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LastInLine posted:Honestly I think you're making the better decision to go with bulbs. Bulbs are easier to replace, both now and in the future when that smart switch doesn't seem so smart anymore. They function well and like you said just default to being a light bulb when turned on or off. When you move, they're trivial to take with you. I can't think of a single way that having the brains in the switch is better than having them in the bulb, especially when you factor in that feeling you get when you walk into an old house and see the intercom system that was installed in the 70s installed in one of the walls. What additional functionality do you think they are going to add to smart switches? You think they are going to do something other than dim and turn on and off? Installing and replacing a light switch is hardly a burden. With smart bulbs the switch has to remain on all the time, turning it of means you now have a manual system. As far as a 70's intercom you know that smart switches look exactly like standards switches, right? I mean some have a tiny light on them but besides that no one would be able to tell that it is a smart switch. If you own your home and aren't planning on moving for a few years there is absolutely no case where a smart bulb is more desirable than a smart switch.
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Feb 10, 2017 17:26
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tk505 posted:What if you want a colour changing bulb? Can a smart switch handle this if you get a compatible bulb? I'm honestly asking... also wondering what the cost difference would be. Yes, the work fine, your smart hub will know that the two are interconnected when you set it up. I actually have 4 smart bulbs because I put in 2 Wink Relays which have light switches but not dimmers, they work perfectly fine together, the hub knows that for on/off to use the smart switch, for dimming to use the bulb and that the smart switch has to be on to control the dimming.
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Feb 10, 2017 17:54
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savesthedayrocks posted:What's wrong with the Elgato for normal looking smart switches? Bluetooth LE only and as far as I can tel they are locked into HomeKit, not that it matters seeing as no other major home automation system supports Bluetooth LE in a meaningful way if at all. Also it doesn't look like a normal looking smart switch if you mean anything common on the home market, even on the very high end. A Zigbee light switch, rocker or pole will look almost indistinguishable from a standard switch.
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Feb 11, 2017 09:29
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At risk of sounding like an infomercial I have to say just how drat amazing the Google homes are, the best $100 I have ever spent, especially with more than one and Chromecast audios. My day starts with my Google home on my headboard waking me up, saying "Hey Google, snooze 20 minutes." Then sometimes "Hey Google, snooze 10/20 minutes." Then "Hey Google, Tell me the News"', "Hey Google, what is the temperature", "Hey Google, Turn my house on" and all the lights in my house come on. "Hey Google, play Pandora on home speakers" and my favorite songs play all throughout my house including my bathroom. Take a shower, drink a a couple of cups of coffee, take the pups out, check my email. "Hey Google, how long to work?" and I know how long I have to spend dicking around the house until I need to leave. Then I hit the all lights off button on my touch screen right next to my front door as I head out the door. Come home, "Hey Google, play Pandora on home speakers", favorite songs come on again. As it gets later, "Hey Google, set my home to dim.", all the lights in my house dim. As I tuck myself in bed, "Hey Google, turn my house off" and all the lights in my house turn off. It's amazing.
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Feb 12, 2017 02:39
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Slash posted:Care to do a breakdown of the kit that you have running this? Two Google Homes, on in my bedroom and another in my living room. Wink Relay at my front door and dining room. I have a Nest thermostat and a Nest Protect. All my lights are on Z-Wave light switches/dimmers however many that is, also have a Harmony for the living room. Home control is using a Wink Hub, using the IFTT right now for Google Home control but Google and Wink have said native integration is forthcoming.
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Feb 13, 2017 19:30
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RevKrule posted:Are you using IFTTT for harmony control or do you have some other magical way of getting support? The only thing I really use the Harmony IFTTT integration with Google Home is to tell it to play art (Chomecast screensaver) but I figured I would mention it like my Nest Protect as it is technically integrated into my home automation system for anyone considering automating. I mean really my Nest Protect is plugged in, if it goes off it is supposed to turn all the lights in my house on through IFTTT and call my concierge desk, although I am not going to set a fire to see if it works but IFTTT has been really reliable so I don't have any reason to believe it wouldn't. That said I think Harmony falls squarely in home automation territory and I am in completely in love and would tell anyone to invest, IFTTT/Google Home tie in is just an extra bonus.
