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Smart homes and devices
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By *ribsa OP Man
over a year ago
A box at end of your bed |
Anyone out there had any success with these devices. Maybe linking Alexa/Google home to your smart TV maybe the heating, lighting or any other appliance in your home.
I am about to try setting up a couple of wifi bulbs to Alexa,unfortunately my smart tv is to dumb to link up so got me wondering if anyone out there has a smart home. |
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"Anyone out there had any success with these devices. Maybe linking Alexa/Google home to your smart TV maybe the heating, lighting or any other appliance in your home.
I am about to try setting up a couple of wifi bulbs to Alexa,unfortunately my smart tv is to dumb to link up so got me wondering if anyone out there has a smart home. "
I have set up my house with Echo shows, multiple cameras joined to it so I just ask to view them at will . my Tado heating is also connected to turn on off remotely or timers. Hue lights Christmas lights all on timers . Also multi plug extensions for computer/ fans and anything else I want to run . I’m quite proud of myself to have put up and set it all up myself . I drive other half mad turning his light different colours whilst he watching tv in other room  . Go for it |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Over lockdown we have managed to get the whole house pretty much done. Some things were easier than others and I lost the will to live when I needed a better router to keep up with it all but it's nice to just have it working, it was a labour of love though xxx |
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I'm not keen on the bulbs as I find they can play up but the plugs are great. Been using them for over two years and no issues once connected. Have them connected to the slow cooker and all the plug sockets I cannot reach 
Alice x |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Yep, whole house is set. Heating, lights, blinds, cameras etc.
Its easy, and doesn't have to be expensive. The best thing is setting different moods easily.
Lidls smart bulbs work well with Hue, and for normal lights Lightwave switches. |
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By *ribsa OP Man
over a year ago
A box at end of your bed |
"Yep, whole house is set. Heating, lights, blinds, cameras etc.
Its easy, and doesn't have to be expensive. The best thing is setting different moods easily.
Lidls smart bulbs work well with Hue, and for normal lights Lightwave switches. "
Interesting to find the lidl smart bulbs are working with Hue as I was thinking of getting 4 of those this evening for my wall lights but was unsure if I needed to get the whole hub thing to make them work as well.  |
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By *ribsa OP Man
over a year ago
A box at end of your bed |
"What's wrong with just using on/off switches?
I think it's just called being a lazy bum!  "
It is a little bit lazy I grant you but it's also nice to be able to switch on lights all around the house when you're out to make it look as if someone is home especially on these dark evenings or pop your heating on 30 minutes or so before you leave work. All clever stuff really all controlled remotely. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Yep, whole house is set. Heating, lights, blinds, cameras etc.
Its easy, and doesn't have to be expensive. The best thing is setting different moods easily.
Lidls smart bulbs work well with Hue, and for normal lights Lightwave switches.
Interesting to find the lidl smart bulbs are working with Hue as I was thinking of getting 4 of those this evening for my wall lights but was unsure if I needed to get the whole hub thing to make them work as well. "
Nope, if you have the hue hub already they work a treat  |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"What's wrong with just using on/off switches?
I think it's just called being a lazy bum!
It is a little bit lazy I grant you but it's also nice to be able to switch on lights all around the house when you're out to make it look as if someone is home especially on these dark evenings or pop your heating on 30 minutes or so before you leave work. All clever stuff really all controlled remotely. "
This, but also when set up right you can instantly change a room, from bright working light to relaxing comfortable chill.
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Oh and there's also a security aspect too, when I'm upstairs, if there was ever a motion sensed downstairs when set to night time the lights come on 100%. That way if there was someone in the house who shouldn't be there I will be able to see them.
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Yep, got all sorts linked up with google. Lights, plugs, heating, tv, camera etc.
At the moment TLC smart plugs are £18 for 2 at Wilko. They don't need a hub and really easy to use. "
I got these as well. I'm often away and the mechanical timer switches are a pain...smart plugs for Xmas tree lights, electric blanket also |
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"What's wrong with just using on/off switches? "
Means I can switch off downstairs and my bedroom light is on so I don’t trip over . I don’t have hall / landing lights on as I’m naked and don’t close my blinds . |
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Smart switches and Hue lighting here. The lighting is awesome, have a movement sensor in the hallway so lights come on when I walk in then turn off after a few minutes. Saves having the lights on all the time!
Also use the Hue labs routines, got one where you can dim the lamps for a period of time before they turn off. Great for going to sleep to. |
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By *ribsa OP Man
over a year ago
A box at end of your bed |
Well I have had some success with automating my lights all wifi bulbs working great with Alexa, but the newly released lidl smart home stuff doesn't work well with Alexa have had limited success getting it all to work using the smart home app instead of lidls app.
Anyone else tried this new range from lidl? |
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"It’s all ok til you’re wifi goes down! Then you’re buggered"
Get a Raspberry PI and set up home assistant, most will still work without Internet then. Also if you have lots of home stuff setup, then a secondary network for the Iot stuff, stops it saturating your main network then, also install pihole if your doing it, get a dns based add blocker setup, stops a lot of the chatter (talking home) that smart devices tend to do. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"It’s all ok til you’re wifi goes down! Then you’re buggered
Get a Raspberry PI and set up home assistant, most will still work without Internet then. Also if you have lots of home stuff setup, then a secondary network for the Iot stuff, stops it saturating your main network then, also install pihole if your doing it, get a dns based add blocker setup, stops a lot of the chatter (talking home) that smart devices tend to do. "
I have a pi running as a bridge between some of the systems that don't talk to each other, allows me to use one app to control everything. Keeps it nice and tidy.
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By *ribsa OP Man
over a year ago
A box at end of your bed |
"It’s all ok til you’re wifi goes down! Then you’re buggered
Get a Raspberry PI and set up home assistant, most will still work without Internet then. Also if you have lots of home stuff setup, then a secondary network for the Iot stuff, stops it saturating your main network then, also install pihole if your doing it, get a dns based add blocker setup, stops a lot of the chatter (talking home) that smart devices tend to do.
I have a pi running as a bridge between some of the systems that don't talk to each other, allows me to use one app to control everything. Keeps it nice and tidy.
"
This maybe the way I end up having to go. I have everything up and working via phone apps and son's Google home but unfortunately the main thing I want to link to Alexa in the living room is not connecting to some of the lights correctly switching them ok by just saying turn on light **** but not off, to turn off I have to say turn on light **** followed then by the word off, very annoying and weird. Don't suppose anyone come across this also? |
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By *htcMan
over a year ago
MK |
Not interested in this. Just switch it on or off yourself.
Only the heating and hot water is smart because the house came with it.
All the other stuff doesn't interest me at all. Especially Alexa or Siri or the Google one |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Devices all over the house. Cameras, lights, doorbell, switches. Not lazy at all. We like the fact that you can set up routines, for example, if the doorbell camera detects movement, automatically turn on the porch light. |
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Oh jeez, technology and I do not mix. I find it easier to get up and flick the light switch myself.
I do have an Alexa but I spend half my time shouting Alexa, ALEXA, ALEXA!!!!.......and she still doesn't listen
Mrs |
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