Smart Home solutions are becoming increasingly popular, especially with the continuous value they add to our routine. On top of that, many of these are becoming simpler to implement with the time and these does not need a lot of expertise. Always remember the key to have a successful smart home is to look for solutions that add value to your routine and lifestyle. In this post, I will cover some of the favorites that I consider to be the best Smart Home solutions. These are also sometimes referred by other names, such as smarthouse, intelligent home, homesmart, house control, automation system, and so on. I will keep this post updated. So, feel free to bookmark and check occasionally for any updates.

My Favorite Smart Home Solutions

Following is the list in no particular order. Feel free to jump to the specific one that you are interested in.

• Automate indoor lighting and devices using Smart Switches/Dimmers
• Automate lock/unlock the door using a Smart Lock
• Manage heating/cooling smartly and more efficiently using Smart Thermostats
• Automate lighting and devices using Smart Outlets
• Use voice to perform simple home automation tasks like turn lights on/off using a Smart Voice Assistant like Alexa

Automate indoor lighting and devices using Smart Switches/Dimmers

Key Benefits

• Turn on/off remotely.
• Turn on/off on an event, such as a sunset.
• Turn on/off on a schedule, such as 9 PM on weekdays.
• It can also be used as a regular switch. Yes, I do get this question asked from time to time. It means that you can turn it on/off manually.
• It could be used in combination with other smart devices to make more useful scenarios, such as in the morning turn off the lights and start the coffee maker attached to the outlet.

Click here to learn more.

Automate lock/unlock the door using a Smart Lock

Key Benefits

• Keypad support: Several smart locks now offer keypads to enter the unlock key and to program keys.
• Programmable keys: A smart lock allows setting up multiple keys. For example, depending on your needs you can set up a key for each family member and for anyone who regularly visits home. The advantage of a key per user is you can track which key was used to unlock. Not everyone may need a key for every single user. But, you would at least want different keys for family members versus other people coming into the home regularly. In any case, it is good to know that such a capability is available if need be.
• Open/close lock remotely: This capability is precisely what it says. You do not need to be on your home network to lock/unlock the door remotely.
• Open/lock with a key like a regular key. This is useful for regular access or in case the lock battery dies.

Click here to learn more.

Manage heating/cooling smartly and more efficiently using Smart Thermostats

Key Benefits

• Automatic presence detection and switching to/from the energy-saving mode.
• Schedule-based settings (such as different settings for sleep versus during the day).
• It can easily be integrated with a smart hub to perform more intelligent functions. For example, when you depart home, you can trigger a routine or a scenario that locks the doors and puts the thermostat in the Away mode.
• Traditional thermostat capabilities, such as changing the temperature on the fly, turning the fan on/off, turning the heat on/off, etc.

Click here to learn more.

Automate lighting and devices using Smart Outlets

Key Benefits

• Turn on/off remotely.
• Turn on/off on an event, such as a sunset.
• Turn on/off on a schedule, such as 7 AM on weekdays.
• It could be used in combination with other smart devices to make more useful scenarios, such as in the morning turn off the lights and start the coffee maker attached to the outlet.

Click here to learn more.

Use voice to perform simple home automation tasks like turn lights on/off using a Smart Voice Assistant like Amazon Echo

Key Benefits

• A Smart Voice Assistant like Amazon Echo (or Alexa) can help in making a voice-enabled smart home to control typical devices like smart lights, switches, outlets, thermostats, cameras and so on.
• It is a platform that continues to become better and offers a lot more capabilities. For example, Alexa offers several skills ranging from general knowledge, science to entertainment.
• It can be used as a speaker.
• It also supports audio out.
• It can be paired with a Bluetooth speaker.

Click here to learn more.

Enjoy your smart home!
– Nitin

The post Best Smart Home Solutions appeared first on Cloud Nine Apps.

`A Z-Wave Smart Switch is often a useful addition to a smart home. It can replace a typical switch and can be operated remotely once it has been paired with a smart hub. It can also be triggered based on an event or a schedule. In this tutorial, we will have an overview of a typical Z-Wave Smart Switch, the GE Z-Wave Switch installation and how to integrate it with the SmartThings Hub. Most of the points covered here also apply to a Z-Wave smart dimmer.

Z-Wave Smart Switch Overview

A Smart Switch offers the following capabilities when used with a smart hub.

• Turn on/off remotely.
• Turn on/off on an event, such as a sunset.
• Turn on/off on a schedule, such as every day at 9 PM.
• It could be used in combination with other smart devices to make more useful scenarios, such as in the morning turn off the porch light and turn on the coffee maker.
• It can also be used as a regular switch. Yes, I do get this question asked from time to time. It means that you can turn it on/off manually.

In this tutorial, we will be looking at the GE Z-Wave Switch along with the SmartThings Hub. It provides the following additional capabilities.

• It comes with an LED indicator that can be useful to locate the switch in dark. You would typically configure it to be turned on when the switch is off. This LED behavior can be configured via the SmartThings app easily.

Equipment and Budget

Note: The prices shown are based on data at the time of writing this article. Taxes and shipping are not included in these and actual cost may vary.

Note: The product links are affiliate links and we do earn a commission on purchases made through these at no additional cost to you.

