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SAMSUNG SmartThings Smart Home Hub 2nd Generation?
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You want a Samsung SmartThings hub. It will let you automate just about any smart home gadget in response to motion, doors, etc and you can tell alexa to control things which are controlled by SmartThings. It opens up just about any automation possibility and greatly expands what alexa can control.
I have tried pretty much every home automation hub on the market and have settled on SmartThings as by far the best one.
Out of the box solution? Get a smart bulb (plenty of reviews to determine which is best for you), a SmartThings hub, and if your phone doesn't handle location well, a presence sensor. With my phone there's no need for a dedicated presence sensor.
Hopefully someone can weigh in a good bulb option.
SmartThings hub: www.smile.amazon.com/dp/B010NZV0GE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_8nxsyb8CV5CWS
Arrival Sensor: https://www.smile.amazon.com/dp/B00GM7V8I8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_vCxsyb4878G7S
Your scenario you want is very basic, so a small amount of research should be enough to get a solution going. My experience is with SmartThings, so I can't speak to other options.
The hub by itself is still on sale on amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B010NZV0GE Unless you need every part of the kit that is cheaper. Also the GE light switches are only $32 on amazon right now and pretty easy to install if you know how to turn off your breaker. So I would definitely go that route unless you want the floodlights to change colors (for Christmas or Halloween).
Also you can throw in an amazon echo or google home (I like it better already) and you can use your voice to set the thermostats control those outlets and control the floodlights.
Feel free to ask further questions.
Not actively. I have a veralite that does the job for now. Its clunky as all get out and has some security problems, but it does work once its setup.
I intend to move to the smart things hub when they have moved more of the processing off their cloud platform and worked out the various bugs. It does include zigbee and zwave radios:
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-SmartThings-F-H-ETH-001-Hub/dp/B010NZV0GE
Link for the lazy.
Here is the link.
Samsung smartthings hub is on sale on amazon for a great price, and then you can get a GE zwave dimmer to go with it. Perhaps this is controversial to say in the IFTTT sub but i would add the switch to google home directly from the smartthings hub, which allows you to talk more naturally about your lights and avoids having to hard code a bunch of variations in IFTTT.
This is a pretty amazing deal when compared to amazon prices.
SmartThings Motion Sensor, $32
2x Sylvania Dimmable Bulbs, $16 each
Total value is $163. Some things to consider is that the bulbs are dimmable only. They are not color temperature adjustable. The motion sensor is also finicky, from what I've read
Smart things didn’t discontinue the hub lol, you can still buy it
Samsung SmartThings Smart Home Hub 2nd Gen. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010NZV0GE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_9fQMFbHGETXB7
One I was originally considering (I assume old model): Samsung SmartThings Smart Home Hub https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010NZV0GE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_j-KGBbQ15BZRT
New model: Samsung SmartThings Hub 3rd Generation [GP-U999SJVLGDA] Smart Home Automation Hub Home Monitoring Smart Devices - Alexa Google Home Compatible - Zigbee, Z-Wave, Cloud to Cloud Protocols – White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FJGGWJL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Y-KGBbK6Z0NY3
SmartThings Hub would be the hub to control/connect your devices. A lot of people on this forum don't like them, but it works for me. There are many other ways to do this, but for my solution all you need is a Zigbee Hub of some sort.
Here's the thread where I was asking the same question. I arrived at the conclusion that I will be purchasing the Home Depot device once I can get my hands on it. See this for what it is and it has information on how to get it through repair parts method. Or this as the normal retail version, but it's constantly out of stock.
If you want to stick with just making the light bulbs smart instead, there's the Phillips Hue option is probably best or you'll want to look at the TP-Link, Lifx or Ikea one mentioned by 0verland3r if you don't want to bear the burden of the cost of a hub just to get started.
Thank you so much for all the information! Is this one the right Smartthings? It seems wayyy less expensive than the other ones you listed.
Just in case you end up having to buy a new one, it's $50 on Amazon. Samsung SmartThings Smart Home Hub https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010NZV0GE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_wdRKzbY1DK5X9
What hub do you have?
One of these:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010NZV0GE/ref=asc_df_B010NZV0GE5072239
I'm mostly sure those things are Ethernet only. But the product description is awful, so it may be wifi capable.
Ya SmartThings Hub, It will find pretty much any Z-Wave or Zigbee Device. It might know what to do with it but it will show up as a "Thing". then you can write custom code to do whatever you want to do with it. there are a lot of people on Github that publish all sorts of stuff for devices. The smartthings interface actually allows you to publish to github directly from the smartthings interface. it is by far the most flexible DIY hub on the market. you can even use an Arduino Xbee boards to make any sort of crazy thing you want to make.
Already good comments here, but TBF the best remote things are outlets and wall switches. That way if/when you hit a switch to turn something off the 'old' way it will still respond if you want it on.
Also, you need a hub. Smartthings or Wink. The rest are worthless (Hue hub and all the other hubs). IMO Philips Hue is lame. If you want colored bulbs go get Sylvania lightify (cheaper, less crap in your house since it doesn't need its own hub).
Ideal starter setup would be an echo dot $50, a hub $100, two wall switches ($30ea) (for unswitched outlets) and a couple wall paddle switches ($30ea). That much hardware would set you back about $270, but would add a fair bit of fun and convenience.
not sure what you consider a decent deal, but the Hub is currently 25% off @ Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-SmartThings-F-HUB-US-2-Hub-White/dp/B010NZV0GE
If you want to go with hue then something like this is your option for controlling from the wall (as well as phone and voice)
Turn on the light switch, cover it so it doesn't get turned back off, and mount this next to it.
Or if you don't want to use hue and just want to control your existing light bulb in the fixture from the wall/phone/voice then this and this would work, or whatever switch hub combo works with google home
I haven't bought anything at best buy in about 10 years so I don't know why they'd phase it out, but I bought my hub at Amazon, where it's in stock: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B010NZV0GE
Should be v2: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B010NZV0GE
I'm not seeing it. Can you provide a link?
Edit - I see it. It doesn't say V2 but this is the one: http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-SmartThings-F-H-ETH-001-Hub/dp/B010NZV0GE
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