Home automation

[veedubtek]

I really should've asked this about $1500 ago. Anyone into this/done it already? I really binge-spent this shopping weekend away, and just curious what I'm about to learn/hate about all this?

 

[AndyD]

What all did you get? I've been looking to do the same but there are so many products and not all are interconnected. We bought Nest thermostats last year and controlling through the iPhone is great but that's all we've done so far.

 

[Bluewater272]

I've got a ton of stuff, really couldn't imagine not having it now.

 

[Ilmmct]

I've had wireless thermostats and outlets for years. Old school Honeywell wifi and WeMo outlet plugs, with their respective phone apps that control schedules etc. Big fan of the technology and homeowner convenience. I have not taken the plunge to put them on a single unified control system like NEST.

 

[Adrian @ JB Solutions]

Almost have the whole house on Hue now. Majority of house on Sonos. Thermostat is controlled as well, but never adjust that. Neato vaccum is controlled by Alexa as well. I use Alexa for everything. Easy to set-up and work with. I plan on adding door locks and garage door opener soon.

 

[Jgorm]

I'm a few thousand into insteon devices with the isy controller. It took a bit to get everything to work correctly, but now I have dozens of programs that run my lights based sometimes on motion sensor, door sensors, light levels, thermostat, and time in relation to sunset or sunrise. I'm happy with it.

 

[veedubtek]

What all did you get? I've been looking to do the same but there are so many products and not all are interconnected. We bought Nest thermostats last year and controlling through the iPhone is great but that's all we've done so far.

Got a free Google Home with my Pixel 2 and that's what started it. Just ordered a Nest, August door lock with geofencing, samsung smartthings hub, 12 white hue ambience bulbs and 7 color with one hub. One motion sensor. Another smart lock that starts with an S, lol. Shlage? Should all start showing up tomorrow along with my new camera system, got a busy weekend ahead!

 

[RightStuff]

I just started getting into this as well, so I'm really curious as to what sorts of things has made life better with the options out there?

I have a set of RGBW smart lights on the front of the house so that I can change them to any color I wish (and white) and set a schedule (Sylvania 73739 lights and Samsung Smarthings hub). I could see doing some lights inside as well (tied to motion sensors or on timers) but beyond that what are some of your killer applications?

 

[cozilla]

I have been into home automation for about a year now. I use Smartthings as the brain to my system. I have a bunch of zwave plugs and switches as well as zigee bulbs. I have my ADT security system and all of its sensor running through Smartthings via an always on proxy server. In Smartthings I have a bunch of smart lighting and automatons set up that can be accessed through Alexa. I use a Harmony Hub on my main Tv setup to control the Tv. Ecobee thermostats for my HVAC. I use an Amazon fire tablet with ActionTiles as a control center on the wall to control "things" through Smartthings.

Smartthings and the things you can do with it makes it very powerful. The community that supports it and develops things for it is tremendous. I get alot of my automation ideas from their forum.

 

[JetPowered]

I run mix of products with a mix of ways to control them all.

First, HUE color LED lights in several of the lamps around the family room. When we watch movies, I use Siri to set the movie scene which drops all brights lights in the main room and the adjacent kitchen to off and sets the HUE lights in that room to red color and 5% dimming. Black Friday bought me HUE stirip lights I will use to light interior cabinet spaces in the family room.

I use a HUE white only LED lamp in my son's room that I call out to Alexa to turn on and off and dim from his bed. Alexa also plays music of soothing sounds from the Tap device in that room.

I use Lutron RadioRA2 to control all overhead can lights and pendant fixtures in the house and landscape lights on the outside and for any table lamps I want manual local control over without having to grab a phone, like for reading at the couch. Lutron also controls ceiling fans outside and in the master bedroom. I use physical local wireless controls to manually turn of lights at night. The rest of outdoor lights and landscape lights are controlled by Lutron system time clock and come on at dusk and off by timer or by dawn.

Lutron also can and does control my Sonos systems in multiple rooms. Pushing a single button in the bathroom in the morning turns on the lights, sets the vent fan and turns on the local news radio steam on Sonos. I use a PICO control in the kitchen to give me a PHYSICAL button turn turn Sonos on and off, control volume and switch preset stations. This is something I always wished Sonos had out of the box. Now I don't need my phone to simply start the music.