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Project: Z-Wave Smart Switch Setup
Template: Smart Home – Smart Hub – Switch Setup

GE Z-Wave Switch Installation

In addition to following the vendor installation instructions, consider the following key installation steps.

• The Smart Switches are typically available in both forms – the regular toggle switch and the decorator switch. Choose an appropriate one for your installation. At times, you may not want to replace all the switches in the gang box to a smart switch. So, you can get a combo switch plate like the one shown below.
  
• If the switch is too big to fit in the gang box, look for the side tabs that can be wiggled off.
  
• Connect the wires as advised in the vendor manual. Here’s what a typical finished installation would look like.
  Note: At times the colors of the wires may not be the same. So, go by the purpose outlined below and as per the switch wiring instructions.
  
  At a minimum, the following 4 wires need to be connected (starting from the top and going clockwise).
  • Ground wire
  • Neutral wire
  • Line wire: This is the wire coming from your panel.
  • Load wire: This is the wire coming from the device controlled by the switch.
• Following is another view of a typical finished installation.
  

Integrating Z-Wave Smart Switch With SmartThings Hub

The following are the steps to integrate the outlet with the SmartThings hub.

• Ensure the device is in pairing mode.
• Go to the Things section of the SmartThings app and select Add a Thing.
  
• SmartThings will now search for new devices. Be patient! This may take some time. If the device still does not show up select choose Add Device Manually and follow the steps.
  

Once the switch has been discovered, give it a logical name. In general, I recommend giving a name based on the purpose, such as Driveway Light.

That’s it! You should now be able to turn the switch on/off using the SmartThings app.

Additional Reading

• Samsung SmartThings Hub Overview and Setup

Happy switching!
– Nitin

The post Z-Wave Smart Switch Setup With SmartThings Hub appeared first on Cloud Nine Apps.

4K content is becoming increasingly popular and it offers a great watching experience within the comforts of home. Many leading streaming providers like Netflix and Amazon are offering 4K content now making it easier to find such content. However, to fully enjoy the 4K content, you must also have a setup that can work with it. Now, if you have one of the latest TV and home theater equipment chances are good that you can watch 4K content without much hassle. But, if you happen to have a home theater setup, which is partly 4K capable (mainly the TV only), I will cover a few options in this article to show how you can have an awesome 4K setup without shelling out a lot of money. In addition, we will also cover how to make this setup work with a universal remote. Before we begin, I will clarify that there are many ways to do such setups. I am only covering the options based on my experience. Please evaluate based on your needs.

For the purpose of this article, we will consider a setup that already has the following.

• A 4K TV with optical output (need not be a smart TV)
• A 5.1 surround sound system with optical input (or at least, a decent 2.1 sound system)
• An Internet connection that supports 4K streaming (typically, 25 Mbps or more)
• Optionally, an A/V receiver (often used to connect the various home theater components like the TV, set-top box, gaming console, media center devices, audio system, etc.)

Equipment and Budget

Note: The prices shown are based on data at the time of writing this article. Taxes and shipping are not included in these and actual cost may vary.

Note: The product links are affiliate links and we do earn a commission on purchases made through these at no additional cost to you.

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Project: 4K Setup
Template: Blank Template

HDCP 2.2 Is Required For 4K Streaming

Before we look into our setup options, let us cover briefly an important aspect of the 4K setup. In order to stream 4K content, you will require your setup to be HDCP 2.2 compatible. What does that mean? In simple words, HDCP 2.2 (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) is a copy protection technology designed to avoid illegal copying of 4K content. It uses a secure mechanism to get content from the source to the display. And, more importantly, if any component in the 4K setup chain is not HDCP 2.2 compatible, 4K streaming will not work. Yes, read that again. Even if you have a 4K TV, a 4K receiver, it does not mean you are watching 4K content! That is, it is not sufficient for the component to be 4K compatible, it should also support HDCP 2.2. In fact, I happen to own a 4K A/V receiver, which is not HDCP 2.2 compatible. So, if I connect any equipment through this receiver the best I can get while streaming is 1080p. When you have a component in the chain that does not support HDCP 2.2, you may either get an error message or in some cases the setup may end up using 1080p.

Another point to understand about HDCP 2.2 is it is not backward compatible with previous versions and it often requires hardware upgrade (not firmware upgrade). So, if you have a component in your setup that does not support it, chances are high that you will need to replace it or look at alternate ways of doing the setup, which we will cover.

As far as the HDMI cable is concerned, usually the bare minimum HDMI 1.4 should be just fine for streaming content like movies. And, you do not typically need to buy the expensive ones.

In the rest of this article, 4K Compatible is synonymous with HDCP 2.2 support.

4K Setup With All Existing Components 4K Compatible

This is a fairly straightforward setup. All you need is a 4K streaming device. If you have a smart TV, chances are good that you will find an app for the 4K streaming vendor and you are all set. But, if you do not have a smart TV or you find the app to be insufficient for your needs, you can use one of the following streaming devices.

• Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K
• Roku Premiere

Note: You can also buy the more expensive versions of the above. But, I am recommending these to keep the budget low, yet not compromise on the quality of the experience.

Now connect the streaming device to the TV (or the A/V receiver), power it up and you are all set.

