Hey everyone! I’ve been diving into the world of smart home automation lately, and I wanted to share some of my experiences and questions with you all.
First off, I’ve been absolutely thrilled with how seamlessly my Broadlink Mini integrates with Alexa. I’ve set it up to control seven battery-operated IR candles, and it’s been a game-changer for creating ambiance in my home. The setup was pretty straightforward—I used Alexa routines to trigger the Broadlink device, and now I can say, “Alexa, turn on the candles,” and they light up beautifully. The only thing I’m still figuring out is how to turn them off using SmartThings, as Broadlink doesn’t support both power on and off during the learning phase. I’ve been using Alexa’s mute function as a workaround, but I’d love to hear if anyone has a more elegant solution!
Speaking of lighting, I’ve also been exploring ways to automate my bedroom lights to mimic sunrise and sunset patterns. I came across the Circadian Lights SmartApp, but it seems it’s no longer supported. I’ve been looking into SharpTools as an alternative, but I’m not sure if it can handle the color temperature changes I want throughout the day without creating hundreds of rules. If anyone has tips on achieving this, I’d be super grateful!
Another area I’ve been tinkering with is Sonos integration. I’d love to create deeper integrations, like controlling playlists and searching for media directly from ActionTiles. I’m curious if anyone has successfully done this and if they could share their setup or any challenges they faced.
On a more technical note, I’ve been fascinated by the process of developing custom bindings for devices that aren’t natively supported by my ecosystem. It’s been a steep learning curve, but seeing the results makes it all worthwhile. I’d love to hear from anyone who’s gone through a similar experience or has advice for someone just starting out.
Overall, the journey into smart home automation has been incredibly rewarding, and I’m excited to continue exploring and improving my setup. If anyone has tips, tricks, or just wants to chat about their own experiences, I’d love to hear from you!
Cheers,
[Your Name]