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Feb 14, 2017 03:31
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LastInLine posted:I guess I had a different childhood than these people because yeah, I just have one light on at a time ever. It turns out I'm only one person and can only be in one place at a time. I basically life in a loft, the bedroom/bathroom is enclosed and I have a galley kitchen but my living room, former foyer and dining room are one giant room which means when I come home or wake up in the morning that involves 6 light switches
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Feb 17, 2017 05:21
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UnfortunateSexFart posted:My condo is about to vote on installing cameras and I'm gonna say no because they're useless and will probably be used to fine people who aren't flatting cardboard boxes enough for whoever gets to watch it. Honestly it depends on what kind of system you put in. I've been amazed at how many even brand new expensive apartment buildings put in absolute poo poo cameras, borderline useless and then brag about their camera security. Then something happens and the footage is absolutely useless. We have over six figures invested in dozens of HD IP cameras, storage and processing.  If you put cameras in do it right and don't put in a useless wide angle SD coax poo poo with a cheapass DVR that seems to be all the rage because it is cheap as poo poo now and you can claim you have camera security.
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Feb 20, 2017 00:49
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Thermopyle posted:lol yeah. I'm Wink and still not sold on them but the Wink 2 does work without the cloud so that's something.
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Mar 1, 2017 02:38
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Rick posted:It's the time of year in Arizona where it's getting warm but the AC won't be on in my apartment until like mid April, so I start looking at ways to turn my portable AC unit on automatically (it has a temp sensor and will go into fan mode after a certain temp, but it needs to be on for that to work and that just seems like a lot of power to use all day). Are you on a two pipe system? We run our chiller year around. As for smart control the Nest can be used as an IFTTT trigger based on temperature but it seems really cost prohibitive if you are just trying to save on energy costs.
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Mar 11, 2017 16:25
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It seems like it took forever but Google Home now has native Wink and Harmony integration, no more IFTT workarounds.
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Mar 28, 2017 18:44
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Google Home now supports 6 users seamlessly:Google posted:“Ok Google, good morning.” Amazon better have their poo poo together because Google Home just went from a device for single people or kind of a toy to super useful to a family. Also there is a gay family in the ad for it which is something. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZNqSy-zFXo Three Olives fucked around with this message at 19:22 on Apr 20, 2017 |
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Apr 20, 2017 19:07
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Subjunctive posted:It's known that Amazon is pretty far along on voice differentiation. Is it? There have been rumors for a while but Google has already delivered the goods so...
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Apr 20, 2017 19:40
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DangerZoneDelux posted:Foscam R2 2MP 1080P HD Wireless Security Camera (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DJ1FTTS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_0JIazbK7J9RV1 I think his point is that he wants it to be insecure, it's for a publically accessible web cam. I'm interested in the same thing actually, Nest seems to work but it seems like a huge overkill if you just want to live stream a camera feed pubically.
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Apr 27, 2017 19:28
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I know you can control the level of an audio group by saying "Set volume of <group> to X", I suspect it would work for individual speakers but I'm not home to try. I know for sure you can control the audio level of individual Chromecast Audios by using the Home app on your phone.
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May 13, 2017 18:15
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smoobles posted:Thinking of setting up zwave switches + zwave dimmable lightbulbs, but I was wondering: Wink will do that, I assume ST does as well. But why would you not just use a smart dimmer instead of a smart switch and smart bulbs?
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May 17, 2017 19:40
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Subjunctive posted:My smart dimmers fade up to their brightness target when turned on, and similarly down when turned off. I can probably set the fade interval to 0 with Z-wave programming, but it sounds like you have something else in mind? I misunderstood the question, re-reading I got that you want them not to fade.
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May 19, 2017 03:08
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Announced "Late 2017" release so probably around the holidays.
