher/washing machine is on. Once it drops below that threshold for a set period, it's considered off. That is then my trigger for an alert/notification that these devices are finished their cycle. As an added bonus, I have a Hue lamp that cycles between blue and green depending on what device is finished until I clear the notification.

        In terms of AC, I am using Broadlink RM Mini 3 IR blaster devices in each room with a split system. These integrate nicely with Home Assistant using an addon called SmartIR and then my ACs just appear as climate entities (with full control over mode, fan speed, temperature, etc). For climate control, I've built a custom script/automation that runs while we're asleep and checks the temperature in the bedroom every hour. If it's above/below our comfort threshold, it will automatically turn the AC on (then off again once it reaches target temperature).

        HTH!

        • tryingtohelp on 10/03/2020 - 15:19

          Wow, this will open another trail of questions, so I'll do my own google search regarding the power monitoring smart plugs.

          I have been using Broadlink mini, however, I never thought it can be integrated with HA, this would be interesting, to begin with.

          Thanks for your response :-)

        • mbck on 12/03/2020 - 20:46

          Much appreciated. That's quite a nifty idea with the lights changing

  • [Deactivated] on 10/03/2020 - 11:12

    Firstly - do not get sucked into single brand ecosystems. They suck. They are typically jack of all trades and king of none.

    Avoid wifi lights and plugs. Some wifi smart stuff is okay but I am at a point where I am glad I didn't go with wifi lights. Well over a hundred lights and accessories.

    Imagine the router with a couple hundred connected devices.

    If budget is not an issue, go with a brand with the strongest user based support. Nothing beats chatting with other users to work through problems or trying new possibilities.

    • Finner on 10/03/2020 - 15:18

      Any suggestions for which to go with?

      • [Deactivated] on 10/03/2020 - 15:30

        I went with Hue. Only downside is the bridge in native support only goes upto 50 bulbs.

        I am using a few bridges linked with aftermarket software to operate. So far so good.

        Been a heavy Hue user for >3 years.

        • Finner on 10/03/2020 - 16:35

          Nice - I don't have more than 10 bulbs in this house, and a bunch of those can't be automated, so I think I'm safe on that front ;)

          • [Deactivated] on 10/03/2020 - 16:40

            @Finner: Haha. I am trying my best to not go overboard with the smart lights but I've fitted over 50 at my parents and way too many in mine. It is soooo addictive.

            They are selective technophobes and they've really embraced the smart lighting and smart doorsets.

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