Combined IoT SmartHome topic

Hardware and technical stuff
#1

Yeah, let’s get all the crap here to discuss how our Smart Homes will eventually be laid low by Mirai or some inevitable pwning.

What’s everyone have/use?

I have:

HomeKit:
-Apple TV 4
-Koogeek smart plug
-iHome ISP5 smart plug
-Philips Hue HomeKit hub
-Philips Hue dimmer
-Philips Hue white bulbs x 3
-Philips Hue v3 colour bulb
-Friends of Hue Bloom

non-HomeKit:
-bunch of Wemo gen1 power outlets, motion sensor
-Mipow Playbulb candle
-Foscam C1 x2 webcams
-Wink v1 hub
-Amazon Echo Dot
-Belkin Netcam HD webcam
-Leeo fire/smoke alarm sensor

All of this sits unplugged because I’m in infosec and know better than to use IoT.

#2

I have one WeMo switch. Which I don’t use.

#3

I use a Wink hub, with a bunch of smart lights, and a smart garage door opener.

I also have an amazon echo dot, and a google home.

The Echo integrates well with wink, and works great. being able to just get into bed and say, “Turn off the interior lights” and have it shut off all the lights in the whole house is nice.

Unfortunately, Google Home doesn’t support wink yet, although I suppose I could do something with IFTTT. Supposedly Google home is gonna get their crap together soon and support wink.

#4

I thought about getting a Wink v2 hub which has 5GHz wifi support but realized that there are zero IoT devices on that band.

#5

Currently running with an Echo Dot, Harmony Hub for the entertainment center and a couple of Hue bulbs with their hub. Ever since I upgraded my router the Dot has been acting up which has made the whole thing frustrating – half the time the connection drops pre- or mid-response when I ask for the weather. Since I doubt we’ll see Play Music integration with Alexa now that Google Home exists I’m waiting patiently for their Dot equivalent to redo the whole setup.

#6

i have an unopened harmony hub too that i bought for the remote. you’re telling me it does smart home too?

#7

Yea. I haven’t messed with that aspect because I’m lazy and like the voice control from Echo. Also, the documentation for 90% of this stuff is ass.

#8

Hue light, Nest thermostat and Echo Dot in the living room. Hue light as my porch light as well. Main Echo in the kitchen/dining room. Google Home and WeMo in the bedroom.

#9

Does anyone have any experience with the newer 2016+ Hue white + ambiance that is supposed to better dim for ‘flux-like’ warmth?

#10

HomeKit Stuff:
Apple TV 4 working as a HomeKit hub
1 2nd Generation Philips Hue HomeKit compatible hubs.
1 Philips Hue Bulb
2 Philips Hue White Bulbs
2 Philips Hue White + Ambiance Bulbs (so, yes @rei, and I love them best of all the Hue bulbs I have)
1 Ecobee 3 Thermostat with 2 extra sensors

Non-HomeKit:
1 1st Generation Philips Hue hub
1 Harmony Companion Remote with Hub
1 Veralite home control hub
2 ZWave light switches
1 Schlage ZWave smart lock
1 Envisalink add-on board to make my alarm work together with all the other stuff
A bunch of X10 gear that’s sitting in a box

#11

Holy crap! X10! Aren’t they defunct? Unlike this remote server based IoT crap, wouldn’t there stuff still work?

#12

Nah, X10 just slowly morphed into Insteon, which supplanted them. In fact, if I got an Insteon Home Hub, it could control all those X10 plugs and dimmers I have, too, in addition to being HomeKit compatible.

Oh, and it does still work. I had the IR to X10 little box working with my Hamony Hub remote to control a lamp working up until recently.

#13

You need to still have a Hue HomeKit hub in addition to the ATV4 hub right?

#14

Yup, and I was just editing my list to add it when I saw your post. You do need the Philips hub right now, if you want to do HomeKit compatible Hue stuff. I could also have invested in the Harmony Hub Zigbee / ZWave add-on device, but that would mean I couldn’t use Siri to voice command my Hue bulbs.

#15

So I saw the worst idea for officially implemented/supported IoT: Netgear has Alexa powered routers.

So anyone (since Alexa can’t differentiate between voices) can tell the Netgear router to: ALEXA RESTART ROUTER

#16

I need a smarthome thermostat. Those of you with them, any pros/cons on the model you have?

#17

I use a Hue HomeKit hub with about a dozen lights (all Hue, various gens) and an Echo. I prefer the power of HomeKit, so usually just use the Echo to control on off of general lights, but use my phone for any number of scenes.

I want more IoT stuff, but there really isn’t much I can use. I wanted to use a smart plug for a space heater, but once the space heater loses power it has to be manually turned on again. The smart thermostats don’t work with my condos crappy wall heater system. I had some temperature gauges for inside and outside, but found them to not be very accurate and didn’t have the best software so I stopped using them.

I really want some sort of weather station that connects to it all, but I don’t think that exists.

#18

I’ve got the Ecobee 3, after selling my Nest to a friend. I ended up going with the Ecobee for the following two reasons:

  1. Homekit compatibility, allowing Siri and iOS Control Center control
  2. Remote occupancy and temperature sensors in my kids’ rooms, basement, and my bedroom to allow the house to be heated or cooled more appropriately on where people are, and not just where the thermostat is located

Price and apps were comparable between Ecobee and Nest. And I’m not one to complain about Google knowing my comings and goings, but some people do factor that in.

#19

I have the Emerson Sensi Thermostat. It works great and integrates easily with the Echo. I picked up mine on sale for around $80.

As far as full smart home stuff. I have a smartthings hub and most of my lights are now connected. I also have my garage lights through my Echo and an Echo Tap in the garage for tunes and control. I have a few small appliances on smart switches. Everything can be controlled through my Echo or my smartphone when Im not around.

#20

Thanks for the replies from both of you. I guess I need to figure out how I want one to work, as the thermostat is in the dining room, but occupancy is usually elsewhere.