4K Setup With 4K TV But 4K Incompatible A/V Receiver

If you have a home theater setup, which is a few years old, chances are that part of your setup is not 4K compatible. Like in my scenario, I have an A/V receiver, which does not support HDCP 2.2. So, instead of spending money on another receiver, I chose to use the following for 4K streaming setup.

• Connect the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K streaming device to TV’s HDCP 2.2 compatible port. For some TVs, it may explicitly mention that and for some, it may be the MHL (Mobile High-Definition Link) port. The Fire Stick also comes with an HDMI extender to make it easy to connect to the port.
• Connect the Optical Out of TV to the A/V receiver. We will not be using TV’s speakers. Instead, we will configure TV settings to output sound to the external speakers.
• Keep the Fire Stick settings for Video and Audio to Auto so that it can do the best possible configuration.

That’s it! The setup can now stream 4K content.

How To Verify The Content Is Being Streamed In 4K?

For Fire Stick, this is quite easy. When the content is being streamed in 4K, you should see Ultra HD in its information. Note that it may take some time for the correct stream type to show up and you may see HD initially.

How To Use Universal Remote With Fire Stick?

If you are like me, you do not want to keep switching remotes. A universal remote like the Logitech Harmony family makes it extremely easy to operate multiple devices with a single remote. You can turn on multiple devices, switch to the required port on TV and your A/V receiver, all with a simple push of a button. If you have a Harmony-hub based remote it can manage the Fire Stick. However, you cannot control the Fire Stick from a typical IR (Infrared) universal remote. In this case, you will need to add an IR receiver to use the remote with the Fire Stick. The good news is there are cheap IR receivers available (like the Inteset IR Receiver shown here), that can be a good fit and are fairly easy to set up. Following are the key connections.

• Connect the Y cable into the Fire Stick’s micro USB port.
• Connect the IR Receiver USB cable into the Y cable’s USB port.
• Connect the Fire Stick power cable into the Y cable’s micro USB port.

Now, you should be able to configure the universal remote to use the IR Receiver to control the Fire Stick. For Logitech Harmony use the following settings for the Inteset IR Receiver.

• For device use Xbox 360. You can name the device per your choice, such as Fire Stick.
• Create an activity (such as Watch Streaming) that uses the TV, the A/V Receiver (if any) and the above IR Receiver device.
• I noticed that the Play/Pause buttons do not work with the Prime Video app. But, you can use the Ok button for this.
• You can also use the following custom button mapping for an enhanced experience.
  • Remote Exit and Back buttons mapped to the IR Receiver Y button
  • Remote Menu and Info buttons mapped to the IR Receiver Guide button

Once you sync the remote, you should be able to manage the device using your Logitech remote.

Enjoy your 4K Setup!
– Nitin

The post A 4K Setup On Budget That Works appeared first on Cloud Nine Apps.

Smart Thermostats are becoming increasingly popular as part of smart home setups. These not only offer the capabilities of a traditional thermostat and programmable thermostats, but these also offer several other intelligent capabilities on top, such as automatic energy saving capabilities without the need for any programming. Besides, in many cases, these can be easily installed in place of the existing thermostat and no additional wiring is needed making these ideal candidates for smart home setups. In this tutorial, we will provide an overview of a typical Smart Thermostat, the popular Ecobee thermostat and how to integrate it with the SmartThings Hub.

Smart Thermostat Overview

A Smart Thermostat offers the following capabilities.

• Automatic presence detection and switching to/from the energy saving mode.
  • The presence detection often uses built-in motion sensors to see if there is motion in a given area for a reasonable period of time before claiming it as being vacant.
  • This can also be combined with additional settings to further optimize the energy consumption, such as by providing the “Away” mode temperature threshold settings. For example, in winter when away do not turn on the heat until the temperature falls to 62º Fahrenheit.
• Schedule-based settings (such as different settings for sleep versus during the day).
• It can easily be integrated with a smart hub to perform more intelligent functions. For example, when you depart home, you can trigger a routine or a scenario that locks the doors and puts the thermostat in the Away mode.
• Traditional thermostat capabilities, such as changing the temperature on the fly, turning the fan on/off, turning the heat on/off, etc.

Introducing the Ecobee Thermostat

In this post, we will look at the Ecobee thermostat. Ecobee is a leader in the smart thermostats space and their thermostat provides the following additional capabilities.

• Ecobee offers small sensor devices that you would typically place in areas in your home other than where the thermostat is located. You can then pair these sensors with the thermostat. The benefit of this is that the thermostat will use the temperature readings from all these sensors to determine the actual temperature value instead of solely relying on the area where the thermostat is located, thus giving you a normalized temperature across the home. This is especially useful for large homes or homes where you may have one or two zones covering a large area.

Equipment and Budget

Note: The prices shown are based on data at the time of writing this article. Taxes and shipping are not included in these and actual cost may vary.

Note: The product links are affiliate links and we do earn a commission on purchases made through these at no additional cost to you.

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Project: Smart Thermostat Setup
Template: Smart Home – Smart Hub Setup

Ecobee Thermostat Installation

Follow the vendor instructions to perform the installation and consider the following key steps.

• Like most smart thermostats, Ecobee requires the C wire for fan control. Many homes have this as part of their wiring. But, do check the thermostat manual and verify that your prior thermostat wiring meets the needs.
• Post installation, the wiring setup would look similar to this.
  

