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Moving house and looking at Broadband deals and such like, and I'm coming across stuff like mesh, and google home and so on...I know the new house has a camera doorbell controlled by an app, and i currently use Google home for controlling my chromecast..But that's pretty much the limit of my knowledge. Has anyone set up a complete "smart home" : lights, music, speakers, thermostats, and so on?
what's best? can a generally technology dumb-ass like me set this stuff up, does it work? Is it going to change my life?
We've got 3 TP Kasa smart bulbs (off Amazon), really easy to set-up and use via the app.
Basically have the lounge/dining room & hall lamps on a timer as I get up at 5.30am so nice to have the lights on ready now it's a bit darker in the mornings 🙂
They link to the Google Home too so I can ask her to turn them on/off/get brighter etc..
We have automated a few things. Nest thermostat, Lifx lights downstairs, Sonos in a few rooms for tv/music and a few smart plugs across the house.
It's all rigged up to Alexa which is great until the in-laws come to stay and then they switch all the lights/plugs off.
The thermostat is really good as you never heat an empty home and catch easily switch it on/off. The plugs are very handy. Used them for lamps or for when you're out and your mrs turns round and says, "i don't think I turned my straighteners off" then you can remotely do it.
Just moved recently and in the process of smart-ifying our new place so been doing a LOT of research. It's a bottomless rabbit-hole and you're basically taking on a new very time-consuming hobby to do it "properly" 😂
However good news is you can use both Google Home or Amazon Alexa (Google sounds slightly more versatile as you can use your phone as well as a smart speaker, with Amazon you can only use speakers I think, although Amazon has a slightly longer list of compatible devices) to control most things, and it is pretty simple to setup.
The disadvantage of Google/Alexa is that they both require internet access (as do a lot of wi-fi smart devices these days) so if your internet goes down for any reason so will your smart devices!
I'm going down the Home Assistant route which is open-source & can be made fully off-line, however it is pretty techy (requires working knowledge of Linux at very least).
Lots of people have.
In our house, we got an Amazon Echo because we were listening to a lot of internet radio. Then we got another one for another room, then another. Then we got two smart plugs so we could control all the lamps we use in the living room instead of going around and rummaging behind furniture to turn them off and on. Then one more to turn the hifi on and off easily. We also got an Echo Link then so we could play music over the hifi whilst still having the voice assistant stuff work when the hifi is off. All this happened over three or four years.
It sort of develops when you see a need for each bit. Don't just do it for the sake of it. It's not something everyone needs, just figure out if it can offer you something then decide if it's worth it.
It is easy to do if you stay within a system. For example, Amazon make smart plugs that work with Alexa. But you can also get cheaper ones from third parties. However they need you to set up an account on their 'smart home' app and then link that to Amazon, which means more (generally pretty poor) third party accounts and apps you really don't need. So pay the extra for the Amazon/Google ones or whatever works with your system.
Google sounds slightly more versatile as you can use your phone as well as a smart speaker, with Amazon you can only use speakers I think
No you can use the app too, but it's less convenient obvs. We just leave the room and say 'Alexa, goodnight' and it turns off the lights and hifi. Saves literally seconds.
generally this will mean buying some random cheap Chinese plug (seen some pretty scathing teardowns of these quality wise!) and sending all the requests (including your home network info/passwords!) through some Chinese server. I will pass personally 😂 I think the Amazon ones are wi-fi (and possibly also need internet access?) - an alternative is something like Phillips Hue, Ikea Tradfri (a lot cheaper) or others that use an RF system called Zigbee (these won't require internet to work). You need a hub, but this is easily tied into the Alexa or Google system.It is easy to do if you stay within a system. For example, Amazon make smart plugs that work with Alexa. But you can also get cheaper ones from third parties. However they need you to set up an account on their ‘smart home’ app and then link that to Amazon
The disadvantage of Google/Alexa is that they both require internet access (as do a lot of wi-fi smart devices these days) so if your internet goes down for any reason so will your smart devices!
hue lightswitches work locally, as do nest thermostats. obviously they're not controllable from voice/outside the house, but they do function during that time.
