Home Automation Enthusiasts

Vulpix

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Hi gurus,

I've got 3 questions on smart home hubs and will like to seek some of your opinions.

I've recently changed my lights switch to the Aqara light switches. (Thanks for the advice earlier!) I have a Xiaomi gateway and managed to find the Aqara light switches to set some automatic scenes on the mi home app.

However, the problem comes when i want to link it to use voice control through Google Assistant. Somehow the Aqara light switches are not exposed to Google Home through the Mi Home app. I've read somewhere that if i get the Aqara hub and using the Aqara app, it will be exposed to Google Assistant for voice control. However, I'm looking for alternatives solutions because i don't want to have too many different hubs in my house as i find it quite messy and confusing.

My questions are

1) Has anyone tried it with the Aqara hub? Will it expose the Aqara light switches to Google Assistant?

2) Is there any recommended home hub that is a bit more brand agnostic? This is so that when adding more smart devices from other brands in the future, I might not need to get another new hub for it as well.

3) I read on this thread about the Tuya Hub, will it be able to work to link the Aqara lights to Google Assistant? I've tried researching about it online but information on it seems a bit scarce.

Thanks gurus in advance!
SmartThings, Homey, Hubitat are very brand agnostic. I'm personally using Hubitat.
 

jolintay

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Unfortunately not. It seems quite difficult to get the right salesperson to speak to me. And the technology seems too complicated for me to understand. But now that i came across Wiser, which is also from Schneider Electric, it seems more relevant for residential than KNX.
 

viix

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Unfortunately not. It seems quite difficult to get the right salesperson to speak to me. And the technology seems too complicated for me to understand. But now that i came across Wiser, which is also from Schneider Electric, it seems more relevant for residential than KNX.

Looking at the how "closed" the system is, there are better options out there..
 

liquidy

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Anyone using Fibaro roller shutter 2 for their curtains and can recommend a device handler that works with SmartThings for automation? I tried 2 device handlers, one can be used but cannot create any automation and the other cannot seem to work.
 

addedme

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Hi All,

I gonna start renovating soon after approval is given. I would like to build smart home for my lights and considering using broadlink smart switch and the rm pro 4.

Some questions

1. One RM Pro 4 can connect the whole house(130sqm) of switches?
2. thinking of using the broadlink switch to cluster the house like living room/bedroom/kitchen, can I do that?
 

viix

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Hi All,

I gonna start renovating soon after approval is given. I would like to build smart home for my lights and considering using broadlink smart switch and the rm pro 4.

Some questions

1. One RM Pro 4 can connect the whole house(130sqm) of switches?
2. thinking of using the broadlink switch to cluster the house like living room/bedroom/kitchen, can I do that?

Broadlink is using RF and communication is one way. Meaning you send the command from the app, no way to check if the switch is on or off.. something to think about.

Should be fine for whole house. RF distance is quite ok.. you can set rooms within the app. But IR blasting will only be at where the RMPro is placed. If you want to control aircon in each room, you will need an RM mini in each room.
 

addedme

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Broadlink is using RF and communication is one way. Meaning you send the command from the app, no way to check if the switch is on or off.. something to think about.

Should be fine for whole house. RF distance is quite ok.. you can set rooms within the app. But IR blasting will only be at where the RMPro is placed. If you want to control aircon in each room, you will need an RM mini in each room.

Compared to those switch like sonoff t1 with WiFi and rf, meaning once I fixed it I will be able to see those switches in the app via wifi/4g? To voice control with Google home, I will need to link the app with Google home?
 

viix

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Compared to those switch like sonoff t1 with WiFi and rf, meaning once I fixed it I will be able to see those switches in the app via wifi/4g? To voice control with Google home, I will need to link the app with Google home?

Sonoff reports state. So you can see on the app if the switch is on or off.
On broadlink, it will only show the last state you set in the app. But any physical state change will not be reflected.

