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Do you live in a Smart Home?
- Thread starter M. Wallace
- Start date
Nope - and quite deliberately.
Even our baby monitor we bought a model that specifically didn't connect to wifi and instead was a direct 2.4ghz connection between the camera and monitor.
I just have no interest whatsoever in the technology.
Even our baby monitor we bought a model that specifically didn't connect to wifi and instead was a direct 2.4ghz connection between the camera and monitor.
I just have no interest whatsoever in the technology.
Yeah. I have smart lights in almost every room of my house, except for one bathroom and my hall, which are more complicated, so I haven't done those yet. I have a smart thermostat. My outer door locks aren't internet connected, but they are keypad locks that also auto-lock after being open for 90 seconds. I love stuff like that.
I would definitely say I live in a smart home. I have a smart/connected thermostat, door locks, garage doors, lights, plugs, cameras/alarm, all major appliances, car charger, and robo vacuum.
OP
OP
I'm not surprised because I've always gotten the impression over the years that most here don't care. But there is also a big chunk of people whose main reason is that they don't trust these devices. They're not the majority, but they're all over the thread as well.
Myself personally, one of the reasons I love my smart home because my wife can't nag me to do all these other things. Stuff like "open/close all the blinds please", "turn on the fan/AC, I'm hot", "open the curtains, it's too dark in here", "sorry but I left the light on in the kitchen, can you go turn it off". And to that I say "Hey Google....." lol. Well that's one of my options. But I can also use my phone, smart buttons, or stuff like my blinds or curtains are on a schedule so no need to even think about it.
Somewhat. Four lights and three Echos. It's convenient to voice control the lamps and change the light temperature according to mood or needs. Echos are radios and timers. That's it.
I don't use any of it because if I can't even be arsed to get up and walk six feet to turn on a light, then how lazy am I and how quickly would that become the new (low) standard that may be lowered further and further.
I'm happy with the free 'exercise' that is still required. It would be more interesting if I were less healthy or much older.
Then again, I'm also about using as little energy as needed and am super aware about when stuff is on for no reason: I feel like automation would turn shit on because of some 'smart' reason, when I don't need it at all. It's much more energy efficient for me to turn on the heat after I get home instead of letting the system think I may need it when I'm nearby. It's really not that bad to be in a cold room for 10-20 minutes.
Plus, however energy efficient the system and components are: they use energy as well.
I'm happy with the free 'exercise' that is still required. It would be more interesting if I were less healthy or much older.
Then again, I'm also about using as little energy as needed and am super aware about when stuff is on for no reason: I feel like automation would turn shit on because of some 'smart' reason, when I don't need it at all. It's much more energy efficient for me to turn on the heat after I get home instead of letting the system think I may need it when I'm nearby. It's really not that bad to be in a cold room for 10-20 minutes.
Plus, however energy efficient the system and components are: they use energy as well.
kinda? my thermostat and washer/dryer have apps and i have an alexa with some smart plugs that are mostly used at christmas for outside decorations. but i dont have wifi light bulbs or anything. and none of this shit talks to each other cuz its a completing apps nightmare out there
As the average Era age creaks closer to late 30's, early 40's, expect more and more to pretty much be anti anything culturally or technological that wasn't already established from the the 90's to 2010's in their youth.
I posted a thread about loving the productivity I achieved with AR on the Metaquest as someone who normally struggles with inattentiveness and found it a great alternative to being medicated for ADHD all the time, and got immediately labeled a corporate productivity chasing hustle culture worshipper lol. I was like.. I'm literally using it to look at reference for drawing with infinite screen space, and almost every post was convinced "no actually the corps will track your corneas and send a small shock to your youngest child the second your eyes drift off a work tab". (???)
It's hard to believe this site is a tech enthusiast forum sometimes.
Given the option, I'll go for dumb version for most things. I dread the day I have to look for a new car. The only appliances I have connected to network are computers, consoles and phones. I'm even keeping my TV off the Internet because having it be connected would be of no benefit to me.
Just to say thanks for this, appreciate the recommendation, I think I'm down to that or the new one from Switchbot.
