# Anyone controlling a Tivo with Amazon Echo through a Harmony Hub?



## adessmith (Oct 5, 2007)

I just noticed that a couple months ago amazon added harmony skills to the echo.
It seems that the skills are limited to running activities and possibly changing channels. (which realistically is all I would be interested in)
I'm just curious if anyone has tried changing channels with on a tivo via this method? It seems that I have read that the ability to change channels might be limited to specific devices.


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## alexb (Jan 4, 2003)

Yes I use it change channels but it's not any channel - just the harmony favourites like 'Alexa turn on hbo'


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## adessmith (Oct 5, 2007)

I actually only have OTA, so I only get a handful of decent channels. Do you know if there is a limit to how many favorites you can program?
I'll bet I can get most, if not all, of my broadcast stations set as favorites.
I wish tivo had discrete codes for Netflix and Hulu... I'd love to have actions to go straight to my streaming apps.


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## kaszeta (Jun 11, 2004)

adessmith said:


> I actually only have OTA, so I only get a handful of decent channels. Do you know if there is a limit to how many favorites you can program?


50. You should be fine.


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## adessmith (Oct 5, 2007)

So I got this setup last night and it's pretty slick. Its nice not to have to worry about holding the remote pointed at the devices until it finishes throwing out all the codes.
I am also able to execute actions via my echo dot (Turn on TV, turn on Blu-ray, turn off TV, turn on Fox, etc...)
The one oddity is that when turning on my nintendo wii via alexa, I get a response saying something like "that command is not valid for that device", but then a couple seconds later the action runs anyway.
I was concerned about the limited buttons on the remote (I have the basic harmony smart control). There is no LCD screen or soft buttons, so you are stuck with the physical buttons on the remote. I did find that any button can have two different functions (short press and long press), so I was able to create some fairly intuitive mappings that overcomes this shortcoming. For instance, the "live tv" button is a long press of the guide button. The zoom button is a long press on the info button. (I use this often to switch to full screen when something is playing in the little PIP window) Channel up and channel down long press maps to thumbs up and thumbs down. Not incredibly obvious, but easy enough to remember.
One exception to my fairly intuitive mappings is that the colored buttons on the harmony are not lettered A/B/C/D, and the colors are not in the same order as they are on the tivo. I am used to thinking about these buttons in terms of the letter, and not the color. What I did was mapped them from left to right as A/B/C/D for short press, and then for long press I mapped them according to the color. So I just have to remember that the colored buttons are A/B/C/D from left to right... OR, if I want to press "blue", I just press and hold the blue button. Not incredibly intuitive, but it makes enough sense to me.
I also found it odd that the default mapping for the exit button was "clear". I changed that to "back" immediately after accidentally deleting some of my recordings.


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## rondotcom (Feb 13, 2005)

I am using the Harmony Hub, and I am not quite sure what I did. It switches my Samsung to to HDMI inout just fine, but tive winds uo in the middle of my OnePass list. ANy have that problem or know what I may have done?


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## LynnL999 (Oct 7, 2002)

Yes, I am using it with both Alexa and Stringify and have made a couple of custom activities.

I made a custom activity called "I'm home" (as in "Alexa, tell Stringify I'm home") which, as far as TiVo is concerned, turns on the TV and receiver, tunes the TiVo to my preferred news channel, and if possible, jumps back 30 minutes to the beginning of of the cache. Then it switches the remote to the regular TiVo activity.

I made two versions of this, one that triggers with my door sensor for coming home from work, and one that I can trigger with Alexa.

I also have Stringify flows for "watch Roku" and "watch bluray" that change the lights (depending on time of day).


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## ufo4sale (Apr 21, 2001)

LynnL999 said:


> Yes, I am using it with both Alexa and Stringify and have made a couple of custom activities.
> 
> I made a custom activity called "I'm home" (as in "Alexa, tell Stringify I'm home") which, as far as TiVo is concerned, turns on the TV and receiver, tunes the TiVo to my preferred news channel, and if possible, jumps back 30 minutes to the beginning of of the cache. Then it switches the remote to the regular TiVo activity.
> 
> ...


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## adessmith (Oct 5, 2007)

LynnL999 said:


> Yes, I am using it with both Alexa and Stringify and have made a couple of custom activities.
> 
> I made a custom activity called "I'm home" (as in "Alexa, tell Stringify I'm home") which, as far as TiVo is concerned, turns on the TV and receiver, tunes the TiVo to my preferred news channel, and if possible, jumps back 30 minutes to the beginning of of the cache. Then it switches the remote to the regular TiVo activity.
> 
> ...


I'm hoping my home automation system ends up providing integration with my harmony hub in the future.
I'm using the Lowes-Iris system and I am more than happy with it other than lack of some 3rd party integration (IFTTT, harmony, and nest specifically).
I have over 60 devices, including all of my light switches, lamp modules, fan controls, led tape light, window and door sensors, motion sensors, door locks, cameras, alarm keypads, sirens, key fobs, water heater controler, leak sensors, orbit hose timer, smoke alarms... you name it....
I can control any of my lights, and can launch scenes or lock doors with echo dots. I also can control the harmony hub and nest via alexa. I have groups setup in alexa that will do things like run lighting scenes, adjust temperature, and launch harmony activities... however groups of actions like this have to be triggered by voice. There is no way to have a trigger in the iris system launch an activity on a 3rd party service yet. (launch harmony activity when someone arrives to an empty house).

Now that most of the functionality that used to cost $10/month is free, I can highly recommend the iris system if anyone here is interested in HA and security.
They also now have a beta of professional security monitoring as well.


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## LynnL999 (Oct 7, 2002)

I'm finding that home automation is like crack. The more I do, the more I want to do. I have replaced most of my light bulbs, I have a Nest thermostat and smoke detectors, a Ring doorbell, door sensors and various other things. Next will probably be a front door lock and a few outdoor security cameras.

I would love to do strip lights. The good ones are super pricey though.


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## LynnL999 (Oct 7, 2002)

ufo4sale said:


>


What?


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

LynnL999 said:


> I'm finding that home automation is like crack. The more I do, the more I want to do. I have replaced most of my light bulbs, I have a Nest thermostat and smoke detectors, a Ring doorbell, door sensors and various other things. Next will probably be a front door lock and a few outdoor security cameras.
> 
> I would love to do strip lights. The good ones are super pricey though.


