Smart Home Secrets - Professional tips for your own home automation projects!
I’m Robert Spivack, a home automation technologist and problem solver.
I'll help you choose what is best for your project and your budget.
There is no magical secret or shortcut to making things work. Just lots of hours of research, experimentation, and experience slogging through all the details.
Get you smart home working the way it should and the way you want.
Whether you plan to Do-it-yourself (DIY), do-it-for-me (DIFM), seek expert help (hey, that's me), or hire a professional custom system integrator (that's me, too!), let me guide you with insider tips, tricks, and techniques.
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I'll be honest, the fugly is why I never seriously considered Lutron switches even though everyone says they are good. Smart switches are something you associate with the future, yet their design felt like it was yanked from some ancient era.
TBH, the Lutron OG Caseta sold a lot of the higher-end Lutron systems, the RA2 and RA3, because clients didn't like ugly. Now the huge increase in price for those systems is getting a lot harder to justify! Lutron RA3 does have the touch sensitive Sunnata style dimmer, but not everyone likes a touch slider instead of a real button though!
Your assertion is correct for Single-Stage HVAC systems; the heat/cool is either on or off. Maximum output, or nothing. But for inverter-type heatpumps, which can scale up and down, setting an extreme high or low temperature actually DOES make a difference. The system won't automatically output the maximum power if you set your thermostat to a few degrees away from the current room temperature. Instead, it will try to use just the right amount of power to get you there in a reasonable amount of time. If you set an extreme temp on the thermostat, it will use maximum power to get you there as quickly as possible.
Thanks! Good to know.
I find it hard to believe that anyone actually thinks the room will cool faster in the thermostat is set lower. The cooling/heating RATE is the same.
Sadly, a lot of consumers still think it works this way. Not tech folks, but every-day normal people. I made this video for them, but they'll probably never see it 🤣
Anytime I crank my thermostat it’s either because I’m overheated or cold. My ultimate goal is to have the unit run continuously until I’m comfortable then I dial it back to the current temp. Sometimes I don’t always know or have the rational sense at the time to know what target temp I want to be comfortable again.
Right. That's exactly why thermostats should do what cars do and simply have a "max heat" and "max cool" option too. Or better yet, a "boost" option that runs for a period of time and stops rather than based on the target temperature?
Is this an AI generated channel? It’s a little off
No, Lol! Should it be?
@@DoItForMeSolutions the repetition threw me lol
@@billd9667 I did use some AI help with photo, but nothing else.
Admit it. Are you guilty of setting your thermostat to a very high or very low setting to make it work faster?
I am not guilty.
@@SilverSergeant Awesome! Have to admit I used to be guilty myself!
Just realized I saw and commented on this a year but, now I have to go look at the near relevant news or probjections for 2025
For now, I am a Google Samsung user and prefer this method to resolve "A Once in a While" problem. No app, No Pass just press a button and your done
Switchbot does need an app, though.
@@DoItForMeSolutions I need to take my ADHD medicine. Thought your video said it didn't require an app but only a bluetooth connection. I'll watch again later
😂
For now, I am a Google Samsung user and prefer this method to resolve "A Once in a While" problem. No app, No Pass just press a button and your done
Ain’t broke, don’t fix it?
Matter, it works and solves problems. Antimatter doesn't have an opinion on this. However, I like the idea of the Switchbot because, it's one less app on my phone. It's a good low level solution
Antimatter - good one! I’ll have to borrow that.
Gimmick, gadget, or problem solver? What do you think?
Bro, the app is a joke... No widget, volume lags, and last but not least, good luck detecting your system with the new app
At least software fixes are possible. Some updates have dribbled out this month.
Sonos newest update 25/06/2024 Has now broken ALL of the services...says on the app "unable to load content" sonos favorites " blank" thus nothing can be selected...... Thousands of ££'s. €'s. $'s worth of speakers now unless..... This is on ipad...iPhone.....and also on an android phone I had my partner instal the app onto......NO CONTENT AVAILABLE.........SONOS has went from the best to the worst app in history......😅😅😢😂😂😂😂
Really bad. I hope you are able to recover soon. Assume you have already tried rebooting everything and adding speakers back one by one, if possible. Don't give up on Sonos tech support - they have always been helpful in the past and worth a try.
I've been a Sonos user and fan for 11 years and this new update is not an update it's a friggin mess, it's unusable and it sucks so bad. How on earth could you release this??? Did you not test it with real users?????? If you don't go back to the old app you will lose a huge percentage of your customers because we all hate it. Listen to that man because I can't listen to my music anymore!!!!! You suck!
