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Dbhjed posted:Here is the catch, Smart Bulbs need power all the time, but if they are connected to a smart switch they will have the power taken away when the smart switch is off, so the only way to control them in to turn the switch on, then change the color, doing this with automation sometimes results in the light missing the command since it isn't on yet. If controlling lighting with a Harmony, could you set it to send the "switch on" command, pause, then send the "bulb color on" command? Edit: or does the Smart Things hub have similar functionality where you can send multiple commands with pauses for a single function?
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Dec 28, 2016 03:34
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Scrapez posted:If controlling lighting with a Harmony, could you set it to send the "switch on" command, pause, then send the "bulb color on" command? If you use CoRE (Community's own Rule Engine) you can do a wait function, but the stock SmartThings does not have that. The only ehhh part of switch on, bulb power, then bulb color would be the bulb will come on 100% white then switch the color, which personally I find jarring
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Dec 28, 2016 03:38
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Dbhjed posted:If you use CoRE (Community's own Rule Engine) you can do a wait function, but the stock SmartThings does not have that. Good to know. Yeah the initial white would definitely be jarring as you say.
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Dec 28, 2016 04:03
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Or you can use indigo domotics as the brains behind the 6 or 8 button insteon switches that control individual lights. So the load to the switch or lamp is always on. Insteon panel sets the smart bulb to on or off depending on button state. The bulb remembers its previous state because it hasn't truly lost power and the app can save each variable (and modify it if you want) and load it into the light when you tell it to power on. You can also use the indigo app or even the hue app and the software will sync the wall panel state to the bulb state. If your wall switch has a neutral, wire it up. But if yo want color changing or don't have a neutral as long as there's a neutral somewhere in the room you can use a 6 or 8 button panel, label appropriately, and control from there sellouts fucked around with this message at 04:57 on Dec 28, 2016 |
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Dec 28, 2016 04:53
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I'm looking for a decent IP Cam. Possibly outdoors, wireless would be nicer. I like the Nest Cam, but I think I can do better than $180 each. Also does anyone have any experience with software like iSpy? http://www.ispyconnect.com/
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Dec 28, 2016 06:27
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Very interesting and helpful discussion. I've been using the Wink hub for the past few years, but have grown tired of the ecosystem's reliability. I've been slowly changing all of my bulbs to smart bulbs, and now have about 15 smart bulbs throughout the house. Right now I have five bulbs that have forgotten their settings and need to be reset, and at any given time I have two or three bulbs that don't work and need to be reset. It's been a pain in the butt, but I've lived with it because I find the automation so useful. I've been looking at alternatives and have considered switching to something that supports Apple's HomeKit to get better iOS and Siri integration. But after reading all of this, instead of dumping a bunch of money into a new system and replacing everything, I think I'll start investing in smart switches that work with both Wink and other potential HomeKit compatible systems. I can improve my reliability and in-person switch usefulness while also better future proofing myself. I did the bulbs mainly because they were cheaper. Picking up a bulb a month for like $15 was easier than a $55 switch that required rewiring. But it looks like the switches would have been more helpful and a better investment.
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Dec 28, 2016 18:49
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Violator posted:Very interesting and helpful discussion. Are those bulbs GE Links? If so they are known to lose their settings over time.
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Dec 28, 2016 23:35
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If you just want HomeKit integration, look into setting up Homebridge - open source bridge between various smart products and HomeKit. I've been using it for ~6 months and it mostly works very well.
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Dec 28, 2016 23:50
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Kalman posted:If you just want HomeKit integration, look into setting up Homebridge - open source bridge between various smart products and HomeKit. I've been using it for ~6 months and it mostly works very well. Awesome, thanks for the tip. Dbhjed posted:Are those bulbs GE Links? If so they are known to lose their settings over time. Yep. 
