I’ve been diving into the world of smart lighting and doorbell automation lately, and it’s been a fascinating journey! Let me share some of my experiences and tips with you all. First, the lighting setup. I’ve configured my room lighting app to disable turning off when a specific button is pressed or held. It’s also set to turn off when illuminance rises above a certain threshold. However, I noticed an issue where the illuminance trigger wasn’t respecting the button press restriction. After some troubleshooting, I realized that the “rising above” functionality doesn’t work as advertised—it triggers not only when illuminance rises but also when it changes at any level above the set parameter. This was a bit frustrating, but I adjusted my settings to accommodate this behavior. Next, the doorbell automation. I recently set up a Google Doorbell on my iPhone running iOS 18.4. While it’s functional, the notifications are too easy to miss. I’ve been exploring ways to make them more noticeable, such as extending the sound duration or having it come through like a phone call. I’ve found that using third-party apps or custom scripts can help achieve this, but I’m still experimenting to find the perfect setup. For those interested in DIY solutions, I’ve come across some innovative ideas, like creating a momentary rocker switch using Node-RED. This switch has both on and off actions but returns to a neutral position immediately, making it perfect for triggering room lighting apps without worrying about the switch’s current state. It’s a fantastic workaround for apps that require precise state control. Lastly, I’d love to hear your experiences. Have you encountered similar issues with lighting automation or doorbell notifications? What creative solutions have you come up with? Let’s share our knowledge and make our smart homes even smarter! ![]()