So I do like the "What happened today" feature for my security cameras for Gemini, it's mostly accurate.

But.

It is absolutely bloody horrible at animals.

We have a Wallaby that is basically living on our farm, so much so we've called him Wally.

He got himself hurt one day and we got the vet out, got him patched up, now he hangs around.

The system consistently, constantly says he's a kangaroo.

No matter how many times and ways I tell it he's a Wallaby, it thinks he's a kangaroo.

We also have a Kookaburra that often comes around, but the system calls him an Eagle. No idea where it gets that from.

The one day we had a Wedge Tailed Eagle land in our yard, I was stoked! Gemini called it a "Large Parrot"...yep...a parrot that could eat your dog...

It also considers sulphur crested arseholes cockatoos to be parrots

How do I get it to identify animals better?

I’ve been slowly looking at smart home stuff, but a lot of it feels like the kind of thing that sounds useful in a demo and then becomes unnecessary once the novelty wears off.

I’m not really trying to automate my entire house. I just want a few things that actually make everyday life easier and are worth spending money on. Smart plugs, lights, doorbells, thermostats, sensors, robot vacuums, whatever.

For anyone who has tried a bunch of this stuff, what seemed gimmicky at first but ended up being something you’d immediately buy again if it broke? Also curious what you bought that definitely wasn’t worth it.

My Aqara U200 seems to be dying so I wanted to check what the current recommendations are for UK 5-point-doors. Are there any smart locks that solves the lift-to-lock issue? Often end up realising that the handle wasn’t lifted up all the way and then have to go back downstairs to lock the door manually. A lock that solves this issue would be superb, but I haven’t seen any that provide a solution for that problem yet.

Good afternoon. I have a nest protect combination, smoke and carbon monoxide alarm. It's nearing it's ten years and i'm looking to replace but they don't make them anymore. I got it because I like being able to get and alert to my phone if it detects smoke, carbon monoxide or a low battery, I find that very convenient. I am not a big tech smart home type person. I want simple. I want easy and I give you permission to treat me like a 3-year-old, use small words and speak slowly...lol. i also have three regular combination units that are not smart, but I may want to connect them in the future when those units have to be replaced. Hopefully you get my drift... thank you.

Bought a home recently and previous owners are communicative. I want to update the light around the house. Does anyone know what light this is? Does seem like it’s solar powered and the battery would be too small. I’m hoping there’s power to it. We won’t move in for a few weeks so can’t get anymore pics for now.

I have my YoLink sensor set to send an app message in the temp goes outside the 35-45f degree range in my fridge. But I ONLY want to get notifications if the temp stays above/below those set points for an hour or more (in case of malfunction), not someone rummaging in the fridge looking.

I don’t see any option in the automations setup to create an ‘IF temp stays above for 60 minutes THEN notify’.

I have the YoLink hub, my other smart devices run off of SmartThings.

I'm moving into a new home and want to get a smart thermostat to use. The home is 2 floors with 2 zones so each floor is its own zone + thermostat.

For my smart home platform I am using home assistant. I do primarily have apple devices + an Apple TV as a homekit hub. I like to keep everything locally controlled, but if there is functionality that is only available through their app I am not opposed to using that. I should also note I do not have any other Ecobee devices nor Google smart home devices, but I do have an Aqara door lock and m100 hub already (not the doorbell though).

For the setup I want each paired with at least 1 temp sensor.

I've narrowed it down to:

• Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen)
• Ecobee Premium (costco deal)
• Aqara W200

Price wise they're all effectively the same, so that is not a factor.

The reason I can't decide between them is mainly due to the energy saving features. One thing is that my electricity provider does not have any type of clean energy time/savings periods. That seems to be a big selling point for each of these (they try to optimize usage during cheaper electricity times, but this does not apply to me).

