Hi, as i said in a previous post i am very new to all this so my question is what is everybody’s current set up and how is it working for you
Thanks in advance
Hi Nathan
Been playing with this now for a couple of weeks
My set-ups as follows:
- Hub works OK but SmartApps seem to be random as to whether they work or not,
- Motions sensors in all main rooms - Work very well
- Multi-sensors on main doors - Again works very well
- 2 Presesnce sensors just don’t work so I’m using android phones and tablets but the Geo fence is a bit wide, Haven’t tried adjusting it yet
- Lights are controlled using LightwaveRF it works but is slow and dumb (up to 2 mins+doesn’t kow the light status).& the older switches I have don’t play well with LED lights
- Lamps are controlled by Smarthings plugs - very responsive
- Testing a wemo Bulb - works great as long as the switch is still on
- Integrated nest thermotstat and aware Ok but can’t integrate nest cams
- Hue lamp is used a status indicator - very responsive
- Storage options camera is integrated ok but not using it in any smart way as yet.
- Audio systems are linked in and work over DNLA but not useful at present.
- Installed ST on my works Iphone but found it killed the battery
Things I would like to get working but can’t get integrated yet (most look doable but will need time and expertise)
Samsung TV’s
LG TV
PC’s & laptops
Windows Server
Printers
Sky HD Box
LED lights with IR control
Pioneer AV receiver
Landline phone
Bluetooth Speakers
Router
PS3/PS4
Chromecast
NFC
Android Wear
Any service that relies on OAuth
I like the open part of it but am really struggling with overall reliability with the apps and the home-brew feel of the whole experience. I definitely feel like a Beta tester rather than someone who has bought a finished appliance.
Hi Nathan,
I have been using the product for just over two weeks and this is my first introduction to having an integrated home automation system. I had considered a solution from the likes of Fibaro but saw ST and was perhaps swayed by the price and possible future expansion and support by a large company like Samsung.
The ST supplied zigbee devices all work very well and connected easily with the exception of the presence sensor. Unfortunately I have failed to get that to work at all. I initially thought it was faulty and took it back to Currys but I suspect it’s just not fit for purpose. There has been the odd false trigger from the motion sensors but it seems to be a single instance in each case.
I have the following Zigbee devices:
2 multi sensors fitted on doors, one a good distance from the hub in the garage
2 motion sensors - detect well
2 outlets connected to floor lamps
1 presence sensor - rubbish! I have to use my iphone
ZWave:
1 Fibaro dual relay switch to control the boiler
Aeon Labs energy switch to control the garage lights.
I had an issue with poor range (only 8m) when trying to connect the switch in the garage and resorted to a slight modification to the switch antenna. I know this goes against all design principles but I extend the antenna in an attempt to get the device to connect to the hub. So far it is still working and has extend the range by about another 5m in the garage.
The other issue with the ZWave devices is that their response is much slower when compared with the ST zigbee and it appears in certain instances they need commanding to switch on twice.
I think the ZWave element was an afterthought on the Hub so that it could broaden the range of third party products available.
Samsung HD Pro IP camera:
It’s not even worth connecting this to the hub at the moment as it offers a very limited monitoring facility. I just rely on the dedicated Samsung app for motion detection/notification and google photos to check stills upload.
Overall, it’s reliability is the main let down. I have to constantly check to see if devices have switched on, mode changes have taken place, timer events triggered, see if there is a temperature rise on a motion sensor to know that my boiler has switched on etc, etc!
It’s a gadget to play with!
You have a similar setup to me. I have a mainly hues and zwave fibaro dimmers however no lightwave. I find this combination very good. I agree motion sensors work very well.
A few of my findings on your not intergrated list
- I have a JS9000 Samsung TV (Tizen), it will find it but won’t authenticate so wont’ work at current. I need to get wireshark out to see the authentication exchange but haven’t had the time.
- LG TV mines not controllable
- I wrote my own Pioneer Device type as couldn’t get the one I found to work here, it is basic and just enable me to automate a few things for my movie mode, volume, source, on , off etc
- Sky HD - This ones not as easy as it should be, think IR is probably best for this (I am looking at a Zwave IR gateway for this), I can’t remember if you can use serial for this. Some people have had success with CEC to at least turn it on however I haven’t
- Android Wear - I would love native smarthings functionality but to now you have to get cleave and use things like widget cloners etc. not sure if something like smarttiles has android wear compatibility as we in the UK haven’t had a chance to get stuck in yet (OAuth).