You need to link your account to google home to use voice control after setting up in the app.
 

AwfullySmart

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A quick tip, check the number of installs and reviews in playstore for the various Smart Home apps.

Wiser: 5,000+ installs (2.8*, 33 total reviews)
Homey: 10,000+ installs (3.7*, 242 total reviews)
Hubitat: 10,000+ installs (3.8*, 129 total reviews)
Broadlink: 100,000+ installs (3.3*, 5942 total reviews)
Home Assistant: 100,000+ installs (4.5*, 1522 total reviews)
Tuya: 500,000+ installs (4.4*, 8385 total reviews)
SmartLife: 1,000,000+ installs (4.0*, 29805 total reviews)
Samsung SmartThings: 100,000,000+ installs (4.3*, 463464 total reviews)
Google Home: 100,000,000+ installs (4.1*, 845527 total reviews)
 
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Vulpix

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A quick tip, check the number of installs and reviews in playstore for the various Smart Home apps.

Wiser: 5,000+ installs (2.8*, 33 total reviews)
Homey: 10,000+ installs (3.7*, 242 total reviews)
Hubitat: 10,000+ installs (3.8*, 129 total reviews)
Broadlink: 100,000+ installs (3.3*, 5942 total reviews)
Home Assistant: 100,000+ installs (4.5*, 1522 total reviews)
Tuya: 500,000+ installs (4.4*, 8385 total reviews)
SmartLife: 1,000,000+ installs (4.0*, 29805 total reviews)
Samsung SmartThings: 100,000,000+ installs (4.3*, 463464 total reviews)
Google Home: 100,000,000+ installs (4.1*, 845527 total reviews)
You might want to note that the Hubitat app doesn't really do much and you still need to control your hub via a browser.
 

jacob0207

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Wow.. such a great difference in the number of installations between Schneider Electric Wiser and Google Home. I've never thought about checking reviews for Smart Home apps before, Thanks for the great tip!
i think other than checking the reviews, you might want to go down to the physical stores to find out more the different smart home solutions like Schneider Electric Wiser, Samsung SmartThings and Google Home. from there i think it will be clearer for you to compare and weigh which features suit your home the most.
 

viix

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Hi all, I am considering to install smart home solutions in my house soon. But I feel quite overwhelmed by the many brands out there like Google Home, Apple Home, Schneider Electric Wiser etc. since I'm quite new to this. May I know if anyone has any tips for choosing a certain brand of smart home solution?

all the other answers is wrong, 1st thing to ask is what's your budget.. :s13: and what do you want to control. Non of these smart home can control everything and adding something that is proprietary to that might be costly.

It would be best to identify all the things you want automated and decide which works with what brands. Then decide on the type of automation protocol like zwave/zigbee/wifi etc.

Also chinese brands like Tuya/Smartlife, broadlink, xiaomi/aqara, ewelink is ok, but being chinese companies, they might not work very well with non chinese products. Like how tuya/smartlife just stopped their IFTTT integration.

Some hubs systems like HomeAssitant, Hubitat and Homey are more programmable but they use open source or reversed engineered APIs for some intergration (ie Tuya devices) that might one day just stop being supported too and might be a consideration.
 
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mrwagga

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Anyone successfully installed the Aqara Rolling Shutter Motor Smart Curtain Motor for motorizing roller blinds? Can let me know what brand of roller blinds you used or are compatible? Thanks!
 

tokenbest

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Hi all,

interested in the xiaomi smart door lock (Aqara N200 or mi smart push pull door lock) but would need to put the mi home app to China server correct?

Is there any issue / disadvantage in setting the lock to china app or just personal pref?
Main thing is would like to start home automation when it detects whichever individual is home so other door locks are ok to if anyone have suggestions.

TIA!
 

kreja

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A quick tip, check the number of installs and reviews in playstore for the various Smart Home apps.