• Install the Ecobee thermostat with the ecobee text on the back side facing up.
  
• Ecobee ships with an additional wall plate. This can be useful to cover up the area when replacing a thermostat that has a bigger hole in the drywall.
  

Integrating Smart Thermostat With SmartThings Hub

Integrating the Ecobee thermostat with the SmartThings Hub not just makes it easy to do common management tasks from the SmartThings app, it also makes it easy to integrate Ecobee as part of Smart Home routines and scenarios. Following are the steps to integrate the Ecobee thermostat with the SmartThings Hub.

• Get the Ecobee Connect app from the Marketplace->Thermostats.
• Click on Connect Now.
  
• Select the Ecobee thermostat(s) and sensor(s) you would like to add to SmartThings.
  

Now you should be able to do basic management of thermostat from the SmartThings app, such as changing the temperature, fan mode, heat mode, and so on. You can also use the Ecobee sensors like motion sensors as part of SmartThings Smart Apps that support motion sensors.

Additional Reading

• Samsung SmartThings Hub Overview and Setup

Have an energy efficient smart home!
– Nitin

The post Smart Thermostat Setup And SmartThings Integration appeared first on Cloud Nine Apps.

Smart Locks are becoming increasingly popular as part of smart home setups. And, why not? Many of these offer several useful capabilities on top of a traditional lock, such as open/close remotely, keypad support, programmable keys, and so on. In this post, we will cover an overview of a typical smart lock, key capabilities, the popular Schlage Camelot deadbolt installation and how to integrate it with the SmartThings hub.

Smart Lock Overview

Did you ever run into a situation when you had friends and family arrive home but no one was there to welcome? Or you are stuck in traffic and kids arrived home? Wish you could open the door for them remotely. That is precisely one of the key scenarios where a smart lock could be really useful.

Note: In this post, the terms lock and deadbolt are used interchangeably.

Key Capabilities

• Keypad support: Several smart locks now offer keypads to enter the unlock key and to program keys.
• Programmable keys: A smart lock allows setting up multiple keys. For example, depending on your needs you can set up a key for each family member and for anyone who regularly visits home. The advantage of a key per user is you can track which key was used to unlock. Not everyone may need a key for every single user. But, you would at least want different keys for family members versus other people coming into the home regularly. In any case, it is good to know that such a capability is available if need be.
  • Restricting key timings: This capability makes it possible to keep a given key active only on specific days and times. For example, you can make keys for maid and caretakers to be active only during specific times.
• Open/close lock remotely: This capability is precisely what it says. You do not need to be on your home network to lock/unlock the door remotely.
• Open/lock with a key like a regular key. This is useful for regular access or in case the lock battery dies.
• Optional capabilities
  • Auto-lock door after a certain time: This is useful when a kid or someone closed the door but forgot to lock it.
  • Auto unlocks the door when a Bluetooth paired device is nearby: This capability typically uses a Bluetooth-based technology to detect when the device is close to the door and automatically unlocks the door for you. Where could this be useful? If you are carrying groceries and cannot unlock the door, this could come in handy.

Like many things at home, using these capabilities will be based on personal preferences. So, it’s not that just because you have a smart lock that is capable of doing these, you have to use these. Evaluate what fits your needs and then configure the setup based on what you find useful.

Note: At times, the smart lock vendor may require buying an additional accessory to get some of these capabilities.

Introducing the Schlage Camelot Deadbolt

Schlage is one of the most popular brands in the deadbolts and smart locks space. I like the following things about the Schlage smart lock.

• It offers most of the required capabilities covered in the earlier section.
• Schlage offers a variety of models and finishes to match your home.
• The installation is relatively straightforward and in many cases can replace the existing deadbolt.
• The lock feels quite sturdy.
• It has decent battery life. My experience is the batteries last for just over a year.
• It can be easily integrated with a smart hub.

Equipment and Budget

Note: The prices shown are based on data at the time of writing this article. Taxes and shipping are not included in these and actual cost may vary.

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Project: Smart Lock Setup
Template: Smart Home – Smart Lock Setup

As you might have noticed, this project uses a multipurpose sensor as well. I’ll cover the need for that later in this tutorial.

Schlage Camelot Deadbolt Installation

Follow the vendor instruction and consider the following key installation steps.

• Remove the previous lock, if any.
• Once you have installed the keypad and the metallic support plate, the installation should look like the one shown below.
  
• Before you complete the assembly on the backside, make sure to grab the programming code and the pre-programmed user keys.
  
• Align tab with the notch to ensure the assembly is properly placed.
  
• Tighten the “Alarm Assembly” screw.
  
• Tighten the “Set” screw.
  
• This is how the installation would look at this point.
  
• Install the batteries.
  
• Put the battery cover.
  
• The fully assembled installation would look like this.
  

Integrating Smart Lock With The Smart Hub

We will use the SmartThings Hub. But, the procedure should be very similar for the other smart hubs. Lets first talk about the setup.