Whoa! How much have you spent on all that stuff? I love tech, but a lot of the home automation tech really seems like technology for the sake of technology. I do like the idea of a universal remote, it just seems dumb that the Harmony can't control stuff like TiVo via IP, and has to rely on old school IR. Also, Wi-Fi thermostats make a lot of sense, especially in the summer, but the stuff like a doorbell or doorlock or garage door opener seems like a solution in search of a problem.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

Bigg said:


> Whoa! How much have you spent on all that stuff? I love tech, but a lot of the home automation tech really seems like technology for the sake of technology. I do like the idea of a universal remote, it just seems dumb that the Harmony can't control stuff like TiVo via IP, and has to rely on old school IR. Also, Wi-Fi thermostats make a lot of sense, especially in the summer, but the stuff like a doorbell or doorlock or garage door opener seems like a solution in search of a problem.


The nice thing about the doorbell: when it includes a video stream, to see if you really need to answer the door (or want to).


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## atmuscarella (Oct 11, 2005)

Mikeguy said:


> The nice thing about the doorbell: when it includes a video stream, to see if you really need to answer the door (or want to).


Some of the door bells are really amazing. My friends where gifted one and not only can they see who is at the door they can talk to them and it is all through a smart phone so they do not even need to be home. I stopped one day and they saw me at the door on their phone while driving home from a trip (the door bell sends a notification when there is movement) and told me how long it would be before they would be home. I was a little disoriented as I didn't know they could talk to me through the door bell.


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## kbmb (Jun 22, 2004)

Bigg said:


> Whoa! How much have you spent on all that stuff? I love tech, but a lot of the home automation tech really seems like technology for the sake of technology. I do like the idea of a universal remote, it just seems dumb that the Harmony can't control stuff like TiVo via IP, and has to rely on old school IR. Also, Wi-Fi thermostats make a lot of sense, especially in the summer, but the stuff like a doorbell or doorlock or garage door opener seems like a solution in search of a problem.


The Harmony Hub is extremely powerful. I have it controlling all my components just with the base, not using any of the extenders. I was shocked when I bought it and everything just worked. Also it's a lot faster than the old school IR Harmonys from the remote.

And the integration with Alexa is great. Super easy to tell her to turn on tv. Or turn on Vudu on the Roku.

-Kevin


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

Mikeguy said:


> The nice thing about the doorbell: when it includes a video stream, to see if you really need to answer the door (or want to).


Or you could just get off your derriere and answer it. I mean really, how often does your doorbell ring? Probably not very often.



atmuscarella said:


> Some of the door bells are really amazing. My friends where gifted one and not only can they see who is at the door they can talk to them and it is all through a smart phone so they do not even need to be home. I stopped one day and they saw me at the door on their phone while driving home from a trip (the door bell sends a notification when there is movement) and told me how long it would be before they would be home. I was a little disoriented as I didn't know they could talk to me through the door bell.


Presumably you could also call your friend and ask them?

A video doorbell just seems to me like a solution in search of a problem, and technology for technology's sake.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

Bigg said:


> Or you could just get off your derriere and answer it.


Sometimes you don't want to, or to deal with solicitors. It's door-screening.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

Mikeguy said:


> Sometimes you don't want to, or to deal with solicitors. It's door-screening.


#firstworldproblems


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

Bigg said:


> #firstworldproblems


#justlikehavinganansweringmachine
#justlikehavingativo
#justlikehavingagaragedooropener
#convenienceforsome


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## LynnL999 (Oct 7, 2002)

Bigg said:


> Whoa! How much have you spent on all that stuff? I love tech, but a lot of the home automation tech really seems like technology for the sake of technology. I do like the idea of a universal remote, it just seems dumb that the Harmony can't control stuff like TiVo via IP, and has to rely on old school IR. Also, Wi-Fi thermostats make a lot of sense, especially in the summer, but the stuff like a doorbell or doorlock or garage door opener seems like a solution in search of a problem.


Something to know about me -- I was burglarized when I lived in my first apartment on my own. Literally everything in the place was taken. Most of it was recovered later, but still, it was a pretty traumatizing experience for a 21 year old, and it left me with a mild case of PTSD/OCD where I tend to worry about my house more than the average Joe or Jane.

I actually started home tech with a couple of IP cameras years ago now, just so I could keep an eye on the place, and also keep an eye on my pets. It gave me a lot of peace of mind to be able to look in on them from anywhere in the world, and just know everything was okay at home.

I do have a regular security system (which IMO I pay too much for), but I've never been happy with the passivity of those systems. They go off when someone breaks in, hopefully, but other than a sign to stick in the ground, don't do anything, really, to deter or stop a break in from happening.

So when Zwave devices started coming out, I was kind of a natural audience. I started with a Wink hub and a couple of light bulbs, which were helpful for security too -- you can make the lights change states in the evening if you aren't there as many times as you want.

It wasn't until the Amazon Echo started integrating IOT devices that I started to see the potential to really automate things with voice commands. And now we have services like IFTTT and Stringify which do a great job of tying different things together. I can use a combination of my phone's location and the devices that are automated to do a lot of different things. For example: if my door sensors trip between 1 and 6 am, every light in my house goes on. (Yes, the alarm will go off too, but I'd rather have that happen with the lights on, and it will certainly make the house easier for the police to see.) Or if my carbon monoxide detectors alarm between 11 pm and 6 am and I don't silence them within 5 minutes, my neighbor will get a phone call informing them of what happened.

I've added everything I have over period of a few years now. It's a cost up front, but the lightbulbs, for example, are rated to last for 20 years and they save power now. I think the lightbulbs will actually last longer because every single one is dimmable, and I have almost none of them default to 100 percent. My backyard light, with no special sensors, goes off by itself at sunrise, whenever that is on any given day.

The thermostat was a money-saver from the day I installed it, and I figure the break even point on it is two years.

The Ring doorbell serves as an outdoor camera and IMO it deters package theft and stops knock-knock burglars in their tracks. At night, if the Ring detects movement, my porch light automatically turns on for 10 minutes. Is it critical? No, not really, but it's kind of nice to have.

The other stuff like door sensors were cheap, and if you're going to have this stuff, you might as well be able to trigger a bunch of things when you come home and feel just a little like you're living on the Enterprise


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

LynnL999 said:


> Something to know about me -- I was burglarized when I lived in my first apartment on my own. Literally everything in the place was taken. Most of it was recovered later, but still, it was a pretty traumatizing experience for a 21 year old, and it left me with a mild case of PTSD/OCD where I tend to worry about my house more than the average Joe or Jane.
> 
> I actually started home tech with a couple of IP cameras years ago now, just so I could keep an eye on the place, and also keep an eye on my pets. It gave me a lot of peace of mind to be able to look in on them from anywhere in the world, and just know everything was okay at home.
> 
> ...


