Wanting to make a Smart Home

[Bmac1x]

Hi, i m a Quadriplegic i have received an echo dot 2 so i've been looking online for things controlled by voice so i can have a Smart Home. I have smart tv's (Samsung) and my Heating & AC are a Carrier Infinitely system. i can use a laptop but that's it. what do you suggest i do?

 

[System Error Message]

dont connect them? You should watch mr robot season 2, it shows what can happen with a smart home.

Best smart home at the moment is one that you make yourself, from the sensors, functions to the network and such. We're talking about raspberry pis and arduinos with some programming and EEE.

 

[thiggins]

Hi, i m a Quadriplegic i have received an echo dot 2 so i've been looking online for things controlled by voice so i can have a Smart Home. I have smart tv's (Samsung) and my Heating & AC are a Carrier Infinitely system. i can use a laptop but that's it. what do you suggest i do?

Visit this Amazon page for a list of Alexa controlled devices.

Virtually all "smart home" devices require an internet connection to function, even if you are not using them remotely. This means the devices are open to being attacked and compromised remotely.
Using any device with Alexa / Echo means you are also depending on the internet and a cloud service for the device to function.

My advice would be to not use any devices that could threaten your health and safety. Door locks are the first thing that come to mind. If you live in an area with extreme temperatures, thermostats would be the next thing.

I'd also recommend putting all smart home devices on a separate network, so that the Smart Home devices can't access any devices where you have personal data, like network drives, laptops, etc.

 

[abailey]

I use Homeseer for my home automation. Their automation product does not have to connect to the internet. It also has speech recognition. Now it can work with Echo but Echo will have to have connection to the internet. There is always a compromise though. Homeseer can be pretty expensive and it has a pretty steep learning curve.

 

[anon2015]

I haven't played with voice control myself, but I have had SmartThings and Hue hubs to control and automate lights, power outlets etc. Ive been very happy with SmartThings and havent had issues that others complain about on their forums. The only issue I have had is a battery powered dimmer switch that drops every few months or so. Its not a supported device and uses custom handlers so its not unexpected. SmartThings, and all HA hubs are more of a project than a plug and play solution. If you have the computer skills to work through the setup and to configure custom voice commands through AWS (Ive only seen it done with Alexa, not Dot) you could do some really cool things that might simplify life. I have to repeat the earlier disclaimers that its all dependent on the cloud and a good internet connection and you should not depend on it for security and health related concerns.

 

[bernard038]

Hi Bmac1x

Most users on this forum use smarthome solutions to make their life somewhat easier and because they like to tinker around with electronics and IT. In short, 'we' are using these smart devices to set the lights in our livingroom in party mode when we start a specific playlist on Spotify. Maybe for you, smarthome solutions might make you more independent and increase your 'quality of life'. I guess you aren't using these solutions to put the lights in your livingroom in party mode when you start a specific playlist on Spotify (at least, i guess that's not the prime objective). As you might depend more on your smarthome than the average user, i would advise you to invest in more robust solutions than the consumer-grade products 'we' are using. I do not have any clue whatsoever which devices might suit your needs and what the costs of these are. But then again, if you want make the non-essential parts of your home smarter, feel free to buy consumer-grade products. Bonus is that you can set the lights in your livingroom in party mode when you start that specific playlist on Spotify.

 

[Tomsonn]

Echo works perfectly over voice command. Why don't you watch few video tutorials on YouTube?

 

[FatherLandDescendant]

Echo works perfectly over voice command. Why don't you watch few video tutorials on YouTube?

As an individual that has a country accent (E KY. drawl) I can tell you that Alexa doesn't exactly work "perfect" Of course I have that issue with most VR systems.

 

[ColinTaylor]

As an individual that has a country accent (E KY. drawl) I can tell you that Alexa doesn't exactly work "perfect" Of course I have that issue with most VR systems.

It could be worse, you could be Scottish!

http://www.deadlinenews.co.uk/2016/10/25/scots-man-bluetooth-battle-voice-recognition-device/