Home Automation Bargain Alerts thread - No General Chat

Bluefoam wrote: »

I wouldn't touch anything Ring or Amazon branded... They literally sell your videos and personal information... Not potentially, not possibly, they actually do...

They all sell your personal information.

deezell wrote: »

Your Alexa/Mini/Smart TV/Phone is listening all the time, and anything you say is parsed for potential targeted advertisements. We've had targeted ads popup for holiday destinations and goods which we never even typed onto a phone or PC, but were just mentioned in conversation. It's happened so often it's creepy.

Just to be clear, all alleged cases of this have proven to be false and all companies involved categorically deny they do this. For Google and Alexa, the key word processing is done locally so there is no need for an internet connection to be listening.

So google ads are psychic then. Next time she asks did I Google Malta/tumble dryer/Pressure drive cleaning I'll just say yes, it's not listening to your chat. Samsung TV comes with 2 remote controls, bog standard and a sleek minimalist once with voice control. You have to "pair" the second one, and during the process click a user agreement whose small print specifically states Samsungs entitlement to monitor your use and 'use' this data. Button clicks? Voice ? The lenght of time you might delay on a Netflix inserted ad? That walks like a duck, and sounds like a duck to me.

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OU812 wrote: »

This is being sold off in the US also. New hardware coming, I'd say

Yep 2nd gen system launched in US.

paulgrogan.eu wrote: »

So as I mentioned above, I installed my bridge and Smart TRV's just to get the basic bits of the system installed, and start to figure out the system a little before my installer comes to install the valves, extension kit and connect to the boiler etc. So unless something massive crops up when it's properly installed, I really can't see what the sub is going to give me extra, other than automation (IE: Open window, leaving the home and switch to away mode etc), which I can achieve via Home Assistant. Additionally, in the latest version of Home Assistant, they've now got Tado setup as a proper integration, so it's much easier to understand which bits you an work with for scripts, automations etc.


As I mentioned above, once I've got my Tado properly installed in the coming weeks, I intend to write up a decent post to hopefully help others out, as a few people have been very good to me on here with information to get me to this point. But my hope is to go sub free, and get HA to do what the Tado sub would do, and perhaps even do it a little better.


P.

I finished up my 3 year Tado installation a fortnight ago.
My setup is Downstairs, Upstairs & DHW. Heating is from a Firebird OFCH Burner.
The system was controlled by an EPH 3 zone programmer with analog thermostats.

I have 2 Smart Thermostats for Downstairs & Upstairs.
13 Smart TRVs.
Using the EPH programmer to control hot water twice a day. Central Heating Zones are set to always ON.
(With this setup, I don't see any need for the extension kit. If there is a good reason to have it besides using a wireless Thermostat, I might reconsider).

I don't think I have paid full price for any of this kit. Just been patient & waited for the deals to come as funds allowed. Total spend was £510.

I'm confident with my wiring skills & ability to read wiring diagrams. Installing the Smart Thermostats just involves powering down & disconnecting the old analogue stat, putting on a new wall plate & connecting up, in my case, 2 wires to each thermostat.

Installing the Smart TRVs is really simple if you have existing Thermostatic valves. Downstairs, all my rads were 25 year old Myson TRVs. These needed an adapter, included with the Tado SRT.
What I did was, take off the existing thermostatic head. Spray WD40 on the pin & leave for an hour. Get a pliers & gently work the pin up & down. There's only about 3mm of travel.
Then follow the Tado app's installation instructions.

Couple of things to note:
A. Keep a note of the RUXXXXXXXXX (for Thermostats) & VAXXXXXXXXX (for heads) serial number & which zone & room you installed them.
B. When you're installing the TRV heads, Tado adds each head to Zone 1.
C. They have a soft limit of 10 Rooms that you can add to a zone.
D. When you go above 10 Rooms, the app will tell you that it cannot add a new room. If you're doing a mass install, just keep adding your new TRV heads.
E. Get in touch with Tado. Tell them that you have 2 heating zones give them a list with each zone, serial number & associated room.
D. Be prepared to wait for a day for a reply.

Upstairs, I had no TRVs installed. Drained down the system & replace the existing valve on each rad with cheap TRVs from Screwfix. Cheap is fine as the valves are going to be actuated at least daily, & are very unlikely to get stuck.