It’s all rigged up to Alexa which is great until the in-laws come to stay and then they switch all the lights/plugs off
we use these https://www.amazon.co.uk/Prevent-Accidental-Switching-Allowing-intentional/dp/B06XHXN59W/
yeah Hue & similar work via RF, they have several advantages over wi-fi smart gear, but are more expensive. You definitely can control them remotely (away from home) and via voice though, at least from an iPhone/Watch via Siri (Homekit) cos that's how I do it! Would be surprised if you couldn't do the same via Alexa/Google, but never used them so couldn't say for sure!hue lightswitches work locally, as do nest thermostats. obviously they’re not controllable from voice/outside the house, but they do function during that time.
Unless you go down the custom install route, you are mostly restricted to patching a few different things together to achieve the more complex automations.
Current Wifi standards don't work well for battery operated devices like sensors so you want a lower power protocol designed for IoT use such as Z-Wave or Zigbee.
Z-Wave & Sigbee need a controller to control / integrate devices such as SmartThings (Samsung) or more flexible platforms like Hubitat, Homeseer etc. These also tend to work with the standalone platforms like Hue, and can be run using Alexa / Google home as well.
The options are pretty wide ranging and you should decide from the outset what you want to be able to do before choosing a setup.Otherwise it can be an expensive & time consuming frustration which takes longer to setup & maintain than what it saves in doing things for you!
Basic stuff that isn't particularly integrated other than through ITTT (If This, Then That) can be achieved through the usual Nest, Hue, etc setups.
More complicated and flexible setups will need what I mentioned above and for complex automation you are better of getting an installer do do it for you unless you know how to program.
Edit: Personally I'd avoid anything that requires a subscription for advanced functionality and doesn't have a totally local operating mode. You will still need web based access for things like geofencing (turning on heating when you are leaving work for example) or remote viewing of CCTV but you can do these without the subscription services mandated by some ecosystems.
Depending on your willingness to 'roll up your sleeves' and get involved at a bit of a techie level then Home Assistant - https://www.home-assistant.io/ is a free, open source project that can help you achieve almost anything that you want re home automation.
It needs setting up on a spare PC / raspberry pi / NAS / old laptop, etc and once running it essentially acts as a hub to allow different smart devices to talk to each other. It also integrates with Alexa / Google Home.
As an example, I use Sonos, Philip Hue, Samsung TVs, a PS4 a £10 wireless doorbell, various motion detectors and cameras and a few home made bits (eg a thermometer) and run various automations such as:
- If the TV is turned on early in the morning (by the kids) then limit the sonos bar volume
- If someone rings my doorbell send a notification to my phone
- If I come home in the dark and no lights are on then turn certain lights on
- Control the PS4 via Alexa - eg asking Alexa to turn on the PS4 will start the PS4, turn on the TV and start a game
- If a motion detector is triggered and no-on is in the house then send pictures from my cameras to my phone
All the above is subscription free and not reliant on the manufacturer's apps. An added bonus, is that once set-up it removes a lot of the dependency on internet access for the smart home devices and you can set things up so that most actions will work locally - not sending data to manufacturers and continuing to work if your internet drops.
It may be a little daunting to get going but the Home Assistant forums are very friendly. The product is updated every few weeks and gets easier to use with each release.
Hope this helps.
yeah Hue & similar work via RF, they have several advantages over wi-fi smart gear, but are more expensive. You definitely can control them remotely (away from home) and via voice though, at least from an iPhone/Watch via Siri (Homekit) cos that’s how I do it! Would be surprised if you couldn’t do the same via Alexa/Google, but never used them so couldn’t say for sure!
to clarify - you can't control them from outside the house whilst your internet is down. They normally use zigbee, which is like a low-power low-bandwidth version of wifi
It’s all rigged up to Alexa which is great until the in-laws come to stay and then they switch all the lights/plugs off
we use these
I used masking tape to tape the switches down.
I'm seeing/hearing all the applications for smart home devices, but for me, it's just not "there" yet.
