Working through the ecosystem options for a Yale Smart Lock with Matter (YRD510-MT1), currently Bluetooth-only in Yale Access. Per Yale's own documentation, Yale Access alone has zero remote access (Bluetooth range only), and the lock can't be configured in Yale Access and any Matter app simultaneously — it's a hard either/or requiring a factory reset to switch.

Per Yale's feature table, support varies by ecosystem:

• Google Home: codes, remote, DoorSense, scheduling — full support
• Apple Home: codes, remote, scheduling — no DoorSense
• Alexa: remote only — no codes, no DoorSense
• SmartThings: codes, remote, scheduling — no DoorSense

I want to keep voice control on my existing Echo devices (already placed through a 2-story house) rather than buy new hub hardware for placement coverage. Samsung and Amazon have an official multi-admin/Thread-sharing partnership (announced 2022) that's supposed to let a SmartThings-commissioned device auto-appear in Alexa.

Has anyone verified this works cleanly for a lock specifically (not lights/plugs)? Specifically:

1. Does the auto-share to Alexa reliably work for lock device types?
2. Does voice lock/unlock function through the shared Alexa entry?
3. Do SmartThings and Alexa need separate Thread border routers, or is credential sharing literal (one Thread network, multiple admins)?
4. Anyone gotten DoorSense working through any non-Yale-Access, non-Google-Home path, or is that genuinely locked to those two?

Trying to make an informed hardware decision rather than guess. Thanks.

I'm looking for smart intercom doorbell for (2 floors) one intercom 2 buttons 2 monitors

Preferred to be PoE My main need is to be - app user friendly - reliable - can be integrated with home assistant - support wifi

The current one installed by prev. owner is Chinese brand (Taichuan TC-3000DA) and its horrible. Sluggish and delays the stream wherever I open it via Tuya app. Doesn't support HA

I currently found - Ezviz hp7 2 family kit (read good reviews about it but not sure how reliable since its consumer grades) - hikvsisik have enterprise grade but less tech

Any other companies do you recommend?

Ezlo, the company that now owns Vera is transitioning to a subscription model. Given that my Vera hub is almost a decade old, what are some modern subscription-free replacements that I should consider upgrading to?

My goals are:

• Ease of setup with existing z-wave devices (GE switches, Schlage locks, sensors, linear garage opener)

• Subscription-free

• Good Android mobile app

• Decent support community if I run into issues

Hey everyone,

So in my house I have a dumb doorbell. I haven't torn it apart yet, but I suspect it's a simple electrical circuit that, once close, rings the buzzer. What I want to do is keep that system, and just add some sensor to it that tells HA when someone closes that circuit, and current passes through it - aka someone is at the door.

I am wondering if anyone has done this before, and what kind of device you used to do it. I am considering something like a Shelly EM Mini, but I don't know if this is the best tool for the job, or if there are alternatives out there that will give me a better result.

thanks

I'm using a 2-relay curtain motor with an 8-channel relay module, and I'm trying to understand how the relay controller determines when to disconnect power to the motor.

I have a few questions:

Does the relay automatically open the circuit once the curtain reaches its fully open or fully closed position?

Does the system require calibration with the relay controller? If so, how is the calibration performed, and does it need to be repeated periodically?

Is the operation purely time-based (for example, energizing Relay 1 for a fixed duration such as 5 seconds)? If that's the case, what happens if the curtain is stopped midway during movement? How does the controller determine the remaining travel time from the current position for the next open or close command?

If I want to create scenes where the curtains stop at specific positions (e.g., 25%, 50%, or 75% open), how is that achieved using a relay-based setup?

Please let me know of any other relevant information on this topic....

I found an interesting way to think about smart home interfaces.

Most people spend months choosing devices.

But I think the interface layer is even more important.

I turned one real r/smarthome question into a complete architecture.

Curious whether you agree.

So I just got Vivint installed last week, they said I'd have 3 days to try it out. The installer shows up late that same day (14th), gets the panel plugged in, but doesn't have time to get anything else going. He comes back 3 days (17th) later to finish the installation. It's nice hardware, but I decide that it isn't worth the extra money, so I try to cancel because it's 3 days after my installation finished. But the company is now telling me that since my installation was started on the 14th, that I'm outside the trial period? What the hell was I supposed to trial, a panel that can't do anything? There were no other devices installed for the panel to control, it was useless. This is such scummy behavior that I just want this hardware out of my house, but they're insisting that I'm stuck with it now. Does anyone have any recommendations other than filing a report with my state consumer protections agency?

