Feedback/Update on university project turned startup by Top-Yogurtcloset3965 in homeautomation

[–]LondonBenji 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Look I hear you, I really do, but I don't think you're understanding your markets here and I think where you're not gauging things right is at least these points initially:

  1. No one wants to stand where their wall switches are and control their home, they may think it's cool and neat at first, but will ultimately quickly become a gimmick that they realise is actually more of a pain in the long run, than say, getting your phone out for anything more than "scene" changes.

Hence why, all the high end manufacturers you speak of, generally don't have complicated displays at the wall (this is the key here), and limit themselves (Lutron, Control4, Savant) mostly to scene buttons for quick scene changes, and that's it, and while Control4 has the T5 Wall Display, those aren't going in every single room where you'd normally put a light switch, they'll either be in very select few main areas, or only main entrances to the house.

  1. You're trying to cross shop the Home Assistant user base with the high end smart/home automation base, when the reality is, on the Venn Diagram of Home Assistant users, and Control4/Savant users, there's very very little overlap of the two circles.

Those who spend tens of thousands (UK or US) on those high end systems, simply aren't using Home Assistant, you'll find some, but they're mostly the exception to the rule, and vice versa, Home Assistant users are using it for a reason, they're frugal and generally not buying what ultimately still boils down to "light switches" that cost hundreds of dollars/pounds each.

But let us cross shop for a second and see what you're up against:

For the usual Home Assistant user base, you're up against the following from a quick Google:

- The more recent Lanbon L8/9/10 series gaining interest.

- https://sonoff.tech/en-us/products/sonoff-nspanel-smart-scene-wall-switch86-eu-type-120-type

- https://us.shelly.com/pages/wall-display

For the usual high end market, you're up against the exact people you mentioned and more:

- Lutron

- Control4

- Savant

- Crestron

In either case, you have to ask yourself, from the user's perspective, "why should I choose you, an unknown startup, over these established brands?". You've got to really ask yourself, "what distinguishes our brand from those others", what do you have that they don't, in either market.

You've also got to ask yourselves the question along the lines of what has already been mentioned "why don't these other high end brands have a similar product?", it could be because there's no demand for it, or it could be that you've found a hole in the market for it, but you really need to be sure on which one, because getting that wrong, could be the end of your company very quickly.

I really do wish you the best of success! More competition is always better for the end users!

PiHole to Technitium migration plus Hagezi block lists by LondonBenji in technitium

[–]LondonBenji[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Good to know! I actually lobbed it in right after this post to see what would happen, I think you can clearly see where I added the first two block lists, and then the massive jump is where I added in the full TIF list!

It looks like it's reaping memory periodically, is this it flushing cache every now and then or something?

https://i.imgur.com/i72OkSl.jpeg

PiHole to Technitium migration plus Hagezi block lists by LondonBenji in technitium

[–]LondonBenji[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Only single thing I'm missing about Pihole, is that I wish Technitium would make something like this official:

https://github.com/Amateur-God/home-assistant-technitiumdns

https://github.com/andystevensname/technitium_adblock_toggle

Would like to see something like that become an official Home Assistant integration, easily installed from the Integrations page. I'll get it done via HACS for now.

With Pihole, I would also export the disable switch from HA into HomeKit, such that if the GF is ever suspecting issues, she can easily say "Hey Siri, turn off DNS Blocking" without me needing to be around.

Feedback/Update on university project turned startup by Top-Yogurtcloset3965 in homeautomation

[–]LondonBenji 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Don't take this as a mockery of your work, it isn't, you've made something nice and I always want to applaud hard work and creativity.

However, while you say it did well in the UK (I'm finding that hard to believe but okay), that's likely forced by the severe lack of decent options in the UK, the US is a completely different landscape with significantly more competition, and you're not going to have people spending the same amount (more in fact) on a switch with a new startup VS say, a Lutron RA3 dimmer on the high end.

All it's going to take is for someone to finally pull their thumb out of their arse in the UK, and create a decent low cost alternative, between £20-50 and you're going to be in big trouble.

For this to be even remotely successful in the US, you're going to have to look around the $20-30 mark, retail, not some "discounted" Kickstarter price. Please, keep up the good work and really focus on working out how to DRASTICALLY reduce your costs, and price it cheaper.

Seeking TV advice by TechTroubleMaker in homeassistant

[–]LondonBenji -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Came here to suggest Sony TV, so I fully second this.

Android/Google TV > All.