And by that I mean - the value added doesn't outweigh either the cost or hassle of buying, installing, maintaining, setting up accounts for every product/service etc. There are exceptions - I can see that a smart thermostat would be good, and a smart doorbell, but switching lights/TVs on and off? nah. I appreciate that this equation is different for everybody.
Maybe further along the line when both the functionality increases, and the "cost" decreases - but it's not there yet for me.
I’ve got Hive heating, Hue lighting and Sonos.
Hue is great as I’ve got movement sensors in various places so I never need to physically turn a light on or off. I also have Hue on the front and rear outside lights. It turns on half an hour before sunset then goes off at 8.30pm (adjustable).
I did get most of the kit cheap when Maplin went bust which helped.
like the thread.
Ive got shut of sonos, thought it was great but it didnt integrate with google home well imo.
Nest theremostat, 6 google nests, google home, 2 home hubs and a max, chromecast along with 6 kasa plugs all play seamlessly. the nest cameras less so!
The ability to switch lights on and off its great for table lamps and stuff that you cant get to. even the missus (that hates stuff like this) likes it.
the chrome cast was a gamechanger for me and the rest followed.
Now ive been playing with sonoff light switches to try and get more things automated but i just cant get the stuff to work well. I dont like the idea of individual bulbs.
I am now after some blinds if anyone has any recomendations.
@batfink I take it you also look at your telly remote and say "nah", then get up off the sofa to change TV programme or adjust volume? 😂but switching lights/TVs on and off? nah.
but for me, it’s just not “there” yet.
Hmmm, I do know what you mean, for instance all my music is on Spotify, while Siri can open spotify and play an album or an artist, it won't open my playlists. Camera doorbell seems like a good idea though, especially as the missus will be 2 floors up and WFH by herself for some of the time. Lighting that comes on automatically in areas of the house I don't use that often or if I do I'm likely to have my hands full (like the utility room) sounds good though.
@andybrad what trouble are you having with your Sonoff switches? They (and all the other cheap Chinese gear that's copied them) are all based around an ESP chip which you can flash with a couple of different custom firmwares, allowing local control (rather than having to go via a Chinese server). Does involve getting your hands dirty, but it's all very well documented online. Definitely the route to go if you're using that kind of wi-fi gear.
Must admit I kept flip-flopping between the idea of smart switches or individual lights. Switches sounds neater/more efficient (& cheaper!!) but depends on how your lighting circuits are organised I think. Individual smart bulbs allow easier zoned lighting & the overall setup is easier. So that's the way I'm going to go. More expensive but then still cheaper than dumb LED bulbs were when I first started swapping over to them! I've looked into it a bit & am going to go down the RF route (Zigbee, like Hue & IKEA Tradfri) as I thing that's better long-term than wi-fi (plus I already have the Hue hub & a few bulbs).
Hmmm, I do know what you mean, for instance all my music is on Spotify, while Siri can open spotify and play an album or an artist, it won’t open my playlists.
@nickc that's user error 😂. As you may know - there's two ways of doing things, the Apple way, and the wrong way! If you're going the Apple route you'll make life so much easier by embracing it fully. Obviously what you want to do works fine with Apple Music rather than Spotify! 👍
sadly i have minimal time to install test and work around these things else the missus wont buy into it so im not into flashing firmware at the moment.
Obviously what you want to do works fine with Apple Music rather than Spotify! 👍
Kinda thought it would, but Apple music can suck my hairy balls. There's no way I'm changing, and don't get me started on what Siri thinks of Primephonic.
For smart switches, you ideally want a 3-wire (neutral to the switch) setup which apparently isn't that common here although I don't know if it's standard now.
I'll be re-wiring my house in the near future and going for this setup so I can add automation as I like without the expense of individual smart bulbs.
That said, I saw that a well known firm had bought out a 2-wire compatible smart switch so assume it converts energy during operation to power it.
but switching lights/TVs on and off? nah.
