The Smart Home

Home Automation, creating the Smart Home or Business

The future of technology is at your fingertips

We are very interested in helping you with your home or business automation, from Consulting, Installation, Configuration or Maintenance to inhance your Smart Home or Smart Office experience.

Home Automation is a fast moving technology and some of our data and information is a bit out dated. We are making an effort to correct this, but it will take some time.

• Featured Skills for Alexa

  1. Mastermind: Mastermind lets you send and read SMS text messages, make and answer phone calls, get caller ID, find your phone, get notifications and launch apps on your mobile device and television via Alexa's voice-enabled services.

     I have found this Alexa Skill to be a true delight. As I try things, I find it working well with my Android Phone. iPhone to come. I have an Echo Show in my work area and I get to see all the notices, SMS messages etc., Just fantastic tech.

     For information you can check out Mastermind

  2. LIFX (Life X): The LIFX Skill lets you control LIFX Lighting Products with Alexa Vocie Commands. I found this skill very easy to configure and get working. I found these devices on the $pendy $ide but, they work well.

     I found that this skill works well with IFTTT (If This Than That). I have my front room lamp blink 4 times when I get gmail and it turns on White when I get home. There are many varations and I have yet to test all.

     For information you can check out LIFX

  3. Harmony: The Logitech Harmony skill is the center of my Smart Home Media Center. I use it to control my TV, Xbox One, DVD player, Direct TV DVR, Reciever/Amplifier and speakers. If you are going to purchase a Logitech Harmony I strongly suggest you purchase the Harmony Companion (comes with Hub and Remote).

     I have found it to work well, I even had to teach it about my TV as it is fairly old and not very smart. I just say "Alexa, ask harmony to turn on TV", and on comes the TV , Direct TV DVR, Reciever/Amplifier to the last channel I had running. This allows me to control all equipment without grabbing a different remote.

     I just completed my new project. I have created the ability to control two TV's, one in Bedroom and the other in the Front Room with just one Harmony and Alexa. For information on how I did this, just contact me.

     For information you can check out Logitech Harmony Companion

• Idea's for using Amazon Alexa

  1. Amazon Echo(1st Gen) --The Amazon Echo (1st Gen is not available currently) is an Alexa-enabled Bluetooth speaker. It's always connected to the Internet and always listening for your requests or commands.
  2. **** Amazon Echo(2nd Gen) --All-new Echo (2nd Generation) with improved sound, powered by Dolby, and a new design -- Charcoal Fabric (Lower Price)
  3. **** Amazon Echo Plus --Echo Plus with built-in Hub -- Silver. Alexa can control your compatible smart lights, thermostats, locks, garage doors, sprinklers, and more. Set up devices from Philips Hue, GE, Kwikset, and others without the need for a separate hub. Just ask Alexa to discover your connected devices.
  4. "Echo Dot --The Amazon Echo Dot (2nd Generation) has the same functionality as the Echo, but is smaller and has a speaker and a lineout plug. This allows it to connect via cable to an external speaker or amplifier of your choosing.
  5. "Amazon Tap --The Amazon Tap portable (battery powered). The user must hit or push a button to initiate Alexa. This makes it less convenient that the always-listening ECHO or DOT.
  6. "Echo Show The Echo Show is equipped with eight microphones, beam-forming tech and noise cancellation like other Echos. It also has a front camera on the upper edge, a meaty Dolby-equipped speaker below and a 7" touch screen.
  7. **** Echo Spot Stylish, compact Echo with a screen.
  8. "Echo Remote --The Alexa Voice Remote is the offcial remote for Echo and Echo Dot (Not compatible with Amazon Tap). It connects to the Echo and Echo Dot via Bluetooth and includes an integrated microphone for when you are too far away or it's too noisy for the Echo to hear you. It has dedicated buttons for volume up, down and play/pause, previous and next. The Echo or Echo Dot will only work with one remote at a time.
  9. Amazon Fire TV --The Amazon Fire TV is a Streaming Media Player that has Alexa at the push of a button.
  10. Echo Look --The Echo Look can use Alexa to help you look your best. Using just your voice, you can take full-length photos and short videos. The Echo Look has a hands-free camera that includes a built-in LEB lighting, depth-sensing camera.

• Idea's for controling your Lighting

  With your Alexa-enabled devices you can now get creative with lighting. Create the incredible atmosphere you have always wanted in your home with just voice commands. I suggest you do some real homework before picking witch devices you are going to use. Some require a hub, others may or may not be easy to configure.

