Currently I am using several programs to supplement the Home (HomeKit) app for home automation and ease of use.
I have an Apple TV 4K and a HomePad in my living room, a Philips Hue 2nd generation hub and a Lutron Caseta SmartBridge Pro 2 (currently in my office). I'm using several Lutron Caseta dimmers and switches, and am using 7 Hue color BR30 bulbs in my kitchen, 2 A19 color bulbs in my daughter's room - and I currently am using 12 Hue white ambiance BR30 bulbs throughout my home.
My add on programs for HomeKit include iConnectHue, Home app by Mathias Hochgatterer & the Philips Hue app. My primary controls are an iPhone X or my HomePod via Siri. I also use the Lutron app on my iPhone X & my Apple Watch Series 3 which works well.
My questions for those who made it this far - are how to best use animations and scenes. The Home - Smart Home Automation program by Hochgatterer is very robust but doesn't allow for use of Magic Scenes like iConnectHue does. I haven't quite figured out how to use the animations (purchased a few) on iConnectHue other than testing them - so I would like advice from those that have set this up.
The most annoying thing for me about using Hue instead of Lutron switches and dimmers, is when my family flips the switches off so I get errors under the Services Tab in the Home app by Hochgatterer (I immediately know what the issue is and fix it but it is a PITA!)
I wish there was an all in one app that would and could control everything but having trouble conceptualizing how I should be using scenes and animations. Primarily they would be be used in my kitchen with the 7 color Hue BR30 recessed lights and in my daughter's room with the 2 colored hue A19 bulbs.
How is anyone using scenes or animations with just white ambiance bulbs?
Thanks for any and all help and sorry for so many questions. The deeper I get into smart home automation the more money I spend and the more complicated it gets, lol.
[doublepost=1522769075][/doublepost]I'll be installing a Netgear Nighthawk Mesh X6S tri-band WiFi Mesh extender into my home network on Thursday once it arrives, in conjunction with my Netgear Nighthawk X10 router I've owned for over a year. I have a large ranch style home and my WiFi strength really drops off past my kitchen to my bedrooms on the east end of the house.
Hoping the addition of the mesh extender doesn't cause problems with HomeKit and auxiliary programs (it will use the same network SSID & passwords. I have a gigabit fiber connection coming into the home and my wired/wireless speeds are excellent - except for the drop off towards the east side of the house due to multiple walls, etc.
Near future plans include smart locks, something like the August doorbell cam with HomeKit integration, and figuring out how to connect my garage door openers (I have a old Raynor operator for my double car side of the garage, and an Overhead Door Odyssey 1000 for the single car garage side). I know Chamberlain has something that will allow for smart garage doors but I need to do more research about that.
I have an Apple TV 4K and a HomePad in my living room, a Philips Hue 2nd generation hub and a Lutron Caseta SmartBridge Pro 2 (currently in my office). I'm using several Lutron Caseta dimmers and switches, and am using 7 Hue color BR30 bulbs in my kitchen, 2 A19 color bulbs in my daughter's room - and I currently am using 12 Hue white ambiance BR30 bulbs throughout my home.
My add on programs for HomeKit include iConnectHue, Home app by Mathias Hochgatterer & the Philips Hue app. My primary controls are an iPhone X or my HomePod via Siri. I also use the Lutron app on my iPhone X & my Apple Watch Series 3 which works well.
My questions for those who made it this far - are how to best use animations and scenes. The Home - Smart Home Automation program by Hochgatterer is very robust but doesn't allow for use of Magic Scenes like iConnectHue does. I haven't quite figured out how to use the animations (purchased a few) on iConnectHue other than testing them - so I would like advice from those that have set this up.
The most annoying thing for me about using Hue instead of Lutron switches and dimmers, is when my family flips the switches off so I get errors under the Services Tab in the Home app by Hochgatterer (I immediately know what the issue is and fix it but it is a PITA!)
I wish there was an all in one app that would and could control everything but having trouble conceptualizing how I should be using scenes and animations. Primarily they would be be used in my kitchen with the 7 color Hue BR30 recessed lights and in my daughter's room with the 2 colored hue A19 bulbs.
How is anyone using scenes or animations with just white ambiance bulbs?
Thanks for any and all help and sorry for so many questions. The deeper I get into smart home automation the more money I spend and the more complicated it gets, lol.
[doublepost=1522769075][/doublepost]I'll be installing a Netgear Nighthawk Mesh X6S tri-band WiFi Mesh extender into my home network on Thursday once it arrives, in conjunction with my Netgear Nighthawk X10 router I've owned for over a year. I have a large ranch style home and my WiFi strength really drops off past my kitchen to my bedrooms on the east end of the house.
Hoping the addition of the mesh extender doesn't cause problems with HomeKit and auxiliary programs (it will use the same network SSID & passwords. I have a gigabit fiber connection coming into the home and my wired/wireless speeds are excellent - except for the drop off towards the east side of the house due to multiple walls, etc.
Near future plans include smart locks, something like the August doorbell cam with HomeKit integration, and figuring out how to connect my garage door openers (I have a old Raynor operator for my double car side of the garage, and an Overhead Door Odyssey 1000 for the single car garage side). I know Chamberlain has something that will allow for smart garage doors but I need to do more research about that.
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