Where it comes into its own isn't "switching a light on" but controlling groups. Going to bed I can say "Alexa, goodnight" and it'll turn off every (smart) light in the house and turn on the bedroom light dimmed to 10% brightness. If I'm going to watch TV of an evening I can go "Alexa, telly" and it'll shut off the main lights and turn on a side light for ambient lighting. I'm thinking of adding an IR blaster so I can have that routine fire up the Sky box / Xbox too.
Another thing it's been great for, my hallway light only has a light switch at the living room end and not by the front door so when you get home you're wandering around in darkness until you've got to the end of the hall by which point there's little point in switching it on. I've now got a motion sensor linked to it, so as soon as I step into the house (and it's dark) the light comes on.
the chrome cast was a gamechanger for me and the rest followed.
Chromecast with HDMI-CEC is ace. I can be sat at the computer with everything else switched off and cast YouTube to the Chromecast, the Chromecast will switch on the amp, set it to the correct channel, then wake up the TV all automatically. Once of a time that would have taken the Konami cheat code across three separate remote controls.
For smart switches, you ideally want a 3-wire (neutral to the switch) setup which apparently isn’t that common here although I don’t know if it’s standard now.
I’ll be re-wiring my house in the near future and going for this setup so I can add automation as I like without the expense of individual smart bulbs.
That said, I saw that a well known firm had bought out a 2-wire compatible smart switch so assume it converts energy during operation to power it.
Ooh.
Where I'm moving to shortly the living room has two light fittings with five bulbs in each, I was getting a terrible stabbing pain in the wallet thinking about smart-lighting that. I didn't think of controlling the switch. Can you recommend any further reading?
For those using Hue system then this switch is compatible and gives you the option of keeping your existing bulbs.
I'm using it in the bathroom to control the GU10's and Extractor fan with an Hue Smart button.
@longwayup nice one, exactly what I will be requiring, hadn’t started to look for options yet & this saves me the bother!
For those using Hue system then this switch is compatible and gives you the option of keeping your existing bulbs.
Yeah, it looks like there's a quite few options. Almost all of them need the neutral present in the existing switch though. The ones that don't seem to require some sort of capacitor affair fixing into the light fitting and have mixed reviews.
Cougar - A good forum for questions is the AV Forums home automation sub. There's probably better places but this is fairly active.
If you have a neutral to the switch (and Smarthings or similar) you can use either a Smart switch like these ( https://www.vesternet.com/collections/z-wave-wall-dimmers-switches) or what I'll do is attach an inline switch (not the same as a relay) in the backbox of my current wall switch like these ( https://www.vesternet.com/collections/z-wave-modules-relays-switches).
With both, you can control the light either via automation or via the switch.
Apparently there are a variety of options if you don't have a neutral at the switch. You can use Lightwave switches or if you don't need control from the switch you can install modules in the rose, though if you have multiple roses I guess that get's expensive.
The one I was originally thinking of that didn't need a neutral was the Aurora product: https://aone.auroralighting.com/productlist#DimmingAndControl
Aurora do some good quality lighting kit so I'd expect this to be well made. Not seen much in the way of reviews yet though. Looks like they do both Kinetic & Battery options.
Nicely, thank you. I'll do some reading.
I'll admit, I'm a bit confused with all the different systems and what interoperates with what, especially around Zigbee / SmartThings stuff and I need to swot up on it. It all feels as bit XKCD Standards, I don't really want 15 different apps and half a dozen hubs all doing broadly the same thing.
That Home Assistant looks like it might interesting, but it's not clear what it actually does.
@Cougar Zigbee is the RF protocol that Hue uses. You can add Ikea Tradfri or other generic devices to the Hue hub which is what I'll be doing!
Home Assistant is basically an app that runs on your home server (can run on W10 I think but most people use a linux machine, it was originally designed to run on a rPi and a lot of people still do this as they're silent, stable & low energy!)
You basically program how all your smart devices will interact with each other based on physical switches, voice input, time of day, who's home, literally anything. Then it handles all the interactions & also publishes a "control panel" which you can access via a web-browser on your phone, tablet, PC, dedicated in-wall touch panel, whatever.
