Amazon Echo & Prime Music Now Available

[phreezee]

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So I pretty much pay zero attention to tech anything other than having a phone but, I'm building a new house in the spring so when you guys talk about lighting control, etc. How is this all working? Where's the idiot guide so I can start looking into it all?

The easiest way is to have it controlled by a Z-Wave switch. Make sure you adamantly request/demand that all switches/boxes have a neutral wire in your new house. I have 2 2-way switches that don't have a neutral and it's driving me nuts that my house isn't 100% automated. Go with GE/Leviton Z-Wave switches. In the garage, Chamberlain has a switch that is both Z-wave and works with your garage remote too.

I'm getting Philips Hue on Black Friday to cover my remaining lights in the basement and I'll be 99% done.

[JRSC00LUDE]

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The easiest way is to have it controlled by a Z-Wave switch. Make sure you adamantly request/demand that all switches/boxes have a neutral wire in your new house. I have 2 2-way switches that don't have a neutral and it's driving me nuts that my house isn't 100% automated. Go with GE/Leviton Z-Wave switches. In the garage, Chamberlain has a switch that is both Z-wave and works with your garage remote too.

I'm getting Philips Hue on Black Friday to cover my remaining lights in the basement and I'll be 99% done.

That's great advice, thank you.

The electrician who does all our commercial work has a housing division with all the crazy Lutron and Home Audio/Theater stuff you can imagine however no matter how good a deal it is, I don't want him to go overboard so it'll be nice to understand what I NEED, as opposed to what "can" be done.

[dr_jared88]

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I have 2 2-way switches that don't have a neutral and it's driving me nuts that my house isn't 100% automated

I had this same problem and I was able to make it work using DZMX1 Leviton Dimmer and a VP00R-10Z (no LED). You need to make sure you get the no LED model as this one only needs a neutral wire and not a hot.

- Then you have to make a couple changes to the light fixture. Your light fixture should have a neutral on one side and then the return hot from the remote switch.
- Remove the hot from the light fixture coming from the remote switch and un-do the wire nut that carries the hot to the remote switch.
- Connect this Hot wire the light fixture. Now its connected like a traditional one way switch.
- On the wires going to the remote switch, leave the traveler wires connected and pig tail the neutral wire to the neutral wire going to the light fixture.
- Tape off the hot wire going to the remote switch as it won't be used.
- At the remote switch connect the traveler wire and neutral wire as shown in the instructions and tape off the black wire and leave it unused.
- Document this somewhere because its going to confuse you later...

This is assuming your light is currently wired like this which it probable is:
https://www.easy-do-it-yourself-home...4M3S8JN4zX.jpg

Here is the Leviton instructions for reference. Look at step 4b.
https://cache-m2.smarthome.com/manuals/2016.pdf

Disclaimer:
I am not an electrician and I am sure this is against code. I am not responsible for anything that may happen because of this....

[The_Penguin]

OK, this is close to the ultimate in lazy:
Butt on couch, beer in hand - "Alexa, tell Roomba to clean"

[phreezee]

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I had this same problem and I was able to make it work using DZMX1 Leviton Dimmer and a VP00R-10Z (no LED). You need to make sure you get the no LED model as this one only needs a neutral wire and not a hot.

- Then you have to make a couple changes to the light fixture. Your light fixture should have a neutral on one side and then the return hot from the remote switch.
- Remove the hot from the light fixture coming from the remote switch and un-do the wire nut that carries the hot to the remote switch.
- Connect this Hot wire the light fixture. Now its connected like a traditional one way switch.
- On the wires going to the remote switch, leave the traveler wires connected and pig tail the neutral wire to the neutral wire going to the light fixture.
- Tape off the hot wire going to the remote switch as it won't be used.
- At the remote switch connect the traveler wire and neutral wire as shown in the instructions and tape off the black wire and leave it unused.
- Document this somewhere because its going to confuse you later...

This is assuming your light is currently wired like this which it probable is:
https://www.easy-do-it-yourself-home...4M3S8JN4zX.jpg

Here is the Leviton instructions for reference. Look at step 4b.
https://cache-m2.smarthome.com/manuals/2016.pdf

Disclaimer:
I am not an electrician and I am sure this is against code. I am not responsible for anything that may happen because of this....

