Mat's Smart Home

[RandomlySet]

So, I picked up a Nest Thermostat last week, and finally got it installed this evening. I'll update this thread once we've had a bit of useage from it, and also a few bills - just a shame it's the wrong time of the year really.

Other "smart" purchases we have planned are:

Nest Fire Alarms (2 of)
WiFi Phillips Hue Bulbs
WiFi Phillips Hue LED Strips
Wireless Smart Alarm
Smart Radiator Thermostats
Nest CCTV (possibly)

 

[Matt-]

Would be interested in hearing how you get on with some of that. Do you have smart meters?

 

[noneforit]

I have the Philips hue bulbs, they are wireless but not WiFi [emoji6].

Plus we have Alexa upstairs and down to control them.
Nice gimmick over Christmas when people were round but she misses it probably 30% of the time, I find myself telling her 3 times before she turns the lamp off sometimes!

I also find myself turning a switch off then back on as I'm often in a hurry and getting my phone out to do it takes 5 times as long.

The one in the garage with motion sensor is handy and so is the one outdoors which comes on a timer when it gets dark but the rest serve little purpose other than a gimmick.

My CCTV is not nest as I didn't want to pay their inflated cloud storage costs, I prefer to do it myself and pay for google drive.

 

[Neilc28]

I've got the following:-

Nest Thermostat (3rd Gen)
2 x Nest Smoke Detectors
Amazon Echo
Amazon Echo Dot
Philips Hue (3 x Colour Bulbs, rest of the house is Hue Lux)
Sonos Play 3

I've had the above system for over a year now and it's consistently reliable, and with IFTTT it's even better, next stop for me is Samsung Smartthings

 

[noneforit]

I've got the following:-

Nest Thermostat (3rd Gen)
2 x Nest Smoke Detectors
Amazon Echo
Amazon Echo Dot
Philips Hue (3 x Colour Bulbs, rest of the house is Hue Lux)
Sonos Play 3

I've had the above system for over a year now and it's consistently reliable, and with IFTTT it's even better, next stop for me is Samsung Smartthings

Yeah mine is reliable in terms of the connections etc but Alexa certainly isn't when trying to get her to switch lights off, even worse when the TV etc is on.

Sometimes she does it first time 'Alexa, Turn Bedroom Off'.
Other times it takes four attempts, with the TV on she struggles most of the time so I either have to shout or pause the TV.

Find myself not using her much anymore and just using the App.

 

[Neilc28]

Interesting, I've had a few issues like that, but on the whole it's been accurate and vastly better than Siri in understanding me, it's no Google Assistant though!

I have noticed that I tend to listen to a lot more music now, I guess it's convenience as I hate navigating the music apps and it's a welcome break from my phone

 

[PaulF]

Have you looked at the Fibaro home automation system? Looks interesting, I'd want something that turns lights of more than on as everyone in this house thinks light switches only work one way!