Home Automation

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Home automation is the residential extension of building automation.

It is automation of the home, housework or household activity.

Home automation may include centralized control of lighting, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning), appliances, security locks of gates and doors and other systems, to provide improved convenience, comfort, energy efficiency and security.

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“Analog” home controller? (alien.top)

submitted 11 months ago by Super_Fill4707@alien.top to c/homeautomation@selfhosted.forum

6 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I’m in the early stages of tinkering with an idea on an analog dashboard. Very retro jetsons or maybe a little vacuum tube aesthetic, about 10” x 24”, and has about 20 or so dials, switches, and sliders on it.

I want to map them so that I have a “screen free” access to my most used automations. Lights, routines, volume knobs, etc.

I’ve been searching around for someone who’s done this already, but in haven’t seen it yet. In have a feeling it can be accomplished with a little dedication and some creative ITTT.

Has anyone tried something like this?

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[–] Greenglassblue@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

No, the whole point of a smart home for me is automation. I don't understand people that want to run their smart homes with dash boards, remotes, or phones.

[–] Super_Fill4707@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Yes. The automations would be programmed to hit a button. For example I don’t get to sleep every night at the same time, and I HATE having to talk to the assistant, and I’m resting not to look at screens as much. A goodnight button that would run a routine would hit just right. Also, it’s for FUN. Ya know, like the concept of play and certain types of art? The concept of whimsy? It’s nice

[–] Greenglassblue@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

Use a smart, energy monitoring, plug with your charger. When you plug in, or start to wireless charge, say from 10pm to 6am, to runs your goodnight routine.

[–] Laescha@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

This sounds cool! It definitely sounds like something you could build off an RPi or Arduino. You might find some inspiration in the Home Assistant forum, they've got a section for showing off cool projects and I'm sure I've seen this type of thing in there before.

[–] Super_Fill4707@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

Thanks! I’ll post it there too

[–] silasmoeckel@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

It's pretty trivial pi gpio to mqtt exists and that gets you to any reasonable hub.

Rotary encoders would be a bit harder to deal with but analog pots are trivial.

Once they are in your hub automate away.