ᐅ What exactly is a smart home, and is it possible to retrofit one?
Created on: 15 Jun 2021 14:41
P
Pacc666
Hello,
I am currently in the process of building a house and have come across the topic of smart homes.
Smart home technology is quite a complex subject, and I am asking for help because I can’t figure it out on my own.
What exactly can a proper smart home do?
I think I only need a very basic smart home or simply remote control for my house.
What I want to have:
Control of roller shutters with rule creation, for example, always open them 30 minutes after sunrise but not before 7 a.m.
Lighting control via smartphone or voice (Philips Hue lamps will be installed in the living room for ambient lighting)
Window sensor for the sliding patio door so my roller shutter doesn’t accidentally lock me out
Video doorbell that notifies me on my phone when I’m at home
Smart sound system in the living and dining area, for example, for internet radio
Maybe later, control of underfloor heating
I definitely want to be able to create rules or scenarios (for example, cinema mode = lower the living room shutters to x % and dim the lights in the living and dining area and activate the ambient lighting)
What I don’t need:
Motion sensors (since I have a dog, they would be triggered all the time anyway)
I’m sure there are many other features I haven’t listed.
I don’t actually need an overly intelligent house.
I just want a few nice quality-of-life improvements.
For now, I want to find out what a proper smart home can actually do to see if I’m missing any functions that might be interesting for me.
I am currently in the process of building a house and have come across the topic of smart homes.
Smart home technology is quite a complex subject, and I am asking for help because I can’t figure it out on my own.
What exactly can a proper smart home do?
I think I only need a very basic smart home or simply remote control for my house.
What I want to have:
Control of roller shutters with rule creation, for example, always open them 30 minutes after sunrise but not before 7 a.m.
Lighting control via smartphone or voice (Philips Hue lamps will be installed in the living room for ambient lighting)
Window sensor for the sliding patio door so my roller shutter doesn’t accidentally lock me out
Video doorbell that notifies me on my phone when I’m at home
Smart sound system in the living and dining area, for example, for internet radio
Maybe later, control of underfloor heating
I definitely want to be able to create rules or scenarios (for example, cinema mode = lower the living room shutters to x % and dim the lights in the living and dining area and activate the ambient lighting)
What I don’t need:
Motion sensors (since I have a dog, they would be triggered all the time anyway)
I’m sure there are many other features I haven’t listed.
I don’t actually need an overly intelligent house.
I just want a few nice quality-of-life improvements.
For now, I want to find out what a proper smart home can actually do to see if I’m missing any functions that might be interesting for me.
nordanney schrieb:
... which completely satisfies 95% of users because a) expectations are not higher and b) the budget is allocated to more important things.
Smart home is nothing more than a (nice) gadget, regardless of whether the installation is simple or complex.Absolutely true. The same applies to saunas, walk-in closets, pools, etc. All things nobody really needs but some people insist on having.
We probably live in different times and on different planets.
If you’ve never lived in one and have no interest in it, that might be true. People say that in Alaska, some live without running water and with outdoor toilets, and are completely satisfied with that.
Uh, yes… only if you are blindly ignoring reality and also deaf. As complexity increases, the system’s capabilities grow exponentially without any loss of quality and with a progressive reduction in required human interventions or actions. This can easily be explained with cars. The difference between a Golf 1 and a Golf 7 is massive. It’s the same with home electrical systems. But sure, some would still choose 1980s technology today and be happy with it. However, it’s certainly not 95% as claimed.
Those who are interested in something “better” should inform themselves and then buy, instead of blindly grabbing something off the shelf.
nordanney schrieb:
More than a (nice) gadget, smart home technology really isn’t.
If you’ve never lived in one and have no interest in it, that might be true. People say that in Alaska, some live without running water and with outdoor toilets, and are completely satisfied with that.
nordanney schrieb:
No matter how simple or complex the installation is.