I think your system sounds stupendous--and you have no need to "justify" it. Thanks for explaining how you're using it--very interesting (and logical/safety-seeming); and, fun.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

I think thermostats and even washers and dryers make sense, but most of this other stuff is never going to go mainstream. It's technology for the sake of technology, and will either be purchased by rich people who want to pay someone to set it up and like to have expensive toys, or by geeks like the people on here who like playing with technology. There's nothing wrong with playing with technology if that's your hobby- but don't pretend that Wi-Fi lights, garage door openers, door locks, wireless doorbells and the like serve any useful purpose.


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## atmuscarella (Oct 11, 2005)

Bigg said:


> I think thermostats and even washers and dryers make sense, but most of this other stuff is never going to go mainstream. It's technology for the sake of technology, and will either be purchased by rich people who want to pay someone to set it up and like to have expensive toys, or by geeks like the people on here who like playing with technology. There's nothing wrong with playing with technology if that's your hobby- but don't pretend that Wi-Fi lights, garage door openers, door locks, wireless doorbells and the like serve any useful purpose.


If something serves a useful purpose or not is a personal decision, so if someone finds a remote doorbell useful, it is. While I personally would not find a WiFi/remote doorbell very useful, I certainly can see how a disabled or elderly person could find one very useful. Now if you want to say they are not necessary that might well be true. But there are lots of things that are not necessary that I find very useful.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

atmuscarella said:


> If something serves a useful purpose or not is a personal decision, so if someone finds a remote doorbell useful, it is. While I personally would not find a WiFi/remote doorbell very useful, I certainly can see how a disabled or elderly person could find one very useful. Now if you want to say they are not necessary that might well be true. But there are lots of things that are not necessary that I find very useful.


I guess one can say, many things in life are not necessary: a TiVo, a food processor, a garage door opener, a doorbell (just knock). It's all relative, including based on one's own needs.

Even a doorbell audio/video setup. In the recent past, I was awakened in the middle of a hot Summer night, at 2 a.m., by rustling sounds outside my house. I could have sworn that that I had been awakened by someone lightly knocking on my front door or grazing against it; the sound was bigger that what a cat or raccoon would cause. It was a bit frightening, especially since my windows were open down to the screens and one of the front, large windows is at street level on a front porch area, easy enough to break through. Ultimately, I crept downstairs, only half awake and dressed only in a pair of gym shorts, feeling very vulnerable and without anything to protect myself with, to see a large man flashing a large flashlight around my tiny front yard and into my house through the open front window. Feeling largely defenseless, I called out to him from across the living room--it turned out (he said), he was a policeman, and had been called out for some sort of disturbance at a house across the street (it was hard to make out the house numbers in the dark)--his clothing, equipment, and shoulder radio seemed to support him. I directed him to the right house, and the incident was over.

But if I had had a front door audio/video system with which I could have monitored matters totally safely from upstairs, perhaps even calling the police from the safety of my bedroom, I might have saved a few years off my life . . . . (And just as an aside, I've sometimes wondered how matters might have proceeded if I had had a gun, pointing it at the intruder as I crept into the living room.)


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

Bigg said:


> I think thermostats and even washers and dryers make sense, but most of this other stuff is never going to go mainstream. *It's technology for the sake of technology*, and will either be purchased by rich people who want to pay someone to set it up and like to have expensive toys, or by geeks like the people on here who like playing with technology. There's nothing wrong with playing with technology if that's your hobby- *but don't pretend that Wi-Fi lights, garage door openers, door locks, wireless doorbells and the like serve any useful purpose*.


Perhaps for you, but perhaps not for others. I must say, I found our garage door opener nice during 5-month long, sub-zero Winters growing up, as a friend who uses a wheelchair still does. And having had 2 water heaters break open on me in various homes, flooding the basement or garage, I can see how WiFi monitoring/alerts would be beneficial, let alone a WiFi security system allowing me to check on a pet or outside home disturbance when I am away or simply more safely (see above).


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## LynnL999 (Oct 7, 2002)

Bigg said:


> I think thermostats and even washers and dryers make sense, but most of this other stuff is never going to go mainstream. It's technology for the sake of technology, and will either be purchased by rich people who want to pay someone to set it up and like to have expensive toys, or by geeks like the people on here who like playing with technology. There's nothing wrong with playing with technology if that's your hobby- but don't pretend that Wi-Fi lights, garage door openers, door locks, wireless doorbells and the like serve any useful purpose.


I'm get you don't see the value in it, and you're entitled to your opinion. But with the *exception* of the Harmony, which is only useful for entertainment, everything else I've added has at least some safety benefit. The doorbell is also a motion detector. The lights make it look like I'm home when I'm not.

The reason I want the door lock is because numerous people have keys to my house for various purposes. While I trust those people, I'd also feel safer if they had a code that could be enabled and disabled, rather than a key being out there. The smart lock also makes a log that keeps track of who is coming and going and what code was used.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

LynnL999 said:


> The reason I want the door lock is because numerous people have keys to my house for various purposes. While I trust those people, I'd also feel safer if they had a code that could be enabled and disabled, rather than a key being out there. The smart lock also makes a log that keeps track of who is coming and going and what code was used.


That's a feature I've liked in the door locks--for example, you could provide a 1-time door code for someone you've hired to come into the house to do some work for the day, without worrying that a physical key might be lost, or copied. Plus, it's pretty convenient.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

atmuscarella said:


> If something serves a useful purpose or not is a personal decision, so if someone finds a remote doorbell useful, it is. While I personally would not find a WiFi/remote doorbell very useful, I certainly can see how a disabled or elderly person could find one very useful. Now if you want to say they are not necessary that might well be true. But there are lots of things that are not necessary that I find very useful.


True. But I don't think this stuff will go mainstream, as it doesn't serve a purpose to the average person, it's some sort of extreme niche. And yes, it could serve a purpose for folks who are disabled. Other stupid/pointless technologies like the Amazon Echo and backup cameras in cars are also hugely useful for people with disabilities, so they have a silver lining, even though for able bodied folks they are just stupid gimmicks or for the lazy.



Mikeguy said:


> I must say, I found our garage door opener nice during 5-month long, sub-zero Winters growing up, as a friend who uses a wheelchair still does.


I wasn't doubting the usefulness of a garage door opener. I was doubting the useless of a Wi-Fi connected garage door opener with an app.



> And having had 2 water heaters break open on me in various homes, flooding the basement or garage,


True. But it doesn't need to be Wi-Fi connected. There are ones out there that just connect to a valve on the incoming water supply and shut it off.



LynnL999 said:


> The doorbell is also a motion detector. The lights make it look like I'm home when I'm not.


They've had motion detector lights and mechanical plug-in timers since way before Wi-Fi and always on internet that serve the same basic function.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

Bigg said:


> I wasn't doubting the usefulness of a garage door opener. I was doubting the useless of a Wi-Fi connected garage door opener with an app.


