Reporting in from Ground Zero

[rcjordan]

It seems to be a 50/50 split Minimalist vs Verbose.

[rcjordan]

Ecobee 4, TP-link HS105, Broadlink IR blaster local

You know the story, first you buy an Alexa Dot. Then another Dot. And another. And another. Then you buy an HS105 to control a few lamps. And another. And another. Then you make an old Roomba work on Alexa using the $22 Broadlink. Now you're hooked.

Then the old digital thermostat on the geothermal heat pump goes wonky and you start thinking Ecobee 4 (the remote sensor is a much-needed feature in my house). BUT now I'm getting concerned about "smarthome creep" and increasing dependency on an array of 3rd party vendors.

I joined the Borg and sent Bezos another $240 for the Ecobee t-stat. We installed it ourselves in under an hour (saving $100+ installation fee) with the t-stat's onboard prompting walking Louise through the initial config.

The end plan is to control and schedule these assorted devices by different vendors with Home Assistant or somesuch.  Local network only. No phoning home.  ...But breaking away from the Borg will be difficult.

<added>

IIRC, Wall Street now puts Amazon with 70%⁺ of jabbernet marketshare.  Separately, Apple's late entry has been reported as 'Disappointing."  I see less & less mention of G's model and, when I do, it is often put in as a subordinate 'specialty' device on Alexa networks.

[Mackin USA]

I'm just fine :-)

[Brad]

Pull out RC!

You're too young to be borged.

[rcjordan]

>borged

Too late.  I AM silo-ing the number of vendors and am currently severely limiting the time window the Broadlink IR Blaster calls home to China.  (I plugged it into a TP-link smarthome receptacle which kills the power after the Blaster has executed the command to Roomba.)

The issue now is whether I want to assume support for a smarthome system running only on the local network or let the vendors do it via apps.

[Brad]

Okay RC, but if one day, you discover your Roomba in the garage, nonchalantly coming out from under your car, check the break lines first before driving off.

[rcjordan]

The thermostat company. Ecobee, really has their act together --in product design AND online presence. 

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."

Yup, magic.

[rcjordan]

Forgot to mention that I bought another Ecobee 4 for upstairs which uses a different type of heat pump than downstairs.  I hit a snag in identifying one of the wires and opened a ticket with support. They resolved the issue within 4 hours.

Ecobee is now in Lowes. IMO, they are killing the old-line manufacturers Honeywell and White-Rodgers/Emerson. I know nothing about the strength of the company, but I'd review it as a possible investment.

[ergophobe]

Forgot to mention that I bought another Ecobee 4 for upstairs which uses a different type of heat pump than downstairs.

What types of heat pump? I've been looking into this for Fujitsu mini-splits and then got sidetracked because I didn't have the model number handy (but it seems like you need a special kit to convert from the remote controller to a wired thermostat)

[rcjordan]

Nothing exotic. Geothermal downstairs, standard single-stage with emergency heat strips air-to-air upstairs.  I'm not into high-seer mini-splits (yet, but looking hard).

You could try posting it on /r/ecobee/.

[rcjordan]

^{Sentience just around the corner.  Skynet just after that.}


Alexa will soon gain a memory, converse more naturally, and automatically launch skills


https://techcrunch.com/2018/04/26/alexa-will-soon-gain-a-memory-converse-more-naturally-and-automatically-launch-skills/

[rcjordan]

AFAIcantell, Alexa now so dominates the jabbernet that the other vendors are just swinging in the wind.  I can hardly stay abreast of all the significant tangential developments sprouting up.

One recent one that is worth noting in the (co- ??)development of a commercial model for hotels.  I believe Marriott is rolling it out soon.  I know my daughter -admin of a large, upscale nursing home- is chomping at the bit for some sort of way to give her residents control of their room environs.

[rcjordan]

The jabbernet has changed the 1st world in the 2 years since this thread was started. 

One day your voice will control all your gadgets, and they will control you - MIT Technology Review
https://www.technologyreview.com/the-download/612750/one-day-your-voice-will-control-all-your-gadgets-and-they-will-control-you/

[Brad]

HAL open the door!

I can't do that RC.

[rcjordan]

>> defeating Echo

> Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.  We're toast.

Amz just announced Alexa wearables; ring, earbuds, glasses.  Looks like they're doing a limited release for a beta.