- NFC - Although I have tried this I am not a fan, I find its fiddly using phones, i.e. the phone has to be unlocked for it to work, then I really begin to question how you can use it. Maybe a tag on a hardware object and when moved not really sure.
For NFCI just have a load of tags but scratching my head out think of a good way to use them.
My main priority at the moment is getting the AV up and running. But I think that will have to be managed by harmony. When I upgrade to the new generation.
But I would love it if ST could recognise the AV mode and set up lighting accordingly
But the biggest win I’ve had is with hue bulbs giving me subtile indications of doors open or movement in different parts of the house.
I found android notifications for those events became excessive.
The looming job is setting up the Christmas lights with lightwave switches via ST. Smart Xmas lights sounds like an interesting project.
I’ve been using Smart Things for about two weeks now, mostly to control my lights and it is cool.
For instance, my Good Morning routine turns on a couple of lights, but only if its before sunrise.
My kitchen light turns on at four pm for the dog, but only if I’m away.
My goodnight routine turns off all lights except my bedroom lamp, which it dims slowly over ten minutes.
I love writing little bits of code in the IDE to do things that aren’t available out of the box.
My biggest disappointment has been the SmartPresence sensor. I am unable to get it to work * at all * since I bought the kit. Not once has hit changed from Present state, even after multiple resets.
I’ve heard similar stories here and I think SmartPresence is just plain broken. Shame because the lighting control is cool, but I’m setting my presence manually.
I contacted UK support and they said that presence problems have been ‘trending’ and that they will get back to me.
Hi I’ve been using for a couple of weeks and I’m an alcho… no wait that’s not right.
I’ve got about 15 Hue bulbs, 3 Sonos things, a few motion sensors, couple of multi things, 2 presence sensors and now (finally) 2 users able to connect to the account / hub 
At the moment I’ve set up modes for Morning (when there is movement but it’s still before the sun has been up for a while), daytime (lights off), evening - you get the idea and night. Got hue bulbs coming on certain areas like hall via motion sensor. Curious to see if a motion sensor pointing outside can detect well enough to make my outside light motion based…
Presence sensors stopped working but now I have 2 mobiles plugged into it - it isn’t an issue for me at the mo. All I can do is echo what you have been told @peter.major
Want to get sonos weather working but it isn’t at the moment, guessing it’s the oauth stuff. Would dearly like to get my philips hue TAP’s integrated as general switches but that looks a long shot when searching around the forums.
Anyone know how often IFTTT would check for recipes with smartthings as it’s usually 15 mins unless I’m wrong? IE would it still only run every 15 mins with smartthings???
I’ve inherited a system that my employer was using so it’s not got all the bits that I’d normally get from a starter kit - however I find that the sensor prices aren’t that crazy in store so I’m quite happy to expand it.
How I’m using mine:
- Multi-sensor on front door to turn Hue lamp on if door opened when I’m in Goodbye mode (i.e. house empty)
- Same multi-sensor also alerts me if the door has been left open
- Motion sensor at bottom of stairs which will turn Hue lamps on downstairs if motion is detected during “Goodnight” mode, so I come downstairs to a lit house in the winter (I get up for work at 6am most mornings)
- Multi-sensor in the fridge that is placed so the body is on the wall of the fridge, and the magnet is on the door. I can then get a notification when my fridge has been open for more than a minute (because the alarm on the fridge is really quiet),
- Moisture detector under the sink, as I plumbed the new kitchen in myself and I’m unsure of my skill level
What I’m adding in the next week or so, now it’s all up and running
- I need to get temperature notifications working on the fridge sensor - which will hopefully notify me if the fridge packs in
- I’d like a mains socket hooked into the coffee machine for Sunday mornings - I’ve got an old perculator type machine that I can leave switched on, but turned off at the mains.
- Another motion sensor in the kitchen, as I have a downstairs loo and late night trips often mean tripping over the cat.
I spent a while scooping up Hue Lux starter kits that were on clearance at Currys - £44 for two bulbs and a bridge, sell the unused Bridges on eBay for £25 or so. Lighting therefore isn’t a problem, but I am desperately hoping more products become available in the UK. I really want some switches so I can go completely Hue.
Finally, I’ve got a Samsung multiroom soundbar which hooks into Smart Things (weirdly, it detects two devices, on two consecutive IP addresses, but one does nothing) but I’m honestly not sure what I can do with that, it doesn’t seem as flexible as the Sonos system I tried before where you can have verbal message read out on events.