Tips, Tricks and Routines

OffalyMedic wrote: »

So I've got hooked on home automation after getting a mini I have since kitted out the whole house with hue lights, motion sensors, strip lights, added a home hub, harmony remote and by next weekend will hopefully have a nest installed.

So now that I have all the gadgets I want to get the most out of them so was wondering what routines, set ups, commands etc have people got in their houses. Which apps do you find the best. Etc etc.

A good collection you have going there.

I generally have the motion sensors set up to turn on a light in a particular room and this will vary depending on the time of day and the room. Main bedroom lights will fade on in the morning for a gentle wakeup (this is in the Hue app) then if motion in the evening after sunset and before 10pm they will come on at full brightness as I might be just in from work and changing. After 10pm and sunrise they may come on a 20%. I have a light strip in the bathroom that comes on at about 20% in a warm orange after 10pm, useful if people get up in the middle of the night and don't wont to be blinded.

Have a routine when getting in to bed that will turn off all lights, turn on a light strip behind the headboard, play some music, turn speaker volume to 5% and set a sleep time for 40mins, useful when reading in bed at night. Have another routine that will then fade the headboard light strip, play ocean sleep sounds and sets a sleep timer for 15mins, nice to nod of to the sound of lapping waves.

Routine for the tv that will turn on the tv and set top box and another for movies that will change the tv input, turn on the surround sound and fade lights to a soft red glow.

Have a few others set up as more a security thing that if motion or windows are opened the lights etc. come on.

Some of these routines are set up through the google home, some on the hue app and some through webcore which gives me a lot more options.