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Dec 29, 2016 06:00
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Just set up HomeBridge. Pretty awesome and now my non-HomeKit-supported Hue lights and WeMo switch work great on the iPhone. Even set up Harmony. Edit: forgot to mention that setting up the Hue was kind of a pain since you need to create a username through a very esoteric process that all the setup instructions don't even mention. smackfu fucked around with this message at 18:20 on Dec 29, 2016 |
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Dec 29, 2016 18:02
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smackfu posted:my non-HomeKit-supported Hue lights
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Dec 29, 2016 21:04
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Dec 29, 2016 21:47
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Oh, you must have the first gen (round) bridge. Forgot about those.
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Dec 30, 2016 00:18
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Would anyone like me to post my findings at CES in this home security and automation sector of the show? Ill be out there next week for my job and will be mainly hanging around this area.
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Dec 30, 2016 00:27
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spiralbrain posted:Would anyone like me to post my findings at CES in this home security and automation sector of the show? Ill be out there next week for my job and will be mainly hanging around this area. That would be awesome. I'd like to hear what's coming.
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Dec 30, 2016 01:05
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So with this home bridge software can I use my iPhone/Siri to control my Insteon devices? I don't have any home kit devices currently.
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Dec 30, 2016 03:08
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Scrapez posted:That would be awesome. I'd like to hear what's coming. Besides this?
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Dec 30, 2016 04:52
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Sweet! I look forward to Alexa telling me to go gently caress myself as she blasts Nickleback at max volume on every speaker in the house.
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Dec 30, 2016 07:46
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I think I'm gonna take the plunge into smart switches. Do you guys have preferences on wifi vs z wave? Z wave stuff with a hub seems the cheaper option overall. Are there any drawbacks? ALSO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5p0gqCIEa8 smoobles fucked around with this message at 16:59 on Dec 30, 2016 |
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Dec 30, 2016 16:23
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"Can this be done reasonably?" question regarding 3-way switches. Our front hallway has a single light controlled by two conventional 3-way switches, one by the front door and one by the basement door. I want to abandon the basement door switch and use a switch next to the garage door to act as a 3-way with the front door switch. Unfortunately the (currently unused and disconnected) garage door switch only has a live and neutral running to it (it was a switch leg with no neutral), and I'd like to avoid opening the wall to pull 12-3 through just for a traveler wire. What I thought I could do was buy two smart switches, associate them with each other, power the garage door switch (no load) and connect the load to the front door switch. This apparently isn't possible without a hub and also not possible because 3-way smart switches seem to all require a traveler for signaling. Am I missing something? I can think how I would implement it with ESP8266s, mesh WiFi, and relays, but would rather use some UL-listed "standard" solution.
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Dec 30, 2016 19:06
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What is the consensu on nest vs ecobee thermostats? I have a smallish house so the multi room sensors arent that useful for me. Im considering the ecobee lite - is the only difference the multi sensor function? Overall I think I like the looks of the nest better - my main requirements are compatibility with alexa that both have. Compatibility with siri / homekit would be nice but not a deal breaker. Ease of installation is a factor also. Im not super handy so Im reading that the ecobee required a c wire and I think the nest doesnt care? I dont know what I have currently or how to tell so if the nest doesnt give a gently caress about the power type it may be better for me. Keystoned fucked around with this message at 20:06 on Dec 30, 2016 |
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Dec 30, 2016 19:59
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Nest requires a c wire as well, all smart thermostats will, as that provides the power to the unit. If your HVAC is less than 20 years old you should have a c wire. I like the Nests, but I have the protects too, and they act like nest sensors. The Ecobee has one remote sensor, but it's battery powered, which I don't like. I've heard the Ecobee has a better integration with stuff, but for me the Nest is the more aesthetic choice.
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Dec 30, 2016 20:21
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Most homes actually don't require a C wire for the Nest. But I chose the ecobee because I didn't want to risk it. The ecobee came with an adapter so I didn't need to run a separate c wire and I installed it in like 10 minutes. It works with everything and I like the multi room sensors. Battery in the remote sensor lasts 3 years. sellouts fucked around with this message at 20:27 on Dec 30, 2016 |
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Dec 30, 2016 20:24
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Scrapez posted:That would be awesome. I'd like to hear what's coming. Cool. Ill be sure to post some of the interesting stuff I come across.
