Internet Of Things / IoT / Connected Home / Smart Houses

For it to be Hue compatible you need zigbee which the majority aren't (tend to be RF or wi-fi).

The only option I found was replacing the switch with one of these https://www.amazon.co.uk/Zigbee-Dimmer-Switch-Compatible-Echo/dp/B07XJRBJXT and then using a Samotech face plate like this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Samotech%C2%AE-Light-Switch-Philips-Dimmer/dp/B07D5KJ4B6/ with a Hue switch.

It's an option I looked at recently for smart dimmers but then got mired in having to replace LED drivers and never did anything.

If you just want cheap and no extra hub then by all accounts Sonoff is the best option but I've never tried them myself.

niche ask maybe.

i currently have a kasa smart plug, i want some more, but what i don’t like about this one, is i trigger them using iOS shortcuts, and you have to setup a seperate shortcut for on and off, rather than a ‘toggle’ as such..

any other providers support shortcuts and offer toggle?

Philips hue does.

But I think you could install home assistant on a Pi and get a rifle for your existing plugs too

you can do this through homekit compatible devices. I have Meross smart plugs (there are 2 versions, homekit and non-homkit) which toggle on/off in Homekit

Have you tried ifttt, looks like it does what you want (that device "Fan" is a smart plug).

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that could work, triggering ifttt is a faff from shortcuts now, but should work

Hi smart people...

I was having Network issues and feared it was my AirPort Extreme (the "newest" gen one) so bought an Eero router.

After some testing it turned out it wasn't, and the new Eero is actually a bit slower (wifi wise) than the AE, so swapped it out.

Now im wondering if its actually worth trying to use them both. I'm in an average sized UK terrace house, lots of crumbling brick walls.

The internet comes in at the front of the house, and then into the AE which creates a wireless network from the very front of the house. It barely reaches the back, and doesnt reach the garden.
I have two ethernet ports in the middle of the house that I use to connect directly to the ISP router via an unmanaged switch (the AE is also plugged into this).

My idea is... put the Eero in the centre of the house (slightly towards the back) and create a network. Keep the AE at the front of the house and probably use it to extend said network (I'm guessing I cant set both up to create a network with the same name and password) without connecting it via ethernet.

Questions:
Does this make sense?
Am I being daft?
Will it have an advantages? (I am imagining better coverage plus a HomeKit controlled network).

The Eero may have an option for Bridge mode or similar which should let you do this with same network details)

Advantages are obviously better wi-fi.
Main disadvantage (apart from there being a chance of it being a ballache to set up, things not seeing each other when they should be able to, etc) is that some devices can hang on to the weak network rather than switch automatically to the better one.

You'll probably get a better answer on this thread https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/302722

Cheers buddy, have reposted.

Has anyone successfully used a Google Home Mini and a Ring doorbell together? It seems that on paper it should be possible but everyone who's tried it seems to have failed!

Amazon doesn't play nicely with either Google or Apple smart home devices... the on-paper compatibility doesn't seem to translate to the real world.

Not that Apple or Google play nicely with Amazon too... a Nest Hello doorbell equally does not integrate with Alexa particularly well (I believe it didn't for about a year, but recently limited support may be back).

The way this is playing out means you need to pick a horse to back:

• Entirely Amazon... the voice assistant isn't as good, they definitely are mining your data and sharing the doorbell with police, etc... but it's best priced and they are covering far more smart home stuff than anyone else
  
• Entirely Google... they have a tendency to end-of-life things (though haven't yet in home automation stuff), they definitely mine your data to enrich your advertising profile... but it's the best voice assistant and the few things they bring to market are the best of their kind
  
• Entirely Apple... should be the best... but they have virtually nothing in this space except for HomePod, they don't even go near house equipment yet
  
• None of the above and attempt to do it all from other vendors but expect to have to use Home Assistant to bring it all together
  

I've actually tried them all and after hating Apple have ended up back within the smart home Eco system.

Siri is the worst of the bunch AI wise and struggles to understand me despite the fact I speak the bloody queens.

App wise, Amazon feels like the smart home is a secondary feature to an add/sales service, Google felt like the same but with data mining, plus split Home and Voice which was a real bore. Home (apple) feels like its been designed primarily for home automation.

Homekit brings multiple vendors products into the Apple ecosystem and if you've got an iPhone already makes the most sense IMO.

