Smart Home / Home Automation

[hothouse_corn]

I've recently started to allow the AI bots into my home. Previously, it had been limited to nest/ecobee thermostats, but I think I want to go all-in with a smart home platform. Privacy issues be damned, since we don't have much privacy due to our cell phones anyway.

What do you folks do with alexa, google assistant, ifttt, and the others? What are the pros and cons of each? Thanks in advance, and also sorry if I missed a thread on a similar topic.

 

[Jim14510]

Multiple times I wish I'd done this with the lights and such in the basement. Will follow.

 

[Pipe Line]

Getting a new A/C today and most likely new furnace late this fall. Anyone have thoughts on smart thermostat setups? I hate new tech but I find myself interested in the convenience of an upgrade. That setup I have right now is from the 90s

 

[HCFord1]

My advice is to go slow and start with only things that you really, really want automated. Do some lights, a door lock, etc. but wait to spend thousands of dollars on your blinds until you're confident that you'll actually use home automation.

Personally, I've done some lights and stuff and ultimately I'm just never really inconvenienced enough to rely on the assistant.

 

[iruletheskool]

Creeps me out

 

[Alcaus]

I use Alexa. The voice commands to set the security system and turn on specified lights outside is nice. I've automated lights in my entertainment room and office. It's nice being able to control stuff when you can't find the remote.

Have to weigh that with corporations monetizing your data to manipulate and fuck you.

 

[God is a Husker]

 

[SoCal_Corn]

I am monitoring this thread dot gif

 

[Cash68847]

I use Alexa. The voice commands to set the security system and turn on specified lights outside is nice. I've automated lights in my entertainment room and office. It's nice being able to control stuff when you can't find the remote.

Have to weigh that with corporations monetizing your data to manipulate and fuck you.

I still forget to lock my door and shut my garage door at night. I’ll be more interested in a security system and cameras when my kids get old enough to sneak in and out of the house.

 

[Alcaus]

I still forget to lock my door and shut my garage door at night. I’ll be more interested in a security system and cameras when my kids get old enough to sneak in and out of the house.

Yeah, it's a nice perk having an automated security system. Doors lock on their own, cameras are always on, recording and storing video.

Pretty wild nowadays.

 

[Mavsker]

My advice is don't go overboard with it. My buddy's house doesn't even have usable light switches. To turn on or off the lights, you literally have to say, "Hey Google, turn [on/off] the [name of room] lights". Ignoring the privacy issues, it doesn't always work, takes like five seconds to process when it does, and obviously not everyone who enters your house knows what you call each room. So I usually have to poop in the dark.

 

[hothouse_corn]

It started for me a few weeks ago...wife had to go to work a few hours before I got up and her garage door remote wouldn't close the door as she was leaving. (Most likely, she was leaving too late and didn't have time to get out of the car and press the button since the gas tank was empty.)

Anyhow, she called me at 5:30am to tell me that the garage door was open. I promptly went back to sleep and forgot about it until she got back home at 8pm and the garage was still open. So, I installed Wyze garage door kits on the doors over the weekend. Now I can say "alexa, what is the status of the north garage door?" without having to walk 40 yards to check on it myself. I created a routine "alexa, close the garage" to close all garage doors.

Now, I definitely want to be able to turn off the lights in the garage without having to walk out there.

I'm frustrated so far because things that seem like they should work together seamlessly don't always do so. Blink cameras are not viewable from echo show or alexa app, etc, even though amazon owns blink.

 

[hothouse_corn]

My advice is don't go overboard with it. My buddy's house doesn't even have usable light switches. To turn on or off the lights, you literally have to say, "Hey Google, turn [on/off] the [name of room] lights". Ignoring the privacy issues, it doesn't always work, takes like five seconds to process when it does, and obviously not everyone who enters your house knows what you call each room. So I usually have to poop in the dark.

I recommend only pooping in your own home from now on.

 

[HuskerGarrett]

My advice is don't go overboard with it. My buddy's house doesn't even have usable light switches. To turn on or off the lights, you literally have to say, "Hey Google, turn [on/off] the [name of room] lights". Ignoring the privacy issues, it doesn't always work, takes like five seconds to process when it does, and obviously not everyone who enters your house knows what you call each room. So I usually have to poop in the dark.

Hey Google, I have to shit

 

[PonyBoy]

We have Alexa and my wife uses it for groceries and music. I use it for music when in the shower and an occasional question if I'm too lazy to look it up myself. We're corny people so we also like it for the dumb jokes on occasion. Oh, my wife has found a couple good recipes on it too.

We have a Nest and as an older dude, I was nervous when we got it. I was afraid OPPD would screw around with it too much but we've been pleasantly surprised. The couple times they controlled it during rush hours we were comfortable, temp wise. It does seem like our house holds a temp better, which I guess is a point of the Nest?

We just got a ring doorbell and it's annoying as heck. Our damn dog has now figured out our notification tone so as soon as it goes off he's on a dead sprint to the front door followed by 30 seconds of listed off barking. We're going to do some setting adjustments this weekend.

 

[HCFord1]

Hey Google, I have to shit

Okay Google*