Ultimate Guide to Starting and Growing a Smart Home in 2024!

Summary

In this video, the creator shares his insights on building the ideal smart home, emphasizing three key goals: invisibility, high spouse approval, and long-term reliability. He advises against relying solely on voice commands or multiple apps, recommending a unified dashboard and the use of sensors for seamless control. The video also discusses selecting a smart home system, the importance of choosing devices that support local control, and offers tips for creating effective automations. The creator concludes with a Q&A session addressing common questions about smart home setup and management.

Takeaways

• 🏡 The ideal smart home should be invisible, operate seamlessly, and have high spouse approval to avoid annoying guests or family members.
• 🔧 Long-term reliability is crucial; the smart home should not become a time and money pit after a few months of use.
• 🗣️ Voice commands can be useful for specific tasks but are not ideal for controlling every aspect of a smart home due to their clunky nature.
• 📱 Using multiple smart home apps can be overwhelming; a unified dashboard that combines all smart devices is recommended for easier management.
• 🛠️ Sensors are key for an ideal smart home as they allow the home to adjust automatically to daily activities, enhancing convenience and meeting the three goals.
• 🔘 Smart buttons are useful for quick, specific actions that don't fit well with sensors or voice commands, providing tailored control.
• 💡 When choosing a smart home system, consider customization options and compatibility with various sensors and devices for a truly personalized setup.
• 🔌 Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Z-Wave, and Thread are different protocols for smart home devices; each has its advantages and considerations for system selection.
• 🌐 Matter is a new standard for smart home device compatibility, but it's still developing, so it's not necessary to wait for Matter compatibility to build a smart home.
• 🛑 Adding conditions to automations can prevent them from running at inappropriate times, thus avoiding family annoyance and ensuring a smooth smart home experience.
• 🔄 Starting simple with automations and focusing on one task or room at a time can lead to a more effective and manageable smart home setup.

Q & A

What are the three goals for an ideal smart home according to the video?

The three goals for an ideal smart home are: 1) It should be invisible, working seamlessly in the background. 2) It should have high spouse approval, meaning it should not annoy anyone living in or visiting the house. 3) It should have long-term reliability, avoiding the risk of breaking down and becoming a time and money pit.

Why does the video suggest not relying solely on voice commands for controlling a smart home?

The video suggests not relying solely on voice commands because it can be difficult and clunky to remember what to say, which is not in line with the goal of seamless operation in the background and being family-friendly.

What is the recommended way to control a smart home according to the video?

The recommended way to control a smart home is through sensors that adjust based on everyday activities, as they help achieve all three goals of an ideal smart home.

Why are smart buttons suggested for certain situations in a smart home?

Smart buttons are suggested for specific situations where quick actions are needed, like sending a robot vacuum to clean a specific room, and where sensors or voice commands are not practical or desired.

What is the importance of choosing the right smart home system according to the video?

Choosing the right smart home system is important because it acts as the brains of the smart home, allowing you to combine all devices into one dashboard, connect sensors, and provide the necessary customization to meet the family's needs.

Why might a more advanced smart home system be more family-friendly than a simple one?

A more advanced smart home system can be more family-friendly because it offers more customization options, allowing the system to be tailored exactly to the family's needs, which can help avoid annoyances and improve overall satisfaction.

What are the different types of smart home device protocols mentioned in the video, and which one does the video recommend?

The video mentions Wi-Fi, Thread, Zigbee, and Z-Wave as smart home device protocols. It recommends Zigbee for its wide selection, affordability, and reliability.

What does the video suggest about the new 'Matter' standard for smart home devices?

The video suggests that while Matter promises compatibility and local control, it is still new and being developed, so it's not recommended to limit oneself to only Matter-compatible devices at this stage.

How should one approach creating automations in their smart home according to the video?

The video advises starting simple and focusing on one room or task at a time, adding extra conditions to prevent annoyances, and gradually building up complexity as one becomes more familiar with the system.

What are some tips for maintaining a reliable smart home system as mentioned in the video?

Some tips for maintaining a reliable smart home system include prioritizing devices that do not rely on the cloud, using a good Wi-Fi system with multiple access points or a mesh system, and starting with simple automations that can be expanded over time.