Really cool stuff, all free & open source, updated very regularly. Can be made to operate entirely offline which is one of the main benefits. You need a bit of computer know-how to set it all up which I'm sure you wouldn't have a problem with. Loads of info/help online anyhow.
Smarthings on the other hand is an off-the-shelf proprietary product, very easy to set-up & use but extremely limited & cloud dependent.
Anyone know why my PS4 pro won't turn my Samsung telly on and off any more via CEC?
Hubitat and a few others basically sits in between Smartthings & HA.
HA is really just hub software that is more flexible but you'll need USB dongles if you want to control Zwave & Zigbee stuff afaik.
Edit: I don't think Smarthings relies on having an internet connection to operate, but it may need one for setup etc.
We've a smallish house.
Running:
Google home max speaker
Google home speaker.
4 Google home mini speakers.
A nest home hub.
Nest thermostat
TCP smart plugs for lamps.
Two TVs controlled by Chromecast.
A few hue bulbs.
What's the point?
Speakers for music. Ok so they aren't for audiophiles. But they are awesome for multi room audio. The added bonus of asking Google questions etc etc
Home hub in kitchen. Ideally for hands on volume control for rest of house. Great for recipes, news, weather and a good photo frame. Also music in kitchen.
Nest thermostat is great for when you are driving home and want to control the heat. Or just ask the speakers to turn it up and down for you.
Smart plugs are for lamps that are out of reach with sockets behind furniture.
Sometimes my children are demanding so I cut the TV off with Chromecast, or ask Chromecast via a speaker to play stuff on Netflix or YouTube on the TV.
Hue bulbs are great novelty for playing "floor is lava" etc in the kids room.
Some may scoff and say it's all unnecessary but I like it.
I especially like asking Google to find my phone or making handsfree calls.
Good stuff.
Speakers for music. Ok so they aren’t for audiophiles. But they are awesome for multi room audio.
You can get streaming devices that plug into decent hifi. We got an Echo Link to replace a Marantz CD player - the one without the built in amp, so it uses my hifi amp. The quality is better in some areas like definition and worse in others like 'fullness' I think, but then the source material is different so it's hard to tell. But relevant to this discussion is that in Amazon-land it can partake in multi-room along with Echoes and Echo Dots and there's no lag or anything.
Zigbee is the RF protocol that Hue uses.
I knew that.
You can add Ikea Tradfri or other generic devices to the Hue hub which is what I’ll be doing!
I did not know that. So if you've got the Hue hub you don't need the Ikea one? Does that apply to their other smart offerings like blinds?
Home Assistant...
You basically program how all your smart devices will interact with each other based on physical switches, voice input, time of day, who’s home, literally anything.
What I struggle with (already) is where you define this stuff. Like, I can group lights in the Hue app and in the Alexa app... do I just use the Hue app to detect and present devices to everything else basically like a device driver, the Alexa for voice and the HA for the heavy lifting?
but switching lights/TVs on and off? nah.
@batfink I take it you also look at your telly remote and say “nah”, then get up off the sofa to change TV programme or adjust volume? 😂
errrrr... no, but that's kinda my point @zilog6128.
Reading your posts, you're obviously quite enthusiastic about smart home stuff, and more power to you, but for me, I'm going to wait a little longer until both sides of the equation improve - I want to see larger benefits, and less cost/effort required in order to deliver those benefits. At this point, smart-home stuff seems to be just doing these mundane low-value applications because it's still a solution looking for a problem - but I'm certain that will change in time.
In fact, I'm reading this thread to see if things have moved on, and it's time for me to get on-board.
I think @olly2097's thread quite nicely sums it up for me:
We’ve a smallish house.
Running:
Google home max speaker
Google home speaker.
4 Google home mini speakers.
A nest home hub.
Nest thermostat
TCP smart plugs for lamps.
Two TVs controlled by Chromecast.
A few hue bulbs.
Some may scoff and say it’s all unnecessary but I like it.
No scoffing at all from me - if you like it, then it's absolutely worth it. But it's not there for me just yet.