I guess, to avoid having to carry a separate garage door opener (assuming that one has a smartphone which goes everywhere)? (I have a convertible which people tend to like to break into, and so leaving a garage door opener in the car is not a very good idea.)


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

Mikeguy said:


> I guess, to avoid having to carry a separate garage door opener (assuming that one has a smartphone which goes everywhere)? (I have a convertible which people tend to like to break into, and so leaving a garage door opener in the car is not a very good idea.)


Just what I want to do every time I go in the driveway. Get my phone, unlock it, open up some app, let it connect, it might bomb out because it's connected to my Wi-Fi but it's too weak to really work, and *then* open my garage door. Versus just pushing a button on a little garage door opener. A lot of this stuff is just doing a lousy job re-inventing the wheel.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

Bigg said:


> Just what I want to do every time I go in the driveway. Get my phone, unlock it, open up some app, let it connect, it might bomb out because it's connected to my Wi-Fi but it's too weak to really work, and *then* open my garage door. Versus just pushing a button on a little garage door opener. A lot of this stuff is just doing a lousy job re-inventing the wheel.


I don't necessarily disagree, but it's great that there are different strokes for different folks.


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## LynnL999 (Oct 7, 2002)

Bigg said:


> True. But I don't think this stuff will go mainstream, as it doesn't serve a purpose to the average person, it's some sort of extreme niche.


I guess I don't see how that makes it bad or stupid. Plenty of things are niche, that doesn't make them less useful for the people who like them. Like, for example, TiVos as opposed to a generic MSO DVR.



> Other stupid/pointless technologies like the Amazon Echo


Seriously? You're really just being rude now. I use it to play music, as my alarm clock, as a source of news and weather and traffic information. Please explain why it's any more stupid than any other piece of tech that does those things?



> They've had motion detector lights and mechanical plug-in timers since way before Wi-Fi and always on internet that serve the same basic function.


So what? The connected ones do it better and give the user more control.

I get you don't like this stuff, but maybe don't call it, and by extension the people who use it, stupid, especially when you have no experience with it yourself? Just say "not interested" and move on.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

LynnL999 said:


> I guess I don't see how that makes it bad or stupid. Plenty of things are niche, that doesn't make them less useful for the people who like them. Like, for example, TiVos as opposed to a generic MSO DVR.


If you frame them as this great, useful device that will transform/innovate something, then it's stupid, because it just doesn't do that. If you frame it as a tech toy for tech enthusiasts, then I think any of these devices (Hue, Echo, etc) are just fine.



> Seriously? You're really just being rude now. I use it to play music, as my alarm clock, as a source of news and weather and traffic information. Please explain why it's any more stupid than any other piece of tech that does those things?


It's entirely a toy. As a toy, it's a fine device, and has some legitimately cool technology under the hood. As a useful device, the Echo has not proven itself to do anything better than the way it was previously done. The same is true for Google Home, although Ok Google on a phone has some limited use cases where it provides a marginal improvement over just typing in whatever you want to do.



> So what? The connected ones do it better and give the user more control.
> 
> I get you don't like this stuff, but maybe don't call it, and by extension the people who use it, stupid, especially when you have no experience with it yourself? Just say "not interested" and move on.


But for what purpose? They add a lot of complexity, and don't do the job any better than the device that previously did the job. I'm not saying that people shouldn't buy an Echo or shouldn't get Hue bulbs, but if they think they are actually useful or actually do something in day to day life better than what preceded them, then they are delusional. These are technology demonstrations and technology toys. Play with them, screw around with them (Alexa is hilarious to screw around with if you have several people), but be honest and acknowledge that these things are toys, and are not going to gain mainstream adoption until they can do something useful, and do it better than whatever device came before them.


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## LynnL999 (Oct 7, 2002)

Bigg said:


> If you frame them as this great, useful device that will transform/innovate something, then it's stupid, because it just doesn't do that. If you frame it as a tech toy for tech enthusiasts, then I think any of these devices (Hue, Echo, etc) are just fine.


It's transformative and innovative for *me*. I don't care about the tech market.

Something that makes my house better and safer, on some level, is useful. It's not a toy. If you don't find it useful, fine. That doesn't mean it's not.



> But for what purpose? They add a lot of complexity, and don't do the job any better than the device that previously did the job. I'm not saying that people shouldn't buy an Echo or shouldn't get Hue bulbs, but if they think they are actually useful or actually do something in day to day life better than what preceded them, then they are delusional. These are technology demonstrations and technology toys. Play with them, screw around with them (Alexa is hilarious to screw around with if you have several people), but be honest and acknowledge that these things are toys, and are not going to gain mainstream adoption until they can do something useful, and do it better than whatever device came before them.


You are grouping together things that aren't the same. And they don't add a lot of complexity. You set them up once and you're done.

Lights, thermostats, locks, cameras, sensors, etc. are not "toys." They are useful devices. So is the Alexa, as I use it. You want to call the Harmony a toy, fine. So is TiVo. So is my ancient iPod classic. I can't imagine living without any of them.

And how is it more complicated to turn my doorbell and porch light into a motion detector/light than it would be the old fashioned way? Instead of replacing the doorbell, I'd have to replace the porch light with one that does motion detection instead of just changing the bulb. And it wouldn't provide me with any information. You might not see it, but again, this is more useful.

You've progressed from saying "stupid" to saying "toy," but neither is objectively true.

Why are you objecting so hard here? Is someone putting a gun to your head? I think plenty of things are stupid, but I don't see the need to tell others who like them when they aren't harming me in any way.


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## David Platt (Dec 13, 2001)

Bigg said:


> If you frame them as this great, useful device that will transform/innovate something, then it's stupid, because it just doesn't do that.


Well, then-- it's pretty nice that no one has framed them as that.


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## idksmy (Jul 16, 2016)

LynnL999 said:


> It's transformative and innovative for *me*. I don't care about the tech market.


As I am sure you have noticed, there are several members of this forum whose attitude is, "If you disagree with me, you are stupid, uninformed or both."


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

idksmy said:


> As I am sure you have noticed, there are several members of this forum whose attitude is, "If you disagree with me, you are stupid, uninformed or both."


I, on the other hand, am much better than that.

If you disagree with me, you're simply wrong.

And that's OK.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

LynnL999 said:


> Why are you objecting so hard here? Is someone putting a gun to your head? I think plenty of things are stupid, but I don't see the need to tell others who like them when they aren't harming me in any way.


People often try and make out smart home/IoT devices like they're going to take off and sell a gazillion of them, but that's not going to happen. In order for them to go mainstream, they have to actually be useful, and not just geeky tech toys. Wi-Fi thermostats fit the bill as useful, most of the others devices simply don't. Normal people would prefer to use regular lightswitches, regular garage door openers, and don't need/want video doorbells or cameras around their house.


