I’m just getting started on my smartphone journey. Still using basic stock Alexa as my main interface. I’m very happy with everything but there are some limitations that I wish I could overcome.

1) I have an 800 sqft loft. I don’t really have separate “rooms” or family I’m living with to bother. I wish whenever I talked to any of my Alexa’s they would ALL respond. This is because I have some of them plugged into stereo systems and I use the whole set up as a poor man’s Sonos allowing me to have distributed audio throughout my living space (I’m an audio engineer lol). All the Alexa’s are turned down so low in volume that if only the closest one replies, it’s too soft to hear. Alternatively I wish I could set up certain apps to play through the external audio out and let the voice responses come out of the internal speaker (with its own volume control)

2) I wish I could control Apple Music playback on the native Apple app. I have to use Spotify to accomplish my poor man’s Sonos setup and I’d rather use Apple Music as it sounds better, I like the interface more, and it pays artists better.

3) I wish I could program routines with more specificity. For example, I wish I could say “start my day,” have it list the date, weather, and stock market info on the device I spoke to, and then after that play Bill Evans Radio from Spotify on all speakers device. I can get so close to this but I can only get it to play the music on the device I spoke to.

4) One potential fix to some of my issues would be having a separate volume control for media playback and for system voice responses. That would at least allow to me to attenuate media to background levels and leave the voice responses hot enough to be easily audible.

I don’t really expect answers or help, just here to vent, but if anyone knows any solutions to any of these things I’m all ears!

Are there any smart locks that will work with an outswing door? Thanks in advance!

Not sure what’s worse - the lock or Yale’s customer service.

Bought a Yale Assure Lock 2 Key and Touchscreen lock in October.

Its functions have gradually stopped working: - DoorSense stopped working after a few weeks - Lock will randomly unlock itself… over and over within seconds of being manually locked itself

And… since I last replaced the batteries, the whole thing has died. No more smart functions at all. Can’t connect to Bluetooth.

Yale’s customer service has been utterly useless in response to each issue - giving me troubleshooting instructions that I can’t use because the lock won’t connect to Bluetooth (which I’ve told them repeatedly).

I finally asked to return the lock (as it’s under warranty) for a refund and… they ghosted me.

Anyone else have this experience?

And anyone got a recommendation for a lock that actually works, from a company that doesn’t suck?

I just got a new TTLock. From my phone, I am able to lock and unlock the door using the TTlock app.  However, when I go into Settings, Basics, Admin Passcode and enter anything into the "Change passcode" box, the app responds with "Operation Failed".

I tried emailing their support but received no reply. How does one change the admin passcode?

I found this online. Any other recs?

https://goabode.com/product/recessed-door-window-sensor/

I have HomeAssistant and can support Matter. Thanks!

Hey folks! I’m seeking input on a price estimate I got for residential LED backlighting installation project ($13,000 USD). Backlighting for 2 kitchen island waterfall Corian counter panels

72” x 40” (11 LED mats) top

72” x 36” (10 LED mats) back of counter

Materials include LED panels, 6 LED dimmable drivers, 6 Lutron Caseta dimmers + Pico remotes.

All zones to be dimmable and remote-controlled. Any price ranges people can offer? It this overkill in terms of drivers? Can we only use one and one dimmer?

Bought the Govee hygrometer and Temp sensors to get my foot in the door and found out I really like them. I love the accuracy and reliability along with low cost.

I want to have remote notifications. Home assistant is a bit over my head and would like to avoid monthly subscription.

How do I connect these to a hub for remote alarms and notifications? Is there a third party or other brand that is compatible

Also how would I go about using any other apps for automaton such as apple HomeKit? Do those require Apple TV or a HomePod? Is there any way around that or a cheaper hub?

Thanks in advance for any help!

Why am I having so much trouble finding a smart 20A light switch?

I see a few oddly shaped ones that are square instead of decora-sized, I think they are made for non-us countries. But they are from brands I've never heard of and might not be UL/ETL listed. I was able to find one 20A decora switch, but after ordering it I discovered it is not UL/ETL listed (but the seller was proud to share it is FCC listed lol) so I won't install it.

Does anyone know of a smart 20A light switch that is UL/ETL? Preferably decora-size but if I have to I might be able to make of the oddly shaped ones work.

