this post was submitted on 28 Apr 2024
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70
Why is replacement for home device controls so complicated? (lemmy.world)
submitted 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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I recently learned about Home Assistant here on Lemmy. It looks like a replacement for Google Home, etc. However, it requires an entire hardware installation. Proprietary products just use a simple app to manage and control devices, so can someone explain why a pretty robust dedicated device is necessary as a replacement? The base model has a quad core processor, 4 gigs of ram, and a 32 gig hard drive. Admittedly it's no gaming PC, but it's no arduino either.

What actually happens when I turn on a smart switch in my home? Does that command have to be sent to a server somewhere to be processed? What really has to be processed, and why can't a smartphone app do it?

Edit: I am still getting new replies to this (which are appreciated!), but I wanted to share what I've learned from those who have posted already. I fundamentally misunderstood how smart switches work. I had very wrongly assumed that when my phone is connected to the WiFi, it sends a signal over the local network to toggle the switch, which is connected to the same network, and it turns on/off. While there are technologies that work like this (zigbee, kinda?), most smart home devices rely on a cloud server to communicate the signal. This enables features like using the switches from outside the home network, automation, voice controls, etc. The remote server is what's being replaced.

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 months ago (9 children)

My words.

When you read "Cloud" change the word in your head to "Someone else's computer"

So when I was using Tuya lightbulbs I was connecting Tuya's Computer to Googles Computer to turn my lights on.

Now I use Home Assistant, I'm connecting MY computer to Googles Computer to turn the lights on, since I'm asking Google to turn MY lights on.

I can just not use the Google Cloud and have a voice assistant in Home Assistant do it, then I'm just using my own computer.

Now then, you don't think that all the photos you've ever taken reside in an app on your phone do you, because if you do I've got some news for you....

[–] [email protected] -1 points 6 months ago (7 children)

I don't really understand why a computer is necessary at all, is the thing. I know that it's possible to use wifi network to send a signal between two devices. I have a sound board that works this way, and manages to communicate precise multichannel instructions directly over the network without an internet connection.

If I want to turn on a light switch, it seems like all I should need to send is the location of the light switch on the network and the on/off command. I know that there is not the computing power in the light switch itself to process much more than that.

Do these devices all connect to a remote server to switch on and off??

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago

The computing as to when they need switching on and off is done by the computer.

I used to use Tasker and Smart Life connected through Google to control my lights. It worked but it was fucking shit. I wrote all the logic for it based off my phone, so it kinda worked for me, and everyone else in the house hated it.

Now it's all controlled by a computer based in the home, based on sensors that are in the home from all kinds of manufacturers using different protocols (because that's what Home Assistant does, conglomerate protocols) it works much better for everyone involved.

You can try to make iot devices work without a computer or cloud if you like but it will just be absolutely garbage.

Good luck

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