[Official] Home Automation Thread

[MakiMaki]

Hi gurus, bought a resale and have a few qns before I stock up during 11.11.

Context to make qn answering easier:

• Zigbee Hub:
  • Either Samsung ST or Aqara M2, don't really wanna mess around too much w/ HA
  • If using Aqara, prefer not to use China region due lag
  • Integration w Google Home nice, but not necessary
• Smart switches for lights - previous owner has a lot of track lights, may not be easy to get smart bulbs for those
• Smart blinds - prefer to use a smart winder since I have existing dumb blinds
• Smart lock - if possible I want hands free opening (eg facial recognition or presence detection from phone)

Questions

1. Switches: If using Aqara M2 international version, can the D1 China switches still work with it, without changing to China region? I know there'll be no integration w Google Home.
2. Switches: If using ST, how stable is the DH for the non-neutral Aqara switches? Anyone had exp using that?
3. Switches: If using ST and I don't get Aqara, any other recommendations for switches?
4. Smart blinds: The Aqara E1 Roller Driver seems like the best fit for me, but international version everywhere like got no stock sia. Anyone know if China ver work outside China?
5. Smart blinds: If Aqara is no go I might go with Ikea FYRTUR. Anyone with exp on how well it works with ST or Google Home? Definitely don't wanna buy the Ikea hub just coz of the blinds...
6. Smart lock: I know some of the newer Samsung locks have ST integration based on Hanman brochure - can they be auto-unlocked based on routines I set in ST, or u die die need to interact with some app?
7. Smart lock: If not Samsung I might go with August coz they have geofencing etc, but seems like without the August connect its kinda ****. Anyone got exp?

Sorry for so many qns and thx!!

Bumping your questions as I've also embarked on the home automation journey and have bought Aqara M2 hub and switches and am looking at smart blind options. Was always contemplating the IKEA ones but came across the Aqara E1 roller drivers and am wondering if the China one works or we will have to wait for the device to arrive in SG officially.

 

[ho_kuku]

Bumping your questions as I've also embarked on the home automation journey and have bought Aqara M2 hub and switches and am looking at smart blind options. Was always contemplating the IKEA ones but came across the Aqara E1 roller drivers and am wondering if the China one works or we will have to wait for the device to arrive in SG officially.

a surest way to know is to create an account in the aqara app.
see the available devices for the region that you've selected.
For me- I select "Others" - and I see E1 in the list of devices

Aqara devices (except for Hubs) are region agnostic. E1 should work

 

[MakiMaki]

a surest way to know is to create an account in the aqara app.
see the available devices for the region that you've selected.
For me- I select "Others" - and I see E1 in the list of devices

Aqara devices (except for Hubs) are region agnostic. E1 should work

Thanks for reply… let the searching begin haha.. think it’s out of stock everywhere..

 

[Evilbear]

@Evilbear , quick check with you. I know you are comparing the different vac robots. If I am getting the s7 - u think ok or can explore other brand? I will use it for light mopping too. For my s6 - I’ll clean and change the mop pad for each room.

ya ok ah, but it's still taking 1 small cloth wipe the whole house. Roborock has a mopping model G10 but not in sg yet.

 

[ho_kuku]

ya ok ah, but it's still taking 1 small cloth wipe the whole house. Roborock has a mopping model G10 but not in sg yet.

Thanks @Evilbear
saw the G10 model - will be here next year I think.

 

[Evilbear]

Hi,

For you Aqara Switch, do you require to add capacitor to your light? Do you experience the light to flicker? Sorry, im new to SmartHome.

So does it means that even buying from local official store in SG like Lazada or Shopee it will connect to local server or it will connect to oversea server?

What app is ST and what does it stand for?

Most likely no, I passed the aqara switches and the lights to my electrician. At the end of the day all done and no issue after 1year+

It can connect to 'Others' or 'Europe' since I think they are selling UK version.

ST stands for SmartThings, https://www.smartthings.com/

 

[Evilbear]

Thanks @Evilbear
saw the G10 model - will be here next year I think.

yeah i wanna compare it with ecovacs N9+ and the narwal too

 

[kurokaze88]

Not sure whether I should answer this, you probably watched my videos already.

1. According to Aqara - 'In theory, only the oversea products (regardless they are global/US/EU/UK version) are configured be to connected with the oversea servers. But in real world, users sometime might be able to add the Chinese version products to the oversea servers, and that's mainly because these Chinese products share the same model value and hence the same configuration with the oversea products. Of course this won't be the case for all Chinese products, and that's reason we highly recommend global users to purchase "right" Aqara products that are designed to be sold and used in the local region.'

2. Yup I am using ST with Aqara non neutral switches and they are working perfectly fine for me. But I can only say for those switches that I am using. Some people say 3gang switches will have problems but some of my viewers comment it works fine using the DH I am using

3. I never use other brands before but can explore Shelly/Sonoff

4. No idea

5. Works perfectly with ST. If you don't intend to get the ikea hub then your question to work with Google home is NA.

6. You can probably check with Hanman directly

7. No experience with August locks. As long as ST has geofencing, it doesn't matter I guess.

OK thx so much for the advice! And yes I watched your vids, but was seeing a lot of by right vs by left regarding China vs Global Aqara stuff lol.

