Smart homes who’s done it?

[PJ87]

I have Hive for controlling heating and water. It's excellent.

Also got Hive lighting for the hallway, working with the outside Hive camera, switching on when movement detected. Camera is good, aligned with a CCTV notice on my garage. I also have solar security lighting around the house and garden.

Got 5 Alexas in the house. Good for intra-house comms when you can't be bothered to shout or move from the sofa!

I wasn’t interested at all in the echos until I discovered how good the smart lightening was and then controlling it with the voice was the best way

Alexa downstairs lights on is my personal favourite lol

I’ve been bargain hunting

£95 for the start pack that’s like £150 in shops

£47 for 5 bulbs normally £15 each (eBay)

£53 for 3 other bulbs normally £19 each (Currys via work discount)

Should be good once finished

 

[chrisd]

I bought the Hive starter pack as I was going away a couple of weeks ago. I wanted to ge able to turn a light on during the evenings and I did and hoped it worked. The only downside was that I didn't always take my phone to the restaurant with me and 10pm there was 1am in the morning here, so I guess and decent burglar would have known that the house was empty 🤔
Or maybe, as everything was ok at home, we dont have anything worth nicking, or they were all on holiday too

 

[PJ87]

I bought the Hive starter pack as I was going away a couple of weeks ago. I wanted to ge able to turn a light on during the evenings and I did and hoped it worked. The only downside was that I didn't always take my phone to the restaurant with me and 10pm there was 1am in the morning here, so I guess and decent burglar would have known that the house was empty 🤔
Or maybe, as everything was ok at home, we dont have anything worth nicking, or they were all on holiday too

Why not put them on a timer with a different time for every day? Like Monday 6-7, Tuesday 4-6 and so on

 

[HampshireHog]

I got the Nest thermostat last year, didn’t reasearch it at all but made a snap decision to get it fitted when our system burst in the snow last year. Can’t fault the heating but to bind anything else in seems exorbitant, thought about the smoke alarms and maybe an external camera but unless I was willing to pay (and I’m not) to store more than a couple hours footage from the Camera, it seemed fairly useless.

Lighting all seemed to require some sort of 3rd party hub which I’ll not pay though the nose for to have integrated into a fairly basic app.

Maybe it’s me but I have a real hang up about talking to talking to technology, regardless of whether it is Siri, Cortana or Google. I won’t be welcoming in Alexa to my world.

 

[Leftie]

Mrs Leftie is giving me a hard time. She wants a "remote control" for the tele so she doesn't have to get out of her armchair to change channels.

Lazy moo

 

[Oddsocks]

There are a wide range of smart homes equipment available through electrical wholesalers that put the mentioned brands in the post to shame on both quality and performance.

Unfortunately because they are a trade product they go under the radar thus fairly unknown in the retail sector.

Look at products like TCR, Deta connect, light wave and then contact a wholesaler for sensible pricing.

 

[PJ87]

I got the Nest thermostat last year, didn’t reasearch it at all but made a snap decision to get it fitted when our system burst in the snow last year. Can’t fault the heating but to bind anything else in seems exorbitant, thought about the smoke alarms and maybe an external camera but unless I was willing to pay (and I’m not) to store more than a couple hours footage from the Camera, it seemed fairly useless.

Lighting all seemed to require some sort of 3rd party hub which I’ll not pay though the nose for to have integrated into a fairly basic app.

Maybe it’s me but I have a real hang up about talking to talking to technology, regardless of whether it is Siri, Cortana or Google. I won’t be welcoming in Alexa to my world.

Guy at work is full nest and I’m impressed

If I had known it would be taken over by google I’d of got that instead but couldn’t know that

The hubs I agree seem a waste but you can get WiFi ones which just use wifi

I think you could use amazon app to control them without using Alexa to have easy control

My daughters fav colour is blue .. so just ask the dot to turn area lights blue and her play area lights as almost as much as she does

 

[chrisd]

Why not put them on a timer with a different time for every day? Like Monday 6-7, Tuesday 4-6 and so on

They only arrived just the day before we left so I didn't do anymore than connect it up but certainly intend yo do as you suggest next time

 

[PJ87]

They only arrived just the day before we left so I didn't do anymore than connect it up but certainly intend yo do as you suggest next time

Ironically the app you were controlling from them prob could have done the schedule for you whilst you played with it lol but yeah it’s brilliant

I been using alexa to do my schedules as hive is good no issues with them but the WiFi bulbs their app the timers didn’t work well.. so I just want to stick to one app. Can turn off all my schedules when required

 

[chrisd]

Ironically the app you were controlling from them prob could have done the schedule for you whilst you played with it lol but yeah it’s brilliant

I been using alexa to do my schedules as hive is good no issues with them but the WiFi bulbs their app the timers didn’t work well.. so I just want to stick to one app. Can turn off all my schedules when required

It definitely would have Paul but I wanted to play with it whilst a few thousand miles away

 

[USER1999]

There are a wide range of smart homes equipment available through electrical wholesalers that put the mentioned brands in the post to shame on both quality and performance.

