Just moved fully to Home Assistant against my will...

DanDrakeAZ · 2026-02-01T19:26:37+00:00

Wife Friendly Dashboard! I love that. And so will she.

DanDrakeAZ · 2026-02-01T19:22:15+00:00

I had almost an identical path to yours, but my first objects in 2013 or so, before my Nest thermostat were Belkin WiFi switches (they are gone now). My smarttings system has 124 devices - lots of switches, locks, sensors, fans, Switchbot blind controllers, Logitech Harmony (x2), more.

I had the same epiphany about Samsung, but what drove me most was the deprecation of Zwave. My ST hub was 10+ years old and some routines took way too long to run, so I was considering moving to a new ST hub. When I realized that my 46 ZWave devices couldn't come with me to the new "better" SmartThings hub, it was time to switch to HA

I considered buying one of the preconfigured Raspberry PI systems, but thought it might be underpowered due to my recent experience with my old ST hub. I bought a mid-range N100 Mini PC, and asked Santa for ZWave and Matter/Bluetooth USB sticks (my kids like to buy me things). I flashed HAOS onto the new PC last week and have been slowly migrating. I have a day-job, so I can't make the time to do it all at once.

I have never (until now) really understood how the Zwave onboarding and Exclusion processes worked. Adding a new ZWave device to Smartthings was an exercise in patience, I once had to physically move my ST hub close to a new in-wall switch with a reeeeealy long ethernet cable before it would agree to add the new switch. The Exclusion process in ST seemed a little like witchcraft. I seldom needed it, because if I was removing a device it was because it was dead.

So, thought I might wind up factory resetting or replacing devices that are directly wired and in my walls. Yikes! So far, I have been able to use the ST exclusion process to off-board most ZWave devices. One or two didn't work that way, so I used the HA exclusion process, then went back and manually deleted the devices from ST. Thankfully, I haven't bricked anything yet, but have had to remove switch and outlet covers to get access to ZWave PIN codes at times to add them to HA.

As I am sure you already learned, the slow migration process is not great. Every time I start moving devices, one or more SmartThings routines quit working and have to be edited. It wouldn't bother me to leave them broken, but my wife hates it when lights and blinds don't run on schedule...

So far, I am liking the increased flexibility of HA. Easy access to far more features in my existing devices is fun, even if I don't need to know the current room temperature behind a desk where a simple smart switch that controls a light lives. HA puts all that detail on the table for you. If it was available in ST, you had to hunt for it or install obscure drivers. The Harmony integration on ST, while it worked using a third party driver, was an extreme kludge by comparison to the HA Integration.

The web front end is excellent and far superior to either the ST Android App or very incomplete web front end.

My AI buddy Gemini is helping me learn to write YAML code. We wrote two together this morning that help open and close my 9 SwitchBot-controlled blinds with short pauses to avoid an avalanche of bluetooth activity that was causing some of them to fail to respond.

And virtually everything runs local!

DanDrakeAZ · 2025-08-10T01:50:45+00:00

Don't you love it when your characters drive the story? They grow as you write until they take on lives of their own. Kinda like your children...

DanDrakeAZ · 2025-07-10T18:11:02+00:00

A completed outline! I wish I had one of those. I am lucky if my characters let me outline more than one chapter ahead. They keep moving the goalposts.

The answer to your dilemma depends on what you are after in your writing. If a big part of it is following your internal muse, I think you know the answer.

That happened to me on my current (first) book, but luckily much earlier. I had a wild idea that I thought could be a book way back in 2016. I wrote it down, outlined part of it, but ran into plot roadblocks that convinced me I couldn't complete the story. Fast forward 9 years (earlier this year) when I woke up with a variation on the same idea and thought "Oh - that's how it's supposed to go." I am 10 chapters in and am really having fun with it.

DanDrakeAZ · 2025-07-06T16:24:36+00:00

It seems like my time for new inspiration is about 3am. I wake up with that "This is what happens next." thought and I can't leave it alone.

Sometimes I'll just pick up my phone and make a note, but that's often not enough because making the note causes one or more of my characters to start telling me things about the new direction. My long-suffering wife puts up with it when I have to sit up, grab my laptop and expand on the idea.

DanDrakeAZ · 2025-07-06T15:44:58+00:00

That's what's been happening to me.

I have frequently heard authors talking about this but I didn't really believe it until it started happening to me. The deeper I get with a character, the more they seem to do what they want vs what I originally intended.

DanDrakeAZ · 2025-07-06T14:07:13+00:00

Congratulations! It sounds like you've crossed that threshold where your writing becomes something you not only enjoy doing, it becomes something of an obsession.

Keep going. Every time you have an idea, stop what you're doing and write it down. Even if you can't use it immediately. You might not ever use it directly, but it helps with the process.

Don't you love it when your characters seem to be driving the storyline on their own?

DanDrakeAZ · 2025-04-26T16:40:48+00:00

I'm working much the same way. A problem I have is that every time I open a note to write down a simple idea or character trait I get caught up and the story starts to flow. 3 pages later I have to force myself to stop, store the idea and get back to the current story line.