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## kaszeta (Jun 11, 2004)

Bigg said:


> People often try and make out smart home/IoT devices like they're going to take off and sell a gazillion of them, but that's not going to happen. In order for them to go mainstream, they have to actually be useful, and not just geeky tech toys. Wi-Fi thermostats fit the bill as useful, most of the others devices simply don't. .


I'm interested in why a Wi-Fi thermostat fits the bill as "useful" to you, but some of the other features don't. That's probably one of the _least_ used home automation technologies in my house (most of the time, my thermostat is just.... maintaining a fixed temperature. It just does its thing, and I ignore it). It's probably used the most for a secondary feature; my thermostat has probably the most accurate of several options for knowing the outside temperature.

Meanwhile, the combination of the smart switches (Insteon) and voice control (Alexa) is a frequently, multiple-times-a-day technology for me. I'm usually carrying something as I come in the door, and now I don't need to fiddle around with switches with my hands full, I just ask to have the lights turned on. Similarly with the TV... I don't need to even hunt for the Harmony remote, I just ask Alexa to turn on a certain channel, and, boom. It's done.

Same with grocery list management. I'm hip deep in the cupboard and discover I need more flour? I don't need to go find a shopping list, or find my phone, or anything other than, "Alexa, add flour to my shopping list".

Those are useful. Maybe not to you, but it is to me. And a lot of people.

Similarly, at the end of the day, when I used to have to go around turning out lights, I can simply turn off every light in the house except my bedside lamp instantly, and without hassle.

Don't get me completely wrong, I do understand part of where you are coming from, since the bulk of the Alexa functions, for example, aren't actually that useful for me (daily flash briefings, weather, etc, since I'm seldom in circumstances where having this device in the house talking to me isn't disruptive). And I know a lot of people, like my visiting parents or my housesitter, don't necessarily want a "script of supported voice commands", so I made sure I still have a basic set of switches in intuitive places that "do the right thing"


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

Thermostats are useful because if it's 90 degrees out, you can turn your A/C on before you get home and not sweat like a pig when you're home. It's not as useful for heat, since most houses in northern climates have to be kept at a minimum of 55 for stuff to not freeze/break, and in climates where it doesn't freeze, then it inherently never really gets cold. There are a few situations where heat could be useful, like I know of some people who have a second home that they can leave at 50, and it has a hot water heating system that takes a while to get going, so they got a Wi-Fi thermostat to get the heat running an hour or two before they get there.

Most people don't want their lights controlled by voice. They have light switches, and they work just fine, without the added complexity of networking everything. If you turn lights on when you go into a room, and off when you leave, you don't have to "go around turning off lights". This stuff has been around in high end applications for much longer, with centralized Crestron control systems, and even there, it's not that common, as most people just want a light switch that they can flip on or off, maybe a dimmer in certain situations.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

Bigg said:


> Thermostats are useful because if it's 90 degrees out, you can turn your A/C on before you get home and not sweat like a pig when you're home. It's not as useful for heat, since most houses in northern climates have to be kept at a minimum of 55 for stuff to not freeze/break, and in climates where it doesn't freeze, then it inherently never really gets cold. There are a few situations where heat could be useful, like I know of some people who have a second home that they can leave at 50, and it has a hot water heating system that takes a while to get going, so they got a Wi-Fi thermostat to get the heat running an hour or two before they get there.
> 
> Most people don't want their lights controlled by voice. They have light switches, and they work just fine, without the added complexity of networking everything. If you turn lights on when you go into a room, and off when you leave, you don't have to "go around turning off lights". This stuff has been around in high end applications for much longer, with centralized Crestron control systems, and even there, it's not that common, as most people just want a light switch that they can flip on or off, maybe a dimmer in certain situations.


I don't know about that lights situation--the "Clapper" seems to do pretty well, at least around Christmas. 

I bet that if voice-controlled lights were not much more $-wise than "manual" lights, people would like the convenience. They seem to on "Star Trek."


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

Bigg said:


> Thermostats are useful because if it's 90 degrees out, you can turn your A/C on before you get home and not sweat like a pig when you're home. It's not as useful for heat, since most houses in northern climates have to be kept at a minimum of 55 for stuff to not freeze/break, and in climates where it doesn't freeze, then it inherently never really gets cold. There are a few situations where heat could be useful, like I know of some people who have a second home that they can leave at 50, and it has a hot water heating system that takes a while to get going, so they got a Wi-Fi thermostat to get the heat running an hour or two before they get there.


I used to work until midnight. My A/C had a timer built-in. I set it to turn on before I came home. My heat is on a programmable thermostat. It saves a LOT in heating oil. But it would be nice to have internet access to change things. But that assumes I had internet access before I came home. Not my lifestyle, but I can see its function.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

JoeKustra said:


> I used to work until midnight. My A/C had a timer built-in. I set it to turn on before I came home. My heat is on a programmable thermostat. It saves a LOT in heating oil. But it would be nice to have internet access to change things. But that assumes I had internet access before I came home. Not my lifestyle, but I can see its function.


Given how thermostat controls work as well as programmable thermostats, I often have wondered about the benefits of so-called smart thermostats. But, I guess, it could be nice to be able to "dial in" to one's thermostat from time away to tell it to cool the house down/heat it up earlier or later than set for, if one's schedule changes. Also, "learning modes" such as in the Nest could be useful for some households. For me, though, with limited such needs, far from essential.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

JoeKustra said:


> I used to work until midnight. My A/C had a timer built-in. I set it to turn on before I came home. My heat is on a programmable thermostat. It saves a LOT in heating oil. But it would be nice to have internet access to change things. But that assumes I had internet access before I came home. Not my lifestyle, but I can see its function.


It's only been a useful idea in the past 5 years since we have smartphones. Programmable thermostats are good if your schedule is predictable. Wi-Fi thermostats take it to the next level.



Mikeguy said:


> Given how thermostat controls work as well as programmable thermostats, I often have wondered about the benefits of so-called smart thermostats. But, I guess, it could be nice to be able to "dial in" to one's thermostat from time away to tell it to cool the house down/heat it up earlier or later than set for, if one's schedule changes. Also, "learning modes" such as in the Nest could be useful for some households. For me, though, with limited such needs, far from essential.


I wish my window unit had had Wi-Fi when I lived in a rental house. A couple of times I texted my roommates and asked them to turn my AC on when coming back from a trip in the summer, but they weren't always around. Several times I came home from work and it was around 90 in my room. I would never trust the Nest though, not after some of them just stopped working. Not acceptable in a climate like New England where things can freeze. Would be fine in SoCal where you don't really need heat anyway, since it never freezes.


