Smart Home Journal: October 14
Added some smart lights, a wireless dimmer switch and a hue bridge into the equation today. Now I have a smart lock (August), Nest Thermostat, 4 Hue smart lights, a dimmer switch, 2 Chromecast devices, an Echo Dot and Google Assistant on my phone... and I think that is it for the moment. We'll probably add a keypad for the door and maybe a Ring Pro or a camera of some sort in the not so near future. Beyond that, we'll see where things go.
So! Let's start. I've had the August for a few days now. My wife thinks it is hideous. Definitely don't buy unless you talk to your significant other first. Granted, there is a cheaper one coming out in days which looks a little more traditional.
I haven't setup the auto-lock and unlock yet. My wife uses a Windows Phone and it would seem cruel to use something which only potentially benefits me. Regardless, with the Connect Bridge it enables the 2 things we really wanted it for. I can lock the door remotely and be sure it is locked. And I can, if need be, let people in remotely. So, aside from the unintended offense of the aesthetics... it hasn't made life any worse. I would love for it to support some BT fobs or something in addition. But, wishful thinking I guess. That isn't what we wanted it for in the first place, but it would make it more useful in day to day life. Right now, we mostly use it the same as the past one.
Incidentally, we had a potential use for it just days before we bought it. Now we'll likely not see any good remote usage of the device for months to come.
I already talked about the Nest. Not much to say or add there. I hate traditional programmable ones and I want good analytics. Nest will take longer for us to see ROI on because we're home on a normal day. But, on the flipside, traditional (even programmable) thermostats either provided no data, were a pain in the ass to program or both. It may actually pay for itself simply because I can easily access the data and act upon it.
The lights are a different animal. We've used regular light bulbs every day for the better part of our lives. We have habits built around them which are hard to break. It is only day one... but some times it is simply easier to hit a light switch. That being said, they serve a few potential purposes and they work fine as dumb bulbs when you ignore their smart features, more or less.
The purposes they serve? One is somewhere we didn't even plan on a smart light originally; the front porch. The Hue bulbs are LED with a plastic shell rather than glass. So while they aren't rated for outdoors, they are better suited than the other bulbs we had. And, it isn't a light we use for ourselves often. So the solution was to put a smart bulb out there. We'll see how long it lasts. But then I simply scheduled it go on when it gets dark and off in the wee hours. Theft deterrent and auto lighting in a place where automatically lighting something makes sense.
Another purpose, is of course being able to turn them off remotely. Right now most of the lights are on the main floor. So, not really the most practical.
And lastly, turning them ON remotely. Once again, theft deterrent. Turn on all switches before a long vacation and then program the lights to follow a reasonable schedule while you're out to give the illusion you're home.
The smart switch itself? Good and bad. It actually solves all of the smart bulb problems. I can't accidentally completely cut power to a smart bulb if all of the traditional switches hooked to those lights are smart switches. But, then you also need a boat load of switches. Which are battery powered and roughly as expensive as the lights. Verdict is out on that one. Personally I think it is JUST a cost thing. I feel like, if I could justify the cost, that they'd be a no brainer.
Which brings me to the assistants. Everything I have works with both Google Home and Alexa. I find Google Home better for everything except August. The commands are more natural, the responses are correct more often and more things "just work" than did with Alexa. One example, I have a room with a single light. Both the light and the room have the same name. Alexa complains when I try and send a command for that room. Google handles it perfectly.
I'll also point out, Google Assistant works as good or better than the Echo Dot which is a device dedicated to this and Google is just on my phone. It hears commands in my pocket clearly, or on a table a few feet away (and of course in my hand as well). It does not have as advanced a microphone array and it not really intended for this, but it works nonetheless. Google's speech recognition has gotten top notch. I'll get a free Google Home Mini with my Pixel 2, if it works as good or better, then I'll probably stop using the Dot and deck the home with Google Home devices which are actually sold and work in Canada.
And that is the state of my smart home for now.
So! Let's start. I've had the August for a few days now. My wife thinks it is hideous. Definitely don't buy unless you talk to your significant other first. Granted, there is a cheaper one coming out in days which looks a little more traditional.
I haven't setup the auto-lock and unlock yet. My wife uses a Windows Phone and it would seem cruel to use something which only potentially benefits me. Regardless, with the Connect Bridge it enables the 2 things we really wanted it for. I can lock the door remotely and be sure it is locked. And I can, if need be, let people in remotely. So, aside from the unintended offense of the aesthetics... it hasn't made life any worse. I would love for it to support some BT fobs or something in addition. But, wishful thinking I guess. That isn't what we wanted it for in the first place, but it would make it more useful in day to day life. Right now, we mostly use it the same as the past one.
Incidentally, we had a potential use for it just days before we bought it. Now we'll likely not see any good remote usage of the device for months to come.
I already talked about the Nest. Not much to say or add there. I hate traditional programmable ones and I want good analytics. Nest will take longer for us to see ROI on because we're home on a normal day. But, on the flipside, traditional (even programmable) thermostats either provided no data, were a pain in the ass to program or both. It may actually pay for itself simply because I can easily access the data and act upon it.
The lights are a different animal. We've used regular light bulbs every day for the better part of our lives. We have habits built around them which are hard to break. It is only day one... but some times it is simply easier to hit a light switch. That being said, they serve a few potential purposes and they work fine as dumb bulbs when you ignore their smart features, more or less.
The purposes they serve? One is somewhere we didn't even plan on a smart light originally; the front porch. The Hue bulbs are LED with a plastic shell rather than glass. So while they aren't rated for outdoors, they are better suited than the other bulbs we had. And, it isn't a light we use for ourselves often. So the solution was to put a smart bulb out there. We'll see how long it lasts. But then I simply scheduled it go on when it gets dark and off in the wee hours. Theft deterrent and auto lighting in a place where automatically lighting something makes sense.
Another purpose, is of course being able to turn them off remotely. Right now most of the lights are on the main floor. So, not really the most practical.
And lastly, turning them ON remotely. Once again, theft deterrent. Turn on all switches before a long vacation and then program the lights to follow a reasonable schedule while you're out to give the illusion you're home.
The smart switch itself? Good and bad. It actually solves all of the smart bulb problems. I can't accidentally completely cut power to a smart bulb if all of the traditional switches hooked to those lights are smart switches. But, then you also need a boat load of switches. Which are battery powered and roughly as expensive as the lights. Verdict is out on that one. Personally I think it is JUST a cost thing. I feel like, if I could justify the cost, that they'd be a no brainer.
Which brings me to the assistants. Everything I have works with both Google Home and Alexa. I find Google Home better for everything except August. The commands are more natural, the responses are correct more often and more things "just work" than did with Alexa. One example, I have a room with a single light. Both the light and the room have the same name. Alexa complains when I try and send a command for that room. Google handles it perfectly.
I'll also point out, Google Assistant works as good or better than the Echo Dot which is a device dedicated to this and Google is just on my phone. It hears commands in my pocket clearly, or on a table a few feet away (and of course in my hand as well). It does not have as advanced a microphone array and it not really intended for this, but it works nonetheless. Google's speech recognition has gotten top notch. I'll get a free Google Home Mini with my Pixel 2, if it works as good or better, then I'll probably stop using the Dot and deck the home with Google Home devices which are actually sold and work in Canada.
And that is the state of my smart home for now.
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