New App blows. Don’t right awful! Never again Sonos, never again!
They are slowly trying to fix it. I wonder if this will still be an issue in a few months from now?
Did you see the original video: Z-Wave's uncertain fate - What you need to know before buying smart home products? Click difm.us/ytc0025com to watch now or save for later. Using Z-Wave or going to take another look?
DO NOT UPDATE TO THE NEW APP !!!! This new app is a major step backwards - kind of surprising that it is released???? I have 9 speakers and he old app worked fine - to play different music on different floors. This new app is so complex to try to select different speakers - and then have it work. I get a lot of ERROR messages. And to individually adjust volume is a hit and miss. We have two newer iPhones - and we have to hit the volume buttons some 6-7 times to get a response from this new app. (its as if the screen does not feel the touch) The old app had no such problems. PLEASE BRING THE OLD APP BACK !! Last 7 years I have got my friends into SONOS - this app will stop me recommending SONOS. Please do something rational here. !!!
Be sure to manually check for app updates. They've started pushing out some fixes that at least can't be worse.
what do I need to setup within SecuritySpy?
Enable the webserver in SecuritySpy and verify you can access it on your local home network. They with Tailscale you can access it remotely, too.
@@DoItForMeSolutions I'm somewhat savvy with this stuff but I would need someone to walk me through it. My router is not UPNP and I can't open up any ports in it.
@@petercole558 You don't need UPnP, one of the main reasons Tailscale works so well is it doesn't need any special configuration on the network or router.
How could so many morons get together and screw something up so completely. I want out of their orbit. Unable to add a song/album to a queue - what exactly is the point of a queue. Did people actually sit down and look at this and see it as some kind of improvement? Unbelievable. To say nothing of the constant crashes and the inability to start/stop a song within 20 seconds. I'd like a refund for my Sonos products. And if you're wondering if I'm exaggerating, try phoning their support line - that queue has shown a dramatic improvement in numbers calling in - the wait time is continuously an hour and 40 minutes. I remember phoning support and getting a response in under two minutes.
The scariest thing is their CEO said in an interview trying to defend it that he has been using the new app since last Christmas. So, either he is a complete idiot and knows nothing about how Sonos customers use his products or the developers are - either is not so good!
Some good bullet points, but some bad takes. Apple prioritizes privacy and security. Amazon/Google are open. Venders release on Amazon/Google and ignore Apple because Apple has higher standards. I don’t see this as a hinderance to Apple, rather it’s a perk filtering out potential threats. Matter will allow for many venders to support Apple; however let’s not forget Matter’s foundation is HomeKit and the level of security and privacy are being forced upon venders because of Apple. Regardless Matter did cause tons of reliability issues, lag, and frankly headaches. I miss HomeKit pre-Matter era, it was much more reliable and fast.
Thanks! I think we are saying mostly the same thing. But I beg to differ - HomeKit has always been very buggy. Matter is only making things worse, in the short-term, but the underlying fundamental flaws in HomeKit have been pushed into Matter (because Apple is a driving force for Matter and contributed a lot of the tech design and some of the code). So I am hopeful the other Matter parters will be less tolerant of the bugs and eventually force the clean-up of all the inherited technical debt. On the privacy side, I did try to make the point that I truly value the privacy/security emphasis by Apple, but now that they have been a multi-billion dollar company for many years, they need to stop trying to "play the privacy card" whenever their products and tech are subpar. They, uniquely, have piles of cash and can figure out innovative ways to do both - fix all the problems, offer more features/support, and maintain or improve privacy/security while doing so.
You will hate their new pathetic update. Don't update! Sonos is an ever evolving disaster. How could they get any worse? I'll never buy another Sonos product!
They are losing a lot of (former) loyal customers!
It’s so bad , I say this as a share holder too …
Crazy stupid. They rushed this out because they wanted to sell the new headphones. It has backfired with many Sonos fans and consumers refusing to consider the headphones until ALL the problems with the new app is fixed!
Today I have to transfer an existing Apple Home installation with multiple accessories and scenes to a new (not additional) person. It would be so helpful if I could swap out the Apple ID but instead I have to reset everything in the home and rebuild it from scratch with the other person's Apple ID...😔
Totally agree. One of the many reasons I can't use HomeKit professionally - it is too painful to manage and support as no reasonable tools exist and Apple's privacy/security make it impossible to do anything but manual brute force.