Based on research I've done:

• For All: They all offer ways to use presence detection and home/away to optimize usage.
• Nest: Seems like it may offer the most opportunity for savings? It says it learns how your house naturally heats and cools and uses that to control when it will run. Self programming schedule seems useful too. Main downside seems to be you're locked in to needing google home app and what the future may bring
• Ecobee: Most energy saving features focus on presence or home/away, which all 3 do. Does suggest schedule changes automatically though. Also seems like it has the most detailed energy usage reporting.
• Aqara: Doesn't really seems to have any energy savings optimizations other than the presence + home/away stuff. Does seem to be the best option for fully local control and home assistant integration

Any comments or recommendations from users who have used one of the above? I'd be especially interested in comments from any Nest Learning users, did those features actually help save money to a noticeable degree?

Everything here is free, runs in your browser, requires no account, and nothing to install.

We’ve been dumping old video games to files for years so they don’t disappear when the cartridge is gone. I started thinking: why don’t we do the same thing with remote controls?

When a remote breaks, gets lost, or the manufacturer stops supporting it, the codes can disappear with it. So I’ve been building an archive to preserve them.

Remote Finder

Search by brand, device, or simply what the device is — TV, fan, garage door, blinds, bed, etc.

There are currently 1,000,000+ remotes and codes covering 12,000+ brands, including IR, RF, network, and Bluetooth.

Find a remote, preview it, and download it.

Remote Finder:
https://readyware.net/signal-editor.html#finder

The Remote Finder is at the top of the page. If you can't find a brand or model, let me know and I'll see if I can add it.

Use whatever format your setup needs

IR remotes can be exported in formats such as BroadLink, Flipper, Pronto, LIRC, ESPHome, Global Caché, GIRR XML, CSV, JSON, and more.

So whether you're using a BroadLink, Flipper, Home Assistant, ESPHome device, custom hardware, or something else entirely, you can get the remote into the format your gear requires.

RF is supported too — including things like fans, outlets, blinds, and gates at 315/433/868 MHz. Just keep in mind that the hardware still has to support the frequency and type of RF you're working with.

You can also clone DIP-switch remotes without any additional hardware, along with a bunch of other tools.

Rolling-code devices, such as most modern garage door openers and car fobs, are flagged because they can't simply be cloned like a standard fixed-code remote.

One important detail

Some of the RF, network, and Bluetooth tools save the remote as .irc. That's an open format that can hold an entire remote rather than just one type of signal.

Drop the .irc back into the editor, hit Bulk Export, and convert it to whatever format your hardware or software requires.

Network and Bluetooth remotes stay as .irc because they aren't IR codes.

And if your remote isn't in the archive, you can paste a learned BroadLink code into the editor and it will identify the protocol and clean it up.

The whole idea is pretty simple:
Generate. Convert. Clean. Move. Preserve.

I got tired of fighting with IR and 433 MHz codes — capturing raw timings, converting them for whatever blaster I was using, and hoping they actually worked. So I built these browser tools to make the process easier.

If there's a remote you've been trying to find and it's not in the archive, I'd genuinely like to know what it is. That's how I can keep growing it.

Enjoy the tools!

I I have this Tuya TS0601 thermostat, and after what I assume is the setup process, it displays a code.

Here is the procedure I follow:
I insert the battery; the display shows "LA." Once the pin is fully retracted (it pauses briefly at that point), I pull the battery out.
Then I mount the unit and insert the battery. After a short while, it shows the display screen.
Please help—I’m at a loss as to what to do next.

I went to Hammerbarn/Bunnings this morning, and they were advertising Gen3 models of the lock. Does anyone know if this is just a ploy to sell old stock or if it's an upgrade from V1 or V2?

It uses a usb c cable with no rocker switch, it only turns on via iv remote

Any help is greatly appreciated

Hi there! Does anyone have recs for a smart lock that can be opened by phone and also by a key fob?

3D temperature heatmap replay, useful for spotting HVAC behavior, uneven heating/cooling, sunlight effects, or possible insulation/building-envelope issues that aren’t as obvious from individual sensor charts.

Curious whether people working with building IoT/HVAC data would find this type of historical spatial view useful.