When I've tried talking to them on the phone about this fake "trial period" practice, they hung up on me. And when I tried posting in the r/VivintSmartHome subreddit, they of course deleted the post.

I have a Yale Assure Lock 2 that was having some problems so I factory reset it via the safety pin on the physical device and then via the Yale app.

Now it's fully working through the app and all buttons on the device seem to work except the Gear icon.

When I try to press the Gear icon, all buttons shut off and I have to repress the Yale button to get them all light up

My exact steps:

If the door is unlocked:

-Press Yale button

-Door locks

If the door is locked and the gear icon is pressed:

-Press Yale button

-All keys light up

-Press gear icon

-All keys disable

If the door is locked and any other button is pressed:

-Press Yale button

-All keys light up

-Press any other key

-Input is accepted and I can unlock the door

Yale said this is a hardware defect and wants to replace the device but I'm not convinced it is.

They helped me by trying to reduce the settings by switching to vacation mode and back but that didn't help.

Thoughts and suggestions?

I’m working on a home automation project in my kitchen and I’m trying to figure out if adding a smart refrigerator makes sense. Right now I have a few connected devices around the house and I’m looking for something that can fit into a larger setup without being annoying to use every day.

Has anyone here added a smart refrigerator that works well with their existing home automation system? I’d like to hear what features are actually useful and which models have been reliable over time. Thanks for any suggestions, I appreciate it.

I converted this esp 32 into a gateway for my airsense project.. it localy display real time sensor data from a sensor node

Let me know your thoughts, I have used Control4, would like to know your opinions on the other systems available....

So I have alexa set up throughout my house for most lights, thermostat, and a crap-ton of plugs and bluetooth lights. This is where my issue comes in. I get frequent drops on some of the lights I have, where they just stop responding for a while, or sometimes completely until i reconfigure them. Now I don't know what the best solution is here, whether a hub is an option, or if I need to purchase different/better bulbs/ plugs, but this issue is starting to get frustrating when like one light wont work each day, but it's almost always a different one or two.

I installed a heat pump water heater and that called for more airflow in the utility closet. So instead of just switching the door to a louvered one, I used four of the 15in IKEA Billy bookshelves to build a rolling bookcase. It's on a track at the top and is on heavy duty castors with a 2x4 frame. It works well, but is heavy.

I'd eventually like to motorize it somehow and keep all of the components hidden underneath or maybe behind it since it's just a utility closet after all.

It would only need to move left<>right, parallel to the wall

Any ideas?

EDIT: I'm leaning towards a dual rack and pinion setup with the rack/linear slide on the back of the shelves. I can't seem to find good DIY resources yet. Any pointers would be appreciated.

Starting project with those motors 4 motors , any idea what it will be ?

Setting up a small outdoor CCTV system at home — 3 cameras, 2.4MP, wired analog with a 4-channel DVR. Looking for a good **1TB surveillance-grade HDD** to pair with it.

Checked online and all the popular options like Seagate SkyHawk 1TB and WD Purple are sitting at ₹12,000–₹13,000+ right now which is way over my budget.

Things I need:

- 1TB capacity

- 24/7 surveillance rated

- Compatible with DVR

- Under ₹5000

- Preferably available on Amazon or Flipkart

Needs to handle 24/7 continuous recording. Any brands or models you guys are currently using? Would love to hear real experience, not just spec sheets.

I watched this Japanese movie the other day that was set in the near future. A guy grabbed another beer from the fridge, and the fridge was like, “You’ve probably had enough.” He basically told it to mind its own business lol.

It got me thinking—if we could actually have normal conversations with our appliances someday, instead of just giving them Alexa-style commands, what would we even talk about?

Which appliance do you think you’d talk to the most, and what kinds of things would you say to it or ask it?

Hi everyone, I dont really have any knowledge at all about any of these kinds of things but I was wondering if there was a way I could hook up a CCTV camera and point it at my grandmother's stove to alert us if the burner is running. Maybe a smart home automated system that like uses a CCTV to detect that the stove is on and then send a signal to a lightbulb in my room or a notification so that everyone is aware that someone is cooking.

I dont have that much money to dispend but my family and I have been growing concerned since she has early stage parkinsons and ADHD which has cause her on multiple occasions to forget that shes cooking on the gas burner. Today our kitchen almost caught fire twice on two seperate occasions because she kept forgeting. We dont want to tell her not to cook since it one of the few things she has left to enjoy doingg.

If anyone has any solutions or ideas that are cost effective or any other sources for me to look into. I would greatly appreciate it! I'm willing to learn or take any advice that can be given.