Smart Things and Home Automation

[moa999]

It was only very old Sonos hardware (as early as 2005 thru 2015) that was defined as legacy, and those products can still run on a separate branch of the software. They reportedly didn't have enough RAM to handle future code.

Almost the consumer grade stuff (Play series forward and the IKEA Symfonisk range, other than the first gen Play5) works fine.
They'd previously killed a controller many years ago, so it wasn't unexpected.

Similar to what Microsoft has done with Windows11, only allowing hardware from 2017/18 or later to officially install it (there are some ways around). At some point to move forward with the software you've got to have minimum requirements.

 

[exceladdict]

Reporting back a few weeks later. I've set up Home Assistant in a virtual box on an old PC. So far it's performing very well. Very good reliability so far with all of my Philips Hue lights dotted around the place. I've also had luck with a TP-link wifi power socket I already had.

And then I went down the rabbit hole - and have had luck so far with:

• A Holman WXHUB and WX1 wifi tap timer & wifi socket. These are paired via the Tuya Smart app integration. It only works by triggering scenes as HA cannot control the device. This works most of the time. I'm a bit worried I will trigger to turn the tap on one day (it's connected to sprinklers) and it won't turn off again. So, I've created a short watering scene in Tuya which disables the tap after a timer, and this will hopefully avoid any large water use incidents...
• An ikea wifi power socket, paired via the hue bridge
• Have just added some mirabella genio christmas lights via the tuya smart app integration
• A lytworx LED strip which connects over local wifi

Next step is to buy a USB zigbee controller to try to get direct control of the hue & ikea devices and buy some cheaper zigbee switches and sensors (I'd love something to alert me when I receive mail, for example). Also testing out the HA iphone and android apps to set up some routines based on presence.

 

[RooFlyer]

Nice. How are you finding the ring doorbell?

but it's a little slow as HA has to poll the Ring servers for events.

I have a Ring doorbell on a guest wifi netork and am disappointed at the delay between someone or something approaching the door, and the alert I get/chance to talk to them. 5 to 10 seconds, which makes the interaction function useless. Ring servers are in the US, I understand, hence the delay.

 

[jb747]

I had a Ring, and threw it away. I expect the issue was as much the local NBN as anything else, but having to talk to the USA to answer the doorbell doesn’t work for me.

 

[RooFlyer]

For me its more of a security and monitoring device in my absence than a "doorbell". I get about 1 caller a month that I'm not expecting ( rural area with deliveries to PO). If I'm in the garden at the back, a delay isn't a biggie.

 

[maccaisking]

If anyone comes across a smart lock that can be retro fitted to a security screen door, I've love to hear about it.

Did you have any luck with this? I'm after the same thing. Or a smart patio bolt...

 

[Daver6]

Did you have any luck with this? I'm after the same thing. Or a smart patio bolt...

I've given up searching.

 

[Quickstatus]

Ubiquiti

cameras

Started dabbling with UniFi about 3 yrs ago.
I’m going to move the Controller to cloud for remote access

Currently
USG
Unifi 24 port POE switch Layer 2
UAP 6 LR

Looked at UCKGen2
Might as well get a UDMProSE

Also looking to expand to UniFi Protect line which include the security cameras and doorbell. Current version of Protect line is G4

Would appreciate feedback on cloud access and the cameras. G3 vs G4. Any issues?

As usual with closed ecosystems there will be polarising views (eg Mac vs Windows, Holden va Ford, Airbus vs Boeing). Some absolutely hate it then some are fanbois.

 

[exceladdict]

Started dabbling with UniFi about 3 yrs ago.
I’m going to move the Controller to cloud for remote access

Currently
USG
Unifi 24 port POE switch Layer 2
UAP 6 LR

Looked at UCKGen2
Might as well get a UDMProSE

Also looking to expand to UniFi Protect line which include the security cameras and doorbell. Current version of Protect line is G4

Would appreciate feedback on cloud access and the cameras. G3 vs G4. Any issues?

As usual with closed ecosystems there will be polarising views (eg Mac vs Windows, Holden va Ford, Airbus vs Boeing). Some absolutely hate it then some are fanbois.

Looking closely at udm pro se, a switch and u6-lites myself. Only thing that will be prohibitive is cost. Lots of YouTube channels of installers who make videos talking about ubiquiti stuff in depth. Two are mactelecom networks and crosstalk solutions.

