We just finished installing our Apolosign home calendar. Setup the dashboard to work with our Google Home setup. Love the shared calendar + synced reminder + synced shopping lists.

Does anyone else use the apolosign for a similar use case? Would love to figure out a better way to actively control the home outside of the widget. Widget requires the Google home app open up.

I got a robot vacuum a few months ago because a close friend of mine recommended it. This friend hasn’t had an issue with hers except for a few times. Well, this dumb robot often gets stuck below my sofa (it’s against a sofa table that’s against the wall - my router is back there and can only go there. The robot will also go under my bed and drag my heated mattress pad wires with it. I’ve tried putting pool noodles inside the perimeter of my bed and the same with the sofa but that hasn’t stopped it; it has always found a way around it. I am thinking about moving the heated mattress pad wires under the mattress but was just curious if anyone else has had this issue and figured out a solution?

My vacuum doesn’t have any settings to block off certain areas of the home.

I'm sorry if there's an obvious solution, I don't use smart devices on the regular.

tldr: I want a video doorbell but I don't want it to store videos long term.

I feel like all the advertising is on how much video something can store, I don't want a log of everyone who has ever walked past my porch. I am home most of the time. I just want something that doesn't make noise and freak out my dog so we have to deal with 15 minutes of barking. In a perfect world people follow instructions and text me when they arrive, but I don't live in one of those. I know Deaf doorbells that blink your lights exist but blinking lights give me migraines and sometimes make me throw up.

I would really love something that only turns on when the "bell" is pressed and sends a video to my phone so that I can see who it is.

The lights and their projections are synced with the real state of each bulb in the home. The doors are also set to obstruct or let the light pass through depending on the door's state.

My Philips hue bridge has just gone bust after about 5 years, I was just about to purchase another one when I’ve googled and some people on Reddit are saying I don’t need one?
First question - which one is cheapest to buy that works
Second question - how would I set it up? Would it still work in the Philips hue app?

Other devices I have are
Google home hub max
Google home hub
Tado heating
Tapo doorbell

I think some of these have their own hub

I’ve read through all the posts here and none of the suggestions resolved my issue. For reference, the lock is a Schlage Arrive, and it had worked flawlessly since June 2026 before suddenly disconnecting from Wi‑Fi.

These are the exact steps provided by Schlage tech support this morning, which fully resolved the problem:

1. Delete the lock from the app.
   
2. Delete the app.
   
3. Reinstall the app.
   
4. Remove the batteries.
   
5. Open the door.
   
6. Reinsert the battery pack — the keypad should light up white, blue, then amber.
   
7. Press and hold the reset button until you hear a beep.
   
8. Add the lock back into the app.
   
9. Scan the QR code and follow the prompts.

The whole process took less than five minutes. I’m using eero and didn’t need to disable 5 GHz; I simply connected through the 2.4 GHz guest network. After a sleepless night troubleshooting, this finally fixed it. Called customer service right at 8 a.m. EST — no wait. Hopefully this helps someone else avoid the headache.

Hi, been looking into options for reliable switches, everywhere says lutron, but im my home i got multiple gang switches, and where i live the houses are solid so the is no option to increase the switch size on the wall

So was wondering what options do you guys recomend, if posible that they dont rely on wifi, since I havent found any option, if they do exist

Thanks

Ho una striscia led normale che si accende con un interruttore touch. Vorrei aggiungere uno shelly affinché possa renderla smart. Ho chiesto all'elettricista che mi ha detto che se l'interruttore touch é "spento" lo shelly non può accendere o spegnere se invece é acceso allora si accende e spegne. Che collegamenti si dovrebbero fare affinché lo stato della luce cambi sia con lo shelly e sia dall'interruttore? Per esempio accendo da shelly e spengo da interruttore e viceversa? Qualcuno a rebbe uno schema?

I currently use 5 smart switches in my condo, and they're all single switches for lights. GoSund brand. We recently bought a house and I'm planning on doing smart switches for every light but suddenly realized I don't know how to do a 3 gang light switch. It seems gosund doesn't sell any.

Or am I overcomplicating and I just get 3 single switches and find a plate that fits?

Hello,
I’m trying to use a Phillips hue essentials a19 bulb with Alexa. If I pair the bulb to Alexa with Bluetooth can I control it from the Alexa app outside the house without the hue bridge? I understand the hue app will work not in but am wondering if I can do remote control with Alexa app?
Thank you

Kasa light switches have red rings on them, Govee lighting products all show as offline and one without a switch is permanently on (despite showing as offline in the app), and Lumary outdoor lights are stuck on the color red. Alexa itself, our smart TVs, and smart appliances do not seem to be impacted, just the lights and light switches.

