Smart Home & Home Automation discussion thread

[Kaido]

 

[lupi]

Looks like my couple month old ST hub got bricked during the recent surprise FW update. Think I was doing network troubleshooting about that time and Didn't notice the email till later. Dont have a lot of automated routines set up yet so went unnoticed for a week then about another week doing email support. Replacement on the way.

Hopefully this isn't a common thing.

 

[Kaido]

Looks like my couple month old ST hub got bricked during the recent surprise FW update. Think I was doing network troubleshooting about that time and Didn't notice the email till later. Dont have a lot of automated routines set up yet so went unnoticed for a week then about another week doing email support. Replacement on the way.

Hopefully this isn't a common thing.

Unlike Let us know how it turns out!

 

[Kaido]

 

[IndyColtsFan]

A group of community ST developers have formed a company called Hubitat and are now shipping their hub. I went ahead and ordered one to play with. 100% local control, even for apps, and it also uses a subset of Groovy like SmartThings, so people believe device handlers and SmartApps should be fairly easy to port. Also the hub supports full backup and restore capability, so if your hub dies, you won’t be in trouble.

Http://www.hubitat.com

Everything is currently accessed via a browser, though a phone app is being built. For the record, I think ST will likely win the market for consumer-level home automation (unless Amazon suddenly gets a clue), but I think that even if Hubitat goes under, we will see development for it continue because of the community.

 

[Ns1]

Can anyone think of a way to do a hard reset of a computer using a smartthings hub? Hard reset meaning I can't remote into the computer to look at it because it's locked up.

Basically I would need to find some type of device that could trigger the power switch....I thought about keeping it simple and just adding a smart things outlet to the computer, but that would only turn it off and not turn it back on.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Can anyone think of a way to do a hard reset of a computer using a smartthings hub? Hard reset meaning I can't remote into the computer to look at it because it's locked up.

Basically I would need to find some type of device that could trigger the power switch....I thought about keeping it simple and just adding a smart things outlet to the computer, but that would only turn it off and not turn it back on.

You can plug the computer into a smart outlet and I believe there is a BIOS setting which can have the computer boot on power restore (when the switch comes back on).

 

[lupi]

Trying to set some things for auto on/off at sunset/sunrise. In smarthings under routines I don't have an option for sunset or sunrise, only able to set a certain time. If I go to the smartapps tab, I can set to turn on and sunset and toggle the turn off at sunrise. However even after setting it up, it's not doing anything. Checked the web interface and it shows there, and even though I pressed update still nothong. Help?

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Trying to set some things for auto on/off at sunset/sunrise. In smarthings under routines I don't have an option for sunset or sunrise, only able to set a certain time. If I go to the smartapps tab, I can set to turn on and sunset and toggle the turn off at sunrise. However even after setting it up, it's not doing anything. Checked the web interface and it shows there, and even though I pressed update still nothong. Help?

Sorry, I was in the process of responding at work the other day but got pulled away and forgot to finish.

Anyway, can you post screenshots? I rarely use the built-in applications but I do have webcore running my garden lights with sunrise/sunset settings and it works perfectly.

 

[lsd]

Trying to set some things for auto on/off at sunset/sunrise. In smarthings under routines I don't have an option for sunset or sunrise, only able to set a certain time. If I go to the smartapps tab, I can set to turn on and sunset and toggle the turn off at sunrise. However even after setting it up, it's not doing anything. Checked the web interface and it shows there, and even though I pressed update still nothong. Help?

On your routines tab select the settings gear on your particular routine. You should find the settings for sunrise/set under additional settings on the bottom of the page.

 

[lupi]

On your routines tab select the settings gear on your particular routine. You should find the settings for sunrise/set under additional settings on the bottom of the page.

I only have 2 options there, rename and automatically perform which opens up a list of settings. Sunrise/sunset not in there either.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

I only have 2 options there, rename and automatically perform which opens up a list of settings. Sunrise/sunset not in there either.

Hmmmm, I see sunset/sunrise in the list of options under automatically perform.

 

[lupi]

I saw it in the example but not in my app. I current have it pseudo working by setting an on and off per time of day.

Was going to send them a question before shipping off my old hub, I'll add this to the list I guess.

 

[lupi]

They finally figured what the problem was. I had gone into the location setting and hit saved, but that didn't actually save my location data and along with it allow the sunrise/Sunset options to be available.

I had to go into the location setting, then press the map to open it, then press for it to accept my location, and then hit save. After that I didn't have the option so closed the app and repoened. On reentry, they were now present under automatic optikns.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

First Blink, and now Ring: Amazon buys Ring. I believe Wink will be next.

 

[Kaido]

First Blink, and now Ring: Amazon buys Ring. I believe Wink will be next.

You know, as much as I love Amazon, I HATE it when they do shady stuff like this:

Amazon will stop selling Nest smart home devices

They did this awhile ago with the AppleTV (which now supports Amazon Prime & is available on Amazon again). They currently don't have Chromecast, which is really annoying because then I can't just use my Prime account to order them as needed. I think a better approach would be to have the Fire Stick as the first search result, highlighted with a "recommended" or "suggested" flair, and then to still sell everything. Roku is on there (which, of course, has a Prime app available on it). Arg!