I am fully google, after going through the process of having random things by random makes, I broadly have;
Home minis in some rooms
Standard home in my office (for background music)
Nest hub in the kitchen for controls and recipes etc
Chromecast audios connected to speakers in most rooms
Nest protects throughout the house
Nest thermostats on each floor

Things I wish I could have, either by nest or at least connectable

Smart TRVs: I have three bedrooms running off one thermostat, One room is daughters room (so thermostat is in there), other 2 are spare, and used randomly which mean I either forget to turn the TRV on when someone stays over (not at the moment!) or more often forget to turn them off. Apparently Energie ones are compatible with Nest, but have awful reviews. I guess I could probably get some random ones and work out something with IFTT.

Alarm system: I currently have a crappy system from ERA, which we never turn on as it occasionally goes off randomly. The issue I have with all of the systems is that our windows are UPVC and bevelled, so getting the blocks to sit nicely together is a nightmare, really need someone to 3D print some mounting blocks. We also have lots of doors (4), downstairs windows (6), so the sensors add up in price, I guess I could just use motion sensors, but my 5 year old daughter has a habit of getting up in the night, so don't really want it going off on her.

On all of this stuff... I stick by my claim that if I only did one thing it would be Philips Hue lighting everywhere.

The smart speakers, doorbell, heating, vacuum... all of that is second to how good smart lighting is.

I think in terms of quality of life, having lighting change to fit the time of day and activity (cleaning, reading, watching a movie, cooking, eating, etc) is the best thing. Improving alertness in the morning, sleep quality and duration, etc.

Not sure if it's the best place to ask, but after a soundbar for the TV & want something which can I can cast/connect Spotify music to as well. Anyone got any recommendations? I'm no particular audiophile, just want some convenience & better sound than the speaker's built-in ones (pretty pants).

I would love to do smart lighting, but I worked out how expensive it would be to me, and it was painful! I have very few rooms which just have a pendent in, most are either pendants plus spots, or just spots or LED bulkheads. For example downstairs we have;

Office: 4 x LED bulkheads (no idea what these could be swapped for)
Utility: 2 x LED bulkheads(would never bother changing these)
Dining room: 2 x Pendants (easiest room to do, but don't use it much)
Lounge: 4 x Pendants, 4 x spots (would like to change these to get more variation)
Kitchen: 10 x spots (expensive!)

Get a Nest alarm from the States, thats what I have paired with a Starling hub so it integrates perfectly with Homekit.

Also have hue lighting although I still need to really nerd out with it.

Sonos is the best option.

Yeah... I went Philips Hue and estimated that it cost £800 to do the whole flat and a similar number of lights. This included the switches and changes to make the switches cover the old manual switches.

It was an easier pill to swallow as when we had moved in all of the lights were halogen so I already knew I was going to change them all for LED. I only opted for the white Hue lights... I've since purchased a single coloured Hue lamp and now with I hadn't... the white Hue lights are way nicer.

I did ponder importing a nest alarm, do you have other nest stuff? I take it that it all integrates ok?

Edit: Apparently they have discontinued Nest Secure https://www.theverge.com/2020/10/19/21523967/google-discontinues-nest-secure-alarm-system

white + ambiance (for different temperatures) is definitely the winner with hue.

we have tried the cheaper INNR bulbs as well - and have found that

a) dimming range is not as great as hue - i.e they are brighter at there dimmest, which is a pain for ultra low nighttime settings.

b) they don't have the ability to 'save' a power cycle setting (at least - through the Hue interface) whereas the Hue lights can be set to either return to last setting, or turn on to full white if the switch is flicked on and off.

On all of this stuff... I stick by my claim that if I only did one thing it would be Philips Hue lighting everywhere.

This. In spades. Hue has been a big positive change for us. Its spendy but worth it.

Edit: Cost roughly £600 to do our flat. Not many crappy GU10 spots to replace thankfully.

Keep an eye on the Connected Home over IP project;

https://github.com/project-chip/connectedhomeip

There seems to a growing consensus that it will be a major unifying force in home automation.

Yeah, I have thermostat, alarms, door sensors, pretty much everything... and it all works well within the Nest app (I haven't migrated to Google) and Home app.

They have discontinued as they have partnered with another arm/security company but who knows what that will yield.

Would still recommend.

Yeah, I have pondered a few times, I should probably buy a kit on a black friday deal and have a play with one room, also wish they made their switches look and act more like normal switches.

I still really want a solution like Den devices, but sadly they have already gone under once, and seem to be using some bespoke protocols so if they go under again you are left with nothing.