Ecobee thermostats control all three zones of AC and heat. Also gives me notifications (on my iPhone) of movement in the house by room (useful when on vacation to know when the pet sitter has arrived).

Ring Pro mans the door bell and front door, but I don't have it integrated with anything yet. Just notifications on the phone. I can easily set this up to flash my HUE lights when the doorbell rings.

All are controllable from both Siri/Homekit and Alexa, but each interacts just a little differently with each system.

I used to have some hardwired Power-Over-Ethernet cameras for driveways at the last house but still haven't hooked them up since I moved. I was controlling them using SightHound video server on my computer.

I also have a WeMO plug but have only used it for holiday lights and a project or two.


HUE - Siri HomeKit/Alexa/IFTTT
ecobee - Siri HomeKit/Alexa/IFTTT
Lutron RadioRA2 - Siri HomeKit/Alexa/IFTTT
Ring Pro - Alexa/IFTTT
Camera's - ACTi POE/Sighthound Video
Wemo - Still playing with it.


Next projects are to tie in sprinklers, close/check garage door status, tie in pool controller to automate spa and lights and maybe even tie in the alarm system. I don't want to tie in automatic door locks just yet. I'm just not that trusting.

 

[JetPowered]

Picture of the bedside Pico controls for lights and fan. The same style control in a different room does Sonos.

I don’t use Alexa exclusively through the house because I feel it’s a little intrusive. First if you want to mute the mic, the whole top of the device turns bright red and stays that way. Second, I have three small kids that thinks it’s cute to invoke Alexa when they want, or they are just so loud that Alexa can’t hear what I’m trying to tell them. Homekit works by voice with Siri on my phones and iPad but also with my Apple TV remote.

 

[swatski]

I'm reading this thread - educating myself. I was an enthusiastic early adopter of wifi thermostats back when some 15 years ago. It was a hit or miss back then, what can I say.
More recently, a couple of things happened that gave me pause with regards to going crazy on this whole home automation front. Things like... routinely picking up my neighbors' (car?) phone conversations on my home stereo system... That kind of stuff.

So, I'm going to sit back and just watch what you guys come up with!
Before I jump back in.

--

 

[Julian]

I have been slowly automating all the lights in my house via a Lutron hub and Alexa. I've been buying the Lutron Caseta wireless switches as I really don't see a useful need for multiple color lights (except at New Years), and the one switch will turn on multiple bulbs all at once. I have also connect my Harmony remote to Alexa (controls all the electronics on the main stereo/tv/DVR etc).

With zones set up and Alexa controls I can have the outside lights turn on at dusk (automatically changes the time each day) and turn off at midnight. I also have commands like - "Alexa turn off freaking everything" -that shuts all lights/TV off downstairs for bedtime.

So far I've done the main inside and outside lights on the ground floor. Next up is my daughters bedroom/bathroom as she always leaves her lights on!!!!

With the Lutron switches, you can also program physical remote controls and mount them like switches anywhere you want. So if, for example, you have upstairs hallway light switches, and there is one spot where you think there SHOULD be a switch, but there isn't one, you can just buy a remote (that looks like a light switch when mounted) and mount it in the spot where you'd like a switch. I also keep a couple of remotes upstairs that are programed to 1) turn on all the inside lights down stairs 2) turn on all the outside lights (my wife likes then when I am travelling).

Next up, suposedly this spring, Velux will be coming out with an Alexa update for their wireless sky lights....I'll get those right away, and be able to program the skylights to open and close at various indoor and outdoor temperature triggers, or just tell Alexa to open or close them.

I have a couple of fan control switches from Lutron to install too!

Considering getting the new video screen Alexa for us, and one for my Dad to make video calls SUPER easy, but also to display things in the kitchen like timers etc.

 

[biglar155]

I do automation all day at work. When I get home I don't want ANYTHING moving, lighting, or talking to me on its own!

Seriously though, make sure you are thinking about cyber security when you're doing this. Whether it's a would-be burglar or the next-door-neighbor's kid who wants to make your pipes freeze while you're gone on vacation, you could be opening yourself up to some potential problems with getting hacked. (We ARE all aware that WPA2 - the supposedly un-crackable wireless security - has been cracked right? Check your router's vendor's web site for the firmware patch.)