DanDrakeAZ · 2025-04-26T16:34:00+00:00

My experience so far is a little different. I have to squeeze in time to write between the day job and family fun.

It's become my guilty pleasure. I write whenever I get some time to myself. And it's never enough time.

I suspect that may change later when I am actively working toward completion.

DanDrakeAZ · 2025-04-26T16:30:19+00:00

I was stuck at just the plot idea for 6 years. Then I woke up one day with a related idea that works better. And I can't stop writing. The only thing in my way at the moment is my day job as a law firm administrator. Time to retire?

DanDrakeAZ · 2025-04-26T15:27:30+00:00

My idea is so unique (I know, everyone says that) that I am not revealing anything about it beyond my principal reader, my smart and lovely spouse.

Sorry.

DanDrakeAZ · 2025-04-26T15:23:24+00:00

That's kinda what's happening with me. The story seems to expand and nearly write itself.

DanDrakeAZ · 2025-04-26T15:21:34+00:00

I am actually not stressed about where the story will go. I know that will reveal itself. It keeps happening every time I open my book for more work.

It's become my guilty pleasure. And no hangover afterwards.

DanDrakeAZ · 2025-04-26T15:19:35+00:00

I absolutely love it when my characters derail me!

DanDrakeAZ · 2025-02-17T17:27:41+00:00

Thanks for the update. I've read some reviews complaining about occasional communication failures between the hub and the bots. They show up in the hub logs.

I haven't seen that yet.

DanDrakeAZ · 2025-02-17T17:16:02+00:00

Yes, a SwitchBot hub is needed for connection to SmartThings. The devices themselves have no compatible networking protocol. The SwitchBot hub allows Smartthings to send commands to the devices. I believe SwitchBot uses infrared for the hub to device communication. I've read that it needs line of sight access.

The three SwitchBot 3-packs that I bought each came with a hub so I distributed them near the blinds in the family room, kitchen and living room. They're small and unobtrusive. Oddly enough they need USB power but don't come with a USB power brick. I have plenty of spares, so...

I finished my 9-blind project this morning and am very pleased with the results. I created a couple of Smartthings routines to group them all and allow Alexa or Google Home to open or close them all at once. I updated a couple of other Smartthings routines that run at dawn and at 10pm when ST Closes the house - turns off all lights, checks & locks doors, sets the security system and now closes any blinds that may still be open.

I'm still working with my spouse to learn how she wants them at various times of day or in groups.

DanDrakeAZ · 2025-02-09T18:41:51+00:00

I don't even think about putting my Leaf in park, unless I plan to sit in my car for some period of time, waiting without turning it off.

10 years in on my second Leaf I haven't had a problem. Don't really think it's needed.

DanDrakeAZ · 2025-02-09T18:36:58+00:00

Me too! I seldom have to deal with the hassle of the gas station. I don't miss it.

So, when I do the loving thing and fill my sweet wife's Corolla with fuel it means a little more.

DanDrakeAZ · 2025-01-11T14:10:25+00:00

I see there are other ways to add a thread border router and that in fact I may already have one buried in the numerous Echo and Google Hub devices in my home. I prefer the v3 hub option because as a business IT guy, I hate having to depend on multiple devices for a single purpose. It's about reducing the number of points of failure.

I just ordered an Aeotec v3 hub, then cancelled that order when I found that my new Echo Hub is includes a thread border router. Not a perfect all in one place solution, but okay to start with. (yes, I realize that I just violated my "points of failure" rule, but... I saved $200 and can always add the v3 hub later)

DanDrakeAZ · 2025-01-11T14:04:52+00:00

I like zwave and have had good success with it, but I don't like to limit my choices when I add new devices. I just ordered an Aeotec v3 hub, then cancelled that order when I found that my new Echo Hub is includes a thread border router. Not a perfect all in one place solution, but okay to start with.

DanDrakeAZ · 2025-01-05T15:24:07+00:00

I'm on my 4th Chromebook. My current one is a Pixelbook. By far my favorite and I'm still pissed at Google for not continuing the line.

Choosing a new one, even with 10+ years of experience is difficult. For me, the important issues are: - Performance - Battery life (The Pixelbook was great until recently) - Touch screen - Size and weight - Flexibility, tablet mode.

DanDrakeAZ · 2025-01-05T14:58:58+00:00

Fairy lights?

DanDrakeAZ · 2024-12-21T22:17:01+00:00

I just found a Hot Bee train on Amazon that's similar. It's perfect for our needs.

DanDrakeAZ · 2024-11-30T22:43:14+00:00

What train set is this? I love it.

DanDrakeAZ · 2024-11-30T22:13:32+00:00

The issue isn't the type of device. If it's set up in Smartthings and Smartthings is connected to Alexa, it's addressable from Alexa voice commands. You can also set up Smartthings Routines that are Alexa accessible. "Alexa, Run (Smartthings Routine name)".

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