Wow, thanks! I'm OCD enough to try this but it's the light above my stairs and I'll have to lug out the ladder to rewire the light. Will have to motivate myself one weekend.

[Xtrema]

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What do you guys actually use google home and Alexa for? Serious question.

Aside from parlour tricks to impress guests I really don’t see the value or use.

I keep mine in the bathroom. So I can Amazon prime me some TP while I ran out.

Seriously, I don't have to worry about bring phone into bathroom now. Just yell at it like Star Trek and it will comply, handsfree.

I'm not into smart home so there is little there for me. And for other rooms, I am always in reach of a phone and various casting device that is hooked up to better AV systems.

[rage2]

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OK, this is close to the ultimate in lazy:
Butt on couch, beer in hand - "Alexa, tell Roomba to clean"

Only a noob would do that. Roomba should only be cleaning at night on a pre set schedule because it’s so damn loud.

[dr_jared88]

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Wow, thanks! I'm OCD enough to try this but it's the light above my stairs and I'll have to lug out the ladder to rewire the light. Will have to motivate myself one weekend.

I know what you mean. One of the two that I did was in the entry way of my by level... Worth it in the end though. I also took advantage of the opportunity to update the fixture to something more modern.

[R-Audi]

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What do you guys actually use google home and Alexa for? Serious question.

We have had Google home for a while now, we primarily we use it for music and news. Not by any means the best speaker but very convenient to ask to play whatever artist or theme. The kids also get a kick out of asking it questions.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Just a heads up, all the Google Home stuff is hugely discounted for Black Friday. The Google Home is $99 everywhere and the Home Mini is $39.

[jltabot]

still on the fence about picking up the mini. It's too bad it doesn't have aux out or bluetooth audio out functionality for better music quality. I know the Dot does, but Google's smart assistant seems.. smarter.

[Mitsu3000gt]

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still on the fence about picking up the mini. It's too bad it doesn't have aux out or bluetooth audio out functionality for better music quality. I know the Dot does, but Google's smart assistant seems.. smarter.

The mini itself can act as a bluetooth speaker, but you can't use it to control other bluetooth devices. You can control Chromecast and Chromecast audio with it though, so there are viable workarounds. I'm guessing most people just stream music from their phones anyway so maybe that's why they left it out.

[jltabot]

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The mini itself can act as a bluetooth speaker, but you can't use it to control other bluetooth devices. You can control Chromecast and Chromecast audio with it though, so there are viable workarounds. I'm guessing most people just stream music from their phones anyway so maybe that's why they left it out.

I'm not trying to control another bluetooth device, I would have just wanted to pair the mini to my current bluetooth speaker so I could utilize the voice commands of the mini with decent audio output. I know that using the mini strictly as a voice controlled bluetooth speaker won't suffice.

[dr_jared88]

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I'm not trying to control another bluetooth device, I would have just wanted to pair the mini to my current bluetooth speaker so I could utilize the voice commands of the mini with decent audio output. I know that using the mini strictly as a voice controlled bluetooth speaker won't suffice.

Does it have aux in? If so then get a mini with a chromecast audio. Both of these together will cost you $75 for black friday. Still cheaper then the mini by itself when not on sale.

[jltabot]

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Does it have aux in? If so then get a mini with a chromecast audio. Both of these together will cost you $75 for black friday. Still cheaper then the mini by itself when not on sale.

It does, yes, but my point was to reduce the amount of devices to make this work lol.

[dr_jared88]

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It does, yes, but my point was to reduce the amount of devices to make this work lol.

Well in that case buy a full size google home for $100 then... lol

[HiSpec]

Google Home Mini for $39 (not sure if it is USD or CAD)

https://store.google.com/product/google_home_mini

[adam c]

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Google Home Mini for $39 (not sure if it is USD or CAD)

https://store.google.com/product/google_home_mini

Canadian site shows the same price so I assume CAD

[killramos]

https://www.engadget.com/2017/11/29/...alexa-speaker/

Finally a use for Alexa I can get behind

[schocker]

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https://www.engadget.com/2017/11/29/...alexa-speaker/

Finally a use for Alexa I can get behind

This is probably more your style

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