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## HerronScott (Jan 1, 2002)

Bigg said:


> Other stupid/pointless technologies like the Amazon Echo and backup cameras in cars are also hugely useful for people with disabilities, so they have a silver lining, even though for able bodied folks they are just stupid gimmicks or for the lazy.


And of course this is why they are going to require backup cameras in all new vehicles under 10,000 lbs by mid-2018 because they are stupid gimmicks and for the lazy. 



Bigg said:


> People often try and make out smart home/IoT devices like they're going to take off and sell a gazillion of them, but that's not going to happen. In order for them to go mainstream, they have to actually be useful, and not just geeky tech toys.


I'm pretty sure your description would have applied to the iPhone when it was released in 2007 as well ("geeky tech toy").

Scott


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## dlfl (Jul 6, 2006)

JoeKustra said:


> I used to work until midnight. My A/C had a timer built-in. I set it to turn on before I came home. My heat is on a programmable thermostat. It saves a LOT in heating oil. But it would be nice to have internet access to change things. But that assumes I had internet access before I came home. Not my lifestyle, but I can see its function.





Mikeguy said:


> Given how thermostat controls work as well as programmable thermostats, I often have wondered about the benefits of so-called smart thermostats. But, I guess, it could be nice to be able to "dial in" to one's thermostat from time away to tell it to cool the house down/heat it up earlier or later than set for, if one's schedule changes. Also, "learning modes" such as in the Nest could be useful for some households. For me, though, with limited such needs, far from essential.


A healthy skepticism is in order regarding the energy savings of programmable thermostats. See this for example:
The Programmable Thermostat Savings Myth
As reported, in some cases homes with programmable thermostats actually used more energy for AC.

Another fact many don't know is that the main energy load on cooling is removing moisture. If you turn off the AC your walls absorb the moisture and when you turn it back on, it has to pull that moisture back out of the walls before it does much cooling. Thus if it's turned off (or doesn't run because you increased the setting) for several hours, your net energy savings is very little. It's like the walls are a cooling load reservoir. I assume this applies primarily in hot, humid climates (like Florida and many northern states during the summer) but not so much in hot, dry climates (like Arizona).


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

dlfl said:


> A healthy skepticism is in order regarding the energy savings of programmable thermostats. See this for example:
> The Programmable Thermostat Savings Myth
> As reported, in some cases homes with programmable thermostats actually used more energy for AC.


I don't have a smart thermostat or central air. But like you, it's a bit chilly outside right now. Two weeks ago I had my heat off. I live in a river valley, so I get mostly clouds and humid summers. It's a very old leaky house too, but it's not mine. I do have a programmable thermostat, which I have learned how to program for max comfort and minimum oil & electricity. It's a life.


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## allan (Oct 14, 2002)

JoeKustra said:


> I don't have a smart thermostat or central air. But like you, it's a bit chilly outside right now. Two weeks ago I had my heat off. I live in a river valley, so I get mostly clouds and humid summers. It's a very old leaky house too, but it's not mine. I do have a programmable thermostat, which I have learned how to program for max comfort and minimum oil & electricity. It's a life.


I have a programmable, but not smart, thermostat. I don't know if it saves money, but it is nice to have the temp at a reasonable level when I get home from work, without having the heat/AC going full blast all day.


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## JayMan747 (Nov 10, 2008)

kbmb said:


> The Harmony Hub is extremely powerful. I have it controlling all my components just with the base, not using any of the extenders. I was shocked when I bought it and everything just worked. Also it's a lot faster than the old school IR Harmonys from the remote.
> 
> And the integration with Alexa is great. Super easy to tell her to turn on tv. Or turn on Vudu on the Roku.
> 
> -Kevin


What is the best way to have Alexa/Harmony to have Tivo start Netflix?


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## adessmith (Oct 5, 2007)

Bigg said:


> but the stuff like a doorbell or doorlock or garage door opener seems like a solution in search of a problem.


I've got nearly 70 smart home devices... I can tell you that I have seen a NOTICEABLE difference on my power bill by automating all of my lighting over the course of a couple of years. A light NEVER gets left on when we leave... even the porch lights stay off until we arrive home. As noted above, the thermostat also contributes to big savings.

As far as the door locks... I can give a few different examples of how it can be very useful:
This one happens from time to time... I get about 15 miles away from home and get a notification that says the house is empty but a door is unlocked... oops... but fortunately the HA system goes ahead and locks it for me.
Another example... We no longer have to leave a key hidden outside our home. Last year near christmas my wife was in a hospital for an operation away from home for several days and my mother ran by our house to pickup our mail and bring it to us because we were expecting some important paperwork. She noticed there was a box on the porch which said "refrigerate immediately". She called us and told us someone had sent a spiral ham by UPS. I was able to remotely unlock the front door and let her in so she could put the ham in the freezer.
There have also been instances where someone was supposed to meet us at home but we were running late. In at least one of those cases the person was coming from out of town and would have had to sit in the car and wait on us, but the called us when they arrived and I was able to unlock the front door and disarm the alarm to let them in. It is also nice that when we arrive home, the front door automatically unlocks... often we are carrying in groceries, a toddler, and a diaper bag... we don't have to fiddle with keys.

We also have a smart button right beside the bed that can run a routine when we go to bed. It turns off all the lights in the house, sets the alarm, locks the front door, etc...
We don't use our garage door, but if we did I'm sure I would have the garage door opener that integrates with my HA system. Why? Because I could set it to automatically close if I accidently leave it open at night... or if for some reason I forgot to close it when I left it could close after the last person leaves... I could also set it to automatically open if a CO detector went off (a large number of CO related deaths involve some sort of gas powered engine running in an enclosed garage).

I don't have a ring doorbell, but I can see a use-case for that as well in my life. We get a LOT of packages (we do photography and order a lot of prints, canvases, etc from a lab... we also buy expensive camera gear from time to time). The delivery person will often ring the doorbell when an item is left on the porch. With ring, it would serve as an instant notification that a package had arrived if we were away. If we are both going to be late coming home we would also be alerted if anyone is poking around on our porch where there could be packages with expensive equipment.

Some of this stuff is safety related, some of it is energy efficiency (thus SAVING money)... but yes, some of it IS a luxury... no one said it wasn't, but I know people who blow a lot of money on other things which have much less utility (performance car parts, big tires that LOWER their fuel efficiency, etc..)


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## adessmith (Oct 5, 2007)

JayMan747 said:


> What is the best way to have Alexa/Harmony to have Tivo start Netflix?


