Home Automation Help

[StarTrek133]

Hi Everyone, 

I could use some help. Curently i have a google home and some wemo smart plugs. Wemo has stated that in 2026 they will be turning off there app which means my smart plugs will stop working. I have also had ends yelling converisions with my google home as it 60% of the time doesn't understand me. 

So I am looking for a some time of home automation where I can say "Hey ******* turn on the tv" or "wake me at 8am" things like that. the trouble is I rent so replacing the outlights is a no. 

 

So any advice or thoughts would be great. 

 

Thanks

[Obioban]

Home Assistant. 

[OhioYJ]

This is a very complex question, with many answers.  In my house I use Zooz Zbox currently (Review here on the site), I'm using Sofa Baton remotes to control the TVs, etc (including HTPCs). I'm using Alexa as my voice assistant, but I believe Google is supported by all of the above. Computers are a mix of the Sofa Baton and Zooz Relays. 

 

Definitely whatever you choose make sure you are not isolated to an app, and can freely move between systems. I learned this long ago. So right now I've been using the ZBox for a while now, but if I decide I no longer like it, I can just move over to Home Assistant, or Go back to SmartThings (what I used before), etc. 

 

As for the Smart home, just be realistic. Any voice assistant is going to mess things up, and expect delays at times. It's never like it's never perfect. 

[StarTrek133]

Thanks for the info, guess I still have some digging to do. 

 

I was just hoping to have I would hope in all in one system. if that makes sense. unlike right now where I have google for voice but Wemo for plugs. 

 

let me know , thanks

[OhioYJ]

1 hour ago, StarTrek133 said:

I was just hoping to have I would hope in all in one system

I mean you can have all in one system, but you will find you sacrifice some things to do that. That can also get you locked into an ecosystem with no way out. So tread lightly. 

 

My solution does have a couple different moving pieces but they all interface / interact nicely. It's also given me the freedom to move between systems and try new things, without buying new hardware (other than a hub, all the sensors stayed).

 

If you start looking at one in particular, feel free to mention it here, I'm sure someone here would give feedback that has used it.