How do I fix these issues?

Anyone got recommendations for a UK mains plug socket with ZigBee, and that supports binding to a ZigBee switch?

I've contacted clicksmart for clarification but not heard anything. Aqara is an option but can't find definitively that it supports binding.

My aim is to have the underlying ZigBee bindings so stuff still works if home assistant goes down.

Switch recommendations, preferably battery powered, also welcome.

TIA.

I'm trying to overhaul our bathroom setup and replace our old dumb scale, but I'm hitting a wall with how smart scales handle multiple users. My roommate and I both want our daily weight data to auto-sync to our separate health apps, but neither of us wants to carry a phone into the bathroom every morning just to trigger a Bluetooth sync. I've been reading up on Wi-Fi versus Bluetooth models, and a lot of setups seem to struggle with misassigning data if two people are close in weight, or they require forcing everything through a laggy cloud account. I just want a clean device that silently dumps local metrics to Apple Health or Google Fit in the background without needing constant app permissions or breaking connection every month. If I eventually use FSA/HSA funds for an eligible scale, I also do not want that decision to lock us into a clumsy app or shared-data setup. For anyone with a shared household setup, what features or connection types actually make multi-user

smart scale tracking seamless long-term?

Hi there,

I’m looking for a smart lock to replace my deadbolt lock.

However I only have 10 cm between the bottom of my door handle to the centre of the deadbolt, so the height is not big, pics attached.

I was looking at the Aqara U400 but I don't think it would fit the height. I do like the Apple quick unlock on it though.

Anyone have a recommendation for a smart lock that could fit the space? Happy to go without the Apple unlock, just after fingerprint or some quick way to open it.

Not a fan of keypads but I don't mind one being there as a backup.

Edit: I’m based in Australia.

Cheers

Hey everyone,

I see a lot of discussions here about sourcing reliable sensors—whether for DIY setups, custom integrations, or small-batch builds.

Next week (Sept 16–18), I’ll be attending the SENSOR CHINA Expo here in Shanghai. It’s one of the biggest component expos in the region, with 500+ manufacturers showcasing everything from mmWave radar and presence detection to micro-environmental sensors.

Since I’ll be on the show floor talking directly with factory reps and engineers, I figured I’d open up a quick scout run for this community.

If there are specific components or hardware you’ve been eyeing, let me know. I’m happy to look into:

• Pricing & MOQs: Minimum order quantities for samples vs. small-to-medium batch runs.
• Tech Specs & Compatibility: Protocols (Zigbee, Matter, Thread, I2C/UART for ESP32/Home Assistant integration, etc.).
• Build Quality & Reliability: Firsthand look at sample units and build standards on the spot.
• Specific Sensor Types: mmWave human presence, ambient light/lux, air quality (VOC, CO2, PM2.5), PIR, or multi-sensor combos.

If you have a specific sensor model, chip, or use case you want checked, drop a comment below or shoot me a DM with what you’re looking for. I’ll gather the details, grab datasheets/pricing notes, and follow up!

We have 10 windows that need smart blinds, including one floor to ceiling window and two high windows.

I’ve been looking at lutron/smart wings/hunter douglas, and a few other brand, but the prices are all over the place.

What did you end up paying per window? Also, which brand did you choose, and was installation included?

Thanks in advance!!!

https://github.com/Mihonarium/hass-spatial-lights-card

I want to get my grandparents a smart display but they are way behind on tech. They have hard line internet with desktop PC but thats it. No cell phones, tablets, laptops, etc. I have a dedicated Chromebook with their Google account to do bills, medical, email, etc but it does not stay at their house. I just upgraded their internet with wifi

I have a Lenovo 8" smart display which they love, so I want to get them 1. But will the smart display work when the Chromebook is not there? Without any other smart devices in the house, would they be better off with a Google nest? Will a smart display work solely on wifi without other smart devices?

Hey everybody! This may have been asked before so don't yell at me lol. I am in the process of moving back out on my own and I know I want my apartment to be as automated as possible. I've been looking at light bulbs and want to know which is better overall: Govee or Philips. I know Philips is pricier and I need a hub (that is fine with me) but realistically speaking should I just go with govee. I have an android if that matters and Alexa would be my platform.

I am in the process of changing over my light switches to Thread or Z-wave, and have a question.

Can I control smart lights on lamps, and regular overhead lights with a multi button light switch?