Outlines

00:00

🏡 Building the Ideal Smart Home

The speaker shares their experience and outlines three key goals for an ideal smart home: invisibility, spouse approval, and long-term reliability. They discuss the importance of choosing the right control method, which includes voice commands, smart home apps, and a unified dashboard. The speaker emphasizes the role of sensors in achieving the smart home goals and suggests using smart buttons for specific, quick actions. They also highlight the need for a smart home system that can integrate all devices and act as the 'brain' of the smart home, while cautioning against relying solely on simple systems with limited customization options.

05:01

🛠️ Choosing the Right Smart Home System and Devices

The speaker advises on selecting a smart home system, considering factors like compatibility with different protocols (Thread, Zigbee, Z-Wave, Wi-Fi) and the level of customization desired. They discuss the trade-offs between ease of use and customization, suggesting that more advanced systems can be more family-friendly due to their flexibility. The speaker also recommends against relying solely on Wi-Fi devices for smart home setups, advocating for a mix of technologies. They mention their preference for Zigbee devices due to their wide selection and reliability, and touch on the importance of choosing devices that don't rely on the cloud for long-term reliability.

10:02

🔧 Implementing Automations for a Seamless Smart Home Experience

The speaker emphasizes the importance of automations in making a smart home feel magical and user-friendly. They suggest starting simple, focusing on one room or task at a time, and using conditions to prevent annoyances from automations. The speaker shares their personal journey with smart home automations, including the transition from Smart Things to Home Assistant, and offers advice on how to get started with Home Assistant. They also address common questions about naming conventions, the benefits of using Home Assistant over Homebridge, and the value of combining different smart home ecosystems like Apple HomeKit and Home Assistant for a more reliable and feature-rich smart home experience.

Keywords

💡Smart Home

A smart home refers to a residence that integrates technology into its architecture to make daily living more efficient and convenient. In the video, the concept is central as the speaker discusses how to build an ideal smart home with goals like invisibility, high spouse approval, and long-term reliability.

💡Invisibility

In the context of the video, 'invisibility' refers to the seamless integration of smart home technology into everyday life, to the point where it operates so naturally that it almost goes unnoticed. This aligns with the speaker's first goal for an ideal smart home, where technology works quietly in the background.

💡High Spouse Approval

This term humorously suggests that the smart home setup should not be irritating or disruptive to all household members, including guests. It emphasizes the importance of user-friendliness and acceptance by everyone in the home, which is crucial for a harmonious living environment.

💡Long-term Reliability

Long-term reliability in the video signifies the durability and consistent performance of smart home technology over time. The speaker stresses the need for a smart home system that doesn't become a 'time and money pit' by breaking down after a few months, highlighting the importance of sustainability in smart home technology.

💡Smart Speakers

Smart speakers are voice-activated devices that can perform various tasks, such as playing music or controlling other smart devices. The speaker mentions that while they initially used smart speakers for controlling their smart home, they found voice commands to be less practical over time, suggesting a shift towards other control methods.

💡Dashboard

A dashboard in the smart home context is a centralized interface that allows users to control and monitor all their smart devices from one place. The video suggests using a dashboard as a more organized and efficient way to manage smart home devices compared to using multiple individual apps.

💡Sensors

Sensors in smart homes are devices that detect and respond to changes in the environment, such as motion or light levels. The speaker advocates for using sensors as the ideal way to control a smart home because they can automate responses based on everyday activities, contributing to the goal of invisibility.

💡Smart Buttons

Smart buttons are manual controls that can be programmed to perform specific actions in the smart home. The video gives an example of a smart button in the bathroom that triggers a robot vacuum to clean a specific room, illustrating how these buttons can be used for quick, on-demand control.

💡Smart Home System

A smart home system is the central platform that integrates and manages all the smart devices in a home. The speaker discusses the importance of choosing a system that allows for customization and compatibility with various devices to meet the goals of an ideal smart home.

💡Zigbee

Zigbee is a wireless communication protocol used in smart home devices to create mesh networks. The video mentions Zigbee as one of the protocols to consider when selecting devices for a smart home, noting its wide selection and reliability, which are important for long-term system performance.

💡Automations

Automations in a smart home are pre-programmed sequences of actions that occur in response to specific triggers. The speaker advises starting simple with automations and focusing on one task at a time to ensure they work seamlessly and contribute to the smart home's overall efficiency.