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Jun 12, 2017 22:25
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Metal Geir Skogul posted:The Nest Pro is just a gen 3 Nest, right? Probably? I mean there is no such thing as a Nest Pro thermostat, there is a Nest Pro program from HVAC companies to sell Nests. But I think you have to be dumb as a stick to not be able to install a Nest so you were either confused or the HVAC company is trying to rip you off.
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Jul 6, 2017 02:11
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bobfather posted:Wink is basically a dead product. SmartThings seems to be surviving, if not necessarily thriving. I've used ST for a couple years now and I like it, generally. It's still nothing close to being 100% reliable, and I have at least one malfunction in my (comprehensively automated) household on a daily basis. How is Wink a dead product? They just released a new hub and they are owned by Flextronics which more than likely wants to be a player in home automation since it will likely be a huge market that no one has really been able to claim yet. I'm happy with Wink, it's a simpler product that SmartThings but easier to use.
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Jul 7, 2017 17:35
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bobfather posted:Actually, you're exactly right. I guess I figured they were one in the same. They were. Wink was the only mildly successful product that Quirky ever made and was spun off as a subsidiary. When Quirky went bankrupt they owed Flextronics a shitload of money so Flextronic acquired Wink as part of the bankruptcy deal.
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Jul 7, 2017 20:04
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Thermopyle posted:I'm starting to consider building a new home next year-ish, so I'm thinking about smart home stuff... Control4 pretty much owns the next level up and then you jump to Crestron, AMX and Savant where they sell you poo poo like this:  And you literally do not care what it costs because you have the same system in your private jet and super yacht. Basically SmartThings and Wink are about as good as you are going to get on the self-install consumer friendly level, anything above is going to be custom with an integrator that uses proprietary development software to change anything in your system. Control4 starts in the high 4 digits, low 5 and going balls out on a Creston or AMX system can easily set you back well into the six figures, that display alone runs around $10,000. Three Olives fucked around with this message at 18:19 on Jul 12, 2017 |
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Jul 12, 2017 18:11
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Thermopyle posted:This is basically what I expected. I bet that the control interface isn't all that great. My expectation was that it'll be laggy, use poor screen tech (like resistive panels or TN panels or whatever), and will require their people to maintain it and make changes. I was hoping I was wrong. Yes on the people to maintain and make changes, as for the other stuff, it had a bit of a reputation for that in the past because it used to be so cutting edge that processors and display technology really wasn't out there for anything yet, these days if you have the money to spend it will make anything on the consumer or do it yourself market look like a sad, useless toy. Keep in mind that the market for those products is 80 year old billionaires fitting out a new super yacht, they don't gently caress around when they want to use their $300k home automation system to turn on Fox News which is part of why it is all custom programmed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5Tl3xX62F0 Control4 is more affordable, high quality, has more broad product support, unless things have changed recently Control4 is more prêt-à-porter with a really good tailor, AMX and Creston is more haute couture, anything you request with in what is technically possible will happen if you can pay for it. Anything, you want to have the engine RPMs of your yacht engines displayed on the home screen of your in wall bathroom touch screen in Aspen? Sure, and what font and color do you want it displayed in? And if you touch it would you like it to bring up a live video feed of the engine room with a button to intercom the captain over the satellite link? Sure, that's one of the easier requests I have had. Three Olives fucked around with this message at 19:24 on Jul 12, 2017 |
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Jul 12, 2017 19:19
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deong posted:I don't own the house, so not really looking to replace the opener. Just a warning, TECHNICALLY anything you attach to the house be it Nest, garage door opener, even a flat screen TV becomes a fixture and is legally owned by the landlord. 99% of the time it is no big deal and TVs are kind of a gray area but if your landlord decides to be a dick they are legally in the right. That's why so many houses for sale are completely empty except for the TVs mounted on the walls, it most likely not because they didn't want the TVs anymore, it's because the real estate company or lien holder told them to leave them or potentially run into some legal messiness.
