Passed a milestone for my HomeKit controlled home

[G+_Robert Hafer]

Passed a milestone for my HomeKit controlled home.

[G+_David Peach]

And the milestone is that you have almost all the lights off at once? You must have teenagers if that rarely happens.

[G+_Paul Hutchinson]

My guess is that the milestone is > 100 devices connected.

[G+_Robert Hafer]

Paul Hutchinson Yes all connected and reachable at the same time

[G+_Rud Dog]

Robert Hafer as a novice would like more info as to what this is also what software and hardware is in use. Thank you.

[G+_Robert Hafer]

Rud Dog sure.

(Warning: asking old time Home Automation nerds about their setup can lead to Verbosity)

The screenshot is from the myHome app (myHome-app.com) on my iPhone. It has these status displays plus it’ll set up HomeKit Zones which the Home app won’t.

The brains of my smart home is Indigo (indigodomotics.com) running on a Mac Mini. Plugged in are an Insteon 2314u controller and an Aeotec Z-stick for Z-wave. There are plug-ins for Indigo that let me spoof Insteon and Z-wave devices as HomeKit or Echo-Friendly devices. Most of my light switches are Insteon, most of my sensors are Z-wave. I have a Nest thermostat but my life proved to chaotic for its learning capacity so I control it with Python scripts and sensor data in Indigo.

Of course there’s WiFi. Some iDevice switches, Lifx smartbulbs and Koogeek powerstrip are HomeKit native devices over WiFi. Elgato sensors communicate via Bluetooth so I find they work best near an Apple TV which also lets me communicate with HomeKit when I’m net home.

I started with Home Automation in the 80s with X10 and I still have one active X10 Switch (because it’s hard to get to). Mostly it’s an added to situation rather than replace.

Insteon probably has the best variety of products (a smaller number are compatible with non-US wiring). Both Insteon and Z-wave are paired to a local controller and are very secure once paired. How you make them visible outside your network is up to you. Whereas, the modern generation of IoT devices often have to talk to the cloud to function. Using HomeKit means I’m relying on Apple for network security.

I find that you need some kind of central brain if you’re going to use multiple protocols. I can ask Alexa to turn on a light and Siri to turn it off and everything stays in sync because it all goes through Indigo.

Well, I’ve rambled on enough they’re starting to wonder what I’m doing at work. If anyone has questions, please post; beats working.

indigodomo.com - The Indigo Smart Home System for Mac OS X

[G+_Technical Terry]

Robert Hafer do you live alone? I have the trouble in wrapping my head around how spouse and kids will use the system. I don’t want everyone to need an iPhone just to turn on/off lights. Not really keen on putting in an echo in every room either to use voice commands. The. It comes down to practicality - what do I really want to accomplish? I guess just have the lights turn off after lazy kids leave them on. Maybe I just do motion activated sensors? Or maybe I’m missing what all can be done or how easy it could be?

[G+_Robert Hafer]

Technical Terry the main reason I prefer smart switches to smart bulbs is that everyone in the house already knows how to use a light switch. I don’t have smart speakers in every room, just a few strategically placed. Most voice control in my house is indirect, “Hey Hon, would you turn off those lights for me?”

A lot of smarts ‘event’ are activated by motion sensors and timers. Landscape lights come on at sunset or a room comes on when someone walks in. It’s my belief that for a home to be truly smart; it needs to anticipate your whims, not just obey orders.

[G+_K Branch jr]

Robert Hafer ok ok drop the mic , see this is why I need to keep up with the Community you guys are awesome .. So please keep posting your progress . One day I would like to do my thin just Sonoff (I have 6 and 6more are on order )adding this to the list

[G+_K Branch jr]

Robert Hafer how much money have you investment so far and man hr .. or a good startup estimate ?

[G+_Robert Hafer]

K Branch jr Over the years I’ve spent many $100s. Some of it now obsolete or worn out, some things, like a voice controlled tv remote from the 90s, were a waste of money. The cost of an individual smart switch has come down over the decades but still not cheap. I budget $40 per fixture controlled and look for sales. Then there are hubs and controllers; they run from a $100 box to a dedicated computer. If you start with a simple hub that works with a standard protocol like Z-wave, Zigbee, or Insteon; you can start with a few $100 and expand. Moving up to a software based controller allows you to add HomeKit or Alexa control, extend to other protocols, and communicate with WiFi devices.

And the there are sensors. Adding sensors really make a home smart. Turning lights on or off with a motion sensor or turning on a fan when a room gets to hot. Manufacturers have discovered the building multiple sensors on a chip is cheaper than supporting multiple chips so multisensors are a good deal.

That’s if you’re dive deep into Home Automation. You could just buy one of the smart bulb starter kits that come bundled with an Echo Dot.

[G+_K Branch jr]

Robert Hafer thanks , I'm using Sonoff now , but I'm not 100% comfortable with in line switches. But they work , for now . I am going to upgrade.

 

Thanks again please keep posting