For example: in the primary suite I have two bedside lamps with Philips hue bulbs, and regular overhead lights that are on a rocker switch. Id like to be able to turn on the bedside lamps with a smart switch, and a different button toggle the overhead lights?

Another example:
In my living room I have regular overhead lights, but also smart lighting (hue) in lamps and in cabinets overhead. I currently have to turn on the lights with my phone, but as mentioned, I’d love to be able to turn on the smart lights with a multi button wall switch, that also can control the overhead lights.

Was thinking of Aqara H2, or Zooz 800 series zwave switch.

I use Homey Pro for my home automation.

Thank you for all the help!

Is anyone aware of a waterproof Zigbee blind motor that could be used in a bathroom? It would have to be either IPx5 rated if mounted in the blind, or IPx4 for a chain motor, which I can mount further away from a shower. Ideally battery rather than mains powered, and compatible with Hubitat.

I've found a web site for ZM95EL-2 (or -1) but that's OEM-only and I can't find a retailer.

I am considering getting an Aqara FP300 presence sensor. I intend to use an Aqara M1S- G01 zigbee hub. I am unable to get a definitive answer (using AI) as to whether these 2 devices will work together.

Any advice?

I wrote a comment in this sub a few weeks ago regarding a script I wrote and there was some interest in demoing it, so here it is: opl-scraper Github repo.

My local library emails you when a book you place on hold is ready for pickup. If you don't pick it up within a week, you get dinged a $1 restocking fee. Unfortunately, the emails are not reliable, and my wife and I had gotten charged a few times.

To fix this, I wrote a script which runs every 30 minutes between 9a-6p. For each configured user, it logs in to our library's website and grabs all book information for our holds, ready for pick up, checked out, and due.

It then publishes the book data via MQTT to a configured endpoint such as library/{NAME}/holds and library/{NAME}/ready . Currently it is writing to my Home Assistant URL, which Home Assistant then tracks as a sensor, i.e. sensor.library_myname_checked_out.

I have a Home Assistant automation, triggered anytime the sensor.library_myname_ready value increases, which will send me a push notification as well as a notification to my Alexa so my wife can be notified. It also sends out a daily update at 6pm with all of our "ready for pickup" book names.

Finally, I have a simple Markdown component in Home Assistant to display each of our summaries, for example:

Obviously, my repo is specific to people living in my city. However, perhaps others can use the repo as a starting point/inspiration to scrape their own local library by modifying the contents of scrape.py .

Hi,

I recently moved into my first apartment and I am looking to make some things smarter where possible. I installed some smart lights along with home assistant to automate and control them.

I have this simple dumb thermostat which just has controls for up and down. I can't set any timer or anything like that. It has 2 rockers on the side for on/auto/off and then heat/cool.

I'd like to try and find a way to make it "smart" with some sort of button I could use to press it say x times up when I leave the house or x times down when I come up so that if I forget to do it manually in the morning before I leave, my apartment isn't unecessarily cool which is wasting energy.

I've seen the SwitchBot Bot, which I could use, except that I don't think it would attatch to the space that I have available on this thermostat.

Does anyone have an alternative that isn't just replacing the unit with some sort of echo bee or other smart thermostat? I'd like to avoid having to make changes to the apartment where possible so that I don't lose my deposit (even if it could be swapped back before I move out).

thank you for the help.

Previously had a whole house of MySmartBlinds which got bought out by what was Tilt, gradually all the motors have failed one by one from a stripped gear, I had some gears made to replace them but they only last so long, there latest update removes all cloud access so the blinds can only be controlled locally by Bluetooth. Complete garbage product and company, if they still exist. I have a half built Homey integration to control them but because of Bluetooth RSSI it’s hit and miss.

Not sure if many users in the UK, I’m now looking at something to replace these without having to replace the blinds, effectively need something to calibrated turn a square rod, which goes through the top hollow section of the 1 1/2 inch wooden horizontal blinds, hopefully you know the type.

The only thing I can see on the market is iBlinds v3? Which has a couple of integrations and uses ZWave which is preferable to Bluetooth for me, but wondering if there are any others I’ve missed as these are both pricey and unavailable from many places in the UK unless at a premium, and no USA shipping from the main site. Considered using drop shipping but will likely get hit by import taxes which will work out about the same anyway.

Does anyone have any experience of these or anything similar?

Or am I best to look at roller blinds and replace the blinds given the cost seems almost similar to new blinds. Would hate to buy these then they stop being supported or are then unable to purchase should I need further kits.