Regarding the app, with geofencing & open-window detection.
Seeing as I have Tado stuff since 2017, I might have been grandfathered in, but I was able to upgrade to the V3+ app for a one-off €20.
Not really sure if it would be worth €5 a month ATM, as my wife is working from home. However, there's a bigger problem with geofencing. My address & postcode shows my house almost 4kms away from its actual location. #dealbreaker.

The app is very intuitive & allows you to easily set automation timings & temperatures.
It's also very easy to manually adjust the temperature of a room for a given period, indefinitely, or until the next timing.

I'm all in Apple, so... Homekit.
The Tado app is fine, but I want everything in Homekit, & I don't want to have to open multiple apps, obviously.
Change the temperature in Homekit & it puts the Tado system into the indefinitely mode. Means you have to open the Tado app to put it back into automatic mode. Not exactly spouse / family friendly.

I have a Synology Disk Station, so I run Homebridge, which currently gives me the option of adjusting the temperature, & it returning to the automatic mode at the next timing. This still isn't ideal, I can't boost the bathroom for 30 minutes while someone has a shower. Another downside, is that I now have 2 heating icons for each room, one from Tado & one from Homebridge. I'm kind of afraid to remove the Tado ones TBH.

Conclusions: Great system, as we're only heating rooms as necessary. Three rarely used rooms only get heated once a day. Heating isn't blaring to compensate for a window being left open. If everyone is more than 10km away, the heating is off (see geofencing issue above).
It's been saving me about 15% fuel (by volume, not €) since day one, & I would expect that to hit 25% next winter.
I have a Raspberry PI on the way for another project, so I'm going to have a look at switching over to Home Assistant. (Synology Home Assistant setup seems really complicated ATM).

andydurnin wrote: »

Anyone know where I get a deal for Blink XT2? Looking first least 2 of them?

Are these any good?

They look the business and are relatively cheap.

Philips Hue White and Colour Ambiance Starter Kit: Smart Bulb 3x Pack LED [GU10 Spot] Including 2x Hue Buttons + Bridge

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07SMB6FLW?tag=camelcamelcam-21&linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1&language=en_GB

Looks like its the lowest its ever been for this set according to the 3 Camels who are back in action

BobbyT28 wrote: »

Yeah makes more sense to just get 100euro sub and get outdoor camera as I am in the market for one anyway. Sneaky, very Sneaky.

Anyone using any outdoor nest aware Compatible cameras or can recommend any?

Just got this email from google,guess they felt guilty for tricking me into new Nest aware sub!!

It’s nice to have a little extra
Thank you for your recent order.
Your new Nest Aware subscription qualified you for a Nest Mini on us.*

RTT wrote: »

That's pretty sweet. Did you email them to complain or what? Bought a second nest camera and the free trial expires tomorrow after my Nest Hello. Would you recommend I upgrade to the new plan or keep my old one?

No never said anything to them. I was a bit peeved I changed but will probably just keep it now as I plan to get the IQ outdoor later in the year. If 5 day 24/7 recording is enough like it was for me and you don’t intend to keep 2nd camera then no. If you are keeping the 2nd one I would upgrade to new plan. 60 day 24/7 recording and all cameras fall under the one plan.

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

Got that email myself. That's great as I had wanted to get a mini for the folks.

So ye just signed up to the new Nest Aware and got an email a few days later about the mini?

I have a nest aware subscription too. Just one camera though.

Did ye get an email offering the mini before ye changed or were they just being nice?

I can't see a downside to switching to the new plan?

Free month on offer too

It's an offer alright:

https://store.google.com/ie/product/nest_aware

Clareman wrote: »

I got the email as well, with 3 cameras it's about 1tb of data a month being uploaded so the subscription is a steal at €100 per month in my opinion, getting the Nest mini is a great bonus, pity I'll just through it in the box with the other free Nest Mini I got

Yeah same here re throwing it in the box. Might be nice birthday present for someone. I got my email about 2 weeks after signing up to new sub.

@Clareman, What cameras do you have? Looking at IQ Outdoor one myself, already have Nest Hello

Clareman wrote: »

I got the email as well, with 3 cameras it's about 1tb of data a month being uploaded so the subscription is a steal at €100 per month in my opinion, getting the Nest mini is a great bonus, pity I'll just through it in the b
ox with the other free Nest Mini I got

That's a €100/year isn't it? With more than one camera are the images still full size or are they tiled?