Highlights

Three simple goals for an ideal smart home: invisibility, high spouse approval, and long-term reliability.

Controlling a smart home should be seamless and not rely solely on voice commands.

Using smart speakers primarily for music and notifications rather than controlling the entire home.

Avoid using multiple smart home apps; instead, opt for a unified dashboard for device control.

Sensors are key for an ideal smart home, allowing it to adjust based on everyday activities.

Smart buttons are useful for quick actions in specific situations where sensors or voice commands are impractical.

Combining all smart home devices into one system is crucial for a cohesive smart home experience.

Customization is important; a more advanced system can be more family-friendly due to its flexibility.

Consider the type of sensors and devices when choosing a smart home system, such as Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Z-Wave, and Thread.

Zigbee offers a wide selection of devices and has proven reliable for the speaker's smart home.

Matter is a new standard for smart home device compatibility, but it's still in development and not necessary for all devices.

Prioritize smart home devices that work without cloud reliance for long-term reliability.

Automations should be simple and focused on solving specific problems in the home.

Adding conditions to automations can prevent them from running at inappropriate times, reducing family annoyance.

Despite the effort, perfect automations often go unnoticed but are crucial for a seamless smart home experience.

Smart home automations save time and allow for more focus on family and important activities.

Rapid fire Q&A session addresses various smart home setup and management questions.

Home Assistant is recommended for its device integrations and local operation, complementing other systems like Apple HomeKit.

Transcripts

[Music]