I don't think there is a good way to do it. The tivo doesn't have a dedicated Netflix button, so you would have to come up with some macro for a sequence of commands that ALWAYS got you to the netflix app no matter what menu or app you are in. Unfortunately the Tivo button doesn't always take you to tivo central... if you are already on tivo central I believe it takes you to your now playing list... otherwise it would be a great way to start a macro.
I know my smart TV has an actual button (therefore an IR command) to go directly to the netflix app, so it could be done on my smart TV, but it might be problematic on the tivo.


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## LynnL999 (Oct 7, 2002)

JayMan747 said:


> What is the best way to have Alexa/Harmony to have Tivo start Netflix?


Unfortunately I don't think there's a way to do this because there's no direct "go to Netflix" command available for TiVo. If there was, you could do it.


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## MacBrian (Feb 24, 2002)

Garage door opener via phone: We were sitting in a dark theater waiting for a movie to start and my husband leans over and asks: "Did the garage door go down?"
ARGH!
Neither of us noticed if the door had actually gone done. Sometimes they don't, you know.
So we called our neighbor across the street to ask them to look and see. Of course, it was down...but nice to know so we could enjoy the movie without worrying or without one of us having to drive back home to check.
We had just moved into this house that same year and the garage doors were overdue to be replaced. When we replaced them I went with Liftmaster openers that had the internet gateway. Now we have the doors programmed to automatically close 10 minutes after they've been open AND in the event that our OCD tendencies overtake us, we can always check the phone app to see the status of the doors and how long they've been closed. VERY handy for us. Plus, we've used it to let expected guests into the house when we weren't able to be home to greet them.
Having an app to tell us the doors are closed when we are away is also reassuring...'cuz spiders LOVE to build their webs around the lower door safety sensors...which then sometimes catch leaves...which then sometimes cause the doors to reverse and not close because the sensor says there's something in the way...


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

HerronScott said:


> I'm pretty sure your description would have applied to the iPhone when it was released in 2007 as well ("geeky tech toy").


IoT devices aren't going to become as popular as smartphones in terms of numbers of users. Maybe by raw devices, since one guy can have 35 IoT devices, and 20 other people zero.



dlfl said:


> A healthy skepticism is in order regarding the energy savings of programmable thermostats.


We already knew that they don't work in all situations and that you actually have to program them. When used correctly, they can save quite a bit of energy.



adessmith said:


> I've got nearly 70 smart home devices... I can tell you that I have seen a NOTICEABLE difference on my power bill by automating all of my lighting over the course of a couple of years. A light NEVER gets left on when we leave... even the porch lights stay off until we arrive home. As noted above, the thermostat also contributes to big savings.


Given how efficient LED bulbs are, I highly doubt you'll save anything when you factor in the hundreds of thousands of dollars spend on automation. Beyond this, other than a porch light or a kitchen sink light or something, if you just turn lights off when you leave the room like you are supposed to anyway, it won't be an issue at all.



> I could also set it to automatically open if a CO detector went off (a large number of CO related deaths involve some sort of gas powered engine running in an enclosed garage).


You could try NOT running an engine in your garage. CO detectors are really for malfunctioning gas or oil HVAC equipment where you can't smell the combustion byproducts (usually gas).



adessmith said:


> I don't think there is a good way to do it. The tivo doesn't have a dedicated Netflix button, so you would have to come up with some macro for a sequence of commands that ALWAYS got you to the netflix app no matter what menu or app you are in.


1. Live TV button
2. TiVo Central
3. Continue macro from there to get Netflix


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## windracer (Jan 3, 2003)

JayMan747 said:


> What is the best way to have Alexa/Harmony to have Tivo start Netflix?


My Alexa skill (without the Harmony) can do this ... "Alexa, tell TiVo to launch Netflix."

It basically sends the macro commands like Bigg listed.


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## allan (Oct 14, 2002)

MacBrian said:


> Garage door opener via phone: We were sitting in a dark theater waiting for a movie to start and my husband leans over and asks: "Did the garage door go down?"
> ARGH!


I go through that with my GF. I pick her up, we drive several miles, and she asks, "Did I close the garage door?". It happens enough that I try to notice, but I don't always, and of course that's when she asks.


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## timbracken (Sep 16, 2016)

JayMan747 said:


> What is the best way to have Alexa/Harmony to have Tivo start Netflix?


If you have a Roku, you can do this with any app. I'm not aware of any other device supporting this.


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## adessmith (Oct 5, 2007)

Bigg said:


> when you factor in the hundreds of thousands of dollars spend on automation.


I probably have less than $1,000 in automating all the lighting in my home, thanks to eBay (I've spent 2 years snatching up every good deal I could find on smart switches and dimmers).



Bigg said:


> if you just turn lights off when you leave the room like you are supposed to anyway, it won't be an issue at all.


Apparently you don't have children!


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

adessmith said:


> Apparently you don't have children!


No. But I'm 27 now, and when I was a kid, my parents taught me to turn the light off when I was leaving the room. No fancy technology needed, just some lightswitches from 1980.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

Bigg said:


> No. But I'm 27 now, and when I was a kid, my parents taught me to turn the light off when I was leaving the room. No fancy technology needed, just some lightswitches from 1980.


It's a different time now . . . .


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

Mikeguy said:


> It's a different time now . . . .


People should teach their kids to turn the lights off when they leave the room, no need for fancy devices to do it for them. Americans are lazy, but we should not be teaching kids to be even lazier.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

Bigg said:


> People should teach their kids to turn the lights off when they leave the room, no need for fancy devices to do it for them. Americans are lazy, but we should not be teaching kids to be even lazier.


LOL--I'd just be happy if they wouldn't scream in the library . . . . (Well, and in restaurants, Chucky Cheese excepted.)


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

I found a solution: I bought stock in my electric company.


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## jeremy3721 (Feb 16, 2002)

The fact that anyone would come into a forum started for TiVo users and complain about folks using home automation devices is just mind boggling to me on the highest level. I'm worried one of my retinas might detach from the intense eye rolling happening right now.


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## jeremy3721 (Feb 16, 2002)

That being said.. 

Does anyone have a solution to get a TiVo Bolt to skip commercials via an Alexa command? "Alexa, press the green (d) button"


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## windracer (Jan 3, 2003)

jeremy3721 said:


> Does anyone have a solution to get a TiVo Bolt to skip commercials via an Alexa command? "Alexa, press the green (d) button"


Check out my TiVo Control skill for Alexa (see my sig). Once it's working you can "Alexa, tell TiVo to skip" and it will effectively send the (D) button command for you.


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## Sparky1234 (May 8, 2006)

TiVo needs more automation so I don't have to move... LOL.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

windracer said:


> Check out my TiVo Control skill for Alexa (see my sig). Once it's working you can "Alexa, tell TiVo to skip" and it will effectively send the (D) button command for you.


