One smart home app to rule all your smart appliances

There are more and more so called smart devices (IoT appliances) out there. My tv, dyson fan, and Sonos speaker are all connected to the internet. I also have IP cams for my cats, and a NAS. Recently, I’ve been tempted to buy some smart light and AC switches and install them myself. I also want to get a better robot vacuum.

https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-Wireless-Lighting-P-BDG-PKG1W-Assistant/dp/B07G5V6M6G/

The thing is, I kind of hate the fact that each one of these devices all need their own apps. I wanted a way to set up scenarios such as bedtime that I can toggle and have everything automatically do what I want them to do.

After some searching, I found home assistant.

The best thing is that it’s open source.

I installed it on my NAS using docker, and setting up all the devices was surprisingly simple. Well, except for my dyson fan, which required adding 3 lines to the config file.

For those who have already automated your home, what did you use? Is it any good? Is it worth the time and money?

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I use a Samsung SmartThings hub. Everything automated works fine through it via voice assistants like Alexa or Google. The whole industry is adopting an open standard now. Almost every major player signed up for it and will do it or for all their products. I forget the details though. I’ve been lucky that all my set up and forget it routines have all remained in working order after two major updates.

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My TV is a Samsung, and there’s an app supposedly that allows you to control your TV using the app. I’ve never ever gotten it to work with my TV.

With home assistant though, it picked up my TV right away, and I can turn it off even when I’m at work. I can’t turn it on though, as the TV is not connected to the WIFI when it’s off.

Use HDMI-CEC to turn on the TV. That part is easy, but getting the TV to choose the appropriate input for your use can sometimes be tricky to get right.

If that’s the case, then I’ll probably stuck with what I have so far, and wait until 2022. Perhaps by then I can choose products that complies with the new open standard.

The project is called Connected Home over IP, so is the standard going to be called CHOI?

It’s been 2 years, and that Standard is now called Matter. A very uninspired name, but at least it has a decent logo.

So, what I gathered is that in addition to zigbee, zwave hubs, matter also has its own low power smart device mesh communication protocol called thread. So if you buy a Matter controller that has a built-in thread border router, then you are set.

So far these are Matter compliant controllers with built-in thread border router:
Apple HomePod 2nd-gen (also Thread border router)
Apple HomePod Mini (also Thread border router)
Apple TV 4K 2021 (also Thread border router)
Apple TV 4K 2022 128GB (also Thread border router)
Google Nest Hub 2nd-gen (also Thread border router)
Google Nest Hub Max (also Thread border router)
Google Nest WiFi (also Thread border router)
Google Nest WiFi Pro (also Thread border router)
Samsung SmartThings Hub v3 (also Thread border router)
Aeotec SmartThings Hub (also Thread border router)

So if you haven’t started building your smarthome with zigbee, z-wave or smartthings compatible devices yet, you can just get a controller that is also a thread border router, and just get thread compatible devices.

You can then link them all up with your home assistant with thread integration.

Looking forward to automating my home.

For now, my older wifi-enabled ACs, fans, dehumidifier, and robot vacuum are connected to my Google Home. So I can sort of control them, but I can only get the on-off button, and can’t really go into the settings.

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I will create e new protocol and call it Mind.
Because, you know, Mind over Matter…
Mind over matter, get it?! Hahaha
I’m so funny and original!

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I actually don’t Mind.

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It’s also the only functional option that doesn’t require an Internet connection and mandatory transmission of every event to somebody’s cloud service for additional revenue before they decide it’s not actually worth it and shut it down in a couple of years bricking your device. (Ref. every retail home automation system to date.)

To answer your questions, I jumped on the bandwagon once Home Assistant became mature. It has been relatively easy, the biggest challenge has been handling any experiments and learning curve in ways that don’t affect my wife. :joy:

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Also a big reason why Matter devices would be a huge game changer. Matter devices won’t require access to cloud to work, so they could work without the internet. It also means they won’t ever become pieces of junk just because the company that sold them decided to end their cloud service.

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I love iot devices… it allows me to spy on you with backdoor apps/workarounds.

Not something you want.

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you now into hacking as a hobby?

No connected device is 100% safe, we can only do our best to select products from companies that we feel are trust worthy. Also, it Matters to use a protocol that’s opensource and supported by all the major players in the industry.

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If you want a solution for the less tech-savvy I recommend “Smart Life.” I use it to control my lights, power outlets and A/C.

Voice integration with Google is good. Numerous easy to set up functions. I enjoy the function where devices are shut off when it registers I have left my WiFi coverage area and then I have them turned back on selectively when I am within 100 metres of my place (GPS).

No fiddling with docker etc. Can be done entirely within the app. It supports all my cheap no-name IOT devices.

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Yea, even your smart phones can be hacked to spy on you if someone is good enough… no need to let people able to spy on you through your fridge, blender, toaster, and baby monitors (it seems internet based baby monitors are never 100% safe, they are often hacked)

I run PiHole on a Raspi 4. I also have PiHole running on a Raspi Zero for redundancy.

This succeeds in blocking all the unwanted telemetry from my meagre iot devices and smartphones etc from being sent to the various dubious destination servers.

It is quite terrifying to watch the logs in real time, as the amount of privacy invading data being sent constantly is something to behold.

It is satisfying to see it all being blocked. If I see anything sneak through I manually block it and/or add blocklists from established GitHub sources.

I use Tailscale to use my PiHole servers when I am on the move and using mobile data.

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All those dubious destination servers are screaming ‘Shut your PiHole!’

Didn’t know about Tailscale, thanks! I’ll look into using that too.

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I used to have pi-hole, but it lacked a few features. Now I am happy with controld.com
Major feature I need is domain based geoblock bypassing. Like opening a geoblocked German video website and the traffic is automatically proxied just for those domains.
I don’t want to enable VPN just to see something and not all devices are capable of using a VPN. Routing whole traffic through VPN on router slows everything down too much.
Also can use different configurations based on device.


Android TV

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Did not know about controld. Checking it out now to see if it can be set up on the pi.

The big headache for me was synching the 2 pi’s for redundancy. Ended up using PiHole rsync. Uses a cron job to update the secondary server from the primary.

I agree with the VPN on router solution slowing down the network. I use ProtonVPN which does not allow for custom DNS servers.

I am not sure how setting my pi DNS servers on a local client VPN would impact encryption and geoblock stuff which proton does well.

I got an Amazon Alexa Echo Studio because I wanted a good Bluetooth speaker. She works as a hub, in addition to all the things she can do (conversions, weather, Spotify)

Have one light and one plug. I like them but don’t really need more of either. I already had an Apple TV box and Alexa can connect to that but only basic play/pause voice control; until the Apple TV box dies or I’m forced to buy a TV won’t upgrade.

Thought about a robot vacuum but couldn’t find a compatible one I liked, gave up and bought a Dyson hand vac. Thought about a coffee machine but don’t like the options on Shopee. Thought about a blind opener but think the price and setup hassle isn’t worth the eye sore

Not interested in anything else I’ve seen. Actually I thought I’d get more than i have

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