Making house and shed "smart"

[Reit38]

Thinking about jumping into the whole "Smart" home thing. What is the best route to go as a starter. Thinking about starting with a few light switches and maybe a few outlets. Right now all I have is Alexa ( which got the ball rolling I guess) but I believe I need to add a hub before I can get either switches or plugs

My pole building is about 30ft from my house and I have a second alexa for out there. I assume I'll need a second hub to run things out there also

 

[paranoid56]

take a look at teh samsung smarthings hub and zwave items
i have this and all exterior lights are automated, and most interior. along with a lot of switches and such.
you can set up geo fences so things turn on when you get near them which is neat too.

 

[Reit38]

Are zwave switches able to be controlled by alexa without a hub?

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[Whiskeymike]

Are zwave switches able to be controlled by alexa without a hub?

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No, you have to have a hub like smartthings or wink as zwave is a wireless protocol that echo doesn't support on its own. But they work well together.

From my recent research, smart things has inched out wink a bit.

 

[KiltLifter]

I just started exactly this! Echo Dot (on sale for $40) and a Smart Things hub ($90?).
The smart things hub will do most protocols and has it's own fairly powerful App. The Echo (Alexa) lets you use voice command and they play together well.

 

[KiltLifter]

I'm torn between the smart switches and the smart bulbs. In the long run the switches are probably cheaper, but the bulbs make the start up cost a little more bearable.

 

[Schurkey]

I put cardboard and tape over the camera lens and microphone in my computer. Last thing I ever want is spyware in my house and car.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

The moment I enter a building it becomes smart...

Tommy

 

[joe_padavano]

The moment I enter a building it becomes smart...

Tommy

I'm still struggling to understand why I would want my thermostat/lights/fridge/etc connected to the interwebs.

 

[kbuhagiar]

I'm still struggling to understand why I would want my thermostat/lights/fridge/etc connected to the interwebs.

Joe,

Just as an example, the thermostat at our second home can be controlled remotely over the Internet; it allows us to crank up the heat (in the winter) or the AC (in the summer) in the house a couple of hours before we arrive, making for a more comfortable homecoming.

 

[Parrothead]

You don't need a hub for certain things, like the TP - Link smart plug. Whatever you plug into it will be controlled by Alexa.

 

[KiltLifter]

I understand the big brother paranoia, but I DO want to know if my garage door is opened when I'm not there. If I wasn't such a tight wad I would love to have streaming video capibility as well.

I think Alexa can directly controll Hue bulbs (and others, check Amazon site). You don't need the full blown Echo for $180, just the Dot will do, it just doesn't have the big speaker built in (the Dot has one, just not a boom box).

 

[roc_on_the_rocks]

I put cardboard and tape over the camera lens and microphone in my computer. Last thing I ever want is spyware in my house and car.

You did that on your phone too?

 

[KiltLifter]

The moment I enter a building it becomes smart...

Tommy

Prefect, made me laugh!

 

[KiltLifter]

I have the chamberlain MyQ that controls the garage doors and one MyQ light switch for the garage outdoor lights. I live in the middle of nobody so it is pitch black at night, so being able to pop on the lights and open the door from my phone as we arrive is great.

The only problem with MyQ is that it doesn't play well with others (yet) so I haven't invested any deeper.

That's the reason I chose the Smart Things hub, it's a software ****, it dances with anyone.

 

[rweaver]

When we arrive at our cabin in the woods we turn up the heat and then we head to local bar for a couple beers and a burger while it warms up

 

[Dirtydan69]

It's not paranoia if they really are watching you.

 

[KiltLifter]

Oh, I get the paranoia (or confirmation!). That's the good and bad things about your car computer or dash cam, they can both be used against YOU!

But to keep this on subject, you can also check into IFTTT (IF This Then That). It is a protocol that Alexa can use that goes to the web and fires commands that Alexa cant do. Havent tried it myself, but it can be a stop gap between programs that dont talk. (but back to big brother, your laundry does go to the web with the service)

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Prefect, made me laugh!

Merry Christmas!

Tommy

 

[joe_padavano]

In today's news feed:

Smart home gadgets may be the next big hacking target

 

[SGKent]

working in IT and seeing the things getting hacked, anything connected to the Internet that I can't turn off when not using makes me nervous. In this day and age, once one hacker figures out a hack they all know the hack. It gets sold on the black markets in the dark web. So it is winter and you think the heat in that second home is on, keeping the pipes warm, but instead it is lying to you and the heat is off. I believe that one day a good amount of the novelty of this latest technology, "control it from anywhere," will wear off and people will avoid it rather than deal with the consequences. Our bank accounts have been hit at least 5 times in the last year - what about yours? We get our money back but think about the amount of money flowing to illicit operations. A good friend now carries a handgun around everywhere she goes because of her identity being stolen right after her husband died of heart failure - ironically caused by one of those gotta have once you turn 50 procedures gone bad. Frankly I don't see the benefit many others see in things like this. I see only novelty of look I can be warm when I arrive rather than waiting an hour for the heat to come up to room temp. Really? Some people are moving to the wilderness to be able to experience putting logs in the fireplace. Legally we can't even do that around here anymore or the fireplace police will fine you.

 

[Reit38]

I have a harmony 650 remote I haven't opened yet, wonder if I would be better off exchanging it for the harmony hub

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[CJ7VFR]

When we arrive at our cabin in the woods we turn up the heat and then we head to local bar for a couple beers and a burger while it warms up

Now THIS is what I call smart!!!