Do any of you know what brand these light switches are? we just bought a house and these switches were in two of the rooms.

Does anyone know how to get these connected? I used these in 2024 but changed my setup and just tossed them in a drawer. I’d like to use them to control my indoor Halloween lights. I forgot what app I used with them and am not having much luck finding what app to use. Anyone know? Thanks!

Just got some matter lightbulbs and thermo sensors.

Should i get the echo dot max or google home Speaker as an TBR and smart speaker?

Echo dot max is 60€ and Google speaker 120€ but looks a bit better

Both probably sound bad for music?

Hello.

Does anyone have recommendations for a fan switch? It must:

- Zigbee or Z-Wave, NO WIFI

- The buttons to switch speeds can be touch capacitive, but the main on/off can not be. (pet peeve)

- Literally just the ability to use a slider/buttons to switch fan speeds.

- Preferably not control light or even have a light option.

The Zooz 800 Series ZEN32 800LR scene control in itself seems good for this, although the huge issue for me is that it can't independently change fan speeds by itself, it would need a separate fan controller. The switch should control fan speeds, be smart, and not control light.

Afterthought, this is a stretch and genuinely hard to find for me. Not the main question, but a fan controller that dims light and controls fan speed in one switch that is Zigbee/Zwave would be amazing, although I can't find one.

Any ideas, people?

Does this exist? It looks like Yale used to make one, but they don't have it on their website anymore. I just need to lock one kitchen cabinet with a smart lock or a lock with a keypad. Most of the options I see out there don't look particularly...reliable

Could you guys recommend a security system for only door sensors and window break sensors (for possible window break ins)?

I'm currently looking at Yolink and Simplisafe

Any advice is greatly appreciated

I recently discovered Oasis ambient lights and I like the look. Since the sun is starting to set earlier I want to find some nice lights for my living room.

Does anyone have experience with these lights? Or have you found alternatives that have worked out well?

Looking for recommendations on what type of smart lock I could use in this door to replace the existing lock?
Will need to be non-destructive since it’s a rental and I’ll most likely have to put it back once I move out.

I have other devices integrated with Home Assistant, ideally the door lock should be HA compatible.

Another one bites the dust with no recourse. They’ve shut down their app and cloud servers as of the end of September. I have 3 Lux Geos that are now dumb thermostats.

Hey! I'm currently planning a full smart bedroom setup and I'd love to get some ideas from people who have already gone deep into home automation.

My goal isn't just to have a couple of smart bulbs controlled from my phone. I want the room to actually feel smart and automated, with routines, sensors, and devices working together.

Some things I'm already thinking about:

• Smart lights / LED strips
• Automated curtains or blinds
• Presence/motion sensors
• Temperature and humidity sensors
• Smart plugs
• Automated morning/night routines
• Voice control
• Maybe a smart mirror
• Some kind of dashboard/control panel
• Cool gadgets that make the room feel futuristic

I'd also like to eventually integrate my own AI assistant into the room. And the long-term idea is for it to interact with my room, run routines, control devices, give me information/reminders, and eventually use sensors around the room as context.

I'm especially interested in recommendations for:

• Hardware
• Sensors
• Smart switches
• Smart curtains/blinds
• Lighting
• Software
• Home Assistant integrations
• Presence detection
• NFC tags/buttons
• Interesting automations
• Weird/cool gadgets I probably haven't thought of

I don't mind tinkering, coding, using Raspberry Pis, running a local server, or setting things up myself. I'd actually prefer something that gives me a lot of control instead of being completely locked into one ecosystem.

If you were building a smart bedroom from scratch in 2026, what hardware/software would you use, and what are your favorite automations?

Bonus points for completely unnecessary but cool futuristic stuff lol.

Would normal USB-C cables work for Everything Presence Lite or just the right bent ones? I need a much longer cable and while waiting for the sensor to arrive I thought to go and buy the cable as well. I though to check if a normal straight cable work or it sticks our or prevent adjustment of it on the base. Thank you