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Topic:
"The Smart Home Isn't Worth It" -- article
This thread has 20 replies. Displaying posts 1 through 15.
Post 1 made on Saturday July 3, 2021 at 13:42
Ernie Gilman
Yes, That Ernie!
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Starting around when smart refrigerators were first announced, I've wondered just how often people really are making smart homes. Networked, YES, but smart?

How practical is the smart home, especially the well-outfitted one? My family was the parents and three boys, and we (bought and) lived in four homes over the period from when I, the youngest, was a toddler, until I no longer lived "at home." That was 14 years, followed by the years my parents lived with no kids in the home, and in fact moved on to a fifth home.

Who's going to smart-outfit five homes in less than twenty years?

Here are a couple of excerpts from a gizmodo article at [Link: gizmodo.com]:

A smart home that responds to your every command and automates mundane tasks is a tantalizing dream. But the reality is that given the current limitations of technology, competing standards, and devices that quickly become obsolete, trying to make that dream a reality today just isn’t worth all the effort.

A few years ago, when I lived in a small two-bedroom apartment, I was utterly devoted to making my home smart....

But something happened that soured me on the whole smart home idea: I moved into an actual house... programming complex schedules—using less-than-stellar apps. My eventual solution to the task was a simple one: I just ignored it, and three years later all of my Philips smart bulbs still sit unused in a box in a closet.

We should definitely focus on home networking and audio/video sources, but smart bulbs? I'm reminded of a Chuck Berry song: Too Much Monkey Business!
A good answer is easier with a clear question giving the make and model of everything.
"The biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." -- G. “Bernie” Shaw
Post 2 made on Saturday July 3, 2021 at 16:55
buzz
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Automation can be great in large, complex estates or to manage remote cottages, but I don't see much point in complex automation in apartments.

Personally, I don't need to drag out a phone/pad to turn on a light or two. Complex thermostats are handy and it would be nice to be notified if the basement is filling with water, but this does not require an automation system.

My big complaint with these systems in general is that we cannot support the systems for very long before something becomes obsolete -- such as a phone/pad operating system, custom keypad/controller, or the basic central processor.

---

I'm so lucky that a beach house was recently sold. We once had a very appropriate system installed there, but the controllers started failing and could not be repaired or replaced with anything appropriate. The original system concept could not be recreated with current hardware. The former owner and I agreed to tell the new owner that the system is EOL and the new owner should not call me. Depending on the new owner's concept, the system could be replaced with a bunch of voice controlled wireless cable boxes. Giving up DVD, video games, pop-up TV, Karaoke, satellite radio, and custom hardware touch screen controllers.

Oh, and I forgot to tell you that it is almost 100% component video in the walls. And about two hours of driving, one-way, during non peak hours.

It's not a total loss because there is plenty of CAT-5, but everything except a couple new TV's and an A/V receiver needs to be replaced.
Post 3 made on Saturday July 3, 2021 at 17:53
highfigh
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Why be required to buy a smart hub/control system, just to set on/off times for lights when the bulbs have the capability? They can be grouped, you can set them for different times on different days and with some, you can check the app to see if they're on or off or turn them on/off, even if you're not on-site. I have a couple of smart outlets and I use one for a floor lamp that needed a new switch/dimmer, but that costs more than the pair of outlets and the LED bulb doesn't work well with a Caseta lamp module which also cost considerably more.

Do you ever leave your house and want people on the outside to think you're at home, so they're less tempted to break in? What about vacations- ever wonder if the crappy timer that can't connect to your network was working?

It's all part of 'the smart home environment' and personally, I like some of it. I don't need different colors of light- that doesn't interest me although variable colors on a boat is good because insects are attracted by white light, but not some other colors.
My mechanic told me, "I couldn't repair your brakes, so I made your horn louder."
Post 4 made on Sunday July 4, 2021 at 16:08
mrtristan
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I find most customers that have lived with home automations systems - Crestron, Control4...etc...say they would never do it again...If you're not sure about this, ask the next customer you meet who has had one. Sonos and sometimes a ProControl remote is all we need these days. Let them do thermostats and light switches with native apps. Scheduling is the only thing most people need, even the most high end clients.
Post 5 made on Monday July 5, 2021 at 05:41
buzz
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The major issue that I've had with control systems is their component reliability. Operationally, my customers would be willing to do it again if they could be convinced that the new system would be reliable.
Post 6 made on Monday July 5, 2021 at 16:27
Audiophiliac
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Like anything else, it's worth what people are willing to pay for it. If you can find the people willing to shell out the coin for the expensive fancy control systems, the enterprise grade networks they make them require, and the maintenance contracts that go with them because they need kid gloves, and remote support to fix all the bugs and glitches, more power to you.