• Samsung SmartThings Multipurpose Sensor: We need this sensor to demonstrate an important capability – auto-lock if the door has been closed for 1 minute. You may be wondering what’s that about? To complicate the matter further, Schlage deadbolt itself offers an auto-lock feature, which can auto-lock automatically after 30 seconds. Well, the purpose of the multipurpose sensor is to add more intelligence to the solution. Instead of blindly attempting an auto-lock, which could happen even if the door was not properly closed, a better approach would be to ensure if the door is closed and the lock is unlocked then lock it automatically. The multipurpose sensor will help in detecting whether the door is open/closed.
• Samsung SmartThings Hub: This hub will help us manage the lock remotely as well as perform the auto-lock when the door is closed for 1 minute.

Following are the steps to integrate the lock with the SmartThings hub.

• Ensure the device is in pairing mode.
• Go to the Things section of the SmartThings app and select Add a Thing.
  
• SmartThings will now search for new devices. Be patient! This may take some time. If the device still does not show up select choose Add Device Manually and follow the steps.
  

Once the lock has been discovered, give it a logical name, such as “Main Door”. This is helpful when you set up notifications and get messages like – Main Door is locked.

SmartThings_Lock_Add_Device1

SmartThings_Lock_Add_Device2

Now you should be able to lock/unlock using the SmartThings app.

Set up Auto Lock With Multipurpose Sensor and SmartThings Hub

Now we can add more intelligence to the solution by adding auto-lock only when the door is closed for 1 minute. To do this, we will leverage the SmartThings SmartApp capability.

• Launch the SmartThings app.
• Go to Automation->SmartApps and select Add a SmartApp.
• From Safety & Security choose the Enhanced Auto Lock Door SmartApp. Specify the lock, sensor, and timings to use and give it a logical name, such as “Auto Lock Main Door”.
  Note: You can also configure auto unlock via the same SmartApp.
  

Now you have a better auto-locking solution in place.

Additional Reading

• Samsung SmartThings Hub Overview and Setup

Have a safe and smart home!
– Nitin

The post Smart Lock Setup With Smart Hub appeared first on Cloud Nine Apps.

Amazon Echo is an increasingly popular voice assistant that can do many things from playing music, reading out the news highlights, answering general knowledge questions to managing your smart home! The list is endless. In fact, you can write your own Alexa Skill to add something of your interest, if you are up for it. In this tutorial, we will provide an overview of the Amazon Echo and setup.

Amazon Echo Overview

Amazon Echo is a family of products with the following common capabilities. All of these products use the Alexa Voice Service behind the scenes, which runs in the cloud.

• It can be used as a speaker. Of course, the power provided by a smaller product like an Echo Dot may not match it’s big brother Echo. But, it may still be useful for some basic needs.
• It also supports audio out.
• It can be paired with a Bluetooth speaker.
• Calling other Echo devices.
• Making free domestic and some international calls (see details).
• The Echo is not just a device. It is a platform backed by the Alexa Voice Service, which opens a world of possibilities. Some of the commonly used capabilities are.
  • Asking Alexa questions on current affairs and general knowledge.
  • Using Alexa skills, which offer various capabilities, such as voice-based games, entertainment, trivia and so on.
  • A variant of Alexa skills is smart home integrations. You can easily integrate Alexa with various smart devices and smart hubs to make a voice-enabled smart home. For example, if you have installed Alexa enabled lights in the kitchen, you can simply say “Alexa, turn kitchen lights on” and Alexa will do it for you.

The Amazon Echo family also offers display-enabled products like the Echo Show, which add video-based capabilities like

• Video calls
• Integrating with smart cameras, such as smart doorbell to use the camera

Equipment and Budget

Note: The prices shown are based on data at the time of writing this article. Taxes and shipping are not included in these and actual cost may vary.

Note: The product links are affiliate links and we do earn a commission on purchases made through these at no additional cost to you.

Set up this project in the Shopping Guru app to track and save money

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Project: Amazon Echo Setup
Template: Blank Template

Amazon Echo Setup

Follow these steps to set up an Amazon Echo. In this illustration, we are using an Amazon Echo Dot.

• Connect the Amazon Echo to power. In a few moments, it will start showing a blue ring.
  
• Download and install the free Alexa app.
  
• Launch the Alexa app and choose Settings from the menu on the top left.
  
• Choose the Device Settings.
  
• Initially, the device list will only have the Alexa on this phone entry.
  
• Click on ‘+’ and choose the Add Device option.
  
• Choose the Device Type. In this case, we will choose the Amazon Echo.
  Note: This screen also lets you add Alexa-compatible devices from the other vendors.
  
• Choose Echo Type. For this tutorial, I will be using an Echo Dot.
  
• Choose the Echo Dot model.
  
• Now, we are ready to begin the setup. Click on the Continue button.
  
• Wait for the Echo to show a ring of orange light. When the orange light appears, click on Continue.
  
  Amazon_Echo_Setup_Mode
• The Alexa app will prompt for connecting to the Echo’s WiFi hotspot.
  
• At this point, we need to connect to the Echo’s WiFi hotspot.
  
  Alexa_App_Add_Device_11_Connect_Echo_WiFi_1

  Alexa_App_Add_Device_11_Connect_Echo_WiFi_2
• Come back to the Alexa app and in a few seconds, it should show a checkmark to continue to the rest of the setup.
  
• Now, we will configure the WiFi network the Echo should connect to. Choose from the Network list or specify another network using the Other network option.
  
• Specify the WiFi credentials.
  
