Meet George Jetson

Showing my age with The Jetsons reference.

We are redoing our living room and kitchen configuration. We are moving and updating some lighting and outlets. How things have changed. We taking out all of the phone jacks on the main floor except for one which we have a phone for in case of emergencies.

We are adding a few plugs that contain USB Chargers. My daughter reminded us of this. We didn't even think about it at first.


I have been buying these as they go on sale and have amassed about 5 of them. TP-Link Smart Plug Mini. You can pretty much fit one of these and another plug on in the same outlet as long as the other isn't oversized as well. From time to time Best Buy or Amazon will have a 2-1 Sale which makes them about $20 a piece.

You can control them from an app on your phone or tablet. On/Off, timers and schedules. I have a couple of lamps, air exchanger and dehumidifier set up right now. It's nice to turn the lights on for Georgia if we are out or make it look like we are home.

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Requi...=tp+smart+plug

I am going to add a few of these for switches that control outside lights, to put them on a schedule or a couple of lights that we use more. I am waiting for a sale. Best Buy had one but sold out quick.

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Requi...k+smart+switch

I also updgrade to a wifi Thermostat. Our current programmable model doesn't seem to function properly. I think this will be handy when I come home at noon to an empty house in the winter and the heat is cranked up. You ca also check your humidity and then with the other active the exchange or dehumidifier.

https://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-RTH.../dp/B00FLZEQH2

The kid at Best Buy showed me Google Home today which would add voice command to these items and a couple of others I own. I wasn't sold but they have a mini coming out that looks a little more affordable.

Not too far off from automating our houses and still not cheap but the prices seem to be coming down fairly fast.

I've got a couple similar to these. Basically pop off the plate and screw this on.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07546369P?psc=1

I'm still a bit too leery of big brother for the talking/automated house thing. I do have a Vinint security system which allows me to control HVAC, Lights, door locks from my phone. It also logs all activity on these items. I actually caught my dog sitter only coming for 20 minutes when I was paying for an hour :suspicious::suspicious::suspicious: by checking when she entered and exited.

Once you get all done you will love it. I went through and did this a while ago. I went with all Lutron switches. I have been a fan of them for years. They have several other good product like a ceiling fan switch that can control both the fan and the light separately and vary the speed, however this retrofits where you only have one switch and never had a separate one controlling the fan. One thing you want to do it pick a brand and stick with that brand. Many of these actually turn the wiring in your house into mini networks so keeping them all the same would prevent clashes. Remember the old days where you could install a new phone by plugging in a couple things into your wall outlets and then it would send your phone across your power outlets. Same principle.

I prefer Amazon Echo vs Google home. Give that one a look. It has way many more features and things I use. For example I listen to a lot of audible books, in the car or wherever. It syncs my place and so when I am at home cooking or what ever I can just say Alexa play audible and it picks up where I left off in the car. Also I have a lot of amazon music so I can just play that and if you are a prime member you get a lot more. I will honestly say though the ordering stuff you need is awesome. I know it sounds weird at first but like walking out of the bathroom when you notice your low on TP and just saying Alexa order more TP. 2 days later it shows up on your door. I can get Hemi's food that way, Coffee, Teas, etc. She is tied into a lot of pizza places so you can just tell Alexa to order you a pizza and within a half hour to a hour it is there. I have all the lights and so on set up so I can just say out loud what lights to turn on or off. Or when I go to bed I tell her to turn them all off.

The one drawback, it does require an internet connection. If the internet is out for some reason, router needs reset, cable company issues, bad storm. You kind of have that sinking feeling like when you go to work and you forget your phone. You know you can get by without it but part of you is missing.

Lutron at Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_s...=2KHRV2Z53QT0F

So I must live in the Flinstones era because I did not know these plugs even existed. I need to change my name to Dino.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Macy

So I must live in the Flinstones era because I did not know these plugs even existed. I need to change my name to Dino.

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If can be a lot of fun too. Like all the different things you can do. Like I talk to Alexa with Hemi. Like when he is outside and wants to come in and staring at me. He Alexa, how much is that doggy in the window. She will reply you mean the one with the waggly tail. Hemi gets all excited.

I play relacing music for Hemi when I leave so Hemi has his own playlists. When I leave for work, I say Alexa play Hemi Music. She will say Playing Hemi Music. He just smiles.

I have my thermostat, door locks and and security system all tied into her. Door locks and things do not unlock via voice. This is to prevent a crook outside just saying through an open window Alexa unlock the doors. However you can lock them. Again great at the end of the night when your all ready to go to bed. Alexa, Lock the doors. All the doors lock. Alexa tell the security system to arm. You can hear the system beep as it is arming. Alexa turn out the lights. Hemi and I snuggle up and go to sleep.

One of the things I use the most is kitchen timers. When cooking I just say out loud. Alexa set a timer for 5 minutes. Done. You can have multiple timers running at the same time for all different times..

. . . his boy Elroy . . . :image023:

I expect that over time I will replace some of our outlets with ones that include USB chargers.

We will stick with hands-on control of our various home devices for a reason similar to why we prefer driving stick shifts - keeps me more aware of and alert to what's going on. Though we will break down and buy a dumb programmable thermostat - getting up to bump it 30 minutes before getting up for good is less than enjoyable.

All so Greek to me!

When these things will brush Archie, I'll definitely be on board, LOL

The wifi thermostat didn't work out because of my 2 stage heat pump. I called the company that installed it and said they had one made for a Lenoxx Pump that was $700. I laughed and hung up. At least we have a programmable stat.

I have the wifi switches but haven't installed them. Both Amazon and Best Buy had them on sale this week. I mainly want them for the two outdoor lights so I can put them on a timer at night. It's pretty dark here.

I also discovered the Google Assistant works with all of them so I set it up on my iPhone to do voice commands to turn lights on and off. I also have this Harmony Hub for my TV. It's basically a Universal Remote. It works as well with the Assistant and I can tell it turn the tv on and off and set up channels which I haven't done yet.

I think I am obsessed with gadgets.