Smart Home (with a dumb owner!)

[brewdexta]

I write my own controls using python, flask and redis and some IP relays from Bulgaria and try and steer away from any large home automation packages open source or commercial. No offsite servers and if I write the code I can fix it.

My main bit of HA so far is the underfloor heating zones. The new boiler already has remote access via VNC so no need to go there.

Light switches I shall leave where they are except external lighting which I will link to the cameras and various proximity sensors.

I can't get an Alexa do dah 'cos the kids wouldn't stop sodding around with it

 

[GW8IZR]

I write my own controls using python, flask and redis and some IP relays from Bulgaria and try and steer away from any large home automation packages open source or commercial. No offsite servers and if I write the code I can fix it.

My main bit of HA so far is the underfloor heating zones. The new boiler already has remote access via VNC so no need to go there.

Light switches I shall leave where they are except external lighting which I will link to the cameras and various proximity sensors.

I can't get an Alexa do dah 'cos the kids wouldn't stop sodding around with it

Absolutely right.. and I wouldn't want anyone else's 'kids' able to affect my HA setup.

 

[brewdexta]

Absolutely right.. and I wouldn't want anyone else's 'kids' able to affect my HA setup.

Also marketing getting involved. "He's turned the downstairs bog light on 10 times in an hour, let slip some adverts about immodium and prostate surgery/drugs into his news feed"

 

[GW8IZR]

Also marketing getting involved. "He's turned the downstairs bog light on 10 times in an hour, let slip some adverts about immodium and prostate surgery/drugs into his news feed"

Although that might be handy ;-)

 

[Sputter]

Santa gave me an Amazon Echo for Christmas. Although at first sceptical, must admit it has worked well in the workshop as a voice controlled radio. Best of all is not having to wipe hands clean to use pen and paper or grab a calculator to do sums such as divisions to work out equal spacings. Instead I simply ask Alexa, her mental arithmetic is way better than mine.

 

[angellonewolf]

Santa gave me an Amazon Echo for Christmas. Although at first sceptical, must admit it has worked well in the workshop as a voice controlled radio. Best of all is not having to wipe hands clean to use pen and paper or grab a calculator to do sums such as divisions to work out equal spacings. Instead I simply ask Alexa, her mental arithmetic is way better than mine.

if i stop using mental sums in my head i would be brain dead even when im at work when i have to give change back i all ways use my head to get the right change

 

[ajlelectronics]

Santa gave me an Amazon Echo for Christmas. Although at first sceptical, must admit it has worked well in the workshop as a voice controlled radio. Best of all is not having to wipe hands clean to use pen and paper or grab a calculator to do sums such as divisions to work out equal spacings. Instead I simply ask Alexa, her mental arithmetic is way better than mine.

It is a shame that Amazon uses Tunein as the default radio player. Service has been getting steadily worse over the last year so as to make it unuseable on BBC services.
The workaround is to load the Radioplayer skill and use that for BBC stations. Hardly ever buffers.

An interesting radio station is Solid Gold Gem AM, which is a 70s themed service without advertising. The only drawback is pronouncing it so that Alexa understands, sometimes five attempts are required!

 

[puffernutter]

I write my own controls using python, flask and redis and some IP relays from Bulgaria and try and steer away from any large home automation packages open source or commercial. No offsite servers and if I write the code I can fix it.

My main bit of HA so far is the underfloor heating zones. The new boiler already has remote access via VNC so no need to go there.

Light switches I shall leave where they are except external lighting which I will link to the cameras and various proximity sensors.

I can't get an Alexa do dah 'cos the kids wouldn't stop sodding around with it

Any chance of sharing some of the code with my son (for our personal use), or is it your IPR?

Cheers

Peter

 

[brewdexta]

Any chance of sharing some of the code with my son (for our personal use), or is it your IPR?

Cheers

Peter

No problem. I'm still slowly fettling a few bits and its very specific to one wire sensors but once I've got it to something like I'll share it. It may actually give me the kick up the rear I need

 

[puffernutter]

Next question - can you have more than 1 echo dot? We have lost of doors to keep various groups of dogs separate, so a second echo dot would be useful!

A supplementary question, I've just fitted a touch lighting switch with Wifi from Sonoff - a very nicely made piece of equipment. But how do people (tidily) run the neutrals you require to make these function?

Cheers

PN

 

[ajlelectronics]

I have five, split between two premises on the same account. You can use them individually, or set up groups so that you can play the same stuff "everywhere"

Sonoff stuff is good, I have lots but their server has been unreliable for ages. Over Christmas it was out for about five days. I fit switches set to normally on inline with the feed to the actual lamp. That way if the server fails, the nomal switching is fine. Appreciate the problem with wall switches though, maybe you have tomreplace the drop cable to it?

 

[Eric the chicken]

Just wait until they all become 'Self Aware' You have been warned, but is it already too late?

 

[Shox Dr]

Just wait until they all become 'Self Aware' You have been warned, but is it already too late?

While I agree with what you say, I can’t take the word of a typing Chicken called Eric. Are you a robot

 

[Eric the chicken]

Come with me if you want to live, I'll be back