Home Automation

[Jon the Hat]

Has anyone got any home automation kit?  Any comments on which route is best? 

 

I have just bought a Ring Pro doorbell on the recommendation of a neighbour, and I want to get a couple of external smart CCTV cameras.  Also looking at Phillips Hue lighting for indoors.

[sphericalfox]

I've got the Proteus IV in. The wife thinks its great and it gives me piece of mind that everything is hunky dory back at home.

[Nick]

Is this the wife watch thread? 

[Jon the Hat]

2 minutes ago, Swan Lesta said:

Is this the wife watch thread? 

I can think of more fun things to watch to be honest.  

[Strokes]

46 minutes ago, Jon the Hat said:

I can think of more fun things to watch to be honest.  

The mistress?

[VLC86]

I've got Philips hue lighting but barely use it if I'm honest so it's an expensive piece of kit to have.

 

At some point in the near future I will probably get a camera so I can see what damage my mutts are doing when I'm out.

[Countryfox]

3 hours ago, Jon the Hat said:

Has anyone got any home automation kit?

 

I've got switches in all my rooms and when you flick them up and down the lights go on and off .....          

 

(Not sure whether to tell anyone else in the village as they may think its the work of the devil ! ....   ). 

 

 

[Trav Le Bleu]

I reckon Jon has inside news on the impending zombie apocalypse.

[Jon the Hat]

16 minutes ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

I reckon Jon has inside news on the impending zombie apocalypse.

That is no way to talk about Brexit.

[Mike Oxlong]

The butler does everything 

 

Well, he tells the housemaid and the cook what needs doing

[Rob1742]

I've got quite a bit, mainly media related. 

Stuff like sky boxes in the middle of the house, then you can control which TV you watch them on through iPad control. Music etc down the same system.

 

The negative with it all is the systems change so quickly they can go out of date, so you need to think about it before you put your hands in your pocket.

 

As an example, spent around £20k initially, probably about 5 years ago, but the system I used went bust, so when a screen went down I had to replace the whole lot, which is another £10k.

 

You can do lighting and even drawing the curtains with the stuff, but I didn't have that as I couldn't see the point.

 

The other thing is because it's not just like a piece of kit like a Samsung TV, it is generally temperamental and so often needs a tweak here or there, so there is always call outs etc to put it right. 

 

The positives are I can lay in the bath with music coming through the ceiling. The sound is amazing as there are speakers hidden everywhere. You can watch TVs all across the house from just two sky boxes, and you can take it as far as you wish with regards to add ons. 

 

Glad I had it done, but I know the installer now better than my brother as there are always tweaks and stuff, or things needing changing. It certainly isn't easy going. 

 

 

[yorkie1999]

Best bit of home automation i ever bought.

 

[cambridgefox]

5 hours ago, Rob1742 said:

I've got quite a bit, mainly media related. 

Stuff like sky boxes in the middle of the house, then you can control which TV you watch them on through iPad control. Music etc down the same system.

 

The negative with it all is the systems change so quickly they can go out of date, so you need to think about it before you put your hands in your pocket.

 

As an example, spent around £20k initially, probably about 5 years ago, but the system I used went bust, so when a screen went down I had to replace the whole lot, which is another £10k.

 

You can do lighting and even drawing the curtains with the stuff, but I didn't have that as I couldn't see the point.

 

The other thing is because it's not just like a piece of kit like a Samsung TV, it is generally temperamental and so often needs a tweak here or there, so there is always call outs etc to put it right. 

 

The positives are I can lay in the bath with music coming through the ceiling. The sound is amazing as there are speakers hidden everywhere. You can watch TVs all across the house from just two sky boxes, and you can take it as far as you wish with regards to add ons. 

 

Glad I had it done, but I know the installer now better than my brother as there are always tweaks and stuff, or things needing changing. It certainly isn't easy going. 

 

 

Thought you would have got a big dog for extra security!!!

 

Blimey,that's some outlay.

[Jon the Hat]

5 hours ago, Rob1742 said:

I've got quite a bit, mainly media related. 

Stuff like sky boxes in the middle of the house, then you can control which TV you watch them on through iPad control. Music etc down the same system.

 

The negative with it all is the systems change so quickly they can go out of date, so you need to think about it before you put your hands in your pocket.

 

As an example, spent around £20k initially, probably about 5 years ago, but the system I used went bust, so when a screen went down I had to replace the whole lot, which is another £10k.

 

You can do lighting and even drawing the curtains with the stuff, but I didn't have that as I couldn't see the point.

 

The other thing is because it's not just like a piece of kit like a Samsung TV, it is generally temperamental and so often needs a tweak here or there, so there is always call outs etc to put it right. 

 

The positives are I can lay in the bath with music coming through the ceiling. The sound is amazing as there are speakers hidden everywhere. You can watch TVs all across the house from just two sky boxes, and you can take it as far as you wish with regards to add ons. 

 

Glad I had it done, but I know the installer now better than my brother as there are always tweaks and stuff, or things needing changing. It certainly isn't easy going. 

 

 

I was thinking more along the lines of a couple of hundred quid on Hue lighting, maybe an Amazon echo or 5 to control them, and some external cameras to keep an eye on the house.

[VLC86]

1 minute ago, Jon the Hat said:

I was thinking more along the lines of a couple of hundred quid on Hue lighting, maybe an Amazon echo or 5 to control them, and some external cameras to keep an eye on the house.

Go big or go home Jon.

[Strokes]

2 minutes ago, Jon the Hat said:

I was thinking more along the lines of a couple of hundred quid on Hue lighting, maybe an Amazon echo or 5 to control them, and some external cameras to keep an eye on the house.

Nest will probably fill your needs better than most and they are compatible with amazon echo I believe.

[Vlad the Fox]

3 hours ago, yorkie1999 said:

Best bit of home automation i ever bought.

 

A foot massager??? 

[yorkie1999]

2 minutes ago, Vlad the Fox said:

A foot massager??? 

That's what i use it for, dunno what the mrs uses it for, but the batteries don't seem to last very long.

[AyewJoking]

On 24/04/2017 at 12:46, Costock_Fox said:

I've got Philips hue lighting but barely use it if I'm honest so it's an expensive piece of kit to have.

 

At some point in the near future I will probably get a camera so I can see what damage my mutts are doing when I'm out.

Serves you right for leaving the children unattended.

[VLC86]

9 minutes ago, Royston. said:

Serves you right for leaving the children unattended.

Was this meant for the Madelaine McCann thread?

[sphericalfox]

1 hour ago, yorkie1999 said:

That's what i use it for, dunno what the mrs uses it for, but the batteries don't seem to last very long.

Sandwich maker?

[sphericalfox]

On 24/04/2017 at 12:46, Costock_Fox said:

I've got Philips hue lighting but barely use it if I'm honest so it's an expensive piece of kit to have.

 

At some point in the near future I will probably get a camera so I can see what damage my mutts are doing when I'm out.

Totally misread that as 'mates'. Awkward.

[VLC86]

Just now, sphericalfox said:

Totally misread that as 'mates'. Awkward.

I bloody love Peep Show but that's taking it a bit far.

[VLC86]

2 hours ago, Vlad the Fox said:

A foot massager??? 

 you moron its a whisk.

[Mike Oxlong]

6 hours ago, yorkie1999 said:

Best bit of home automation i ever bought.

 

Hope it doesn't smell of poo.