• The Echo will now try connecting to the Internet using the specified WiFi network. This may take some time.
  
• Once the Echo has successfully connected to the Internet, you should see a screen like the one shown below. Click on Continue to complete the remaining steps. Most of these you can skip.
  
• Optional: Specify a location for the Echo device.
  
• A couple more screens may be shown to do optional setup and finally, you should see a screen to indicate that the setup has been completed.
  
• The Echo should now appear on the list of devices.
  

Test Your Echo

Your Echo device is now ready for use. You can test it by asking a simple question like “Alexa, what is the time?”

Controlling Smart Devices Using Alexa

Once you have your Amazon Echo configured, you can use it to control Alexa Enabled smart devices. The idea here is you can use Amazon Echo or Alexa to interact with these devices. For example, to turn on the kitchen light, you can simply say “Alexa, turn the kitchen light on”. Quite a few vendors support Alexa Enabled devices now ranging from smart lights, outlets, thermostats, cameras to locks. Use the following steps to add smart devices to Alexa.

• Open the Alexa App and go to Settings.
  
• Click on Devices.
  
• You can now see a list of current devices. Click on the ‘+’ button to add a new device.
  
• Follow the on-screen instructions to add the device.

What is even neater is at times you may have multiple Amazon Echo devices in your home. But, you need to add the device in the Alexa app only once. And, then you will be able to control it from any Amazon Echo registered with Alexa.

Enjoy a voice-enabled smart home!
– Nitin

The post Amazon Echo Overview And Setup appeared first on Cloud Nine Apps.

A Z-Wave Smart Outlet or Smart Plug can be turned on/off remotely. It can also be triggered by an event or a schedule. In this tutorial, we will cover an overview of a Z-Wave Smart Outlet and how to use it with the SmartThings Hub. You can certainly use another Z-Wave compatible smart hub of your choice.

Z-Wave Smart Outlet Overview

A Z-Wave Smart Outlet provides following capabilities when used with a smart hub.

• Turn on/off remotely.
• Turn on/off on an event, such as a sunset.
• Turn on/off on a schedule, such as 7 AM on weekdays.
• It could be used in combination with other smart devices to make more useful scenarios, such as in morning turn off the lights and start the coffee maker attached to the outlet.
• Some outlets can also provide data on power consumed by the connected device(s).

There are a few variants of a Smart Outlet.

• In-wall Outlet: This is perfect for scenarios where the location is fixed and you are comfortable installing it either yourself or with some professional help. These are commonly used indoors, but some vendors may also offer outdoor variants.
• Pluggable Indoor Outlet: This outlet can be put in a standard outlet and can be easily moved around. It is generally useful for temporary usage scenarios, such as holiday lighting or when you cannot install the in-wall outlet.
• Pluggable Outdoor Outlet: This is similar to the indoor outlet in behavior and comes with a weatherproof case.

In this tutorial, we will be using the SmartThings Outlet along with the SmartThings Hub.

Equipment and Budget

Note: The prices shown are based on data at the time of writing this article. Taxes and shipping are not included in these and actual cost may vary.

Note: The product links are affiliate links and we do earn a commission on purchases made through these at no additional cost to you.

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Project: Z-Wave Smart Outlet Setup
Template: Smart Home – Smart Hub – Outlet Setup

Integrating Z-Wave Smart Outlet With SmartThings Hub

Following are the steps to integrate the outlet with the SmartThings hub.

• Ensure the device is in pairing mode.
• Go to the Things section of the SmartThings app and select Add a Thing.
  
• SmartThings will now search for new devices. Be patient! This may take some time. If the device still does not show up select choose Add Device Manually and follow the steps.
  

Once the outlet has been discovered, give it a logical name. If it is meant for a specific purpose, such as for coffee maker, you can perhaps name it as “Coffee Maker”. Otherwise, for more broad usage, I recommend using a  generic name like “Outlet”.

That’s it! You should now be able to turn the outlet on/off using the SmartThings app.

Additional Reading

• Samsung SmartThings Hub Overview and Setup

Have a useful smart home!
– Nitin

The post Z-Wave Smart Outlet Setup With SmartThings Hub appeared first on Cloud Nine Apps.

Samsung SmartThings Hub is one of the most popular smart hubs in the market. It is easy to get started and has practically zero maintenance. It offers good compatibility with the popular smart devices and has great support and community. In fact, you can easily write your own extensions for it! In this tutorial, we will cover some of the basics, how to set up and tips.

Why use a Smart Hub?

I get this question all the time. What is the value of buying a hub? Why can’t I just buy a bunch of smart devices and start managing these? Quite honestly, as the smart home solutions are becoming predominant, it has become more like legos – there is often more than one way to build the same solution. Indeed, some of the common capabilities that are offered by a smart hub are now being offered by the smart device vendors themselves. For example, if you are just looking to automate lights, you certainly don’t need to invest in a hub. In the Festival Smart Decorative Lighting post, I’ve talked about a couple of options – one using the smart hub and one without it. Investing in a smart hub makes a lot more sense in the following cases

1. When you are going to use smart devices from different vendors (for example, a Schlage smart lock,  Philips smart bulbs, GE smart switches, etc.)
2. When you are going to build a “scenario” that spans multiple such devices (such as, at night lock all doors and turn all lights off)

A smart hub by itself is not much of a use. It is the smart devices working in conjunction with the smart hub that makes it much more meaningful.