Uh, yes… only if you are blindly ignoring reality and also deaf. As complexity increases, the system’s capabilities grow exponentially without any loss of quality and with a progressive reduction in required human interventions or actions. This can easily be explained with cars. The difference between a Golf 1 and a Golf 7 is massive. It’s the same with home electrical systems. But sure, some would still choose 1980s technology today and be happy with it. However, it’s certainly not 95% as claimed.
Those who are interested in something “better” should inform themselves and then buy, instead of blindly grabbing something off the shelf.
For everything listed above, the offerings from the major players in the smartphone market are sufficient. Apple HomeKit could handle all of this if you choose roller shutter drives that are HomeKit compatible. It probably works with Alexa as well, but I have no experience with that.
- Roller shutters, for example with Homee or Fibaro, for direct installation or retrofitting on conventional switches.
- Philips Hue via the Hue Bridge in HomeKit.
- Various providers for door/window sensors (e.g., Eve).
- Various doorbell systems such as Netatmo or Doorbird are available.
- HomePod as a speaker for internet radio or Apple Music.
Everything else (outlets, motion detectors, smoke detectors, etc.) can be purchased and retrofitted from electrical supply stores.
In the Home app, you can then set the desired rules and automations. Adding an iPad mounted on the wall as a control center means the system will work even when you are outside your home network.
- Roller shutters, for example with Homee or Fibaro, for direct installation or retrofitting on conventional switches.
- Philips Hue via the Hue Bridge in HomeKit.
- Various providers for door/window sensors (e.g., Eve).
- Various doorbell systems such as Netatmo or Doorbird are available.
- HomePod as a speaker for internet radio or Apple Music.
Everything else (outlets, motion detectors, smoke detectors, etc.) can be purchased and retrofitted from electrical supply stores.
In the Home app, you can then set the desired rules and automations. Adding an iPad mounted on the wall as a control center means the system will work even when you are outside your home network.
Obermuh schrieb:
For everything listed above, the offerings from the major players in the smartphone market are sufficient. Apple HomeKit could cover all of this if you make sure to choose roller shutter motors that are HomeKit compatible. It probably works with Alexa as well, but I have no experience with that.
- Roller shutters, for example, with Homee or Fibaro for direct installation or retrofitting on conventional switches.
- Philips Hue via Hue Bridge in HomeKit.
- Various providers for door/window sensors (e.g., Eve)
- Various doorbell systems like Netatmo or Doorbird available
- HomePod as a speaker for internet radio or Apple Music
Everything else (sockets/outlets, motion detectors, smoke alarms, etc.) is available at electrical retailers for purchase and retrofitting.
In the Home app, you can then set up the desired rules and automations. Add an iPad mounted on the wall as a control center, and the system will work even when you are outside the home network. Back to the original question from the OP: What exactly makes this "smart"?
N
nordanney15 Jun 2021 22:08Mycraft schrieb:
We must be living in different times and on different planets.No. There are interested "nerds" and 95% "normal" home builders. Just like there are mostly regular drivers with mass-market cars – those are affordable and provide enough comfort and performance. Mycraft schrieb:
If you’ve never lived in one and have no interest, that may be true.That has nothing to do with it. You simply don’t need it and spend your money on more important things. You have to look beyond your own enthusiasm objectively. Mycraft schrieb:
As complexity increases, the system’s capabilities increase quadratically without quality loss and with progressively fewer necessary human interventions/actions.Just that kind of jargon is enough to scare people off from smart homes 😉 Mycraft schrieb:
But those who are interested in something "better" should do their research first and then buy, not just grab something blindly off the shelf.I completely agree with you. Given the current requests from the original poster, though, practically any choice is probably the right one.Yeah, I also believe that smart home systems are pretty much the fourth toilet in a house—you don’t notice if you skip it.
These days, you can easily add all the standard features with many components even after construction.
But it’s mostly a gimmick and only makes sense if you can program everything yourself.
These days, you can easily add all the standard features with many components even after construction.
But it’s mostly a gimmick and only makes sense if you can program everything yourself.
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