@@DoItForMeSolutions Yes, basically the only way to *manage* it is to have the customer's iPhone in one's hand. I spent all day yesterday building the Home with the customer's phone and now as a 'resident' of this home I can see and use everything but I again need the customer's phone to add one more thing and make the tweaks 😠
@@davidandhometech There is another way. A few years ago I came up with a workaround. I put an iPad "in the rack" with its own AppleID and built the HomeKit Home "owned" by that Id. All the users in the home were 'invited' to that Home with full access. I could make all the changes using that iPad without having the two-factor dance required for the homeowner's AppleId. Because it was a work-around pushing HomeKit to the edges where it was never really intended to go, I ran into numerous issues and glitches and ultimately abandoned the whole effort as it become unworkable anyway. But it did work for a while....
@@DoItForMeSolutions Yes, that's a good 'pro-tip'. I have the same solution and have installed an old iPad as a kitchen dashboard that also allows me to manage the home when I'm physically there. Better than holding the customer's phone but far from ideal.
Teki older nerd here.....how does one get there ip address for the final bit on instaling tailspin..... The 168 bit at the end.....great video and just subscribed to floow your interesting videos
What's your HomeKit wish list for WWDC 2024?
Horrible. People should be fired, what a mess
Yeah this update is garbage not going to lie
I can’t find one of the most important things anyone. How and where did end session go?
Hopefully someone can answer this for you.
Do not upgrade it sucks! I cannot connect to my system
Make sure you have the updates they issued. Might help (or not - but worth a try).
Sonos have just sent me an email asking me to register for a new product which I suspect will be their new head phones. I will never buy another product from them again, avoid this company.
Do you have a secure Sonos password or are you at risk?
Home Automation is something I'm hoping to delve into at some point, but honestly any new "standard" or protocol that has Big Tech's fingerprints all over it, I'm not interested in. It's a BAD thing, not a benefit. You just know it's going to become overpriced, closed source, closed ecosystem, limited functionality, limited accessibility, limited customisability, "you don't own this" terms and conditions, cloud-exclusive, subscription payment, spyware hell.
I agree with the goals (keep everything open, avoid high patent/license fees), but a lot of what we use today only exists because of standards. "Big Tech" telecomm standards allows incredible cellphones we can take not just to any city or state, but just about anywhere on the globe in any country, and it works with very little hassle. "Big Tech" IT standards like Ethernet network protocols and fiber-optic comms hardware means Internet connectivity is cheap, wide-spread, and even available via space-launched clusters of micro-satellites. Smart Home suffers from the fragmentation and walled-gardens (I call them walled-prisons) because we don't have clear-cut, industry-wide standards. It may NOT be the solution that works, but the emerging "Big Tech" Matter standard and a few other standards getting wider adoption does have the potential.
@@DoItForMeSolutions I said “standard”, not standard. The quotes matter. I’m fine with standardisation, it’s a good thing. But modern big tech companies are not our friend and what we will get won’t be a standard persay. The right word is probably “propitiatory”, which will only limit the tech. It’s simple: Do we want the Googles and Amazons and Apples of the world defining and controlling these technologies? No, no we don’t.
absolutely Disgusting how SONOS has treated their loyal customers even worse than apple ! ! I have spent over 4 Hours just adding a SUB Gen 3 to complete my home theatre Sonos system , [ I was adding a second sub to the system ] when I called SONOS support the wait was more than 105 Minutes - UNBELIEVABLE I had no choice other than to wait on hold , when I Finally got through ANOTHER 1 hour 17 minutes with the technical person ! ! - This experience has totally put me off purchasing from SONOS again - How can SONOS justify treating customers this way ?? Goodbye Sonos there are other manufactures to choose from I will vote with my feel & shop elsewhere from now on ! !
i used it to set up my true play which wasn't working . if you want to use true play , play a song from the sonos app pause it for 10 to 15 seconds then got to your true play set up and it will work.
Great tip! Thanks!
Hi @gt8674, could you clarify your pro-tip about TruePlay setup (which is stuck at "Continue" for me after the phone is upside down): you only used your iPhone in that process ? -> ie. launch the v8.0 app - play a song for 15s (Sonos or Spotify ?) - pause it - go to TruePlay - start it - it completed 100% ? Cheers 🙏
Yes i used iphone also what ever music app you integrated with your Sonos app to play music open the Sonos app on your iPhone or tablet play the song for 15 seconds then pause it go to true play and start tuning.
@@gt8674 I just tried your tip by playing an Apple Music song on Sonos v8.x for 15 seconds, launched the True Play setup (didn't even pause the song) and indeed IT WORKED !!! Thank you Sir, you rock ! 🙏👍💥
Worste version of the app ever, do not upgrade, buggy system…
Disgusting update! Sonos must fix ASAP! All the things people are shouting. Who the heck decided which features to add/remove. CLEARLY they didn't get the advice from paying customers! All of a sudden I have a $7K sound system in my house that is 1/4 as useful as it was before the update! Infuriating! No alarm access? Worse playlist management? Like I can't simply add a new song to an existing playlist? WTF? 🤬 You say the new update gives you "Complete control...", yet quanrifiably it gives me LESS control and only limited options.
