Connected home

[SteMiS]

Anybody have any experience with connected home systems? I'm looking to install one, mainly for security when I'm travelling, although maybe I'll find other uses when I get the hang of it. My house isn't particularly exposed; it's a town house in a decent area without a garden, so unlikely to a prime target for burglary. I'd describe myself as computer literate but not some sort of devoted techie. The sort of thing I'm looking for is one that will allow me to know what is going on in my house and have some control via my mobile, which I can install and maintain myself (being a tight Yorkshireman).

I've been looking at the Samsung SmartThings - http://www.smartthings.com/uk . The v3 hub retails at £79 so not a kings ransom and seems fairly well reviewed.

[servodude]

Anybody have any experience with connected home systems? I'm looking to install one, mainly for security when I'm travelling, although maybe I'll find other uses when I get the hang of it. My house isn't particularly exposed; it's a town house in a decent area without a garden, so unlikely to a prime target for burglary. I'd describe myself as computer literate but not some sort of devoted techie. The sort of thing I'm looking for is one that will allow me to know what is going on in my house and have some control via my mobile, which I can install and maintain myself (being a tight Yorkshireman).

I've been looking at the Samsung SmartThings - http://www.smartthings.com/uk . The v3 hub retails at £79 so not a kings ransom and seems fairly well reviewed.

I've played with a few bits and pieces over the years: nest, xiaomi, lifx, ifttt, hass.io and some really shady alibaba efforts

I think that the offerings are beginning to settle down, and I like the way samsung are going about things.
If I was getting a commercial system for home use I'd go with the samsung: or if I wanted to invest some time and effort https://www.home-assistant.io/

Interoperability is a bit part of this and different vendors have taken different approaches; samsung seem to be quite embracing of others' hardware on their platform which is a big plus in my book
- c.f google, who have made their nest API much more closed over the years (about 5 years ago I was able to use it as a trigger for actuators to control our louvres in our glass office roof and that wouldn't be as easy these days)

have fun
- sd

[AF62]

I've played with a few bits and pieces over the years

Likewise.

The main driver for me was to get the ability to control the heating system, with initial thoughts of being able to delay activation if I was going to be home late or put it on sooner if I was going to be early.

However the most useful thing I have found is the ability to turn it on from the warmth of my bed on a winter weekend without needing to move!

Anyway as the heating was the driver and where I wanted to put the thermostat there isn't easy access to a plug socket - a necessity for most, I went with a first version Hive.

It has generally worked well and the only issue I have found has been on two occasions when the connection was lost between the thermostat and hub, with the issue that the system then defaults to 'off' - or at least protection mode, I never established which. Not great when you come home to a cold house on a winter's evening.

Hive products work reasonably well with Google Home, so in addition to the thermostat I then added some light bulbs, both for security to give the house the appearance of occupancy and for ease - "OK Google, turn the lights on" is great.

I have since added a door sensor, which is programmed to boost the heating if I walk in early during the winter when the heating is off. It also gives a small sense of security as it will alert (at times you specify) if the door is opened.

After buying the first Google Home, I now have them in most rooms. As well as getting them doing the above, great to play music, alarm clocks, timers, etc. Even my new Samsung TV can be controlled with it "OK Google, turn the TV on" never gets old.

I have added a couple of TP-Link plug sockets, which can be controlled through Google Home or an app on the phone. Useful to turn on slow cookers, Christmas tree lights, etc.

Then BT offered a free Ring Video Doorbell if I renewed my broadband, so that has now been added. I tested the alert and recording system for the free month - it alerts you and records video of anyone moving in an area you define - but didn't find it useful enough to continue to pay the £2.50 a month subscription. However as I may be away from home more, then I may reconsider and add to it with some additional indoor and outdoor Ring Video cameras, and you can pay £8 a month to have as many as you want on the account.

So now the Ring doorbell just alerts me wherever I am when someone presses the doorbell and I can see them and we can speak - "yes leave the parcel next door".

You can add IFTTT to the mix if you want to do more complex things - I tried it and found it not that helpful for my simple needs.

Overall it all seems to work together quite nicely, and the cost need not be that exorbitant.

[SteMiS]

Then BT offered a free Ring Video Doorbell if I renewed my broadband, so that has now been added. I tested the alert and recording system for the free month - it alerts you and records video of anyone moving in an area you define - but didn't find it useful enough to continue to pay the £2.50 a month subscription. However as I may be away from home more, then I may reconsider and add to it with some additional indoor and outdoor Ring Video cameras, and you can pay £8 a month to have as many as you want on the account.

So now the Ring doorbell just alerts me wherever I am when someone presses the doorbell and I can see them and we can speak - "yes leave the parcel next door".

You can add IFTTT to the mix if you want to do more complex things - I tried it and found it not that helpful for my simple needs.

Overall it all seems to work together quite nicely, and the cost need not be that exorbitant.

That's interesting. I've just ordered the Ring security camera to have a play with, which will allow me to remote view what's happening in my house and, as you say, record anything that triggers it's motion detector (£2.50 a month doesn't seem a particularly exorbitant cost). However I'm not so much interested in identifying any intruders as identifying that there are intruders. At £89 the cost of the Ring camera seems a relatively cheap entry into this world and doesn't require the base unit that, for example, the Arlo cameras do. I must admit the Ring doorbell also looks interesting.

There seems to be some uncertainty whether (all) the Ring cameras work with the Samsung Smartthing system but I've yet to find an alternative to the Ring system that meets my requirement and does clearly integrate with Samsung Smartthing so my interest on the latter is currently on hold.

The disadvantage with Ring, of course, is that it's just a security system, although I'm not sure how far my interest in general home management goes (probably the more I use it the further it will go...).