The Samsung SmartThings home automation thread

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mustang5o

Junior Member
Jan 3, 2017
9
0
1
Blink is supposed to add local storage at some point. I'm not sure what the delay is - the sync module has a USB port designed for that very purpose.

Crap. I need to decide by tomorrow. Sunday is the final day I can return Arlo to BB. Has anyone worked to integrate Arlo Pro in ST better than what is standard. What I've read is that the only thing you can do with AP and ST is using the motion sensors from AP within ST.
 

IndyColtsFan

Lifer
Sep 22, 2007
33,656
687
126
Crap. I need to decide by tomorrow. Sunday is the final day I can return Arlo to BB. Has anyone worked to integrate Arlo Pro in ST better than what is standard. What I've read is that the only thing you can do with AP and ST is using the motion sensors from AP within ST.

I am not sure about enhanced Arlo integration with ST other than what is provided out of the box. You might do a quick search in the community. I went with Blink mainly because it was cheaper, but keep in mind it does have some limitations - for example, I believe that currently the longest recording length is 1 or 2 minutes. It isn't an issue for most but some won't want that.
 

slag

Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
10,473
81
101
For a 3 way switch, can you install a dimmer in the main location and then regular on/off switches in the secondary location? Then just use voice control or main switch to dim the light, but the others will turn it on and off?
Or, do all switches need to support the dimming capability?
 

slag

Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
10,473
81
101
Up to 3 google homes now, one in the kitchen, one in the basement, and one in the bedroom. The kitchen one I might move so that I can use it from the kitchen area or living room. There's a short hallway between them that I could mount this up near the doorbell chime, or something. There should be a 3rd party mount bracket for mounting it to a wall. Also up to 3 zwave dimmer switches, and 3 add on 3 wave switches. I've been buying a few each week and putting them in. No issues so far, except with room naming. Some rooms have 5 banks of light switches and coming up with names to control them that I can remember can be fun. For example, in our front/main room, we have 2 entryway lights on a switch, a chandelier over the formal dining room table, a set of 4 lights that separate the dining room and living room, a ceiling fan in the living room with 2 lights in it, a directional floodlight over the fireplace, etc.
In the kitchen we have 5 lights near the cabinets, 3 lights over the island, a breakfast nook with ceiling fan and lights, another ceiling fan in the open concept kitchen/family room, another bank of 4 lights past that ceiling fan, another directional floodlight over the see through fireplace, etc. I really need to clean up and take a video of the house. It's bizzare how many light switches we have and placement of the lights.
 

poofyhairguy

Lifer
Nov 20, 2005
14,612
318
126
For a 3 way switch, can you install a dimmer in the main locati

on and then regular on/off switches in the secondary location? Then just use voice control or main switch to dim the light, but the others will turn it on and off?
Or, do all switches need to support the dimming capability?

You know, there isn't an add on dimmer switch in particular. Just an add on switch. So I think you are fine.

Up to 3 google homes now, one in the kitchen, one in the basement, and one in the bedroom. The kitchen one I might move so that I can use it from the kitchen area or living room. There's a short hallway between them that I could mount this up near the doorbell chime, or something. There should be a 3rd party mount bracket for mounting it to a wall.

Pretty cool. I predict I need about four Google Homes to do my entire downstairs. I am kinda waiting for the actual rooms to all have Z wave switches to build that out though.

Also up to 3 zwave dimmer switches, and 3 add on 3 wave switches. I've been buying a few each week and putting them in. No issues so far, except with room naming. Some rooms have 5 banks of light switches and coming up with names to control them that I can remember can be fun.

Yeah the naming is pretty much the hard part with all of this. I have tried to make it as humanly logical as possible (the lamp in the livingroom is called the "livingroom lamp"), but I have had to already rethink things when the Google Home was too forgiving and blends together "entryway" and "entryway light" for example. Actually my wife is the biggest problem, as she is starting to rely on the Google Home's leeway. For example, instead of saying "turn on the livingroom lamp" or "turn on the livingroom fan" (aka exactly how I have it named) she just says "turn on fan" or "turn off the lamp" and the GH figures it out because I only have one of those devices. I don't expect to have another lamp soon, but I wanted to convert the fan in my bedroom and now I am holding off because it will break the command she already learned. The whole thing is a learning curve.
 

slag

Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
10,473
81
101
You know, there isn't an add on dimmer switch in particular. Just an add on switch. So I think you are fine.

You're correct as always. I should have looked more. I could have sworn I saw there was an addon dimmer switch, but I think i was just confusing the hard to find linear zwave add on switch with the easier to find GE one.
 

slag

Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
10,473
81
101
I screwed up a bit. I've installed a few switches in the house and finally got some addon switches for 3 way operation. Unfortunately, I didn't realize that GE and linear use different methods for addon switches. GE uses a traveler wire to talk to addon switches whereas linear either uses the minimote or the light switch program through the smartthings hub. Yeah, wouldn't it be nice if they all used the same method so they would be interchangeable.

So I'm going to need to uninstall one switch from the hub and remove it and replace it with a linear one so I can use it in another area with 2 addon switches that came in the mail yesterday. It's that, or buy another 3 way ge one.
 

IndyColtsFan

Lifer
Sep 22, 2007
33,656
687
126
So, I guess Blink is playing games and have (or will) be blocking RBoy's app and are telling people they have to use IFTTT. As a result, I canceled my Blink XT preorder and am pretty pissed about it. poofyhairguy, I can't remember - did you buy Blink? I thought I saw you posting in RBoy's thread at the community.
 

poofyhairguy

Lifer
Nov 20, 2005
14,612
318
126
I was looking into it but my budget got spent elsewhere before I could pull the trigger. It sucks they are doing that, I wonder what the logic is.
 