I have a few things and use Amazon Echo's (Dot, Spot and Flex currently) for voice control along with a Pure Discovr and Ultimate Ears Megablast as smart speakers. Mostly went with Amazon stuff as it seemed the most complete solution at the time (a few years ago) and I had an Amazon Music/Prime subscription already. The Google stuff is at least as good these days (and seems to be better for audio quality on the higher end speakers, although I'd argue you're probably better off with something from Sonos or someone else if audio quality when streaming music matters a lot to you).
Generally all works very well, it's not life changing by any means, just minor convenience stuff mostly but still worth it for me.
I think batfink and I are in the same place TBH, while I'm happy that folk are using this stuff and enjoying it, But a lots of it seems like it's geek-ware for hobbiests. It seems like a bunch of arse with tech I'm not convinced I totally understand and faffing about just to get a light-bulb to turn on or off
I've also realised over the last couple of days of playing with Siri is that speaking with a phone controlled by apple while can be nerdish and sort of fun, it's not nerdish enough for the things I want it to do. For example, if I want it to play some Mozart, and I specify a concerto, Siri doesn't know that there are 400 hundred odd performances of it on Primephonic and won't ask which one I want, and if it's on a playlist it can't access it, and if it's not on Apple Music (which I don't use) it gives up. By which point I could've scrolled through an app, and fired up a bluetooth speaker myself
The added bonus of asking Google questions etc etc
This also had me stumped...after I realised it was (an imitation of) clever but in fact really stupid...I kinda got bored with it. It's fun to ask it the weather, but after that...what do you use it for?
What I'd like to automate is the motorised blind we've just had installed in the living room - it'd be great to be able to lower it when we're away, for example. Unfortunately all the hubs I've seen seem to be pretty expensive, with the Somfy brand hub costing 300€ which is well beyond what I'd like to pay. I've also seen a 100€ connector that you can plug into a Raspberry Pi (or any other computer) via USB, but that no doubt implies a fair amount of faff to sort out, not to mention having to work out how to make it accessible securely when I'm not at home. Basically a bit of a pain, but could be an entertaining project to set up.
Anyway, that's my semi-rant over. Basically I like the idea of home automation, but getting all the bits to smoothly communicate and control them from one app on my phone is still a way off.
if you do get anything like a motorised blind let me know
I've got the blind already! We bought an electric one as we do use it a lot in summer, it's pretty much essential to keep the heat down in the afternoon. It's got a handy remote control, so not an issue when we're at home, but I'd like to be able to control it when we're out. It's also conveniently positioned above the washing line, so in the event of unexpected rain it is also of use. I didn't get it expressly thinking about connecting it up to anything, but when they came to install it the workman mentioned it could be done so I started investigating.
I'd imagine the easiest way to automate the blind is to control an IR emitter that will pass the same commands as the remote does. Unless the blind can be controlled by an external trigger?
Just to say though, you talk about controlling from 1 app in the phone, but that's not really automation, that's just remote control.
I sometimes think we are closer to achieving reasonable automation than we are consolidation into a good single app!
I’d imagine the easiest way to automate the blind is to control an IR emitter that will pass the same commands as the remote does. Unless the blind can be controlled by an external trigger?
It's radio, not IR - the box is outdoors. And I appreciate what you're saying about the difference between automation and remote control, I was perhaps conflating the two. My longer term aim (for the blind, anyway) would be to automate it using sunrise/sunset times, and also maintain the possibility to lower or raise it directly from an app on demand.
Mogrim - do you have the specs for your blind motor?
Happy to help you if I can - the somfy kit is expensive (can't say I like it either but that's true of just about every "only works our own stuff" solution)
but there's more than likely a cheap work around. - equally their motors are expensive so there's a lot of other options in the market too.
I've only just got round to LED specific dimmer switches so I'm well behind the tech.
Mogrim – do you have the specs for your blind motor?