Why use the SmartThings Hub?

There are several options for a smart hub today. Having used the Smart Things hub for many years now, here are some key reasons that I would recommend it.

• Low cost
• It offers both wired and WiFi-based connectivity.
• Good compatibility with multiple smart device vendors from bulbs, switches, locks to thermostats.
• Well maintained by the vendor and they do issue occasional updates to keep it updated. This leads to practically zero-maintenance experience as a consumer.
• They keep adding support for newer devices and services.
• For several common smart devices, the SmartThings app itself provides instructions on how to connect (including the support manual), which is really useful, especially for the first time users.
• SmartThings has a very active community and if you have a question, chances are high that someone might have already experienced and answered it.
• SmartThings can be easily integrated with a voice assistant like Amazon Echo. You can also choose which devices you would want to manage via the voice assistant. For example, if you do not want to manage door lock using Alexa, you can choose to not add these to the Alexa managed devices.

Equipment and Budget

Note: The prices shown are based on data at the time of writing this article. Taxes and shipping are not included in these and actual cost may vary.

For the sake of demonstration, we will use a smart outlet with the hub. Hence, it is included in the equipment list below. You can choose another smart device of your choice.

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Project: Smart Hub Setup
Template: Smart Home – Smart Hub Setup

How to set up a SmartThings Hub?

Setting up a SmartThings Hub is really easy and typically takes a few minutes only. Often times the vendor will continue to make improvements to the experience. But, here is the gist of the key steps.

• Install the SmartThings mobile app.
  
• For first time users, create a new account. Otherwise, sign into your existing account.
  
  Samsung_SmartThings_App_1_1st_Launch

  Samsung_SmartThings_App_2_Create_Account
• Go to the More tab and add the hub by adding a new location.
  Note: A hub belongs to a physical location, typically a home or a premise. This capability is also useful for geo-fencing, which is used to detect when a device (like a phone) enters and leaves the nearby range. For example, you can use geo-fencing to detect when a family member arrives or departs home.
  
  Samsung_SmartThings_App_3_Add_Hub_1
• Follow the on-screen instructions to add the hub.
  Note: The activation code is included in the hub’s package.
  
  Samsung_SmartThings_App_3_Add_Hub_2_Choose_Country

  Samsung_SmartThings_App_3_Add_Hub_3_Connect_Hub

  Samsung_SmartThings_App_3_Add_Hub_4_Enter_Code

How to start using the SmartThings Hub?

As we discussed earlier, a smart hub by itself is not of much use. So, you would want to integrate it with at least one smart device to get the things rolling. In this tutorial, we will use it with a smart outlet.

Follow these steps to add a new device.

• Ensure the device is in pairing mode.
• Go to the Things section of the SmartThings app and select Add a Thing.
  
• SmartThings will now search for new devices. Be patient! This may take some time. If the device still does not show up select choose Add Device Manually and follow the steps.
  

Once SmartThings has found the outlet, give it an appropriate name and save it.

Now that the outlet has been added you can turn it on/off using the SmartThings app.

What are some of the challenges with SmartThings?

SmartThings is a great starting point for many smart home needs. But, it is not without challenges. Following are some of my experiences as a consumer and things to the best of my knowledge.

• Bit flaky and inaccurate battery notifications: Majority of the smart devices are battery-powered. While this is helpful as the device does not need to be close to the power source, it does bring in a challenge to ensure the device is always on. Hence, being able to monitor the battery status accurately and getting a notification in advance that the battery is low is critical. After all, what good is a smart device if it is not working? SmartThings does mention that the app notifies on low battery. However, over the past several years my experience is this monitoring is not very accurate (the battery status shown does not reflect the battery usage for several types of devices). Also, the low battery notifications come in very rarely. Now, it may very well be that it is the smart device vendor or a combination of device vendor and SmartThings integration that cannot do this in a useful manner. But, nonetheless, it is good to know about it.
• Not so good out-of-the-box integration for garage door: I believe garage door automation is extremely helpful for homes and especially being able to monitor the door status and open/close remotely is quite helpful. While there are ways to get the garage door open/close status, the ability to manage the garage door for some of the popular garage door systems is not built-in. This often requires using solutions that do not work consistently.

As I have mentioned earlier, SmartThings has a very active support and it will not be surprising that these get resolved over time. Besides, these are not deal breakers IMHO, especially considering the overall value offered by the SmartThings hub.

Best Practices for Using SmartThings

Let’s talk about some common best practices that you can use to manage a fairly decent number of smart devices using the SmartThings Hub and app.

• Enable touch ID in the More section. This requires the user to use the touch ID in order to use the app and adds a layer of security especially when you start adding more security related devices, such as locks.
• Always test out the basic functionality of the device after adding it to SmartThings to ensure the hub is able to manage it correctly. For example, if it’s a light try turning on/off.
• Use logical names. I like to use a device name that represents its purpose. For example, instead of calling a device a light, you can name it as “Family Room Light”.
• SmartThings offers several generic smart apps that can be configured using Automation->Smart Apps. I highly recommend using the Notify Me When smart app, which lets you configure notifications for various types of devices, such as motion, open/close, etc. For example, every time your main door is opened/closed you can get a notification and that way you can monitor any abnormal activity.