CAL7

Member
Sep 29, 2014
108
2
81
I have blink cameras, but I was using the alternate DTH from Kevin Laframboise. All I need is the ability for ST to enable/disable individual cameras, which that handler did just fine for me (with CoRE). I'd be content if the IFTTT integration from Blink would allow individual camera control. They suggest that might be in the offing, but at this point, I don't trust anything Blink says.

Sent from my SGP561 using Tapatalk
 

Dulanic

Diamond Member
Oct 27, 2000
9,950
569
136
I would trust nothing Samsung does /w automation. They can't even get their own "smarthome" app working. It says my oven is disconnected yet still send notifications.... works great!
 

Gunbuster

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
6,852
23
81
Getting in on this thread, have a smartthings hub and a pack of water sensors on order after having a fitting in my half bath fail sending water everywhere.
 

slag

Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
10,473
81
101
There are a lot of stories about failed water sensors fwiw. I wouldn't rely on them to be reliable. Just going on what I've read on the community smart things forum.
 

GSter

Junior Member
Mar 30, 2016
9
0
11
Question for IndyColts fan or anyone else with experience in this transition.

Can I implement the ST hub while still maintaining the Wink 2 hub in usage during the transition period? Any issues or concerns here?

Follow up questions, how is the GE Link bulb support in ST? I have a lot of bulbs and don't want to start over here.

Thanks in advance
 

CAL7

Member
Sep 29, 2014
108
2
81
I've had a Wink v1 running alongside ST for more than a year. No problems whatsoever. I have little need for them to talk to each other, but IFTTT does the job when I do need it.

GE Links are more trouble than they're worth. But I moved the three that I have to ST. They work - sort of.

Sent from my SGP561 using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:

IndyColtsFan

Lifer
Sep 22, 2007
33,656
687
126
Sorry, just saw GSter's post. Yeah, as CAL7 said, no problem running Wink and ST together. I have several GE bulbs on ST and don't have issues,
 

IndyColtsFan

Lifer
Sep 22, 2007
33,656
687
126
For you folks on the fence, the ST hub is on sale for $80 and I think the SmartThings store has a sale on sensors too. I believe Amazon has matched the $80 hub price but not sure about sensor prices. TBH, the Lowes Iris second gen (purple boxes) sensors are better and generally cheaper than even the sale prices on the official ST sensors.

Sorry I haven't been active on the thread too much lately, but I have been moving everything off of Wink and onto ST and am down to the last few lights which are controlled by Lutron Connected Remotes. I'll have to test that with ST and then I can move most everything else (except my Lutron Casetas) off Wink. I hope to move those off at some point as well (either through the upcoming Lutron support or a community solution) and then I can dropkick Wink to the curb.
 
Reactions: poofyhairguy

garymkrieg

Junior Member
Jun 17, 2010
3
0
61
My problem with the SmartThings is that it has to be wired to your router, the Wink 2 doesn't. I use a Verizon JetPak MiFi for my internet.

Gaty
 

IndyColtsFan

Lifer
Sep 22, 2007
33,656
687
126
My problem with the SmartThings is that it has to be wired to your router, the Wink 2 doesn't. I use a Verizon JetPak MiFi for my internet.

Gaty

Wiring into your network (doesn't have to be directly connected to the router, just any switch on your network) is a better approach for many reasons. Notice that Wink added an Ethernet port on Wink 2 and there was a reason for it.
 
Reactions: CAL7

garymkrieg

Junior Member
Jun 17, 2010
3
0
61
Wiring into your network (doesn't have to be directly connected to the router, just any switch on your network) is a better approach for many reasons. Notice that Wink added an Ethernet port on Wink 2 and there was a reason for it.

So can I plug the ST into my desktop computer that is on the network, will that work? What other things can it be plugged into?

Gary
 

IndyColtsFan

Lifer
Sep 22, 2007
33,656
687
126
So can I plug the ST into my desktop computer that is on the network, will that work? What other things can it be plugged into?

Gary

I'm not sure I understand what you're trying to do. Most networks have a network access device of some sort (cable/dsl modem, mobile hotspot, etc) and those are then plugged into the internet port on a router. The router then has switch ports (typically there are 4 switch ports on most consumer routers) and that's where you plug in devices or additional switches for more ports. All devices plugged into that network will then have internet access. My own network is much more complicated, but basically, I have 5 or 6 switches (48+ ports in total) which connect everything back to the router. SmartThings just needs to plug into an Ethernet connection which has internet access - that's it.

Now, if what you're saying is that you have a Verizon dongle (ie, an aircard) or something of that nature plugged into a USB port on your desktop and you're wondering if you can plug the ST hub into your desktop's Ethernet port, it would depend on a few things (OS, etc). I'm not familiar with Window's internet sharing feature, as I have always had larger networks in my house and it made no sense to use it for my purposes. Someone else may be able to provide better information than I can.
 

garymkrieg

Junior Member
Jun 17, 2010
3
0
61
The Verizon JetPak MiFi is a stand alone cellar device that provides internet access the same way a smart phone that is set up as a hotspot. The are no ethernet ports on this device, just like there are no ethernet ports on a phone.
 

IndyColtsFan

Lifer
Sep 22, 2007
33,656
687
126
The Verizon JetPak MiFi is a stand alone cellar device that provides internet access the same way a smart phone that is set up as a hotspot. The are no ethernet ports on this device, just like there are no ethernet ports on a phone.

You can bridge ethernet connections to it via a bridge like the DAP-1533 or something like that.
 
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