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Jul 13, 2017 17:11
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Keystoned posted:Slightly off topic but can anyone recommend a good hdmi splitter / reciever? Im not trying to run a sound system through it - I just need more hdmi inputs because I have more devices than my tv had inputs. Id like at least six. Also it also needs to work with my logitech harmony remote. Pretty sure you are looking for a switch, not a splitter. https://www.amazon.com/Portta-Switc...rds=HDMI+Switch I've used this for years, works great and has discrete IR commands for the ports so it works great with Harmony. Only possible downside besides maybe protocol support is that it is HDMI powered which MIGHT be a problem. Probably not, there is a good chance at least one of your devices is outputting enough power over HDMI to power it but you could run into issues if you don't. It has a power plug if not but it doesn't come with an adapter.
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Jul 15, 2017 02:25
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DangerZoneDelux posted:Also this whole convo was because an idiot posted your landlord owns your tv the minute it goes on the wall Mounted TVs are a grey area, the mount at very least probably becomes property of your landlord, the TV is questionable. Several years ago I was working with a home builder who was offering one of our products as a buyer incentive for a new home development, their lawyers insisted that our product although free standing must be physically attached to the house and installed before the title transferred to keep things on the up and up legally. Grills had a screw and a tether chain to the brick, TVs were mounted on the wall, etc. The TVs were an aside, the TV/TV mount situation legally is questionable, but this is a home automation thread and what is not questionable is things like smart switches, thermostats, smoke detectors, garage door openers, etc, those are most defiantly fixtures legally and if you install them in your rental property they are legally the property of your landlord as a home improvement in most if not all jurisdictions. Granted as long as the original device is reinstalled and there isn't any damage before you move out it will likely not be an issue at all but if your landlord decides to be a dick that Nest you installed in your apartment is their property the second you took the old one off and screwed the back-plate into the wall. It's almost certainly not going to be an issue but it is something that people should keep in mind before installing high dollar equipment into a landlord's property that might be a dick about it. Three Olives fucked around with this message at 03:49 on Jul 15, 2017 |
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Jul 15, 2017 03:45
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EL BROMANCE posted:Just got an email saying Wink has been acquired by i.am+, will.i.ams lifestyle company. Yeah, we are hosed. Honestly I'm surprised, I figured Foxconn would want to stay in the home automation game. There really weren't any better offers than i.am+ which has exclusively produced useless garbage because it is run by an idiot with too much money?
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Jul 28, 2017 00:18
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I'm just hoping that Brilliant Controls actually delivers before Wink hits the fan and I need to replace my Relays.
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Jul 28, 2017 01:53
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Zero VGS posted:Anyone know if there's a way to buy my own old-school electric meter and get the electric company to agree to use that? There's plenty of old spinny-meters in the area. I actually want it because I moved in to a new house and want to go breaker-by-breaker to have a 100% picture of my power consumption, and verify that with all breakers off that the meter is stopped dead. At least in Dallas the utility company will put an old school meter to replace a smart meter but they charge you for installation and something kind of absurd for meter reading. Also I believe there is something up with the smart metering. I mean not to get too conspiracy minded but my electricity bill tracks significantly with the temperature, but the thing is I run my fan 24/7 and I'm on a chilled water system so the only cost to cool my house is powering the solenoid to the coolant pipe which should be using a very tiny amount of power that should barely register on my electricity usage. Or maybe not, maybe my solenoid is a massive, massive power hog, I don't care enough to investigate a few dollars a month.
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Sep 13, 2017 04:18
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Red Warrior posted:To clarify you get the $25 gift card for use on Walmart through Google Express after you have linked your Google Express account to Walmart and you buy a Google Home from Walmart. OK can someone explain this deal better to me because I keep hearing about it. I already used a Google Express promo, is it a first time deal only or Walmart promo that works with existing express accounts? And is the promo if you buy a new Google Home from Walmart or can I used my existing ones to place an order? And on top of that since I have two Google Homes can I link one to my account and one to my partners and get $50?
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Nov 20, 2017 20:50
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Walmart Google deals are live, just ordered the two max for the $25 coupon.
