how smart has your home gone?

Soldato
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Hmm not sure then but there's tons on there and returns are easy just go crazy :)

or to be fair, now is the week to get a proper hue hub if you want it.
 
Associate
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Got into this over the weekend. Home Assistant running in a Docker container on my Unraid server, just the single Philips Hue bulb and V2 hub at the moment. Home Assistant looks very powerful, looking forward to trying some other stuff with it :)
 
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Currently have whole flat of Philips Hue bulbs and light strips but in the process of buying a house that has multiple rooms with arrays of spotlights.

These IKEA TRÅDFRI LED bulb GU10 400 lumen bulbs seem to fit the bill for a decent price, anyone had any experience with them?
 
Soldato
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Got into this over the weekend. Home Assistant running in a Docker container on my Unraid server, just the single Philips Hue bulb and V2 hub at the moment. Home Assistant looks very powerful, looking forward to trying some other stuff with it :)

Welcome to the club! :)

Just a big hint, look at a solution to backup your config. After you've tinkered with it for a while your UI well be set up specifically, you'll probably have a number of automations and scripts, the whole thing will be a nightmare to put back together if your config gets corrupted/destroyed etc.

Currently have whole flat of Philips Hue bulbs and light strips but in the process of buying a house that has multiple rooms with arrays of spotlights.

These IKEA TRÅDFRI LED bulb GU10 400 lumen bulbs seem to fit the bill for a decent price, anyone had any experience with them?

I've got the dimmable ones rather than the temperature ones for the kitchen. They work absolutely fine, integrated with hue and i control them with the hue dimmer switch along with my hue strip.

The only thing was they were a slight pain to integrate (i had 8 bulbs), and the Tradfri ones need some patience to add to the hue bridge as they don't always pick them up straight away.
 
Soldato
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Can anyone recommend some Alexa compatible bulbs, the Philips Hue ones sting a bit a £12 a bulb. :)

Most smart bulbs on the market are now Alexa/GAssistant compatible as that's how a lot of people control them.

If you're looking to set up a number of smart bulbs then i'd definitely look at Hue - they are the best in the market for a reason. They are pricey, but this time of year is a good time to pick up a deal on a kit.

If it's just a single bulb you're after, then you'll need to see how it's set up - a lot are wifi, so would just be a case of connecting to it and adding it to your home network. Then using the app to link to Alexa/GAssistant.
 
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Welcome to the club! :)

Just a big hint, look at a solution to backup your config. After you've tinkered with it for a while your UI well be set up specifically, you'll probably have a number of automations and scripts, the whole thing will be a nightmare to put back together if your config gets corrupted/destroyed etc.
Thanks, will do. As the configuration is in one directory on the Unraid server, a backup should be straightforward :)
 
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Anyone found good automation for blinds that work with alexa and ifttt?

Would like to open close them on command but also have them close in time with sun rise/ sun down.

Don't want whole blind systems but something that can control the current blinds.

https://uk.somasmarthome.com

I recently purchased one of these motors for one of my rooms where there's a roller-blind. It does all that you've asked for it to do and the 'hub', I just put onto an old Raspberri PI I had lying around to save a couple of quid as I needed this to get the integration done. They work really well.

That said, it isn't the quietest of things....
 
Soldato
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Worcester/Bosch Smart TRVs are £37.99 today at the rainforest. Just nabbed 4 to get my heating set up properly. Bit pointless just having the one thermostat imo!
 
Soldato
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Worcester/Bosch Smart TRVs are £37.99 today at the rainforest. Just nabbed 4 to get my heating set up properly. Bit pointless just having the one thermostat imo!

This is something I want to get but not sure on the exact compatibility. I have nest installed which is great but in the evening I want my lounge and downstairs to be warmer in the evening and then bedroom to be warmer before bed only and then cooler in the morning as my missus gets up before me. Woild it be possible with any existing smart trvs and my nest?
 
Soldato
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This is something I want to get but not sure on the exact compatibility. I have nest installed which is great but in the evening I want my lounge and downstairs to be warmer in the evening and then bedroom to be warmer before bed only and then cooler in the morning as my missus gets up before me. Woild it be possible with any existing smart trvs and my nest?

Ah I'm not sure, I have the Bosch Easy Control main thermostat already so they'll just connect to that system.

The open window detection will be worth it alone...other half always moans about energy bills but never turns the heating off when opening windows....
 
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Soldato
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I have a similar situation, work in the attic, nest in the living room.

So I either have the office freezing cold or boiling hot based on the temp of the living room. Very frustrating.

I also have a house full of smartthings, all of which have temperature sensors built in but won't play with Nest, I see also there are nest temperature sensors but only for US models.

Considering it's a heating solution I'm surprised it's not more flexible. Irritating having all this kit and having to use manual TRVs.
 
Soldato
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I just want some flexibility to adjust the TRVs based on the individual room temp as the heating is on enough at this time of year to make use especially in these two rooms. Like @matt100 I have other sensors that I could use but unsure if some of these TRVs would work.
 
Soldato
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I just want some flexibility to adjust the TRVs based on the individual room temp as the heating is on enough at this time of year to make use especially in these two rooms. Like @matt100 I have other sensors that I could use but unsure if some of these TRVs would work.

You only get smart TRVs that work with competing thermostats as far as I know, so basically you can use the hive/bosch/tado TRVs but that requires getting rid of nest.

Which in and of itself wouldn't bother me other than the cost and disruption because I really don't fancy having a go myself, especially the TRVs
 
Soldato
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The Bosch TRVs say they work with Alexa, N
You only get smart TRVs that work with competing thermostats as far as I know, so basically you can use the hive/bosch/tado TRVs but that requires getting rid of nest.

Which in and of itself wouldn't bother me other than the cost and disruption because I really don't fancy having a go myself, especially the TRVs

IF you already have manual TRVs, then it's just a case of unscrewing the old ones, and screwing the Smart TRV on in it's place. You don't need to drain the system. I've already removed all the manual TRVs here ready to install the Smart ones when they arrive later.
 
Soldato
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The Bosch TRVs say they work with Alexa, N


IF you already have manual TRVs, then it's just a case of unscrewing the old ones, and screwing the Smart TRV on in it's place. You don't need to drain the system. I've already removed all the manual TRVs here ready to install the Smart ones when they arrive later.

Hadn't thought about that tbh... good tip
 
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Just been tidying some of the cupboards in the spare bedrooms so thought I'd take a quick shot of what I have. Excuse my wife's dusty desk.

I also have a 3rd gen Echo Dot that I bought while living in the US and didn't bother bringing the box home. Also not pictured is the Hue Amaze Pendant light fixture we have.

50648618677_da859999f8_c.jpg


List:

Echo Plus (Gen 2)
Echo Dot (Gen 4) x 2
Echo Dot (Gen 3)
Echo Show 5
Echo Flex with Motion Sensor
Blink Mini Camera
Peteme Camera
Hue Colour and White Ambience x 4
Hue Warm White x 6
Hue Warm White Candle x 2
Hue Amaze Pendant Light
Hue Dimmer Switch x 2
Hue Bridge 2.0
Amazon Firestick 4K x 2
Kindle Fire 7 (mainly to control Hue and Spotify)
Teckin Smart Plug x 2 (for kitchen under cabinet lights, controlled by Echo Flex with motion sensor)


I'm currently keeping an eye open for a video doorbell and a robot vacuum, will probably go with Eufy for both. Also wouldn't mind a Nest Thermostat soon too.
 
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