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Smart System types
Smart home systems can be generally divided into two categories: online systems and offline systems. Online systems take advantage of better performance and network resources, such as video, music, online shopping, and voice assistants. However, offline systems provide more privacy and local control. Most people prefer that the smart home system can work offline to protect privacy as much as possible and avoid subscription costs, such as video recording storage or Pro monitoring.
Smart Home System Comparison
There are many smart home systems available today, such as Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple HomeKit. There are also open-source software and platforms available, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Remember, you can select multiple systems and make them work together for the best results in your home.
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Home Assistant(work offline) website
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HomeSeer(work offline) website
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Homebridge(Work offline with HomeKit) website
No YouTube channel
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No YouTube channel
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How to make a right choice
There is no definitive answer for what system is best for your home, as everyone has their own requirements and existing conditions. However, you can use the following steps to determine what system or systems is right for you.
Summary your requirements
What aspects of home control do you want to be able to add? Lighting? A security system? Entertainment? Climate control? Solar power management?Write a list of all of the devices in your home that you would want to be able to control with your home control system.
What are the most important features to you in a home control system? Local control? Voice control? A highly customized user interface (UI)? Make note of your requirements.
Check what you already have
If you already have some smart devices, you should continue using them if possible. If you have a home system installed and running, you want to switch to another platform; in that case, you should do some research to find out how to migrate the devices and configuration.
Consider your habits
Everyone has some kind of difference in lifestyle. For me, I always forget to turn off the lights when I leave a room, so I would much welcome an automation that would turn off the lights when nobody is in the room. A smart lock can work with a code, fingerprint, and real key, since I have a few bad memories about leaving my key in the workplace and having to go back to fetch it.
Drawing the Draft plan
After you have a clear goal, you can start making a more detailed plan. List the devices you want to add, and the installation or modification details, and how long you think it will take. Make a timeline of milestones.
Budget planning
Calculate the cost based on your plan. You don’t need to be too accurate, but this will give you a clear idea of the cost for a smart home system. Then, decide if the cost is worth it for you.
The cost of a smart home system depends on the type of system you choose and the features you want. Basic systems can cost as little as $100, while more advanced systems can cost several thousand dollars.
Verify your plan
It’s a good idea to consult with someone about the feasibility of your plan. You can post your plan on related community websites (Reddit or spec platform community) to ask for help, check if there is a better option or a improvement. Or you can hire a professional to do it for you.
If you want to do it by yourself, you need to check the devices you want to buy are compatible with each other and your home network and determine if they support the types of automation you want to include in your system. You’ll also need to create a system diagram that shows how all the devices will be connected.
Final words
If you are geek or programmer, you may want to use Home Assistant, OpenHab, since they are opensource and highly customizable, you can use what voice assistant you prefer, or just create one like geeks do. Personally, I would choose Home Assistant because I hate Java.
If you want plugin and play platform which can work offline, not need too many features, then Hubitat, Homeseer and Smartthings are good for you, which provide a decent Hub with ZigBee, Z-Wave and Bluetooth support.
If you are voice-control fans, Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa are best options for you, speakers and display from Amazon Echo or Google Nest are amazing products.And they can work with wide range of devices and services.
If you have a lot of apple devices, then HomeKit + Homebridge is a good option for you.
No matter what platform you choose, don’t try to build a whole system at once if you don’t have enough skill and experience, start from the basics, you can build it piece by piece, step by step, eventually make it perfect for your house.
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