I haven't read up much on the NVR and cameras; am tempted by the Google/ nest ecosystem due to doorbell/phone/speaker integration.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Been considering a robot mop for a while. Bought one of these

Robot Mop Australia | iRobot Braava Robot Mop, Quick & Easy!

Upgrade cleaning with iRobot's Braava Robot Mop. Perfect for any floor or room size✔️ Clean effortlessly with just a button press✔️ Shop now!

www.irobot.com.au

excellent product. Very pleased with it.

 

[exceladdict]

Been considering a robot mop for a while. Bought one of these

Robot Mop Australia | iRobot Braava Robot Mop, Quick & Easy!

Upgrade cleaning with iRobot's Braava Robot Mop. Perfect for any floor or room size✔️ Clean effortlessly with just a button press✔️ Shop now!

www.irobot.com.au

excellent product. Very pleased with it.

That tag line "take mopping off your to-do list" sounds like a life goal for me!

 

[SYD]

Been considering a robot mop for a while. Bought one of these

Robot Mop Australia | iRobot Braava Robot Mop, Quick & Easy!

Upgrade cleaning with iRobot's Braava Robot Mop. Perfect for any floor or room size✔️ Clean effortlessly with just a button press✔️ Shop now!

www.irobot.com.au

excellent product. Very pleased with it.

Can it go upstairs like new generation Daleks?

 

[TheRealTMA]

Can it go upstairs like new generation Daleks?

Of course!

 

[tgh]

Aksherley we are presently learning to live with liz…and it has been a rocky betrothal..
Why would the manufacturer of the worlds best and brightest robo vac…limit connectivity to 2.5ghz??
OK..I am old and a little tech challenged , but persuading our Telstra modems to connect @2.5 was muy stressful..
So liz has vac'd the whole house today..I messed up and sent her to work without task criteria (mapping)..more geriatric incompetence on display...
Liz dutifully vac'd every acsessible square centimetre.. TWO visits to the charger and about six hours in total. hmmmm.
Tomorrow we are going to send her mopping..

 

[exceladdict]

Aksherley we are presently learning to live with liz…and it has been a rocky betrothal..
Why would the manufacturer of the worlds best and brightest robo vac…limit connectivity to 2.5ghz??
OK..I am old and a little tech challenged , but persuading our Telstra modems to connect @2.5 was muy stressful..
So liz has vac'd the whole house today..I messed up and sent her to work without task criteria (mapping)..more geriatric incompetence on display...
Liz dutifully vac'd every acsessible square centimetre.. TWO visits to the charger and about six hours in total. hmmmm.
Tomorrow we are going to send her mopping..

Could be a whole manner of things, but my understanding is 2.4ghz typically has a longer range signal (better wall penetration etc) than 5ghz. It's probably unlikely the vac needs the higher speeds offered by 5ghz.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Could be a whole manner of things, but my understanding is 2.4ghz typically has a longer range signal (better wall penetration etc) than 5ghz. It's probably unlikely the vac needs the higher speeds offered by 5ghz.

And, pretty well all routers, hubs etc, support 2.4 as well as 5GHz. Many home devices only use 2.4 but that is changing.

 

[tgh]

support 2.4…indeed.. but as I understand the issue, the modem will initially offer the vac 5ghz and the vac will accept.. and then fail to operate correctly.
There appears no functioning process for the vac to tell the modem it wants 2.5.. if it did the modem would deliver.
I have the vac running ok as a guest after setting the guest network to 2.5… but what would I know….

 

[TheRealTMA]

support 2.4…indeed.. but as I understand the issue, the modem will initially offer the vac 5ghz and the vac will accept.. and then fail to operate correctly.
There appears no functioning process for the vac to tell the modem it wants 2.5.. if it did the modem would deliver.
I have the vac running ok as a guest after setting the guest network to 2.5… but what would I know….

Not quite correct. The device asks for a wifi connection and SiD and one needs to select the 2.4 SID rather than the 5GHz.

 

[tgh]

Not quite correct. The device asks for a wifi connection and SiD and one needs to select the 2.4 SID rather than the 5GHz.

I don't think that the above is correct either but acquiesce to your apparently superior tech smarts and retire from the discussion….