If you would rather sell something simple, that serves it's purpose well, makes the clients happy, doesn't break, doesn't fill your schedule with service calls, and gets you referrals, congratulations. 👍

There are plenty of companies out there willing to serve both ends of that spectrum. Pick which side you are most comfortable on and stay in your lane.
"When I eat, it is the food that is scared." - Ron Swanson
Post 7 made on Tuesday July 6, 2021 at 22:50
modom
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I think that a good audio video system with central switching would make most of my clients happy. Some like and can afford good lighting control. The other things (security, HVAC, pool and hot tub) are becoming too proprietary with their own apps. What's sad, is that some companies are making it difficult to do that without replacing everything, whether the equipment is worn out or not. I'm a little miffed right now that I had to replace an expensive main processor in order to control a newer AV receiver. Changing to HDMI switching I understand, but that shouldn't cost so crazy much. We are definitely simplifying the systems we install and are recommending local zones more often.
Mark
Post 8 made on Wednesday July 7, 2021 at 14:04
westcojack
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Interesting, we provide lighting control systems, and have had only 1 or 2 clients ever say that they wish they had not installed the system.
We've installed or worked on over 360 systems.
If the integrator knows what he/she is doing, and makes it EASY to use, the system is great!
Jack Goldberg, PE
Post 9 made on Wednesday July 7, 2021 at 18:46
goldenzrule
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On July 7, 2021 at 14:04, westcojack said...
Interesting, we provide lighting control systems, and have had only 1 or 2 clients ever say that they wish they had not installed the system.
We've installed or worked on over 360 systems.
If the integrator knows what he/she is doing, and makes it EASY to use, the system is great!

The last sentence can make or break a system.  I have a takeover job that is somewhat extensive, but not implemented so well.  The rack is only one part of that story, but most telling is that the client said his wife opens up the C4 app when they are out at their Arizona house and turns the exterior lights on and off every evening/morning.  I told him we can just set a schedule, and it will be set to an astronomical clock so they won't have to ever adjust it.  He was pleasantly surprised that the system was able to do this.  He had his system for roughly 5 years and his wife has been doing this all along.
Post 10 made on Wednesday July 7, 2021 at 22:03
buzz
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On July 7, 2021 at 18:46, goldenzrule said...
The last sentence can make or break a system.

Agree.

We did a weekly rental house with five very different rooms. Ease of use takes on a new dimension in this environment as a new operator crew arrives each Saturday afternoon. There is no need for a weekly instruction session. In almost 10 years we have not had a single inquiry about "how do I ...".
Post 11 made on Thursday July 8, 2021 at 08:04
sirroundsound
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We have to also remember that the article is about DIY smart home. Everything the writer had was cobbled together by him. And if you read any sort of forum or reddit about smart home you will mostly find the DIY crowd showing off all the great things they have made their system do. Some of them manage to do some pretty impressive things. But, in the end, the DIY systems seem to always be in need of constant attention.
Matter has the potential to change that, or not.
Post 12 made on Thursday July 8, 2021 at 08:33
lippavisual
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On July 7, 2021 at 18:46, goldenzrule said...
The last sentence can make or break a system.  I have a takeover job that is somewhat extensive, but not implemented so well.  The rack is only one part of that story, but most telling is that the client said his wife opens up the C4 app when they are out at their Arizona house and turns the exterior lights on and off every evening/morning.  I told him we can just set a schedule, and it will be set to an astronomical clock so they won't have to ever adjust it.  He was pleasantly surprised that the system was able to do this.  He had his system for roughly 5 years and his wife has been doing this all along.

They may not have known the possibilities or didn’t want to pay for special programming.
Post 13 made on Thursday July 8, 2021 at 08:49
highfigh
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On July 8, 2021 at 08:04, sirroundsound said...
We have to also remember that the article is about DIY smart home. Everything the writer had was cobbled together by him. And if you read any sort of forum or reddit about smart home you will mostly find the DIY crowd showing off all the great things they have made their system do. Some of them manage to do some pretty impressive things. But, in the end, the DIY systems seem to always be in need of constant attention.
Matter has the potential to change that, or not.

DIYers are good at "I bought a bunch of this electronic crap and it never worked the way they said it would and no, I didn't read the instructions".

I'm working on a project now and one of the builders asked if I could remove all of the cabling that's hanging in the basement. Said the people who did the demolition work had cut back all of the coax going from the basement to the second floor, which completely removed any chance of using any of it again, because it was cut back into the second floor and it's no longer accessible, nor is it possible to pull fresh cable to all of those locations because any rooms where demo was done are now finished. He then asked why I had brought cables into the house because "Everything is wireless, right?".
My mechanic told me, "I couldn't repair your brakes, so I made your horn louder."
Post 14 made on Thursday July 8, 2021 at 09:14
buzz
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On July 8, 2021 at 08:49, highfigh said...
He then asked why I had brought cables into the house because "Everything is wireless, right?".

GC's know everything about everything.

I've done some personal work for a GC who now knows all about A/V wiring -- no need to call me for any of his projects (he is cheap). I got a call from him asking if I could exchange ends on an HDMI cable that was installed backwards.
OP | Post 15 made on Thursday July 8, 2021 at 13:43
Ernie Gilman
Yes, That Ernie!
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On July 8, 2021 at 08:49, highfigh said...
I'm working on a project now and one of the builders asked if I could remove all of the cabling that's hanging in the basement.... He then asked why I had brought cables into the house because "Everything is wireless, right?".

Your parallel might be that you wanted to get the water piping in before the wires get run, and they were having a sale on Schedule 20, so you ran that everywhere. Yeah, it was supposed to be pex, but it's all plastic, right?
A good answer is easier with a clear question giving the make and model of everything.
"The biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." -- G. “Bernie” Shaw
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