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Dec 30, 2016 20:34
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I just bought an Ecobee Lite last night. It was $169 and I'm eligible for $150 in rebates so it seemed like a cheap way to try it out. I also think the Nest looks better and wasn't too concerned about the remote sensor capability (I think the Lite also loses out on the smart home/away functionality which I don't see mentioned in all the reviews). However, it was actually the c wire issue that pushed me towards an Ecobee instead of a Nest. The Ecobee includes a small adapter (power extender kit) so that it can be powered continuously. In contrast, the Nest power cycles your HVAC system so it can borrow some juice when it is not actively heating/cooling. I don't know enough about HVAC hardware to know whether the extra cycling can be damaging, but it doesn't sound ideal. I've heard enough about reliability issues in the Nest without a c wire to go ahead and go with the Ecobee instead. Now if only the previous occupant had painted behind the thermostat, I could comment on my initial impressions instead of waiting around for paint to dry. Edit: Welp too slow
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Dec 30, 2016 20:35
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Keystoned posted:What is the consensu on nest vs ecobee thermostats? I have a smallish house so the multi room sensors arent that useful for me. Im considering the ecobee lite - is the only difference the multi sensor function? The other difference is that the lites don't do automatic occupancy. I have one of each, the normal 3 is in my house where the remote sensors and occupancy sensing is useful and the lite is in my detached addition which is usually unoccupied. I wanted a smart thermostat in there because on more than a couple of occasions I turned on the AC while working out and forgot about turning it off when done. The Ecobee has definitely saved me money since I got it in July.
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Dec 31, 2016 00:45
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After a lot of hemming and hawing I settled on the Arlo Pro wireless setup with integration into smartthings. It's pretty stellar and in all my testing it does the job perfectly. I've got it automating the video so that the system records for a couple minutes if there's an intrusion detected. Motion sensors on the camera are only used by Arlo when it fires up, as its facing both external doors to my house and I don't want any false alarms. All in all it's looking like a solid solution.
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Dec 31, 2016 02:20
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Dbhjed posted:Here is the catch, Smart Bulbs need power all the time, but if they are connected to a smart switch they will have the power taken away when the smart switch is off, so the only way to control them in to turn the switch on, then change the color, doing this with automation sometimes results in the light missing the command since it isn't on yet. That was kind of my point. I get that smart switches are great because physical controls are infinitely better than pulling out a smartphone but I would still like some way to signal to my bulb what color to be. The only "solutions" I've seen are the hue Tap, which I don't consider acceptable for a real setup. So really it sounds like there's no good way to have physical controls with presets for color or whatever and a colorized light bulb.
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Dec 31, 2016 16:19
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FogHelmut posted:I'm looking for a decent IP Cam. Possibly outdoors, wireless would be nicer. I personally think wireless cameras are bad because you still have to run power to them and if you're going to run a cable then PoE by virtue of being low voltage is a million times easier to deal with code-wise and with installation. Your specific placement may be lucky enough to not matter, though.
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Dec 31, 2016 16:20
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Hed posted:I personally think wireless cameras are bad because you still have to run power to them and if you're going to run a cable then PoE by virtue of being low voltage is a million times easier to deal with code-wise and with installation. Your specific placement may be lucky enough to not matter, though. Arlo pros come with rechargeable batteries. No need for power lines and it doesn't appear to take up a ton of bandwidth.
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Dec 31, 2016 17:04
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Hed posted:That was kind of my point. I get that smart switches are great because physical controls are infinitely better than pulling out a smartphone but I would still like some way to signal to my bulb what color to be. The only "solutions" I've seen are the hue Tap, which I don't consider acceptable for a real setup. So really it sounds like there's no good way to have physical controls with presets for color or whatever and a colorized light bulb. My zwave switches support double/triple tap, and I'm going to try to hook it up so that double tap on on/off paddles cycle through colour presets on the relevant light(s). I'll report back if I get it working.