Let your smart home journey begin!
– Nitin

The post Samsung SmartThings Hub Overview and Setup appeared first on Cloud Nine Apps.

We all love festivals. Decorative lighting is an important part of celebrating these, be it indoor lighting or outdoor lighting. Let’s face it. How many times it has happened that you forgot to turn the lights on in the evening or off in the morning? And, some times on those important festival days! This is a perfect scenario where a smart home solution can be of assistance. With a simple DIY home improvement, you can set up smart decorative lighting to turn lights on sunset and turn off on sunrise. It’s easy and will take typically less than 15 minutes.

Note: The product links are affiliate links and we do earn a commission on purchases made through these at no additional cost to you.

Smart Decorative Lighting Options

While there are many ways of implementing this solution, for the sake of simplicity, I’ll focus on two options.

1. Use a Smart WiFi Plug/Outlet without a Hub: This option is most suitable for those who do not currently have a Smart Hub (like SmartThings, Vera, etc.) and do not intend to invest in one in near future.
2. Use a Z-Wave Smart Plug/Outlet with a Smart Hub: This option is for those who currently own a Smart Hub (or are interested in buying one).

If you would like to understand the benefits of a Smart Hub, I recommend reading Welcome to Smart Home.

Option#1: Use a Smart WiFi Plug/Outlet without a Hub

Equipment and Budget

Note: The prices shown are based on data at the time of writing this article. Taxes and shipping are not included in these and actual cost may vary.

Set up this project in the Shopping Guru app to track and save money

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Project: WiFi Smart Outlet Setup
Template: Smart Home – Indoor Lighting With Smart Plug Setup

Setup Instructions

Please follow these steps.

• Install the Smart Life mobile app (iOS | Android).
• Plug in the TanTan Smart Plug in an outlet and keep the power button pressed till it starts flashing blue.
  
• Add Device to the Smart Life app.
  
  Smart Life App – Devices List

  Smart Life App – Add Device – Start

  Smart Life App – Add Device – Connecting

  Smart Life App – Add Device – Assign Name
  Note: If prompted, enter the WiFi connection information. At the time of writing, the plug only supported 2.4 GHz network.
• Add an Automation to turn the outlet on at sunset.
  
  Smart Life App – Smart Dashboard

  Smart Life App – Automation – Add

  Smart Life App – Automation – Details

  Smart Life App – Automation – Choose Condition

  Smart Life App – Automation – Choose Condition – Sunset

  Smart Life App – Automation – Choose Action

  Smart Life App – Automation – Choose Action – Turn Switch On

  Smart Life App – Automation – Assign Name
• Similarly, add an Automation to turn the outlet off on sunrise.
  
  Smart Life App – Smart Dashboard

  Smart Life App – Automation – Add

  Smart Life App – Automation – Details

  Smart Life App – Automation – Choose Condition

  Smart Life App – Automation – Choose Condition – Sunrise

  Smart Life App – Automation – Choose Action

  Smart Life App – Automation – Choose Action – Turn Switch Off

  Smart Life App – Automation – Assign Name
• You should have the following two Automations at this point.
  

Now you should see the lights turn on at sunset and off on sunrise automatically.

Option#2: Use a Z-Wave Smart Plug/Outlet with a Smart Hub

Use this option if you have an existing Smart Hub.

Equipment and Budget

Note: The prices shown are based on data at the time of writing this article. Taxes and shipping are not included in these and actual cost may vary.

Set up this project in the Shopping Guru app to track and save money

(Shopping Guru is a FREE mobile app to plan, shop and save with Amazon. Learn more or see how to create a project in it.)

Project: Z-Wave Smart Outlet Setup
Template: Smart Home – Smart Hub – Outlets Setup

Setup Instructions

For the purpose of illustration, I’ll be using the SmartThings Hub. But, you should be able to apply equivalent steps to the other Smart Hubs.

• Open the SmartThings mobile app.
• Plug in the SmartThings Outlet in an outlet and keep the power button pressed till it starts flashing blue.
  
• Add Device to the SmartThings app.
  
  SmartThings App – Devices List

  SmartThings App – Add Device

  SmartThings App – Add Device – Add Outlet
• Add the Smart Lighting SmartApp from Automation->SmartApps, if you do not have it already.
  
• Add a new Lighting Automation to toggle the decorative lights.
  
  SmartThings App – SmartApps

  SmartThings App – SmartApp – Toggle Indoor Decorative Lighting
  Note: Notice the naming convention I’m using so that the automation appears at an appropriate place in my list as compared to other frequently used ones.

Now you should see the lights turn on at sunset and off on sunrise automatically.

Happy festive season!
– Nitin

The post Festival Smart Decorative Lighting appeared first on Cloud Nine Apps.

Extremely glad to announce that the AWS IoT Mailbox was chosen as a winner at the AWS IoT App Challenge Hackathon!

Check out the blog announcement for more details.

Interested in learning more about how to set up a Smart Home? Check out our Smart Home – Beyond The Buzz course.

The post AWS IoT Mailbox Announced as Winner @AWS IoT App Challenge Hackathon appeared first on Cloud Nine Apps.