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Nov 23, 2017 07:27
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I received my two minis from Walmart and I have to say I am pleasantly surprised by the sound quality, absolutely perfect for the bathroom and completely serviceable for the bedroom where there is already a Tivoli Model 2 with a Chromecast Audio for music when the stereo is off. Apparently the $29 discount is still valid until the end of the year, pretty sure I'm going to pick two more up for the office and den so I can go completely overkill and have a Google Home and Chromecast Audio for every room in the house.
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Nov 26, 2017 03:11
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Happy Noodle Boy posted:Not entirely automation related but if I can somehow figure out how to sync my work exchange calendar to google so I can get those heads up through the Home in the morning, it'd be perfect. There is a workaround on Mac where you sync your exchange calendar with iCal and then iCal automatically syncs that with your Google Calender. If you aren't using a Mac I assume there is some similar workaround with Windows.
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Nov 26, 2017 20:45
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Happy Noodle Boy posted:Is there a quick dumb guide for this? I do have a Mac. I think you just add both calenders to iCal and there is some option to keep calenders synced. I just know a friend of mine had the same problem and said he figured it with iCal syncing.
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Nov 26, 2017 21:10
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Don Dongington posted:The whole point of zigbee is that it's a mesh, so each device is a repeater. Kind of, in theory yes but they mesh with known devices in a kind of hosed up way of how they are added, they don't automatically know they are in the same network group and automatically mesh.
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Nov 28, 2017 07:49
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chippy posted:Excuse me, is the best best place to ask Google Home/Assistant questions, or is there somewhere better? We really need a Google Assistant thread, that echo system is getting really good now. We have 5 smart displays and 5 smart speakers now and I'm starting to integrate home automation in it and it works really well off the shelf.
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Mar 3, 2019 03:29
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Thermopyle posted:Yep. I haven't investigated too much but it's my understanding that there is some hacked Wyze firmware that turns them into generic IP cams to integrate into local DVR software? Anyways, we have 3 Wyze Cams connected to our 5 Google Assistant displays and we are pretty happy, it does take a long time to load the stream on a display though. If Wyze comes out with a <$80-100 outdoor solution I will probably do a 360 degree view of the house if I don't break down and put a higher end system first. Pro-Tip: If your mother is house sitting, even if you fully disclose the cameras and offer to disable them during her stay, she will not enjoy tips on caring for your 4-legged companions based of viewing the cameras. Three Olives fucked around with this message at 01:09 on Jul 16, 2019 |
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Jul 16, 2019 01:07
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Ur Getting Fatter posted:Is there anything like the Wyze/Arlo/Blink style of wireless cameras that does not require an internet connection? The Wyze cams store to cards and only upload video for event detection/live streaming.
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Jul 21, 2019 22:11
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wolrah posted:If it actually does operate as described where cops can only see video users have explicitly shared to the local community and send out requests for footage potentially relevant to active investigations I think that's actually pretty reasonable. No different from going door to door asking for any information, just more convenient for everyone involved. Some of the early headlines I had read about this implied that it was more open for police to just pull footage, which obviously would have been a lot more concerning even if it was opt-in. When you hand over your data to a third party they have some control of how compliant they are going to be with subpoenas which can be surprisingly easy to get and incredibly difficult to get a company to comply with, see Apple's fights with the FBI. There seems to be some suggesting that Ring will rollover on anything that partnered police departments manage to get a judge to sign off on if they are a partner.
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Aug 29, 2019 05:29
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LastInLine posted:There's no way to just lock a Google Home to a single user's voice. Certain things are walled behind voice recognition but others are not. Honestly I'd never considered a situation where a single living space would have two separate Google Home users. So, ironically, I think the best thing to do would be to group them into the same account, we have 8 Google Homes (Plus two more kind of sitting at the moment) and while they frequently overhear the same request because you hear them beep, almost always only the closest one will respond, even in situations like our bedroom where we have Google Home displays on both nightstands. Also name them, I'm not sure if you can if you don't have multiple devices in the same home, then "Play X on X Speaker" will set the command on whatever specified device, regardless of if you start the command from that device. Like "Play Spotify on Patio Speakers" in our kitchen will only play Spotify on the patio on the other side of the yard.
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Aug 31, 2019 20:35
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