Can use some more advice or a direction.....what would you d
Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2018 8:54 am
Good morning everyone. As I continue to drill down and put I finer point on my home automation I have been finding myself working through a few separate problems. At this point maybe some of you can offer up some solutions to the following situations.
When I started my home project the main goals we to save energy (money) where possible and offer a level of convenience where I could. Now it appears the cool factor may have taken over.
One thing I am trying to get back if do the most I can with the least amount of equipment. Here is one example of where I am not. I want to offer music throughout the house. I use the Itunes Plugin. I have added a few Apple Express routers and Speakers to the living room and bedrooms. But now I would like to add some music to the master bath. There is a TV already in there with a Roku for nights you want to relax in the whirlpool. I was going to use a few of my Apple TV 3 units I don’t use anymore to bring music in. I tried Bluetooth and I just don’t get the range needed.
But with this current setup for music I think I am using far too much equipment to achieve the goal….multiple expresses, speakers and now Apple Tv’s. In addition I don’t want to mix media player types Apple TV’s for music and Roku’s for Movies….Seems overly complicated and moves away from simple and energy efficient.
Alexa or Siri?
When the Alexa plugin was released I was all about adding voice to my system so I ran out and bought 4 dots and placed them throughout the house. Again adding additional things needed to be plugged in and consuming energy to achieve my goal.
When the new Homebridge came out I like how well it sets up and works. My only problem is to do what I am currently doing with ALexa (having voice throughout the house) I would need to get a second mortgage to afford Homepods in all the same rooms.
I have considered the fact that adding a few Homepods could also solve the first problem with the speakers but the price. I am just not sure I can justify it.
ITach or Remotes
Currently I use ITachs in three separate rooms and a Harmony remote in one room. Again all the ITachs are additional pieces of equipment to achieve a goal. I have a few control pages setup to use the ITachs because currently in the Media room the AV is actually behind us sending IR Plaster commands through the rooms. Harmony remotes send IR signals and it won’t work with the location of the Roku’s
Any advice on other solutions I may be missing?
When I started my home project the main goals we to save energy (money) where possible and offer a level of convenience where I could. Now it appears the cool factor may have taken over.
One thing I am trying to get back if do the most I can with the least amount of equipment. Here is one example of where I am not. I want to offer music throughout the house. I use the Itunes Plugin. I have added a few Apple Express routers and Speakers to the living room and bedrooms. But now I would like to add some music to the master bath. There is a TV already in there with a Roku for nights you want to relax in the whirlpool. I was going to use a few of my Apple TV 3 units I don’t use anymore to bring music in. I tried Bluetooth and I just don’t get the range needed.
But with this current setup for music I think I am using far too much equipment to achieve the goal….multiple expresses, speakers and now Apple Tv’s. In addition I don’t want to mix media player types Apple TV’s for music and Roku’s for Movies….Seems overly complicated and moves away from simple and energy efficient.
Alexa or Siri?
When the Alexa plugin was released I was all about adding voice to my system so I ran out and bought 4 dots and placed them throughout the house. Again adding additional things needed to be plugged in and consuming energy to achieve my goal.
When the new Homebridge came out I like how well it sets up and works. My only problem is to do what I am currently doing with ALexa (having voice throughout the house) I would need to get a second mortgage to afford Homepods in all the same rooms.
I have considered the fact that adding a few Homepods could also solve the first problem with the speakers but the price. I am just not sure I can justify it.
ITach or Remotes
Currently I use ITachs in three separate rooms and a Harmony remote in one room. Again all the ITachs are additional pieces of equipment to achieve a goal. I have a few control pages setup to use the ITachs because currently in the Media room the AV is actually behind us sending IR Plaster commands through the rooms. Harmony remotes send IR signals and it won’t work with the location of the Roku’s
Any advice on other solutions I may be missing?