Comment by AnotherGoodName
20 hours ago
Fwiw automated blinds in the bedroom are a 100% no brainer benefit. It's wonderful and better than an alarm clock with 0 mental load (set the times to open close across the week once and then never think about them again, you can keep the weekend manual if you like).
As in a lot of home automation actually makes things worse. Replacing a convenient light switch with an app? 100% terrible idea and actually makes things inconvenient, don't automate those.
But the blinds, specifically those in your bedroom? Do it! One of those life hacks that's really not that expensive and makes your life better with 0 cognitive load after initial setup.
> As in a lot of home automation actually makes things worse. Replacing a convenient light switch with an app? 100% terrible idea and actually makes things inconvenient, don't automate those.
The key to proper home automation is not to destroy the "normal" functions already in place, but to augment them with automation.
Smart switches that do not function without connectivity are not smart. I discourage new implementation of smart-bulbs too as they break the "normal" bulb-switch function. I discourage smart plugs for the same reason. Same thing with valves. Imagine a valve that cannot be turned on or off manually. Horrific.
My own scoreboard is how little i think of it.
An automated porch light that hasn’t been touched in 10years and blinds that had the schedule setup once and forgotten about for 5 years are examples of fantastic automation.
Same. Replacing all of my light switches with an app I have to use anytime I want to turn the lights on or off is indeed a huge step backwards IMHO.
Replacing all of the light switches with smart switches and monition sensors and things like this, plus automated schedules, to the point that you never need to switch any switches at all or think about lights, that is nice IMHO.
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I've got a few lighting automations (turning the lights on when I come home, dimming the lights at night, etc.) and I disagree on the idea that home automation makes things all that much worse.
It doesn't take that much effort to find smart devices with a manual override button. As for lights, the IKEA ones I have are programmed to turn on after cutting the power regardless of smart setting, so all of my physical light switches still work if my automations fail. Toggling them that way kind of screws up the Zigbee network, but I'm not losing any functionality if the Zigbee controller dies.
As for the blinds, you have to place those strategically. You wouldn't be the first one to come out of bed or out of the shower and surprise flashing your neighbours because the smart blinds opened without you noticing.
> Fwiw automated blinds in the bedroom are a 100% no brainer benefit.
The only problem is finding one that doesn't use undersized plastic gears and cheap electronics that will invariably fail within 10 years. Most of them don't even have manual backups
I've got Home Assistant set up and the app on my phone. But the only light switch I have automated is done with a standalone, battery powered timer with a motor to turn a dumb switch on and off. It's on my porch light so it turns on and off without me needing to be home or paying attention. Only have to override it on Halloween and shift it with the seasons.
Why not program the schedule for Halloween and have it turn on and off with the sun or sun2 integration
> Do it! One of those life hacks that's really not that expensive and makes your life better with 0 cognitive load after initial setup.
I'd love to, actually. But where do I even start? How to choose the solution? I have some old blinds which leak a lot of light and wouldn't mind replacing them. Guess my only hard requirement is for the blinds not to connect to the internet.
My blinds don’t work as an alarm clock for me at all. I sleep with a pillow over my eyes, no amount of light is going to wake me up.
I use a silk sleep mask. They’re incredible. Added benefit is that it helps hold your eyelids closed on days when you’re not very sleepy. It’s also one thing I only do when actually attempting to sleep. I swear I get sleepy the second I feel that super-light tension on my head
I like the pressure of the full pillow on my head and covering my ears
That'll just make it too easy for an assassin.
You are making assumption I want to wake up that early.
Quite opposite - I’m searching for way to completely black out the room since kids will wake up with slightest shred of light, far before daycare starts. And I’m not even living if far lats.
But yeah I still want them for convenience. Problem is I don’t want cables dangling around curtains and battery options are limited.
This comment makes no sense. You choose when you want your automated blinds to open, if you don't want to wake up early, just don't set them to open early?
This comment also makes no sense... they said completely black out a room, which blinds alone cannot do.
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Batteries last more than a year and you can get ones with solar panels to recharge them.
I just hard wire mine by going through the cornice with a flush conduit. It's a good place to put the manual shutoff switch as well.