Some tips:

1) First and foremost use STRONG passwords. Use as many characters as your device will allow and make them all different. DO NOT use a "method" that anyone with half a brain can figure out. I recommend the use of KeePass (it's free) for storing all of your passwords (devices, bank accounts, etc). I only know 3 of my passwords. One to log in to my work computers, one to log in to my home computers, and my KeePass password. All the rest look like this: "5^uI&wi0q%9yyhi" There are KeePass apps for iPhone and Google devices too so you can always have your passwords with you.

2) Keep the firmware and Operating Systems on all of your devices up to date. (Make it a monthly check on your calendar to go through every device you own and verify it's running the latest and greatest version.) Usually new firmware is fixing a security hole. Hackers LOVE out-of-date firmware and Operating Systems. It's their bread-and-butter

2) Lock down your router. Better yet, install an improved 3rd party software on your router like dd-wrt and/or set up an old PC with 2 NICs as a firewall (Sophos lets you install their software free for home use). Keep a close eye on the network traffic that is coming into and leaving your home and block addresses that you don't recognize. If you don't know how, either learn how or find someone that knows how. If you wanna run with the big dogs you've gotta get off the porch.

Hooking everything in your life to your wireless network exposes you to hackers. An attacker that knows what they are doing could easily get on to your network via your Nest and the next thing you know be rummaging through your computer getting your bank account numbers.

While this may sound like the preachings of a tin-foil-hat guy, believe me it's not. Once you attend a couple of cyber-security classes and seminars (the kind that are NOT trying to sell you anything) and go to places like Cyphercon (a little gig in Milwaukee that I've attended) or Black Hat (a big gig that I WANT to attend) you realize how prevalent this is - and how EASY it is for people that know what they are doing to hack you. The tools available out there are mind-blowing the first time you see them.

The reality is that there is little you can do to prevent a dedicated, motivated individual from hacking you if they are specifically targeting YOU. In most cases though, this is like locking the doors on your house when you leave and having security cameras. It "keeps people honest" and deters the "casual" person looking for an easy target.

I've done #1 and #2 above (and I'm telling you, once you start using it, KeePass is life-changing - I'm talking "religious" life-changing). I'm working on #3.

"Hasn't happened to me" yet? No? Well, I once saw a squirrel run across the road 9 1/2 times too. I bet he was thinking the same thing on the 10th try.

 

[GTBRMC]

I have SimpleControl running my home theater via an iPad Mini. Gives "one touch" control so my Luddite wife can run the somewhat complex systems. My kids have no trouble manually selecting sources, etc, but she wants no part of that.

SimpleControl is easy to program, not too expensive, works well. Only issue I have is SimpleControl sometimes randomly stops working when controlling my aging AppleTV (gen 2, i think). This is easily resolved by rebooting the iPad, but is annoying. I haven't had time to deeply debug this.

I also have some Lutron lighting controls I could integrate into some type of automation, but the desire to automate < cost + pia factor at this point. I will likely go with Nest or some similar linked HVAC control at some point.

Call me paranoid, but I have to agree with @biglar155 about security issues around automation. I've lost count of how many times I have received long-delayed notifications from universities/credit card companies/retailers that my confidential info has been compromised. I don't necessarily trust the hardware providers, either. Bose was recently busted spying on customers (I believe), I am not comfortable with Alexa/Google/whatever listening to all of my conversations all of the time. All the Big Data companies know enough about me already. That + the only real network security is not to be networked.

A family member and his wife were identity theft victims recently. 18 months on, it is not completely cleaned up. Sky high pia factor. Trust me, you don't want thus happening to you - don't make it easy for the bad guys.

 

[txav8r]

Dang, this is too much for me! I would never change my thermostat on a timed basis. I have geothermal HVAC, and it is much cheaper than a dated HVAC to operate. And even a dated HVAC is more stable and it is more economical in many cases, to leave the temp in your home the same rather than changing it and having to recool or reheat when you come home. For my home, the break even for raising it from the year round 71 to 72 F, is 3 days. Meaning that if I change the temp up to 80 for the day, it costs more to recool when I get home...unless I leave it for 3 days at that setting. The humidity level alone increases causing issues in wood, wallboard, and pets. So I don't have and will never have a Nest thermostat.