Nope, just the very scant user instructions 🙂
Apparently this is a cheaper way to do it, but it's a long way from being a nice clean solution:
https://www.vesternet.com/pages/apnt-79-controlling-somfy-rts-blinds-with-the-rfxtrx433e
Nope, just the very scant user instructions 🙂
Definitely somfy then!
Does it have a model name or number (it'll be something like an altus 50, sonesse 40).
I'm guessing being outside it'll be a 230 motor and I'm not sure the radio ones have a decent ip rating, if I'm right, suggesting it would be a mechanical motor with an rts receiver as opposed to an integral rts unit.
Quickest easy (only way really if it's an rts motor) would be a centralis dry contact transmitter then something like an ewelink relay unit, hide them in a box somewhere and use the relay to fire the transmitter. The ewelink/sonoff stuff will give you timer control etc. Essentially that'll be what's in that link.
Relay units are about 15 from amazon. The centralis transmitter is somfy kit so has a steep retail price. Part number is 1810334. You may find one for a reasonable cost with a bit of Google fu.
If it's a non rts motor there are other options.
Interesting that vesternet link mentions fibaro, they're now owned by nice who are a major competitor for somfy.
@dangeourbrain
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you seem to know a lot about these things. Any suggestions for internal blinds as im in the market for some.
I'm in the contract commercial end of the market Andy so plenty of dealing with them, though it tends to be in the orders of a 100 here, 50 there and so on. The electric kit is broadly the same though once you get past the basic retail kit. (I spend a lot of time trying to "fix" the fact people have pulled the wrong cables etc, hence a lot of "how to get brand (A) rf to talk to brand (B) BMS" and so on)
To be honest at a retail end on the blinds you could do a lot worse than eclipse or louvolite kit through a local shop, assuming the shop it's self is any good. Hallis Hudson have some nice kit too.
Hillarys were the ubiquitous ones, they do a range from crap to excellent and their agents run the same broad spectrum ime.
My main advice would be know what you want it to do and start there, appearance is least concern (roller/vertical etc blinds do a job, Romans, curtains, anything soft look pretty).
Stay away from anything proprietary - which really includes battery kit for the most part*. You can't go wrong with 4 wires and you can bolt whatever you want on after that.
There's another forumite on here who does curtains but their name escapes me, I'm guessing they'll have trade accounts with various blinds folks and be able to help you directly with retail.
If you've got something specific in terms of what and how drop me a pm and I'll be happy to see if I can help.
*again there are workarounds for some of it like the somfy kit but the majority of battery kit is very closed.
The added bonus of asking Google questions etc etc
This also had me stumped…after I realised it was (an imitation of) clever but in fact really stupid…I kinda got bored with it. It’s fun to ask it the weather, but after that…what do you use it for?
I've got two young kids with inquisitive minds:
what does a fox sound like?
What does a giraffe eat?
Where is the biggest volcano?
What time is it in Australia?
How many days until Christmas?
Etc etc.
Anything really.
What I’d like to automate is the motorised blind we’ve just had installed in the living room
I've been looking at this lately.
1) Echo-friendly Ikea. https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/fyrtur-block-out-roller-blind-wireless-battery-operated-grey-60408181/
2) IR blaster. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Broadlink-RM4-Universal-Control-Compatible/dp/B07ZSG9Y67
Probably a bit late in both cases now though.
There’s another forumite on here who does curtains but their name escapes me
Bunnyhop?
I’ve got two young kids with inquisitive minds: Anything really.
Yeah, it's a toy isn't it. If you ask it stuff you don't know, but it's a simple format, what is, how much so on and so forth then it has no problem. But get even slightly beyond that and you reach the limits of it's usefulness. It won't for instance tell me the postcode of a hotel, it wants to book a room, or open google maps to give me directions. It can speak the address (but again doesn't know the postcode), but can't create a note with that info, I have to dictate...
This stuff is all party tricks at the moment,
I mainly use my Google Mini to listen to music on Spotify while I'm cooking, and to set timers (also for cooking). I could probably do more with it, and it's a long way from being an essential part of my life, but I'm quite pleased I've got one just for those two tasks.
music, lights and timers is the main thing its used for. oh and finding your phone.