That takes 100x as much effort as just pushing the $&%^ button!!! It is pretty cool though.


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## gonzotek (Sep 24, 2004)

You should be able to tell the official Harmony skill to "channel up", which does the same thing as the green button on the remote to activate skip. I've used it a few times.


Bigg said:


> That takes 100x as much effort as just pushing the $&%^ button!!! It is pretty cool though.


It's more effort if you already have the remote near to hand. But if the remote is on the other side of the room, lost in the cushions, or your hands are busy, voice commands for play/pause and skip can be pretty darn useful.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

gonzotek said:


> You should be able to tell the official Harmony skill to "channel up", which does the same thing as the green button on the remote to activate skip. I've used it a few times.
> It's more effort if you already have the remote near to hand. But if the remote is on the other side of the room, lost in the cushions, or your hands are busy, voice commands for play/pause and skip can be pretty darn useful.


Oy vey. Proving my point that Americans are getting very, very lazy.


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## jeremy3721 (Feb 16, 2002)

Sweet, "Alexa, Channel Up" does the trick.

We keep the room dark when watching TV and it's a pain to reach for the remote and then find enough light to fumble around for a small green button. My wife probably drops the remote on the floor at least once a day. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## gonzotek (Sep 24, 2004)

Bigg said:


> Oy vey. Proving my point that Americans are getting very, very lazy.


I happen to use the skip feature via voice the most while I'm hobby-working doing things like glueing some parts together or soldering...pretty sure that doesn't make me lazy.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

gonzotek said:


> I happen to use the skip feature via voice the most while I'm hobby-working doing things like glueing some parts together or soldering...pretty sure that doesn't make me lazy.


\

Alright, you got me there, if you've got a Logitech Harmony and an Echo in your workshop....


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## adessmith (Oct 5, 2007)

Bigg said:


> People should teach their kids to turn the lights off when they leave the room, no need for fancy devices to do it for them. Americans are lazy, but we should not be teaching kids to be even lazier.


My two year old is old enough to go play in his room by himself, but not quite tall enough to reach the light switch. The motion detector for his room is great.

My 8YO daughter has a loft bed, so it's easier to turn the lights off with Alexa so she doesn't have to climb the ladder in the dark.

My wife is also an amputee and sometimes uses a wheelchair. The motion sensors and Alexa control for lights and fans is also very beneficial for her sometimes.

There ARE practical applications for lighting automation.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

adessmith said:


> My two year old is old enough to go play in his room by himself, but not quite tall enough to reach the light switch. The motion detector for his room is great.
> 
> My 8YO daughter has a loft bed, so it's easier to turn the lights off with Alexa so she doesn't have to climb the ladder in the dark.
> 
> ...


This home automation/IoT stuff has a great side benefit for people with disabilities. For kids though, there are better/simpler solutions.


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## LynnL999 (Oct 7, 2002)

For those who didn't see it elsewhere, the Harmony skill for Alexa has had an update that makes it more useful for TiVo. No longer the need to "tell harmony" to do something.

You can also delete the second Harmony skill, now listed as disabled.


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## alexb (Jan 4, 2003)

Bigg said:


> Oy vey. Proving my point that Americans are getting very, very lazy.


Or very useful when you hands are deep in flour or other cooking activities.


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## eherberg (Feb 17, 2011)

I'm old enough to remember the exact same arguments given when the remote control came out. "Only for lazy people who can't get up ... walk over ... and change the channel". 

I'm hooked on voice control. I remember what convinced me was when I was house sitting for a friend who has the Xbox One. In the dark with no way to see the remote control buttons, I was able to fully navigate his entire system. Turn on the TV ... find something in the OneGuide ... tune to the channel and adjust volume, etc. All while leaning back holding the fresh glass of fine whiskey I had liberated from the good stuff in his liquor cabinet. 

We've been using it ourselves at home now with the Alexa skill for Plex and voice search with the Roku app. The eventual goal is to have total voice control and relegate the remotes to a box in the closet.


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## HeatherA (Jan 10, 2002)

LynnL999 said:


> For those who didn't see it elsewhere, the Harmony skill for Alexa has had an update that makes it more useful for TiVo. No longer the need to "tell harmony" to do something.
> 
> You can also delete the second Harmony skill, now listed as disabled.


Do you know where to find this screen in the Alexa app? I can't for the life of my find anything about the activities (it's not under Smart Home)


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## kaszeta (Jun 11, 2004)

You currently only get that screen when setting up the Harmony Skill. You have to remove it and re-install it to get to it again, unfortunately.


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## NYHeel (Oct 7, 2003)

windracer said:


> Check out my TiVo Control skill for Alexa (see my sig). Once it's working you can "Alexa, tell TiVo to skip" and it will effectively send the (D) button command for you.


I just got an Echo Dot and was wondering about your setup. Is this something that a regular person with a modestly above average knowledge of computers and networking can do? I'm by no means an expert at this and was a little scared when I first looked at the initial instructions.


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## HeatherA (Jan 10, 2002)

kaszeta said:


> You currently only get that screen when setting up the Harmony Skill. You have to remove it and re-install it to get to it again, unfortunately.


Well that's just silly!


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## windracer (Jan 3, 2003)

NYHeel said:


> I just got an Echo Dot and was wondering about your setup. Is this something that a regular person with a modestly above average knowledge of computers and networking can do? I'm by no means an expert at this and was a little scared when I first looked at the initial instructions.


I'd love to say yes, it's easy for the average person to set up, but it's really not. That being said, I've written pretty detailed (as you've seen) installation and configuration instructions so feel free to give it a shot and ping me here or on Github if you're having problems and I'll help as I can.


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## rlchurch (Oct 19, 2003)

Bigg said:


> No. But I'm 27 now, and when I was a kid, my parents taught me to turn the light off when I was leaving the room. No fancy technology needed, just some lightswitches from 1980.


You should see if there is a home automation app that will levitate you automatically so you don't have to climb up on your soapbox so high. It must be exhausting to preach to all of us with kids how they should be raised. Fortunately God gave you perfect foresight. No need to actually have been there and done that.


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## JACKASTOR (May 26, 2011)

alexb said:


> Yes I use it change channels but it's not any channel - just the harmony favourites like 'Alexa turn on hbo'


Not true. You can change to any channel you want.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

rlchurch said:


> You should see if there is a home automation app that will levitate you automatically so you don't have to climb up on your soapbox so high. It must be exhausting to preach to all of us with kids how they should be raised. Fortunately God gave you perfect foresight. No need to actually have been there and done that.


Or parents can teach their children not to be lazy/slobs/wasteful.


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