Wiser: 5,000+ installs (2.8*, 33 total reviews)
Homey: 10,000+ installs (3.7*, 242 total reviews)
Hubitat: 10,000+ installs (3.8*, 129 total reviews)
Broadlink: 100,000+ installs (3.3*, 5942 total reviews)
Home Assistant: 100,000+ installs (4.5*, 1522 total reviews)
Tuya: 500,000+ installs (4.4*, 8385 total reviews)
SmartLife: 1,000,000+ installs (4.0*, 29805 total reviews)
Samsung SmartThings: 100,000,000+ installs (4.3*, 463464 total reviews)
Google Home: 100,000,000+ installs (4.1*, 845527 total reviews)

I'm using hubitat. i dont even bother to use app. everything in my home runs on local network.

currently still at remote control stage.
eventually i dont even want to use browser app to remote control my home automaton. it should just work seamlessly and reliably in the background.
 

kreja

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any one using hubitat?

my zigbee network seems unstable, i cant simultaneously control all my ikea blinds to close at the same time. usually 1 or 2 will not respond.

i already have at least 1 plugged in zigbee device (not bulbs) near my blinds.

i tried shutting down and reboot hubitat for 20min to let zigabee device remap mesh network. 2 days liao, doesnt seem to improve.

do i need to add more ikea power outlet as repeater?
 

kreja

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Hi all, I am considering to install smart home solutions in my house soon. But I feel quite overwhelmed by the many brands out there like Google Home, Apple Home, Schneider Electric Wiser etc. since I'm quite new to this. May I know if anyone has any tips for choosing a certain brand of smart home solution?

i was like u afew mths back.

u can start with deciding 1 hub to control everything. cloud-based or local? zigbee, wifi or zwave? for me i have more luck with zigbee.

dont need to get everything first. for reno work, only light switches need to fix. pls get neutral wire ones, its more reliable. i went with aqara rocker switches, i old school, like the physical click buttons.

next rule i follow is every smart device u install, think of contingency plan. e.g. aqara switch fail? i can still use it as normal dumb light switch. e27 bulb socket is very common, I'll advise u to select e27 sockets for all lightings, can mix aqara, hue, ikea, tuya any bulb u like later.

for blinds, I'll go with ikea fyrtur. easier to replace if die, worse case, i plan to fall back to generic dumb ikea blinds. the mounting bracket is the same.

all power points can install 1 plug n play smart power outlet. zigabee or wifi up to u. but i realise i need to pick electronic appliances like standing fans, desk lamps more carefully, need those old school models with physical power on/off buttons else u cant control them remotely.

look for open systems as much as possible. never know when ur fav smart home system will anytime decide to close their cloud severs. even i use aqara, i also dont connect to their china servers.
 

tokenbest

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i was like u afew mths back.

u can start with deciding 1 hub to control everything. cloud-based or local? zigbee, wifi or zwave? for me i have more luck with zigbee.

dont need to get everything first. for reno work, only light switches need to fix. pls get neutral wire ones, its more reliable. i went with aqara rocker switches, i old school, like the physical click buttons.

next rule i follow is every smart device u install, think of contingency plan. e.g. aqara switch fail? i can still use it as normal dumb light switch. e27 bulb socket is very common, I'll advise u to select e27 sockets for all lightings, can mix aqara, hue, ikea, tuya any bulb u like later.

for blinds, I'll go with ikea fyrtur. easier to replace if die, worse case, i plan to fall back to generic dumb ikea blinds. the mounting bracket is the same.

all power points can install 1 plug n play smart power outlet. zigabee or wifi up to u. but i realise i need to pick electronic appliances like standing fans, desk lamps more carefully, need those old school models with physical power on/off buttons else u cant control them remotely.

look for open systems as much as possible. never know when ur fav smart home system will anytime decide to close their cloud severs. even i use aqara, i also dont connect to their china servers.

good advice, where and how much did you get your hubitat for?
As for the aqara switches, do you not need to connect to any server for it to work?
 
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