after years of experience building a

smart home I know what most people

should do and more importantly what not

to do so I've come up with three simple

goals of what my ideal smart home should

be and I think you'll agree number one

it should be invisible working so

seamlessly in the background that you

forget it's even there second is high

spouse approval basically anyone living

in your house or guest visiting should

not be annoyed by your smart home the

last goal is to have long-term reliab AB

ility you don't want it breaking a few

months down the road and turning into a

time and money pit so I'm going to show

you how to build the ideal smart home

with those goals in mind and at the end

I'm going to answer a bunch of questions

that were submitted it's going to be

super helpful and packed with

info all right first one of the most

important parts about building a smart

home is knowing how you're going to

control it you might think oh I'll just

put a bunch of smart speakers around the

house and use voice commands for

everything this might seem seem like a

good idea when you're first starting I

know that's what I did when I first

started but now guess what I hardly even

speak to these things it's been 84 years

because it's difficult and clunky to

remember what to say so yeah not really

in line with seamlessly running in the

background and familyfriendly so I

wouldn't plan on controlling your entire

smart home with voice commands maybe

just a handful of voice commands you use

on the couch is more reasonable I mainly

use Smart speakers to listen to music

and play voice notifications another way

you might want to contr control your

smart home is with a bunch of smart home

apps on your phone but don't do that

it's just too much only use these

individual smart home apps to

occasionally adjust settings trust me

the better way is to use a dashboard

that combines all your smart devices so

they're organized in one spot you can

quickly access them on your phone or

family members can control things on a

shared tablet at least I thought it was

a great idea to do this you're going to

need to combine all your smart home

devices into one smart home system and

more on that in a minute but this is

great because there's always going to be

times where you're going to need to

manually control something and this just

makes it so easy so dashboards are

convenient but the ideal way to control

your smart home is with sensors they

make it so you can go about your day

while your smart home adjusts based on

your everyday activities like walking

into a room using a kitchen counter or

the garage door opens and sensors make

it possible to hit all three of those

goals for the ideal smart home when you

think of smart home sensors you might

think of the classic contact and motion

sensor but it goes beyond that many of

these sensors can actually be other

smart home devices like if the doorbell

detects a person your smart home can do

an action the last way to control your

smart home is with smart buttons these

are for weird Corner cases that you want

something to happen quickly like the

button in our bathroom that will send

the robot vacuum to clean this specific

room the timing of this is sporadic so

sensors wouldn't work work I don't want

to remember a voice command and I don't

need a full-on dashboard in the bathroom

wait maybe I do wait what no Reed no on

second thought a smart button is a

perfect solution for situations like

this so now we know the best way to

control your smart home now we need a

system to make it all happen this will

allow you to combine all your devices

into One dashboard connect sensors and

act like the brains of your smart home I

recently made a video about the best

smart home system and I'll link it down

below if you want to check it out but

here are a few things you might want to

keep in mind when picking out the right

system for you number one an easy simple

system might not always be better in

fact it can be the opposite for example

say you have a few Amazon Echo you've

collected over the years so you want

Amazon to be your smart home system it's

easy to use so it makes sense right well

you're going to run into issues with all

three three of those goals for the ideal

smart home because you're limited on how

much customization is possible say you

don't want motion lights to turn on if

the TV is on or you don't want certain

automations to run if visitors are over

with Amazon this isn't possible yes it's

easier to use but you'll be limited in

what you can do what sensors are

compatible dashboard options and the

list goes on so it seems

counterintuitive but a more advanced

smart home system can actually be more

familyfriendly because you can customize

it exactly how your family needs it to

work the other thing to consider when

picking a smart home system is what kind

of sensors and devices you want to use

there are thread zigby Z-Wave and Wi-Fi

to choose from Wi-Fi is pretty

self-explanatory but the other three are

their own protocols they build out mesh

networks of threads zigg or Z-Wave

devices to expand across your house and

not clog up your Wi-Fi bandwidth one

thing to watch out for is if you go with

a smart home system that's only

compatible with thread you could bump

into some problems because thread is

still fairly new so you might run into

some more issues than something like

zigg also many thread devices cost more

than their zigby counterparts besides

Wi-Fi the majority of devices in my

house are zigg it gives me the widest

selection lots of inexpensive options

and it's been very reliable I'll link

some of my favorite zigby devices down

below and I'm planning on doing another

sensor video to find the best so hit

that subscribe button to not miss it I

know that's a lot to go over but there's

one more thing to think about when

choosing a smart home system how much

tinkering do you want to do like do you

want to customize everything to your

heart's content or are you fine just

letting the system do it for you home

assistant is open source which means

it's free and not owned by some big tech

company but it does require some

tinkering to keep it working it's gotten

way easier over the years but is

definitely more more work here are some

of the smart home systems I recommend

home assistant is the clear winner for

me but for lots of people tinkering

isn't ideal which is completely fine I

personally don't mind tinkering let's

see building something in my quiet

garage and getting a break from

this yeah I'll take as long as I

need okay now you know the best way to

control your smart home and the system

to make it happen now we need to add

smart devices so you can actually

control things around your house I have

a list of basically every device I'm

currently using my smart home that you

can check out for yourself I only use

devices that I absolutely love since

I've tried a lot over the years but here

are some things to look for when you're

buying smart home devices the first

thing is matter this is a new standard

that promises to make all your smart

home devices work together so should you

only buy devices that are matter

compatible well in my opinion you

shouldn't limit yourself matter is still

very new and currently being developed

so you could be waiting a while if you

only want matter devices the benefits of

matter are compatibility with basically

all the systems and it doesn't require

the cloud to work well you can already

do this with zigg zwave and thread

devices right now so again this is just