They act like a failed start-up, not a major existing company. No excuse and they aren't really apologizing.
Someone should be fired by releasing this so before it was ready to replace the current one. I’m hopeful most will get fixed. Updates have already started making it, but no reason we should have to suffer through this until then.
No play queue, no alarm, no sleep timer, no webradio, people complain about NAS. I find it difficult to share your enthusiasm about the new app. Looks like they followed Pareto's law of terrible app updates: break 80% of the functions for 20% improved visual appeal. Reverted the update after a day and will not go back to the new app until these are fixed. Will also not update my speakers. I fear they might purposefully break the support for the old app with the next speaker update.
It fucking sucks. Full of bugs. Don’t update
The uogrades app is AWFUL. My app updated automatically. Cannot connect the Move to my Playbar which originally was easy. SO FRUSTRATED. Paid higher cost for Sonos so my life would be easier!!!!!
Hang in there. They really messed up the upgrade but are rolling out fixes. Hopefully they understand how important they have to fix the glitches yesterday!
Sonos just released an update to the new app that adds back alarms. Good to see such rapid progress to fixing their mistakes!
IF YOU CAN'T DO IT RIGHT, DON'T DO IT!!! Terrible! There is no Wi-Fi connection. Everything got disconnected after this “new” rubbish app. I spent hours trying to connect to Wi-Fi and trying to reinstall everything, until luckily for me the old app was still on my wife's iPhone, where I successfully redid the entire installation in less than ten minutes.
I have been a z-wave user for over 15 years starting with a Homeseer hub. I moved to Home Assistant18 months ago and brought over 20 z-wave devices in the move. The z-wave devices represent over 15 years of purchases. My entire z-wave network has been solid as a rock, even the earliest purchased devices operating flawless in both Homeseer and now, Home Assistant. Since moving to Home Assistant, I added a Zigbee controller and 12 Zigbee devices. My experience with my Zigbee network has been rocky. I have witnessed periods of solid performance and have been frustrated with periods of devices not working. I remain open minded, however, I will not trust critical automations to anything but z-wave.
This update has now downgraded sonos....seemingly missing s2 stuff is being added over the following months.....why did they release a half finished app
Some say they rushed it out as the upcoming Sonos headphones won't work with the existing app, and they need a user-friendly interface for choosing music to play on personal headphones even when using Bluetooth and not Wi-Fi?
Don't update... It sucks, look it up.
The new app is just as horrible as the first one. SO disappointed with Sonos... Have a whole home system but it only works every once in awhile. HORRIBLE and Sonos customer support, that's a joke.
The new/old app is primarily a setup utility and a user interface for choosing music to play. In my experience, if you have had or are having problems with operation of Sonos devices, it usually ends up being a network configuration or network equipment problem and the Sonos app - old or new - is almost always not the cause or solution. Every situation is different, but for the many Sonos systems I've been called in to fix, networking problems are typically the real culprit.
Been trying to do this combined with my NordVPN can’t find any info how to combine the both
In my testing, remote access works without a VPN. Not sure what adding a VPN does to things though.
@@DoItForMeSolutions I would like to be able to remote access into my server from outside my network from my phone but also keep my access connected to nord so if I use it I can use my arr stack and still be on NordVPN
Not sure what "arr stack" involves, but if you can't load Tailscale on a particular device (proprietary operating system or don't have full admin control over the device), you can use subnet routing to make that device part of the Tailscale subnet. Many VPN's have a subnet routing feature (sometimes using a different name for it), so instead of Tailscale, perhaps you can use NordVPN and make the Tailscale node (your server) a subnet to that instead?
DO NOT UPDATE!
Outside of accessibility, why would Sonos launch web browser access?
It provides a user interface option for Windows, macOS, Linux and other less popular or proprietary operating systems.
They already have dedicated desktop apps though?
@@nanya2012 Not for Linux or other niche operating systems. And as I mentioned in the video, they are discontinuing the macOS and Windows desktop apps, so the web browser will be the only solution soon for every system that isn't a smartphone.
The update is terrible. It is much worse than the old version. Lots of features missing.
@@garyficken Yeah! I hope they fix it quick so we get the new features plus full backward compatibility.
The update is atrocious. Well used features of prior releases are missing. Looks like its the Spotify controller for now.