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Smart thermostat choice for home automation

Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2015 11:17 pm
by SevenW
I have been reading a lot about smart thermostats, but making a good choice is difficult. I like the modern thermostats like Nest and Tado. Actually Tado is very nice if the residents of the house do not have regular schedules and all have smartphones. But:
  • Make use of an external (google nest/tado) webserver.
  • Connection to domotica via this server, or via IFTTT external server
  • Tado: claims to have a public API, but no bindings in Domoticz or OpenHab
  • Nest: presence-detection through motion sensors: expensive to cover more rooms
So if internet is down, or TADO or Nest experience a DDoS attack, then no remote control, not even from your tablet when at home!

So besides those two very appealing but slightly distressing solutions I see the following options: For me the downside of the MAX cube is that it actually is not yet the thermostat, and such a setup is very nice if one wants to really build a heating control system with a domotica system. I prefer to have an autonomous smart thermostat, even if a decide to reinstall my home automation system or whatever.

Leaves me with the Evohome. Benefits:
  • no external server No, when using the phone app, one need to register with a honeywell server
  • binding in domoticz (assuming the out-phased gateway, but I just hope the Wifi-version has the same API
  • Smart thermostat with learning capabilities
  • Supported with smartphone app and IFTTT (in case one want to do some easy automation of less critical tasks
  • easy to extend to multi-room (actually it is designed for this)
There is not really a question here, except for that I am open for other insights on this subject matter. I like Tado and Nest a lot, but the more or less obligatory dependence on the internet is a big downside. And I don not consider things like Toon where I have to pay a monthly fee.

Any thoughts appreciated.

Re: Smart thermostat choice for home automation

Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2015 11:47 pm
by Bwired
agree, a difficult choice
my thoughts are that you still have to connect all yourself, there is no perfect solution yet.

for me i just ordered the new google nest v3 (real nice gadget also!)
also there is Py software for earlier versions, but needs to better :wink:
https://github.com/FiloSottile/nest_thermostat

together with this, i have the OTGW for full control and in sites on my hvac
additional i have the MAX! which give me perfect control of all my heating devices in my home for years now.

All this comes together in my HA system on the MQTT bus

Re: Smart thermostat choice for home automation

Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2015 12:48 am
by Akatar
if you want to control every room then evohome is the right choice

if it doensn't matter then toon or nest or......