my opinion but one thing that matter

devices do really well is not rely on

the cloud for them to work and I would

highly prioritize this when bu new smart

home devices that way if the company

that makes the device unfortunately ever

did go out of business you could keep

using it in your smart home so this

supports that third goal that I said for

long-term reliability if you already

have Smart Home devices that require the

cloud like I do it's not the end of the

world I wouldn't throw them out and

it'll probably be fine my last tip about

smart home devices is about Wii I see

comments all the time saying avoid Wi-Fi

devices at all costs I don't agree with

this if you have a good router and

multiple Wi-Fi access points to cover

your house or even a good mesh wi-fi

system then you'll be just fine my smart

home Wi-Fi devices stay connected and

can still work without the cloud like

the everything presents one I recommend

not skimping out on your wi-fi system I

mean think about how much your family

relies on it with all their devices you

don't want Wi-Fi problems I mean my kids

will lose it if a video takes one second

to

buffer all right time for the last piece

of the puzzle to building the ideal

smart home making it all work together

using automations in whatever platform

you use this is where all your hard work

pays off and it feels like magic as

things happen around you without you

needing to even think about it it's one

of my favorite things ever but wait

before you jump in I have some advice

when you're first starting out don't get

too carried away and create complicated

automations start simple and focus on

one room at a time in fact you can even

get more specific by focusing on one

task at a time think about a problem in

your life and then automate it and then

move on to the next one this will help

you keep track of what's supposed to

happen so if it breaks you know where to

look and fix it quickly you might be

like oh it's not going to break I made

the perfect automation yeah famous last

words I think the same thing too when

I'm creating automations and then my

family enters the mix they have a PhD in

home automation construction almost all

the automations that my family breaks

can be fixed easily with some extra

conditions these are what stop the

automation from running if other things

are happening in the house like if we

have guess over if the TV is on during

certain times of the day or if someone's

away from the house then it can stop an

Automation and keep your family from

getting annoyed now just a warning

making perfect automations is kind of a

thankless job remember at the beginning

making an invisible Smart Home home that

works seamlessly in the background well

if your automations are running

perfectly no one's really going to

notice which is a good thing but if they

break you're going to hear about it it's

not always like that though and

automations have made our life so much

easier I don't have to focus on the

mundane tasks and instead focus on my

family and as much as I joke I love

spending time with my wife and kids and

these automations put more time back in

my day it's 100% worth it in my

opinion

all right before we wrap it up here's

some rapid fire questions and answers

you guys ask me on Instagram if you

don't follow me over there you

definitely should all right best naming

convention for automations and devices I

try to be as descriptive as possible

when I'm naming my automations or

devices and maybe a little extra

descriptive especially putting in what

room they're in that way when I need to

find them I can quickly search for the

room and they'll pop right up how to

keep all the automations organized well

I don't I just name them really well and

when I need to find them I just again

search for the room or whatever it is

and they quickly pop up homebridge or

home assistant I would use home

assistant you still get that homebridge

functionality built in but then you have

some extra features with home assistant

best zigg repeaters I don't know if it's

the best but I use some inexpensive

sonoff zigg Outlets that extend my zigg

mesh system all over my house and it

works really well well I'm also using

the aara pet feeder which works as a

zigg repeater too start with four smart

switches is the first thing yes smart

switches are one of the best things you

can do to start with because they're

very familyfriendly everyone can still

use the switch like they normally do but

then you can automate it and we moved

into this house smart switches were the

first thing that I added how to

transition away from smart things

unfortunately there isn't an easy way to

switch from one smart home system to

another you can either slowly move

devices and automations over little by

little or do it in one Fell Swoop how to

go from smart things to home assistant

this is something I did and there's

actually an integration in home

assistant for smart things so you can

bring in all your smart things devices

and then slowly you can disconnect them

from smart things and switch them over

to home assistant so someone ask why

they should do this well if you're

already happy with your smart home

system then no you don't need to change

but if you do want to switch over to

home assistant you can have way more

device Integrations like I have almost

every device in my smart home integrated

into home assistant and it opens up the

doors to way more things that are

possible should I just pick one company

like Casa and stick with them yes if

you're going to replace like all your

light switches going with one company

keeps it more uniform it's easier for

your family looks nicer so yes for that

but for like Casa light strips not

really I have some Costo light strips in

here A different kind over in the corner

and it kind of feels all the same once

you're you're automating them and using

them in the dashboard so I don't think

it makes that much of a difference is it

expensive well I'll answer your question

with another question someone else asked

how do I stop spending so much money on

it I feel you what's a good cheap system

to start and upgrade later on I would

probably choose Google they have really

easy to use routines and then you have

their new script Editor to make a little

more advanced automations and then if

you want to take things up a notch and

use something like home assistant you

can still use all the speakers and

displays for announcements and playing

music and not waste any devices which

hubs are worth combining I prefer

combining apple homekit and home

assistant they both complement each

other well and both run locally so

they're very reliable how to get started

with home assistant I'll link some of my

favorite videos down below but I'm also

thinking about making a

beginner-friendly home assistant video

and if I do it will probably be on the

second channel so if you're interested

follow me over there all right that's

the end of the Q&A hopefully this video

was helpful in your journey to build the

ideal smart home focusing on those three

goals has helped me build a smart home

I'm very proud of I barely know it's

there my family loves it and it's been

working reliably for the last couple of

years I know you guys can do it and if

you have any questions then let me know

down below thanks for

watching Apple Jack I'll never let go I

promise just slide over and let me on

there's room for two I'm sorry there

can't be two smart home voice assistants

wait you just said you'd never let go

why would you do

this