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Old 08-09-2017, 11:37 AM
 
Location: Williamsburg, VA
3,550 posts, read 3,093,940 times
Reputation: 10433

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What do you think of these new "smart houses"? The ones where you can turn on appliances, lights, etc. from a remote control.

Is it a passing trend, or the wave of the future? Will every house be like this in another decade?

I guess I'm showing my age, but I worry that it I can unlock the front door from miles away, so can a thief. If I can turn on the oven from a remote control, someone else can do that too and start a fire. I guess there must be some sort of security feature to prevent that, but how long would it take a malicious person to over ride it?

Am I just hopelessly behind the times?
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Old 08-09-2017, 12:19 PM
 
Location: Kansas City, MO
348 posts, read 412,892 times
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I'm with you there. Kind of worried that either my house will be hacked into (hah), or that my house will develop an AI and lock me in. I think I saw a movie about that when I was a kid. -_-
I work in tech, too, so I see how easily people can get access to a customer's server or site. Makes me a little nervous, but am I just being paranoid?

-T.
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Old 08-09-2017, 01:04 PM
 
5,444 posts, read 6,952,046 times
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It isn't a light, but my sprinkler system is connected to the internet and controlled via a cell phone app. It has come in handy a few times being able to turn off the sprinklers if it is raining without having to go to the control box.


As for lights and ovens and such, my thought is why in the world would someone want to start my oven or turn on/off my lights? I could also see the safety aspect of lights being application controlled. If you think someone is breaking into your house, you can use your phone to turn all the lights on which could deter the would be thief.
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Old 08-09-2017, 01:13 PM
 
Location: Southern California
12,713 posts, read 15,445,033 times
Reputation: 35511
It's also annoying when you want to turn off the lights but it's updating the firmware and you have to wait 10 minutes.
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Old 08-09-2017, 01:20 PM
 
4,690 posts, read 10,369,644 times
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As a vet of the IT industry, it scares the bejesus outta me and I wouldn't, for one second, have ANY 'Internet Of Things" connected item in my house. And I know how to do security audits/secure my stuff. I also know that I can turn on my neighbors lights, print to their printer, and watch their baby camera ~ even after telling them that I could and they needed to think about security.

But people seem to like throwing their money at this junk despite its glaring flaws. Any new toy they can play with on their phone...
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Old 08-09-2017, 01:29 PM
 
Location: Denver CO
24,204 posts, read 19,089,383 times
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Hang on a sec, this reminded me I forgot to turn my thermostat up.

There, that's better.

I don't have a smart lock, but I do have a thermostat, lights, sprinkler system - so far. Mine are voice controlled with an Amazon Echo along with being able to use my phone.

None of it is necessary but I feel they've improved my quality of life. For instance, I was able to turn the AC on during the car ride home from the airport so arrived to a nice cool home in 90 degree weather after a week away. If an unexpected rain storm hits, I can easily put my sprinkler on a delay wherever I am and not have to remember to go to the control box when I get home. And if I get chilled in the middle of the night and want to get the heat going for a little bit, it's really nice to do that from under the covers, not have to get out of bed and get even more cold while I walk downstairs to get to the thermostat.

I don't personally see the benefit of something like wifi controlled oven, but I do see the benefit for many applications of smart technology around the home.
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Old 08-09-2017, 01:33 PM
 
11,230 posts, read 9,221,086 times
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Just because you can do something doesn't mean it's a good idea.

I fail to see the benefit in replacing reliable things like standard light switches and standard AC thermostats with computer-controlled ones - and we all know how incredibly reliable consumer-grade computer hardware and software is, right?

I accept that you might be able to turn the thermostat up/down a half hour before you get home, etc., but I do not accept that being a bit cold or hot for a few minutes after I get home and manually do that is such a hardship that I would do anything about it.

Of course, there is this cultural stereotype that if you are over 30 and you don't wholeheartedly jump on the everything-must-be-computerized-and-linked bandwagon, that you are some kind of medieval troglodyte and therefore fair game for mockery and derision as "old and out of touch" or a "Luddite". Those who have bought the sales pitch can't conceive that some of us choose not to participate.
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Old 08-09-2017, 02:22 PM
 
4,690 posts, read 10,369,644 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by emm74 View Post
None of it is necessary but I feel they've improved my quality of life. For instance, I was able to turn the AC on during the car ride home from the airport so arrived to a nice cool home in 90 degree weather after a week away.
Existing technology, I've long had a thermostat that has programmable "vacation" modes. They hold the temp while away, and resume the program when you tell them to (I'd usually do it 12 hours before I was due home so the house cold "normalize"). $50 and I installed one in 2006 in my first home.


Quote:
Originally Posted by emm74 View Post
If an unexpected rain storm hits, I can easily put my sprinkler on a delay wherever I am and not have to remember to go to the control box when I get home.
I have a rain delay sensor simply plugged into my irrigation system (I don't water lawn/trees, but do my garden). $40 and again, something I've had/used for over a decade

Quote:
Originally Posted by emm74 View Post
And if I get chilled in the middle of the night and want to get the heat going for a little bit, it's really nice to do that from under the covers, not have to get out of bed and get even more cold while I walk downstairs to get to the thermostat.
Lol... this one is the easiest, a blanket at the end of the bed for another layer. Or, if you prefer, a mattress pad heater. Though perhaps this is a bigger issue, if your HVAC system can't maintain temps overnight you probably have a bigger issue (like needing weatherstripping).


For lights to come on when you get home, motion sensors are well proven and you can trigger any light you want. I have nearly all of my exterior lights come on with the trigger of any of 3 external sensors. In a prior home with a split-level entry (stairs up and down, only a small landing), the 3 stair lights were motion activated. Most businesses put their office lights on motion sensors, along with bathrooms and I even see that the grocery store does it with the freezers now.


It's a polarized thing, some people see value in the money spent, I see a needless waste of money to complicate (and cause insecurity) tasks that were already being done before.
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Old 08-09-2017, 02:51 PM
 
Location: NJ
31,771 posts, read 40,545,884 times
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i would like to add things that actually benefit me but i fail to see the added value in a lot of this stuff. it seems more "nifty" than actually useful.
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Old 08-09-2017, 02:57 PM
 
2,443 posts, read 3,192,484 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by turf3 View Post
Just because you can do something doesn't mean it's a good idea.
It doesn't mean it is a bad idea, either.

Quote:
I fail to see the benefit in replacing reliable things like standard light switches and standard AC thermostats with computer-controlled ones - and we all know how incredibly reliable consumer-grade computer hardware and software is, right?
I've had pretty good success with my computers and other electronics.

Quote:
Of course, there is this cultural stereotype that if you are over 30 and you don't wholeheartedly jump on the everything-must-be-computerized-and-linked bandwagon, that you are some kind of medieval troglodyte and therefore fair game for mockery and derision as "old and out of touch" or a "Luddite". Those who have bought the sales pitch can't conceive that some of us choose not to participate.
I don't have a problem if someone doesn't want to dive into home automation, but you are being condescending to those who do.

For me, I got started when my daughter started running away. My goal is not to keep people out, but to keep them in. I am able to turn on lights and other things when exterior doors are opened. For my situation, it is very handy.
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