Ben, couldn’t agree more. But there also needs to be some user interaction. That UI / UX is the most important part of a system.
The smart home is an awesome dream. But until we can detect a specific user or users in a room, ala xbox one kinect when it says, Hi, Patrick and then it knows I want to watch the soccer game on ESPN. That is a smart home.
How can this be accomplished? Today? Something has to know its me… That’s kinect today. Nothing else knows its me. A presence sensor is a geofence, it only knows if I am here or not. Not what room I’m in.
So unless I’m missing something, I will always have to do something in a room to trigger MY event and not my wife or kids events.
Simplest way is a UI / UX layer. Maybe just a double tap on a light switch, or a keypad, or a remote.
However, I can tell you in my house, everyone pulls out the C4 app and it defaults to their room and they can control whatever is in that room. It isn’t perfect, trust me…
My goal is to figure out ways I can integrate ST into my Control4 system, and maybe one day replace most if not all of it and that isn’t too far off.
Yes, HA systems like Control4 were expensive and out of the reach of the masses. But they are the gold standard other players will be judged. It’s not fair, its not even the same things, but ultimately, that is the ballpark you are wanting to play in.
I believe 100% in what you are trying to do, and am here to help. Platforms and open standards are the key to the future of HA. Guys like Control4, creston and others will be forced eventually to change or die. ST is one of those forces.
By the way, great article in Time… http://time.com/2926400/at-your-service/?pcd=hp-magmod