Jim

 

[shelteredV]

Everybody loves the Nest thermostat- self learning, app happy, blah blah. Almost half the houses I take care of has them and I hate 'em. It's damn near zero here, blowing like stinks , so I go turn the heat up until the cold wave passes. I go back later that day to check on the house and find the thermostat back down to 45. I text email the owner asking wtf, and he says he saw on his app the temp was up to 68, so he turned it back down. He's in New Zealand where it's 80 out!! I go unplug the router, problem solved.

 

[scdealer]

http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheats...ata-in-murder.html?via=desktop&source=copyurl

 

[jboehm]

I thought about this a couple of years ago, but decided against having that much integration. I have a programmable thermostat, but not a wifi connected one. I really don't need my lights and door locks controlled by anything but my self. I even bought a remote controlled fan this summer, but the remote system went out the day after I installed it. I took it back and went with pull chains. Some times it seems we are over complicating our lives since all of this connected stuff can and does occasionally have connectivity issues. Just one less problem I have to worry about having to fix.

 

[Angelfire]

While overseas for 3 years, I was able to watch/control the temp in my home and video of the place while it sat vacant. Was very useful. I do the same with a cabin in the woods (less the video) with a heater and lights. The whole IOT is taking off and there will always be the naysayers and those that don't adopt the new tech. But overall, the trend will advance with or without them. To each their own I suppose.

 

[pgray007]

Check out the coccoontech.com forums. It's the Garage Journal for automation nerds. Be prepared to enter an expensive and overly complex hobby where everything simple requires complex hardware and software, and your significant other gets mad when the lights don't work anymore when your "smart" switch decides to temporarily loose its mind!


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[AirJunky]

Open your garage door with your phone. http://garagedoorbuddy.com

Works for me.

 

[Brine Barrel]

The moment I enter a building it becomes smart...

I must be going in the wrong buildings.

---

After learning about how circadian rhythms affect health I plan to setup a bedroom with this timed dimmer switch so the lights simulate a sunrise. Being able to configure this with a tablet or phone will be much improved over the earlier system I had setup. Once you go down the circadian rhythm rabbit hole you end up with orange bulbs at night. You'll have to research to find out why.

 

[zeeway]

Years ago I was an X-10 junkie, using those switches to control about twenty lights in our house. But alas, as we got more computers, the X-10's stopped working dependably.

Now I use a Samsung Smart Hub along with some smart switches and my auto lighting control is very dependable...okay, every once in a while, it can miss a signal, but it is rare.

I also use the Ecobee 3 thermostat, which I can control remotely. I also use the ITTT app that detects when our house is vacant, and it sets the thermostat back to a energy saving temp. I have a geo-fence set up that knows when we are home or away based on our smart phones' locations. So the thermostat also automatically resets when we return home. This energy savings looks like it is in the 15-20 % range for us.

True, we could do all this manually...if we remembered. And some Russian hacker could track us and remotely contol our lights and thermostat, but so far, that is not a problem.

So, so far, I am happy with my simple system.

 

[Outlander]

I was considering a Raspberry Pi to monitor temp and water infiltration in the basement of the cottage since my pipes are all there. Internet can be flaky here sometimes so it may not be worth it.

 

[taget]

I have the chamberlain MyQ that controls the garage doors and one MyQ light switch for the garage outdoor lights. I live in the middle of nobody so it is pitch black at night, so being able to pop on the lights and open the door from my phone as we arrive is great.

The only problem with MyQ is that it doesn't play well with others (yet) so I haven't invested any deeper.

That's the reason I chose the Smart Things hub, it's a software ****, it dances with anyone.

My wink integrates with the MyQ garage door opener. I have 2 linked into my hub, when my wife's garage door opens the basement lights turn on for her.


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[penright]

I too have been bit by the bug. As some said, it's addictive and expensive. There is a law suit over Echo. Somewhere there was a murder and law enforcement subpoena google for the recording and they are fighting it. Any thing that you say that starts with Alexa is recorded and is in the cloud. Evidently there is some passive recording in the Echo, but law enforcement has not figured out how to get at it. Here is a quick article (http://nymag.com/selectall/2016/12/can-an-amazon-echo-testify-against-you.html) It's not paranoia when they are listening.

I am not a millennial and I am not worried yet. I have an Echo and home automation.

When you are doing your research check out the Almond line of products. Almond+(https://www.securifi.com/almondplus) but there is a Almond3 (https://www.securifi.com/almond3)
I have the Almond+ and it does all I want so far. There is Echo and IFFT integration. I personally have not played with those integrations. The cool thing about the Almond's is they do not depend on the cloud, so if it's a sunny day and no cloud, your rules still fire. Also the phone app can connect local or internet. I am still learning and you need to do research, I think the only difference is Almond 3 does not come with ZWave, but can be add with one of the ZWave sticks. They both do the same software but the Almond 3 is newer technology. The reason they did not include the ZWave radio like on the Almond+, it saves the cost for those of you do not need it. Also, if you need WiFi repeaters you are not wasting money on a ZWave radio you don't need.


As far as devices, go with whatever hub you choose. I had a Honey Well Tuxedo at my old house. I bought some vision multi-switch. The Tuxedo only supports binary switches, so my multi-switch was cut to one. When we bought the new house I went with the Almond+ over SmartThings because of local rules and I needed a new WiFi router. I had a bunch of multi-switch and they work great. There are only a few dollars more then the same binary switch, so you get two for almost the price of one. And if your gang box is pack that space savings is great. Also if you put one in a duplex outlet you can pull the shunt off and control the top and bottom separately.

Do your research, look at Almond's also look through their forums.