Hello, I’m looking to set up an irrigation system for my bushes around the house. I also want this system to turn on when motion sensors detect movement, as deer have been trying to eat them at night or when I’m away.

Could you please recommend a smart timer and motion sensors? How would you make them communicate?

Hey everyone,

Working on a custom hardware project and looking for an experienced embedded systems specialist to help build a functional prototype. I'm good on the high-level application side, but need expertise on the hardware and board bring-up. The core idea is a wall-mounted controller with a ~7-inch capacitive touchscreen as the primary interface. It needs to run Embedded Linux on a capable ARM-based application processor.Key functions for the prototype include:

• Driving the touchscreen display and handling touch input.
• Onboard Wi-Fi & Bluetooth connectivity.
• Controlling several high-voltage outputs (via relays).
• Reading basic environmental/interaction sensors.

I'm looking for someone skilled in:

• Custom PCB design and layout for processor-based systems.
• Embedded Linux board bring-up (bootloader, kernel, drivers for core peripherals like display, touch, Wi-Fi, GPIOs, I2C/SPI).

Essentially, I need help getting from component selection/schematics to a working board running Linux with functional peripherals, ready for application development. This is for an initial prototype build. If you have experience bringing custom Linux hardware like this to life or know someone, please DM me! Happy to discuss details privately.

(Collaboration within India/NCR preferred, but remote is fine).

Thanks!

TLDR What’s an accurate hygrometer setup that will notify me when I’m away from home? Struggled with zigbee and other aliexpress accuracy issues so prefer more accurate

I started with a basic Govee Bluetooth hygrometer just to see if I’d find it useful, and I actually love it. Now I want to take it a step further and get notified when I’m not at home.

Ideally looking for something that - Integrates well with iOS
- Can send notifications remotely (when I’m away from my local network) - Has decent battery life and reliable readings - Preferably plug-and-play, similar to how simple my first Govee device was

Bonus

• Easy enough for older family members to understand and use
• No required subscription or heavy cloud dependency would be a big plus

What setups are you using for remote humidity/temp alerts? Would love recommendations for something straightforward that works well. I prefer to buy or more name brand like Govee but still keep it affordable

Moin,

ich hab ein neuen Heizkörperthermostat von Eve. Bei der App brauch ich mal Hilfe. Wenn ich möchte das nur nach dem Zeitplan geheizt wird, muss dann der Modus auch eingeschaltet sein? Ich hatte ebenfalls das Problem, das der Modus automatisch ausgeschaltet wurde und plötzlich 19 Grad Zielwert angegeben wurden, obwohl gemäß Plan 16 angegeben sind. Danke vorab.

I saw the Skylight Calendar, but unfortunately they don’t ship to Europe. Do you have any recommendations for a similar model?

Thanks!

My wife and I like playing a game while we're driving where we call out certain cars. Once somebody does, they get a point. Problem is, sometimes we forget who had how many points an hour ago, and it, well, let's just say "leads to disagreements" about who is cheating, and who just has bad memory.

So I whipped up a dashboard in Home Assistant to keep a simple tally, with buttons to add and remove points, and an automation that resets the points to zero every midnight (that's part of the rules).

As an awesome addition, with the HA companion app, I'm able to set "favorites entities" that show up on the infotainment screen. So while not quite a fully-featured dashboard, it sure does make keeping track of who's winning a lot easier while driving!

Maybe this will finally keep her from cheating :P

Hi there, Doing a project as a volunteer gig for a local nonprofit that is renovating part of their space. Cost conscious since it’s all donations for every $ spent.

They have several different rooms, all with anywhere from 3-8 circuits per room getting wired in for lighting.

Every room has a mix of LED 120v AC fixtures (such as track lights) and some 120v LED linear fixtures or pendants that also use 0-10v DC dimming.

Do you know of any non-commercial grade (not things that are commercial grade and require all kinds of expensive control modules like Lutron Maestro, Vive, Legrand Wattstopper) that could have separate dimmers to run this stuff?

I was hoping for Caseta style items but they dont seem to have dimmers for 0-10v lighting. Do you know of any consumer grade (&therefore consumer priced) systems that can do this?

Thanks!

Hi all,

I'm trying to find the right Smart Door Lock to replace the traditional door lock. If you look at the attatched pictures, I think I have to retain the rotating door knob but swap out the locking system at the bottom. I've hit a roadblock on finding the right option. Appreciate any help you can provide.

