Smart Home Devices

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Glacier
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Smart Home Devices

Post by Glacier »

Unless you're a complete loser or a rabid paranoid conspiracy theorist (kidding), I'm sure you have smart devices in your home.

Maybe you have smart receptacles or a smart thermostat. Me, I have the free Alexa from the Fake American Stupid Store plus a co/smoke detector, lights, and cameras.

But not everyone is on the same page. My daughter thinks it's creepy how anyone can ask alexa to turn the living room lights to green and she does it.

In the future I would like to replace all my broken yard lights with the Philips Hue smart lights, but they are over $100 each, and I need 8 of them. Maybe next year. Same goes for the under-the-cupboard florescent lights that should be replaced with smart strip lighting, but again, also quite expensive.

How about you -- what devices do you have?

If you haven't thought about it, dive in and you won't go back. Being about to control and monitor your home from your vacation spot is pretty awesome.
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Bsuds
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Re: Smart Home Devices

Post by Bsuds »

We have a Honeywell smart thermostat and 5 smart wall plugs that I ordered from my fav China supplier.
The DW has a whack of Christmas decorations and I have them set to turn on and of automatically.

Temperature is the same and on a set schedule or I just say " hey Google, I'm cold" and it goes up.

Works great.
I'm old enough to remember when Plastic bags were the solution to the destruction of trees!
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vegas1500
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Re: Smart Home Devices

Post by vegas1500 »

Nest thermostat, CO/smoke detectors (which are great because paired with the thermostat they shut off the furnace if they detect CO), 1 nest cam. Also have 7 security cameras and August smart lock.
TylerM4
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Re: Smart Home Devices

Post by TylerM4 »

I don't have any smart devices except my smart phone.

Not because I'm worried about privacy - rather because I fail to see the value. They're toys of little value.

The home automation stuff gets me the most - got a few friends who have put way more effort into getting automation working vs just doing it manually.
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Glacier
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Re: Smart Home Devices

Post by Glacier »

TylerM4 wrote:I don't have any smart devices except my smart phone.

Not because I'm worried about privacy - rather because I fail to see the value.
Well they impress the ladies. Just ask them if they'd like to see your new impressive gadget, and will be like, "YES!"

Okay, maybe not. I agree that it's often better bang for your buck to not go the automation route. Kinda cool though if you're into gadgets.
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GordonH
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Re: Smart Home Devices

Post by GordonH »

I have absolutely no smart devices (cell is dumb flip phone), it has nothing to do with being paranoid or anything to do with CT.

I'm just a old school *art.
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Bsuds
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Re: Smart Home Devices

Post by Bsuds »

Try having to turn on/off 35-50 separate lights every night through the Christmas season. You will automate as much as possible.
I started by stringing the little ceramic house lights together and on 1 switch. 3 Villages are wired that way and now plugged into smart plugs as are the tree lights and 6 other Christmas decorations. The outside lights are on a timer.

If I could only figure out how to automate battery powered Angels/Santas and Snowpeople I would be happy. (Have about 10 of those). Costco battery sales must go through the roof at Christmas! I order button batteries by the dozen from China as they are waaayyy cheaper!
I'm old enough to remember when Plastic bags were the solution to the destruction of trees!
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GordonH
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Re: Smart Home Devices

Post by GordonH »

Bsuds wrote: Try having to turn on/off 35-50 separate lights every night through the Christmas season. You will automate as much as possible.
I started by stringing the little ceramic house lights together and on 1 switch. 3 Villages are wired that way and now plugged into smart plugs as are the tree lights and 6 other Christmas decorations. The outside lights are on a timer.

If I could only figure out how to automate battery powered Angels/Santas and Snowpeople I would be happy. (Have about 10 of those). Costco battery sales must go through the roof at Christmas! I order button batteries by the dozen from China as they are waaayyy cheaper!
I simplified my life in different ways & it didn't involve smart devices.
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Bsuds
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Re: Smart Home Devices

Post by Bsuds »

GordonH wrote:I simplified my life in different ways & it didn't involve smart devices.
When it comes down to Christmas decorations I have considered a divorce! :200:
I'm old enough to remember when Plastic bags were the solution to the destruction of trees!
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GordonH
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Re: Smart Home Devices

Post by GordonH »

GordonH wrote: I simplified my life in different ways & it didn't involve smart devices.
Bsuds wrote: When it comes down to Christmas decorations I have considered a divorce! :200:
Sometimes s :cuss: t just happens. :laugh:
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It appears US voters hated Woke more than they hated Trump.
TylerM4
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Re: Smart Home Devices

Post by TylerM4 »

Bsuds wrote: If I could only figure out how to automate battery powered Angels/Santas and Snowpeople I would be happy. (Have about 10 of those). Costco battery sales must go through the roof at Christmas! I order button batteries by the dozen from China as they are waaayyy cheaper!
That's a decent use case. Although I'd be tempted to use cheap outlet timers vs some sort of automation. 35-50 outlets seems pretty over the top. You must have one crazy lights display. I have a "bigger than most" Christmas lights display and only use 3 outlets.

For the battery powered devices - one option would be to hardwire them. Remove the batteries and replace with an appropriately sized AC-DC adapter. Likely run multiple devices off of 1 adapter. From there, control the power to the AC-DC adapter.
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Glacier
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Re: Smart Home Devices

Post by Glacier »

I also have a big display outside with three circuits. Two are tied to "light switches" and the third on a timer with a photocell. My indoor lights are turned off with a push button remote you get at crappy tire.
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Bsuds
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Re: Smart Home Devices

Post by Bsuds »

Bsuds wrote: If I could only figure out how to automate battery powered Angels/Santas and Snowpeople I would be happy. (Have about 10 of those). Costco battery sales must go through the roof at Christmas! I order button batteries by the dozen from China as they are waaayyy cheaper!
TylerM4 wrote:
That's a decent use case. Although I'd be tempted to use cheap outlet timers vs some sort of automation. 35-50 outlets seems pretty over the top. You must have one crazy lights display. I have a "bigger than most" Christmas lights display and only use 3 outlets.

For the battery powered devices - one option would be to hardwire them. Remove the batteries and replace with an appropriately sized AC-DC adapter. Likely run multiple devices off of 1 adapter. From there, control the power to the AC-DC adapter.
A good number of these are lighted houses in Village displays (3 separate displays) Each house came with it's own light which I have consolidated into 1 plug for approx 8 houses per display.

Unfortunately the battery operated items are too spread out to try and run from adapters and many are nowhere near a socket. So until someone invents OTA power I am stuck with batteries. lol
DSCN1004 (Copy).JPG
An example of 1 of our Villages.
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I'm old enough to remember when Plastic bags were the solution to the destruction of trees!
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Glacier
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Re: Smart Home Devices

Post by Glacier »

Bsuds, I almost thought you were my wife for a second because we have that exact same display!
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OldIslander
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Re: Smart Home Devices

Post by OldIslander »

Here's one of the coolest smart home devices I think I've ever seen. It's a device to 'prank' porch thieves -- the asshats who steal recently delivered packages off your front porch. This vid is eleven minutes long but it's absolutely brilliant... enjoy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoxhDk-hwuo
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