 

[Kaido]

If you have Netflix, check out S4E1 of Black Mirror - "USS Callister". I REALLY love his smart home (well, apartment). I've fallen in love with ultra-modern concrete & glass house designs over the last couple of years & whoever was the set designer for his personal space just did a really, really fantastic job.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

You know, as much as I love Amazon, I HATE it when they do shady stuff like this:

Amazon will stop selling Nest smart home devices

They did this awhile ago with the AppleTV (which now supports Amazon Prime & is available on Amazon again). They currently don't have Chromecast, which is really annoying because then I can't just use my Prime account to order them as needed. I think a better approach would be to have the Fire Stick as the first search result, highlighted with a "recommended" or "suggested" flair, and then to still sell everything. Roku is on there (which, of course, has a Prime app available on it). Arg!

They're supposed to be selling Chromecast again at some point.

So, I'm conflicted about Amazon's decision. On one hand, I understand the logic of not selling a competitor's product but on the other, Amazon is becoming too big and these kinds of decisions could literally sink smaller companies like a Blink or Ring had Amazon decided not to buy them and not sell their products. It seems to me that Amazon needs to reorg and have retail operations separate from their hardware and product groups and let their retail group sell anything and everything.

Of course, Amazon not selling products which may have a large demand may give the Walmart/Jets of the world an upper hand and let them gain customers.

Anyway, Amazon appears to be bundling Wink 2 in some new HA bundle offerings they're doing and this leads me to believe they're going to grab Wink next. Honestly, it was a boneheaded move of them not to buy Wink when Quirky went under. Since one of Wink's former execs works at Amazon too, I'd be shocked if it didn't happen.

For me, I'm on the SmartThings train for now but did buy Hubitat a few weeks ago. I hope to get some time this weekend to set it up. I see myself gradually migrating to it.

 

[CAL7]

.... did buy Hubitat a few weeks ago.

Just put my order in, so awaiting shipment. I hope the webCoRE migration makes sense (I know it won't be easy). To start, I'll probably just add some devices that have been on the shelf and see how it goes. Please keep us in the loop on your transition.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Just put my order in, so awaiting shipment. I hope the webCoRE migration makes sense (I know it won't be easy). To start, I'll probably just add some devices that have been on the shelf and see how it goes. Please keep us in the loop on your transition.

Believe it or not, I have not set it up yet. Still sitting in a box on my printer.

 

[Kaido]

Garadget: ($89 garage door remote with voice integration)

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/garadget-app-smartphone/#/

https://www.amazon.com/Garadget-Remotely-Existing-Smartphone-Automation/dp/B01KUZ2JPS

https://www.cnet.com/videos/garadget-adds-simple-smarts-to-your-garage-door/

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Garadget: ($89 garage door remote with voice integration)

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/garadget-app-smartphone/#/

https://www.amazon.com/Garadget-Remotely-Existing-Smartphone-Automation/dp/B01KUZ2JPS

https://www.cnet.com/videos/garadget-adds-simple-smarts-to-your-garage-door/

I’d just remind everyone that this is the device that a user left a very bad review for on Amazon and then was locked out of the Garadget servers.

 

[Kaido]

I’d just remind everyone that this is the device that a user left a very bad review for on Amazon and then was locked out of the Garadget servers.

LOL I remember that now!

https://mashable.com/2017/04/05/garadget-bad-review-bricked/

Feelings are still the same...sometimes you have to fire the customer, because the headline isn't always the full story. On the flip side, worst customer service ever! Apparently the customer had never even used the device, and also wasn't locked out from using his regular garage door opener:

According to Grisak, his reaction wasn't due to the poor review on Amazon, but rather was about the post in the community board. He claims the customer was still in "early stages" of the Garadget setup, and the device was "never in actual use." Plus, Garadget is an "add-on device which doesn't provide or replace opener's functionality so the customer was never locked out," Grisak said.

However, that's no excuse for the emails he sent out justifying his actions to ban the customer - accusing him of poor impulse control & not being willing to tolerate tantrums. Just an awful, awful PR move. And this is one of the reasons why I was so strongly in favor of having local control on the Wink Hub...what if the cloud goes down? What if someone in support decides to be a jerk? These are important questions in the always-connected age we live in. I mean, remember when Wink went down because they simply forgot to renew their security certificate? The finance industry is subject to massive set of oversight controls, but the companies in your home are not, so anything can happen...

https://www.engadget.com/2015/04/19/wink-home-automation-hub-bricked/

 

[Ns1]

got my smart things hub going, I'm only 1 outlet and 4 lightbulbs in and already in love.

 

[luv2liv]

what is a simple n easy to use hub in 2018? i plan to set something up for the parent. starting with a motion sensor so they can use it as a cheap security system. no more SimpliSafe.
a $35 zwave motion detector can alert their phone when they are out. maybe a zwave button to press to "arm" the house. so that the motion detector in the living room will only alert when the house is armed