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Dec 31, 2016 17:17
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So I started looking at Hue Tap (thanks to recent posts) as I'm in an apartment so rewiring light switches is a no go. I'm concerned with the notation that it has "50,000 lifetime clicks" and reading reviews that the number is much less (like basically a years worth a clicks). Does anyone have experience with them to sway me one way or the other? Does anyone have a better, less disposable solution? I have voice control but scenes elude me.
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Dec 31, 2016 17:24
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You can do restricted scenes (no custom colors, just choosing "blue", etc) using Yonomi. It sometimes takes 2-4 seconds for them to kick in, though.
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Dec 31, 2016 17:36
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WithoutTheFezOn posted:You can do restricted scenes (no custom colors, just choosing "blue", etc) using Yonomi. It sometimes takes 2-4 seconds for them to kick in, though. Google Home has been good at doing colors ("Hey google, turn the lights blue") which I use pretty heavily but there's two or three scenes I use very regularly that I'd like to be able to switch to more easily than finding my phone and changing it.
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Dec 31, 2016 17:49
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Hed posted:That was kind of my point. I get that smart switches are great because physical controls are infinitely better than pulling out a smartphone but I would still like some way to signal to my bulb what color to be. The only "solutions" I've seen are the hue Tap, which I don't consider acceptable for a real setup. So really it sounds like there's no good way to have physical controls with presets for color or whatever and a colorized light bulb. Indigo Domotics and Insteon 8 panel switch will do this. Edit: or 6 panel switch. Or any Insteon switch really. sellouts fucked around with this message at 18:35 on Dec 31, 2016 |
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Dec 31, 2016 18:22
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I'm looking to put smart dimmers on a few switches in my house and have a few questions. 1. I have an Echo and Harmony Hub. Should I buy a Smart Things hub to control lights or will the Harmony do it? 2. Which switches are best? I'm leaning toward Lutron Casetas as I've read good things but open to whatever. 3. Amazon has a Caseta starter kit with hub. Would this be better than getting a Smart Things hub? Lutron P-BDG-PKG1W Caseta Wireless Dimmer Kit with Smart Bridge for Amazon Alexa and Selected Models, White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MXCRAX8/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_KzdAybF4TED8J I'm thinking the Smart Things hub might be handy in the future for things like controlling garage doors. Lastly, one of the set of can lights I want to control have two single gang switches that control them. Would I need a smart switch at each location or do they make like a master/slave type setup?
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Dec 31, 2016 23:54
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RevKrule posted:Google Home has been good at doing colors ("Hey google, turn the lights blue") which I use pretty heavily but there's two or three scenes I use very regularly that I'd like to be able to switch to more easily than finding my phone and changing it. I don't know of any non-tap hardware solutions for scene triggering.
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Jan 1, 2017 01:38
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Goddamnit you're going to make me effort post how to do it with my setup, aren't you all.
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Jan 1, 2017 04:34
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Scrapez posted:I'm looking to put smart dimmers on a few switches in my house and have a few questions. Ive been looking heavily at lutron but haven't bought in yet. My understanding is that you put a smart switch on one end and one of their pico remotes into the other wallplate after nutting the wiring to always on behind it. From what I can tell lutron seems to be the best tech wise but you pay a premium for it.
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Jan 1, 2017 04:38
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Dbhjed posted:Here is the catch, Smart Bulbs need power all the time, but if they are connected to a smart switch they will have the power taken away when the smart switch is off, so the only way to control them in to turn the switch on, then change the color, doing this with automation sometimes results in the light missing the command since it isn't on yet. How the hell is there not an Ethernet-over-Powerline standard to allow smart switches to control smart bulbs? Also, is this that's been linked a lot recently actually a good deal, or is this one of those "it's never actually sold at the full retail price" kind of 'discounts'?
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Jan 1, 2017 07:20
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