  1. Lutron Caseta --Lights that integrate with Alexa and Google Assistant. The use of products like these can not only turn on and off your lights but make them dimmable as well. The Lutron products require the use of a bridge to interface with the Alexa Device or Google Assistant. You can check out these Lutron P-BDG-PKG1W Caseta Wireless Dimmer Kit with Smart Bridge or Lutron Caseta Wireless In-Wall Dimmer Kit
  2. TP-Link--These light switches are inexpensive in comparison to the competition and work directly with Alexa (no hub required) or Google Assistant. Unfortunately, they are not dimmable but are a great first step for the price. An example is the TP-Link Smart Wi-Fi Light Switch
  3. WEMO by Belkin --Home Automation Products. More home automation products, Switches, Security etc.
  4. Philips Hue --If more control over your individual lights then, Smart lights give you the to control individual lights through a downloadable app on your smart phone. In addition, they also work with Alexa. You might want to look at a starter kit like Philips Hue White A19 Starter Kit or Philips Hue White A19 Bulbs (3 pack).
  5. Philips Hue Ambiance --If you like even more control of the color of your white light then this is for you. These come with 50,000 shades of white, from very warm to cool white. The entire Philips Hue series also have the abilite to wake you up and put you to sleep naturally.
  6. LIFX --These are for you, if you are serious about the mood you are setting. This is a more expensive option, so use it in key places needing just the right environment. These colored lights are adjustable, multicolored, dimmable, and don't require a hub. Alexa can directly control the color of these lights, which Philips Hue can not do. To create a scenewith a color LIFX bulb.

• Idea's for controling your Environment

  The ultimate Smart Home requires effortless control of your thermostat. The correct temperature creates comfort within you home.

  Crawling into bed, only then realizing your room is way too warm is not a good feeling. Instead of getting back up , you can use Alexa to lower the temperature.

  1. Nest Learning Thermostat --The Nest learning thermostat is said to program itself, and then pay for itself. Nest learns the temperatures you like and then adjusts automatically thoughout the day. Adjusting the temperature of your Smart Home when you are not home to save on your energy bill.
  2. Sensi Smart Thermostat --This is a good deal, if price is your concern.
  3. Keen Home Smart Vents--Reduce energy costs by asking Alexa to close the basement or the spare bedroom Smart Vent. Start saving on your monthly energy bill with Smart Vents installed in 2 or 3 rooms. Target rooms that overshoot your thermostat or rooms that go unused for most of the day.

• Idea's for controlling your Security

  1. August Smart Lock --With a smart door lock, there's no more losing your keys or leaving a spare key under a rock by your door. The August smart locks works perfectly with Alexa. You can ask Alexa to lock.unlock your door or check the current lock status. In addition the lock app lets you give virtual keys to family or friends and can even restrict access during specific times of the day.
  2. Ring Wi-Fi Enabled Video Doorbell --See, hear and speak to anyone at your door from your smartphone, tablet or PC. Control this product with your voice through select Alexa devices. A review comment is important "I have five ring camera systems at my house and they all work great! The hardwired to power cameras immediately live view connect to Echo Show when I ask for them by their name".
  3. Amazon Security Devices --See, hear and speak to your Echo Show and see who is at your driveway or in your back yard. You can even put them in your house so you can watch the kids when you are at work etc.".

• Turning Dumb Appliances into Smart ones

  Dumb appliance's are ones that don't have the ability to be controlled by a smart device. This could be a Coffee Maker, TV, Floor Fan, etc. You can make just about any dumb appliance into a smart one, simply by plugging the dumb appliance into a smart outlet that can be contacted by Alexa or others.

  1. TP-Link Smart Plug --These outlets work directly with Alexa, can be controlled with your smart phone by using the free Kasa app. They don't require a hub and are not hard to install.
  2. WeMo Switch Smart Plug --This Smart Plug has a benefit of being able to be intergrated with the Nest Learning Thermostat to know when your home or away and respond automatically.

• Projects for Smart Home Automation

  1. Project 1, TP-Link Wi-Fi Plug --You can find information on this project to control a Wi-Fi Plug with Alexa.
  2. Project 2, TP-Link Wi-Fi Lamp --You can find information on this project to control a Wi-Fi Lamp with Alexa.
  3. Project 3, Control TV, DVD, Xbox One, Reciever/Amplifer with Alexa --You can find information on this project to control my Multi Media needs with Alexa.
  4. Project 4, Control which rooms hear streamed music --You can find information on this project to control which rooms get streamed music from my Echo Dot with Alexa.
  5. Project 5, Play Music using a portable Echo Dot on the Back Porch. --You can find information on this project to make my Echo Dot portable.

  6. I will place information and design information in this area. Working on first one now !

• Smart Home Automation Database

  The first database covers what to say to your device, the second is about Smart Home Terms (vocabulary).

  1. Streaming and Entertainment database. --This database gives the user the ability to filter the data that they want to see.