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Jon the Hat

Home Automation

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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.

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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 .....          :schmike:

 

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

 

 

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The negative with it all is the systems change so quickly they can go out of date, so you need to think about it before you put your hands in your pocket.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

 

 

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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