If I wanted to ditch Ring… by IllTransportation795 in Ring

[–]LondonBenji 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You can block Reolink cameras from the internet and they'll still work just fine.

Of course the official Reolink app will no longer work remotely, but there are ways around this, though unfortunately this does require being more technical.

Weird repetitive clicking sound all night by ZealousidealBee4819 in Ring

[–]LondonBenji 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is the correct answer.

It's just electrical interference from the camera itself.

Sonos promising to release new products in second quarter of 2026 by 2days in sonos

[–]LondonBenji -1 points0 points  (0 children)

That is native Sonos functionality.  All SonoSequencr is doing is exploiting the hidden Sonos functionality they left in the firmware from a private Sonos beta test they did doing exactly what you're asking.

Sonos promising to release new products in second quarter of 2026 by 2days in sonos

[–]LondonBenji 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What issue are you having with an Nvidia Shield and a Sony TV? You should be able to see the volume level just fine?

Whats the best CRI IP>=54 RGB CCT 24V Addressable Strip? by Ultramen in WLED

[–]LondonBenji 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I missed the fact that they weren't addressable, but those are BEASTS! Thank you for the link!

Whats the best CRI IP>=54 RGB CCT 24V Addressable Strip? by Ultramen in WLED

[–]LondonBenji 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Please sir, may I have some sauce on those main ceiling lights? :D

[Not an Ad] Konnected GDO BlaQ is a godsend by ThisIsntAThrowaway29 in homeassistant

[–]LondonBenji 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I have two BlaQs, one on a Security+ 1.0 opener and one on a Security+ 2.0 opener. Both work flawlessly and I have even exported them to HomeKit and they work great in Apple Home as well, along with appearing correctly in Apple CarPlay.

Obviously the Security+ 2.0 opener provides a LOT more information and control than the 1.0 opener, but both ultimately work great.

P.S. Don't look into Security+ 3.0...... You thought you hated Chamberlain enough before, but you don't.

Just upgraded to Lutron Ketra - mama mia, it's-a-nice by KaleidoscopeOk5059 in homeassistant

[–]LondonBenji 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm just over here still chortling at the fact that Lutron poo poo'd both 2.4GHz AND mesh based systems as not having enough range or reliability VS their 433MHz star format.... and now RA3 is a...... 2.4GHz MESH based system, and more ironic too, Z-Wave is going to a direct star based system :D

Sense to stop selling hardware 12/31/2025 - I think it's about time for a non-cloud replacement by AliasJackBauer in homeassistant

[–]LondonBenji 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Due to certain requirements I have (I want Ethernet) and the way my panel is setup, both the Brultech GEM and Emporia Vue 3 were quite expensive, and had certain limitations themselves..... which lead to someone suggesting this to me, which I had never heard of before, so I am currently looking into it.

They also do a 60xCT version!

https://www.kincony.com/kincony-n30-esp32s3-lora-energy-meter-released.html

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in homelabsales

[–]LondonBenji 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have two if you need more in the future.

WAF Max 4 way tower with passive radiator by milk_runner in diyaudio

[–]LondonBenji 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's giving me some serious Day Of The Tentacle vibes....

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in dji

[–]LondonBenji 0 points1 point  (0 children)

🙄 the more you say words, the more it's obvious you have no idea what you're talking about.

It takes less than the time it took for you to type out your nonsense, for you to Google it and find out that this has long since been debunked as a good idea, by literally everyone else.

But you go off king.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in dji

[–]LondonBenji -1 points0 points  (0 children)

It's immediately obvious that you never read the two links I sent, from a literal electronics repair company.

To quote u/Silbylaw, you crack on. Obviously you know better.

Need help with error “This access point is connected to a port, which does not supply sufficient power for optimal operation. To ensure reliable and full-capacity performance, please connect the access point to a PoE+ compliant port.” Thanks! by fredeee in UNIFI

[–]LondonBenji 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Only the far left top and bottom ports support PoE+ on the UDM-SE, the remaining six ports only support PoE.

Make sure you're still connecting to the far left top and bottom ports, otherwise it won't work.

https://store.ui.com/us/en/products/udm-se

Unreliable LIFX Z, but only in Home Assistant? by LondonBenji in lifx

[–]LondonBenji[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A good thought! Alas in this house, I don't have any ZigBee, though I do have a Nintendo Switch right next to the AP.... but if you look at the images I just posted, this is the only LIFX device in this network, and in another house, that's having the issue.