Unfortunately because they are a trade product they go under the radar thus fairly unknown in the retail sector.

Look at products like TCR, Deta connect, light wave and then contact a wholesaler for sensible pricing.

I believe Deta connect has been discontinued.

Sonoff do some good stuff, and have a heck of a range.

 

[Oddsocks]

I believe Deta connect has been discontinued.

Sonoff do some good stuff, and have a heck of a range.

I was in a meeting with deta last week and they still have great stock levels. Lightwave have discontinued their relationship with mega man (who sold it under licence to mega man and deta) but are still supporting deta to my knowledge.

There is a new system about to land via robus and aurora powered by something like goo or something similar which looks very user friendly

Armour home do some great gear but I’m not sure they do the heating control range yet or at least they didn’t this time last year. I worked closely on a project with a contractor who was very impressed with the lighting controls side though

 

[apj0524]

I have Hive for controlling heating and water. It's excellent.

Also got Hive lighting for the hallway, working with the outside Hive camera, switching on when movement detected. Camera is good, aligned with a CCTV notice on my garage. I also have solar security lighting around the house and garden.

Got 5 Alexas in the house. Good for intra-house comms when you can't be bothered to shout or move from the sofa!

How do you get on with the Hive outside camera, I looked at at it but was put off by the fact it attaches to the bracket by a magnet ???

 

[USER1999]

I was in a meeting with deta last week and they still have great stock levels. Lightwave have discontinued their relationship with mega man (who sold it under licence to mega man and deta) but are still supporting deta to my knowledge.

There is a new system about to land via robus and aurora powered by something like goo or something similar which looks very user friendly

Armour home do some great gear but I’m not sure they do the heating control range yet or at least they didn’t this time last year. I worked closely on a project with a contractor who was very impressed with the lighting controls side though

Yeah, Deta have stock, but mainly because they can't shift it.

 

[Piece]

How do you get on with the Hive outside camera, I looked at at it but was put off by the fact it attaches to the bracket by a magnet ???

I thought the same before purchase. There is also a tiny (and I mean, tiny!) holding screw that secures the camera, whilst still being able to move the camera to your desired position. Good, powerful magnet. No issues at all since installation.

 

[PJ87]

My last investment arrived today and my house is complete (until the loft when I will put in smart light switches .. wanted them throughout but they too deep for my walls atm)

so I have 3 dots .. masterbedroom, hallway, living room
2 smart plugs.. one on dishwasher on a timer (goes off in day so my daughter stops pressing on and off , she loves the sound) and then one on the bedroom lamp
IR controllers the TV and BT youview
it talks to my xbox to turn it on and off
the rest is lights

Kitchen (cool lights.. much brighter than my old lights.. 9 in total.. very nice)
hallway 4 warm bulbs
porch 3 warm bulbs
spare room , landing and master bedroom all 1 bulb
then the living room with different areas .. (sofas , main light, daughters play area)

the bulbs that arent GU10 hive bulbs can all change colours which the daughter loves.. she loves blue

we were away last week in spain so the house was simulating people were home... lights on and off at diff time in diff areas like people were walking about.. tv on and off at diff times

£500 all in... but potential to do a lot more than just play with lights long term.. also its about £700-750 worth of kit.. got a lot of deals.. ebay, amazon deals.. warehouse deals etc

I am impressed

right now i am listening to the radio on my Dot in the living room but ive set it to play everywhere so im walking room to room listening to it

my fav little trick ive set up is movie mode

alexa movie mode

all the lights downstairs go off except 2 lights above the sofas..... which dim to 10% and then 2 of the kitchen lights out of the 9 stay on.. means its like a cinema with mood lighting

I do love gadgets

 

[Piece]

The only thing about my Hive light bulbs is that if one my family turns it off at the switch! No control as its 'off line' !!!

 

[PJ87]

The only thing about my Hive light bulbs is that if one my family turns it off at the switch! No control as its 'off line' !!!

I was gonna get smart switches as you can turn off at switch or voice

Electrical tap over the switches ha

Thinking of bypassing them

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Resurrecting this thread as I'm thinking of getting a Hive / Nest / A.N. Other device for controlling the heating. Anyone got one of these fitted?
Thoughts on them from those who have them, things to look out for, avoid etc? With black Friday imminent I'm hoping I may even be able to save a few quid getting one.

I'm not looking to sync the whole house, just control the heating, so I don't need something overly sophisticated.

 

[TheDiablo]

Resurrecting this thread as I'm thinking of getting a Hive / Nest / A.N. Other device for controlling the heating. Anyone got one of these fitted?
Thoughts on them from those who have them, things to look out for, avoid etc? With black Friday imminent I'm hoping I may even be able to save a few quid getting one.

I'm not looking to sync the whole house, just control the heating, so I don't need something overly sophisticated.

Hive is perfect for what you're looking for. I got mine on BF a few years back.