And agree completely on the interface part, there's nothing simpler than a button.
the only wrinkle we had is finding a replacement cylinder - our house had a keyhole both sides but wouldn't let you turn a key from the outside if one was already in the inside (which is how nuki and most smart locks work). So in the end I replaced with a cylinder with an internal thumb turn which is fine - bonus being it was an upgraded cylinder from a security pov.
Nothing out of the ordinary really, just a Hive Heating Thermostat, a couple of Sony Bravia Smart TV's, a couple of Amazon Echo's and my Google Pixel 7 Pro phone but that's about it. I don't feel the need to have smart light bulbs, camera's, door locks or anything too crazy really.
I have a dumb appartment. And should i move to a house, it would stay dumb.
I have absolutely no need for controlling stuff with my phone and/or my voice. There's nothing wrong with analog, and quite harder to have bugs.
I think my TV is "smart" ready or whatever as i had to buy a new one last year, but i keep using it normally with the remote.
I have absolutely no need for controlling stuff with my phone and/or my voice. There's nothing wrong with analog, and quite harder to have bugs.
I think my TV is "smart" ready or whatever as i had to buy a new one last year, but i keep using it normally with the remote.
Yeah I do. My lights are Phillips Hue, I have a Google Home in every room, my tvs are connected through the LG ThinkQ app, I have a Nest, my washer and dryer are also connected and synced with my TV. I live in a 3 story house so the convenience of being connected can't be overstated.
Nope, I've been through that phase and it's just not compelling enough from a cost/reward perspective. I'm also put off by the fact that it becomes out dated and no longer supported after x number of years (like the original Hue hub). CCTV is really the only thing that makes sense.
by this extremely narrow, and incorrect definition, no i do not.
However, I do have a smart home, as i specifically buy devices that *do not* require an internet connection to function. The second requirement being that it integrates with home assistant. Doesnt integrate with home assistant? No buy. All my lights, HVAC, Sonos, pool, garden etc all controlled by Home Assistant. And will still work regardless of internet connectivity.
Famously, Insteon went out of business and users smart light switches stopped working. I wasn't even aware as I didn't use their stupid hub which required internet connectivity. When they went out of business they shut down the servers, but all my programming still worked cause they flowed through Home Assistant instead.
Roller shutters - yes, which I find comforting to know because they will also go down and up when I'm not home and traveling.
Coffee machine - in theory, yes, but it's not like the coffee would fly to me, so I don't really use it.
My drier would be a smart home appliance but it's downstairs and I guess too far from my WiFi. I kinda would like to have that one hooked up because I don't want to bother anyone with the sound when the machine is done.
I can also control my TV or printer remotely but the only thing I ever say is "turn the TV on/off" because my iPhone is too stupid to understand "open Netflix on my TV" and will open it on my phone instead.
Coffee machine - in theory, yes, but it's not like the coffee would fly to me, so I don't really use it.
My drier would be a smart home appliance but it's downstairs and I guess too far from my WiFi. I kinda would like to have that one hooked up because I don't want to bother anyone with the sound when the machine is done.
I can also control my TV or printer remotely but the only thing I ever say is "turn the TV on/off" because my iPhone is too stupid to understand "open Netflix on my TV" and will open it on my phone instead.
Nope. No smart appliances, no smart thermostat, no smart locks. The only things I have that are connected to the internet are my PC, phone, and game consoles.
Heh, thought about this thread as I decided to change the temperature settings in my house from my work office just now. Trying to lower the power usage around my schedule.
I have some speakers (combo of the IKEA Sonos collaboration and Home Pods I got used) and my lights are all Zigbee (Hue but migrating to Home Assistant). My smart TV is isolated to my local network by a firewall, but I have a shortcut on my phone to change the input because nVidia (still) doesn't support HDMI-CEC. None of my appliances have any smarts in them, because I fail to see the benefits vs the risks.
The most important bit is having a dedicated firewall box and banning most of the smart devices from connecting to the internet.
The most important bit is having a dedicated firewall box and banning most of the smart devices from connecting to the internet.