That said, I have interest in lighting control. I have some cabinet lights I want to add with a LED dimmer. I purchased a Luttron dimmer that is compatible with the 110V LEDs where the LED's are powered by 12V at the individual puck. But I can't easily get to the place I need to wire it in and mount opposite in the wall. I know they make a model that I can tap the 110V somewhere else and then place a wireless switch where I want it like @Julian mentioned. I just don't know how to go about it. This would be a good instructional thread...with some more instruction!

 

[biglar155]

Some web-sites for the items I mentioned:

KeePass: https://keepass.info/ (If you can get consistent about using it, you'll NEVER go back to that scrap of paper taped to the inside of your drawer again.)

Sophos UTM (Universal Threat Managment) Home Edition (requires an old beater PC with 2 NICS and a small Hard Drive (more drive space = more log file space)): https://www.sophos.com/en-us/products/free-tools/sophos-utm-home-edition.aspx Be aware that it is its own linux-based OS so this PC can do NOTHING else. It actually BECOMES a firewall/router. It no longer needs a keyboard, mouse, or monitor because you manage it through a web interface once the install is complete.

3rd Party router firmware (CAUTION: Advanced users only. Do this at your own risk. You are completely overwriting the manufacturer's firmware so warranty support is out the window.): https://dd-wrt.com/site/index




For my brothers in the Industrial Automation world (and IT people who support people in the Automation world), I'd strongly recommend going here https://ics-cert.us-cert.gov/ and signing up for the 5-day "ICS Cybersecurity (301)" class in Idaho Falls, Idaho. It's sponsored by the DHS and put on by some excellent folks from Idaho National Labs. If you qualify to get on their list, the class is free. You just need to get yourself out there. It is the MOST enjoyable, engaging, course I've taken in 25 years of doing Automation work. I've never learned more in 5 days in my life.

With most classes I've taken, you can't wait to get out at the end of the day. In this class, the instructors will be kicking YOU out after 6:00 p.m. because they need to get home to their families.

Plan for a FULL 5 days. This is NOT a "show up late on Monday, leave early on Friday" kind of class. It is a fast-paced brain-burner. You WILL need the weekend to recover mentally. I was flipping exhausted.

There is an all-day Red-Team vs Blue-Team exercise on Thursday. It gets nuts. They have a complete real-life Industrial Control System in the building with PLC, HMI, SCADA, and a web interface to the "outside world" that gives the Red Team an entry point.

Myself and a few others from my company took the course several years ago. It sparked the founding of a Cyber Security Team with members of both the IT and Automation groups that has made a lot of drastic changes to our network equipment and our methods. I can't say enough about it.

 

[Peelz]

Admittedly, haven't really been a fan. In a "why complicate the simple?" sort of way... but our house was robbed in august... (While we were in the backyard watching meteor showers no less) prompting us to get the NEST cam, which i LOVE. mostly just to harass my kids who play video games too much and fight over them. I can yell at them through it LOL my fave is getting the notification someone is in there.... you look and its the kids getting home from school, arguing over who gets dibs....

note: dont lie to to your wife and tell her you got the steam cleaning done while shes at work.... you just might get caught sitting on the couch watching youtube boat reviews.

after a few months of using it, I can now completely see the value of home automation, and we will slowly add components as they make sense. second nest cam going in soon, Nest Thermostat is next.

 

[Julian]

For me it is just fun and laziness! I go to walk outside to get some wood to put on the fire....and rather than having to walk to the back of the house and flip 3 switches (that are all in 3 different places) to light up the back yard, I can say from the kitchen "Alexa, turn on all the outside lights". Same for going to bed....used to be I'd walk a route around the house turning off switches....now I just say "Alexa, turn off Freaking Everything".

My wife does like being able to turn the downstairs or outside lights on from upstairs.

I also have a 16 camera surveillance system and a driveway alarm (which we love).

 

[txav8r]

Ok, tell me how you take several different hardwired switches, and link all of them to one device, enabling you to turn on or off, all outside lights? @Julian