 

[kurokaze88]

a surest way to know is to create an account in the aqara app.
see the available devices for the region that you've selected.
For me- I select "Others" - and I see E1 in the list of devices

Aqara devices (except for Hubs) are region agnostic. E1 should work

Talked to some random SG dude at the Aqara subreddit and he said he was able to pair the E1 with his global M2 hub, just need to do the manual triple press thingy to connect...

 

[TrueBeliever_jh]

OK thx so much for the advice! And yes I watched your vids, but was seeing a lot of by right vs by left regarding China vs Global Aqara stuff lol.

I watched his videos recently while waiting for my unit..

Must say I got poisoned by this smart home automation~

 

[catwhisperer]

Can only answer to q1
M2 hub work with all aqara switches - i dun think switches are tied to any region.

2 version of M2 hub available - china And global. China version is also homekit compatible. Global verison is google, alexa and homekit compatible

regarding your question 2 - you may be better off picking the official smartthings supported switch. Since u haven’t bought anything yet - why bother with DH

Hello! Can I check where to find official ST-supported switches? Does voltage matter for switches, or can I buy from say Amazon? Thank you.

 

[ho_kuku]

Hello! Can I check where to find official ST-supported switches? Does voltage matter for switches, or can I buy from say Amazon? Thank you.

Bro - please see link for ST supported devices: https://www.smartthings.com/products-list

Voltage shouldn’t matter - except if you are using high powered devices - like heater etc. u’ll then need one that can support 20A

 

[catwhisperer]

Bro - please see link for ST supported devices: https://www.smartthings.com/products-list

Voltage shouldn’t matter - except if you are using high powered devices - like heater etc. u’ll then need one that can support 20A

Thanks! I saw the list but I didn't know if I needed to find a 220V switch like UK/EU website. Great that I can just find on Amazon!

 

[MakiMaki]

Hi all, which is the best and hassle free solution for water heater switch? I’m on Aqara and Apple HomeKit… have been looking around but totally clueless which to get.. or should I just wait longer till better options pop up and use the normal water heater switch since it’s only 1 switch? Thank you!

 

[CrazyBlue]

Hi! Newbie here.

Not strictly a Home Automation question.

Planning to get either Alexa Echo or Google Nest Audio. Was gifted an Echo Dot so was playing with it for a couple of months, fun to use to activate the Roborock. Should I stick to the Amazon ecosystem?

After that, I plan to buy either BOND (which was recommended in a reddit post): https://www.amazon.com/Automation-Ceiling-Fireplace-through-Control/dp/B071GVGVVH/

or the Broadlink RM4 Pro. Needs RF to control the fans and IR to control say.. aircon and standing fan that uses IR.

Any recommendations between these two? Or are there better options to consider (better as in cost efficient.) The BOND seems highly recommended, the range seems quite powerful and have wider RF to work with. I don't know what my existing fans RF frequency haha. While someone said the BOND IR is not so good. So I'm abit confused.

Can the Broadlink RM4 Pro RF reach the master bedroom for a standard 5room BTO? Mine is a standard squarish layout. May have to put where the walls are, so there'll be 3 walls between the living room and the MBR.

(Also saw the Alexa Echo has a Zigbee hub? would that be sufficient to work with other Zigbee devices? Or it

I also saw Aqara switches, but saw someone here mention that some new standard, Matter might be coming out next year so I'll wait out on on these HA stuff first and stick to voice activation.)

Thanks thanks

 

[flyong]

Hi,

Is anybody using the Kinetic smart switch instead of Aqara smart switch which still need wire hook up to the switch?

What is the pro and cons if using using kinetic switch? It looks cool where you can just stick the switch anywhere?

 

[flyong]

https://www.ganen.asia/our-products...Single-Gang-Rocker/Push-Button-Kinetic-Switch
Just found this on internet, has anybody use their smart home design?

 

[Evilbear]

Hi all, which is the best and hassle free solution for water heater switch? I’m on Aqara and Apple HomeKit… have been looking around but totally clueless which to get.. or should I just wait longer till better options pop up and use the normal water heater switch since it’s only 1 switch? Thank you!

just use a switchbot lol

 

[Evilbear]

Hi,

Is anybody using the Kinetic smart switch instead of Aqara smart switch which still need wire hook up to the switch?

What is the pro and cons if using using kinetic switch? It looks cool where you can just stick the switch anywhere?

its just a wireless switch that is not using battery but kinetic energy.

I got a friend that engaged Ganen before, basically the platform is just another tuya smart life reskin nothing special. He got the doorlock from them, apparently the automation keep having problems after a couple of days then he gave up asking their support already.

 

[MakiMaki]

just use a switchbot lol

Haha… true that.. works too just not pleasant aesthetically haha.. will consider that. Thanks!