Anyone else here a smart home fanatic?

[IOWA]

Looking around the posts, and I'm sure hoping there's some other hardcore smart home tinkerers like me. I've probably got over 1k man hours and $20k+ invested in my smart home system and I'd love to talk shop.

 

[ocnbrze]

been thinking of getting a smart thermostat. the one we have is ok. would be cool to control everything via an app and able to schedule when to cool or heat the home.

 

[ozonetrooper]

Would you love to talk about the security/locking down of all that wireless stuff being subject daily to kiddy hackers ?

 

[Unforgiven]

Are you on one ecosystem, or multiple? Just curious. I'm not too crazy, some lights, cameras, thermostat, and plugs.

 

[IOWA]

Would you love to talk about the security/locking down of all that wireless stuff being subject daily to kiddy hackers ?

It's not internet connected. No need to lock anything down lol. Chances are if it's cloud connected it's probably not a very good/reliable product. Remote access is achieved through VPN.

Are you on one ecosystem, or multiple? Just curious. I'm not too crazy, some lights, cameras, thermostat, and plugs.

I don't really subscribe to any eco system, I just piece it all together myself. It's a common thing for all the enthusiasts to do.

 

[Hadron]

I've one thermostat. No sensors, zones, no monitoring of my proximity or learning of schedules or preferences, just a thermostat that I can control remotely (check the heating wasn't left on too high, turn it off when nobody's going to be in for a while, that sort of thing).

 

[IOWA]

I've one thermostat. No sensors, zones, no monitoring of my proximity or learning of schedules or preferences, just a thermostat that I can control remotely (check the heating wasn't left on too high, turn it off when nobody's going to be in for a while, that sort of thing).

If privacy is a concern, which it should be, you should know all of this can be done locally on your own personal server.

 

[ozonetrooper]

Privacy is always a concern when using multiple devices that are networked together, private server, VPN, Cloud or what not.

A private server with VPN access is better, but not impenetrable, hackers jobs are to break into things like that !

Course it is not like someone turning up your tstat or dimming your lights are a big security factor, the stolen information those devices give up is what they get paid for ...

 

[The_Chief]

We have a wireless security system with cameras, sensors and smart lock, thermostat connected. We can control it with our phones or Alexa (we call her "bimbo in a can" because, other than a few useful tasks, she's dumber than a box of rocks).

We also use her to control a number of Philips Hue smart bulbs and a couple of smart plugs. When we tell her "Alexa, get the bedroom ready", the lights turn on at 5% blue and the fan turns on.

That's about the extent of our smart home so I can't say we're fanatics about it.

 

[nickdalzell]

I got the entire home all smart, but you wouldn't know it by looking at it. If you visited my home, it looks straight out of 1962, well, except for the LCD TVs. But every light, fan, TV and speaker can be controlled by uttering Hey Google, Hi Bixby, or Computer!

The biggest challenge was keeping everything connected without half the devices disconnecting from Wifi, and for some reason, some $10 secondhand router from 2010 is the only one I've had that never dropped a client. The other big challenge was hiding all the gadgets where they do their job without the home looking like the interior of the starship Enterprise. Also harder to find LEDs that look incandescent. Both in colour temp as well as the style.

 

[IOWA]

I got the entire home all smart, but you wouldn't know it by looking at it. If you visited my home, it looks straight out of 1962, well, except for the LCD TVs. But every light, fan, TV and speaker can be controlled by uttering Hey Google, Hi Bixby, or Computer!

The biggest challenge was keeping everything connected without half the devices disconnecting from Wifi, and for some reason, some $10 secondhand router from 2010 is the only one I've had that never dropped a client. The other big challenge was hiding all the gadgets where they do their job without the home looking like the interior of the starship Enterprise. Also harder to find LEDs that look incandescent. Both in colour temp as well as the style.

My house is straight out of star trek. Lol. Still working on automated opening of doors and windows though. Locks are already automated.

 

[nickdalzell]

I was trying to avoid the nightmare that Shatner dealt with in Airplane II: The Sequel

 

[IbrahimXXX]

I'm a fan of the smart home. I have an inexpensive solution from a Chinese manufacturer and I will tell you that I am happy with it. But I can't help but wonder if it is possible, for example, to use an ordinary old tablet to make an intercom system. Why should I spend 300 dollars on a new intercom if I have 3 tablets that no one uses.

 

[The_Chief]

If there is some push to talk app you can install on them and tie them together, it seems like it should be easy...

 

[IOWA]

I'm a fan of the smart home. I have an inexpensive solution from a Chinese manufacturer and I will tell you that I am happy with it. But I can't help but wonder if it is possible, for example, to use an ordinary old tablet to make an intercom system. Why should I spend 300 dollars on a new intercom if I have 3 tablets that no one uses.

I just use Alexas for an intercom tbh lol

 

[AugieTN]

You have be careful with spending. My neighbor bought some D-Link pan tilt cameras and wifi plugs. Everything seemed good. Then D-Link stopped supporting them, and started pushing their newer stuff..

 

[IbrahimXXX]

I have a similar situation with Hikvision, they now pay more attention to the Ezviz brand, and forgot about my devices.

The tablet app is great, but it may crash and I have to turn it on again. And what if I'm not at home at that moment.... I would like to install it as firmware on the tablet.

 

[mikedt]

I suspect Hikvision are promoting their Ezviz marque now, because Hikvision got a rather bad name by the western MSM.

 

[nickdalzell]

I'm still jealous of this retro setup from like 1985. no internet needed. Imagine the cost to put something of this magnitude together, much less keep it working.

 

[mikedt]

I'm still jealous of this retro setup from like 1985. no internet needed. Imagine the cost to put something of this magnitude together, much less keep it working.

I like that green long persistence phosphor CRT.

 

[IOWA]

I like that green long persistence phosphor CRT.

Outside of remote access my home automation doesn't need internet.

 

[IbrahimXXX]

I think this is how all smart home systems work. Internet is only needed when you are away from home.

But I'm not a fan of these retro gadgets. The past should remain in the past and please us only with warm memories, but in today's world you should use modern gadgets and take maximum effect from them.

 

[nickdalzell]

If it still works and does everything the person wants it to do, why upgrade?? why does this bother futurists such as yourself? I am so glad I don't think on such a limited wavelength like you. Besides, keeping things working and out of the landfill is better for the planet. As a great many of those 'modern' systems you love so much got EOL'd and became e-waste needlessly due to depending on the internet, see Revolv, the amazon camera, and a great ton of HP printers.

You can't even argue it being a security risk like, say, using Windows XP today, as many older systems don't use any such outside connection.

There is room for more than one era in life. I prefer variety over homogenization. Personally I find modern boring, limited, depending on 'clouds' too often, and being tied to subscription models. I quite love my mechanical watch, incandescent bulbs, and vintage lifestyle. Who are you to think you have any authority to tell people what they should or should not use?

My laptop that I'm typing this on is from 2010. I suppose to you I should just toss it and buy one I don't even need, costing me more money, and having a ton less features over the one it would be replacing. I truly don't understand why people having different lifestyles and liking older tech bothers you so much. Let us use what we like and you use what you like and leave it at that.

 

[IbrahimXXX]

You are right in that everyone decides for themselves what they need and use. I was not trying to impose my point of view on anyone, I just said what I wanted to say.
As for your 2010 laptop, you may not care so much what it can do because you use it for simple daily purposes (go to the forum to write a message, read the news and something like that). But for me, for example, as an engineer it is important to have a computer that can cope with quite heavy software. Which your computer will definitely not be able to handle.