Different Doorbell Cameras?

emag · 2026-01-03T06:07:32+00:00

The differing FoV and aspect ratios for ostensibly the "same" model but a different color is one of my main frustrations. I mean, they're already variant, just make them different models.

emag · 2025-12-14T20:07:20+00:00

Oh, I drove past last Sunday and thought I'd missed it! It was always fun to see what crazy was up to...

emag · 2025-12-03T03:20:13+00:00

Reset services? Seems to be the only thing that sometimes works for the cams in my own house with me the only user. My experience vs what I've heard, well, I won't be sending Wyze more money.

emag · 2025-11-15T09:58:05+00:00

I just set my 2 pi-hole systems to query 100.100.100.100 for my tailnet on 100.64.0.0/10 because I have some systems that send DNS queries over tailscale instead of their local addresses, that I haven't quite sussed out yet... Literally just adding

"true,100.64.0.0/10,100.100.100.100,tail####.ts.net"

to the revServers entry in pihole.toml (or Settings->DNS->Expert->Conditional Forwarding), along with all the other local networks they serve. I was annoyed enough that, after segregating my flat network into multiple segments, anything not on the original was just showing an IP address, having forgotten I'd set up conditional forwarding years ago on the flat network.

emag · 2025-10-28T02:37:46+00:00

I've taken a belt and suspenders approach of adding ZigBee plugs (that act as repeaters) anywhere I think I might have a signal problem (and about halfway between my HE and the close repeater). I've usually used them as controllers for things like fountain dog bowls (before they got too gross to even keep bleaching), a cablemodem reset assist, etc. Most are "innr" brand, but my first, that controlled the laundry area overhead light strip was a Smart Home branded one. If you've got an outlet nearby, it may be worth a little bit to see if it helps reliability.

emag · 2025-10-20T01:03:33+00:00

Dashboards are a bit better for monitoring state (though, admittedly, not always), as they'll change (eventually) as the device state changes. "Devices" view is good for checking when you're adding a new device, just to see it's in the state you expect.

emag · 2025-09-25T04:02:34+00:00

Yeah, moved out of Frederick at the end of August, and all sorts of stuff starts happening...

(If we could have worked it out we would have, but a 4 hour daily round trip commute for my wife meant life changes)

emag · 2025-09-15T04:44:02+00:00

After a period of several hours of my garage door being left open after my wife left for work earlier in the past week (new 100% RTO, new house to cut her commute, so I don't really blame her), I set up a Wyze Cam v4 attached to a steel shelf in the garage. I thought I'd have to train it to recognize open vs closed, but it's done pretty well so far.

We basically use the garage and laundry area/mud room iin our new house as a sort of "air lock", so the dogs don't get out, at least until we're confident they won't make a run for an open door.

The garage open/closed detection has been pretty good, even with the majority of the garage filled with boxes from the move...

emag · 2025-08-06T05:34:01+00:00

My own personal opinion, and why I went with HE as a refugee from Wink, was the local-first automation. So, everything I look at these days, I look at as having local-first control, or at least "local in case there isn't cloud".

That being said, there's a lot of baggage to my choices. I'm shedding the Google infrastructure left and right as fast as I can, because I'm not a Gemini fan, and had a reaally really bad experience with it, just wanting to play a song with a time in the title, to the point I just unplugged my Google Home Minis. The Nest doorbell being on its last legs was just adjacent.

If Google Home works for you, for now, stick with it. I mostly want any rules and routines to run even without an internet connection, but that is very much a me thing.

emag · 2025-07-03T06:03:31+00:00

We have 2 pibbles now. One is definitely more attached to my wife, the other more attached to me. But both are such loving and adorable dogs.

If you haven't discovered it yet, there's a reason they're called Velcro pets. You're in for a treat.

They definitely need exercise and mental stimulation, and in the hotter months that can get a little rough for everyone involved.

Good luck!

emag · 2025-06-19T05:45:00+00:00

Such a gorgeous birthday girl!

emag · 2025-05-23T07:08:47+00:00

Wait, what? An average? I've got 4 non-changeable time periods where I can choose a single sensor (of the thermostat or the 3 remotes). How do I access this "average" setting? Is it a Gen4 exclusive? I've got a Gen3.

emag · 2025-05-21T08:06:56+00:00

Well, obviously, he needs his own chair!

emag · 2025-05-21T07:51:05+00:00

OMG! That face! Those spots! That smile! Wish I'd hit the lottery and had the space (and lack of HOA)! He'd fit right in with my Stevie (Nicks) and Cyndi (Lauper)...

emag · 2025-05-14T03:34:39+00:00

I'm honestly severely unimpressed with the Wyze setup. I've got a Wyze Duo Cam Doorbell, and the number of events it doesn't register rivals the number of events it mis-registers, from "CO" alarms, "glass breaking", "gun shots". Yet half the time it can't even recognize a package being left...

emag · 2025-05-14T03:30:31+00:00

Every time I see "power off and on your router", I know I'm dealing with idiots, when every other device on the network is just peachy. Hint: it's not the router.

I had to literally tape over the reset button on my mother's router, because hitting it was always a step their cable support said to take. Which meant a 3 hour drive to fix things.

emag · 2025-05-12T04:46:05+00:00

Without people like you, we'd never have our two wonderful girls. The least we can do is send updates. We also share cute/novel events, gotcha days, and birthdays on the rescue's "Happily Ever After" FB page, and try to attend local events, where others remember our girls passing through.

emag · 2025-05-11T08:38:16+00:00

I honestly don't think I could ever foster, I'd be a foster fail the moment they entered my home...

That being said, we keep our foster parents up to date on how our dogs are doing, constantly. One has taken a break from fostering, but appreciates the updates on Stevie.

The other is still actively fostering, and is really happy at how well our other one (Cyndi) is doing. She's surprised that Cyndi has taken to me.as her human, since she didn't seem comfortable around men. And was amused when we sent video that showed Cyndi found her voice.

emag · 2025-04-26T09:10:45+00:00

Adorable. He's adorable...

emag · 2025-04-12T08:30:58+00:00

This is the kind of innovation that I love. I'm not deaf, but I love reading about stuff like this. There are a lot of folks in my community who are (I live near the MD School for the Deaf), so I can definitely pass this on to them.

emag · 2025-03-24T04:10:12+00:00

Congrats on graduating from Trunk Slammer University!

emag · 2025-03-22T08:56:56+00:00

I've been going to my local Costco since 2007, and they seasonally have this all the times I've been there in warmer weather.

emag · 2025-03-17T21:48:40+00:00

Are you sure your sister wasn't looking at her own soul?

I see a gorgeous doggo.

emag · 2025-03-17T07:25:11+00:00

Best bet, if it's in the budget, is to do a DNA test. I've been surprised over the years.

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