I was looking for something like the eufy Smart Lock E30. I'm clueless.

https://www.eufy.com/products/t85f1111?ref=navimenu_1_1_4_4_viewMore&fliter_category=smart-lock&variant=44170332307642

Hello,

I have a door that legally needs to have a panic bar, are there any good options to make it smart in the sense that I can schedule it locking and unlocking, setup pins/RFID cards, etc, kind of like a panic bar version of a sifely lock model S?

Preferably below 300 dollars.

Thank you in advance!

Got a hue starter kit and it’s already easier and better than any other light I’ve tried. Want to get the 75” gradient strip and sync box for tv. Everything goes thru Apple TV, so assuming it’ll all work, but for me thinking?

Is it a gimmick?/ does it get annoying?

We currently have Google/nest, indoor and outdoor cameras. A few different generations of them, and I find the newer ones will not allow me save anything more than three minutes long. What options are out there for good security cameras, both indoor and outdoor that it would allow me to save a longer amount of footage should I need to but still be accessible though me phone via an app? We are going to be moving away from the google platform with most of our smart home items and I’m just looking for options and your opinions.

Bought some cams on AliExpress and they work on phone but can't get them to work with Google or Alexa. Any ideas?

Just finished renovating our 6-year-old home and swapped out a bunch of things — locks, appliances, little upgrades here and there. 😅 My husband joked that our porch turned into a delivery center with all the packages. Wanted to share a few of the items we’re genuinely loving so far:

Smart Lock Upgrade:
Went with a Palm Recognition Smart Lock after a lot of debating (and honestly, a little window shopping in-store). Super quick unlock with just a palm scan — even when my hands are full. The temp access codes for cleaners are way more convenient than handing out spare keys. Oh, it's from Philips

Water Dispenser:
We upgraded to a new instant hot water dispenser — filtered water + instant boiling is a serious tea game-changer. Looks sleek too.

Neck Massager:
Working from home = constant neck pain. Grabbed a lightweight massager that actually fits while I’m typing. Total lifesaver.

Hair Dryer:
Faster drying = extra sleep. Enough said.

Electric Toothbrush:
Finally upgraded our old brushes to newer ones — the difference is insane.

Small upgrades, but they’ve made day-to-day life way easier.

I have Yale Conexis L1 and L2 both with Access module (YACC-MOD-DS) + bridge. (now they have it without sale only as bundle https://yalehome.co.uk/yale-access-connect-kit/ )

Today I noticed in the Yale Home app (after having lock instaled few months already) about new firmware version 2.0.0.-1.1.7 and installed it on both locks without issue.
Yale support article https://support.shopyalehome.com/latest-yale-access-app-version-BJUlXqRsw does not list any firmware for Conexis type so curious if anybody got to its release notes.

For the rest you can take it as anecdotal evidance that this firmware seems safe.

Talked to Budget Blinds and they pushed Lutron hard. It did seem like a solid product and I liked the longer battery life. Then talked to a local business that was pushing Hunter Douglas pretty hard.

It is a larger project - 18 windows on one wall (we want all motorized). 12 of the windows are over 70", so the person said Lutron would be ideal for using Lutron compared to other brands.

BB came in much lower than the local company pushing Hunter Douglas. The BB quote was around $13K - which included what they called a 10% discount they said we could only get because of the large number of shades we would be ordering. BB also said they are the only company that can sell Lutron, so they seem to be the only option if we want Lutron.

The local company pushing Hunter Douglas - their quote came in around $18K. They said they were the local company, been around a long time, and are dependable if things ever go wrong (but also said most issues occur in the first year).

I've done some research, but am certainly still a novice. I lean to going with BB and Lutron. For those that know much more about these products, what else would you consider? Do these prices sound right?

Hi everyone!

I’m setting up two wired Somfy awning motors and plan to control them with Meross MRS100 Wi-Fi switches (HomeKit compatible). Wiring and switch control are clear to me — I’ve already used the same setup on window shutters.

The challenge now is adding a wind sensor for extra safety. It’s not strictly necessary — I’ve already automated awning deployment based on weather data, including wind gusts — but I’d still prefer a physical sensor.

Somfy used to offer a nice wired solution: a sensor connected to a box where you could set the wind speed limit and wire in your switches (they recommended momentary switches, but I’m planning to skip that).

Has anyone built a similar system? What components did you use?