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Joined 1 year ago
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Cake day: November 8th, 2023

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  • On Quick look, don’t see why that wouldn’t work. so you would be using the backup circuit breaker as a connection switch…

    The only downside is if the Shelly relay does turn ON, and you have manually turned on the Secondary then you have two 16A breakers for the load (not one). That could be remedied if you used a double throw contactor relay to isolate the circuits and the bypass not just powers the relay, but also triggers the relay (disconnecting the primary breaker).



  • Hi, With myServer, assuming you get hardware that is supported, this is all very well supported. We do video and audio matrices every day for our commercial sports bar / restaurant business.

    The description of the control4 experience is close to a myServer experience, but not quite. It’s not as easy as that, but the idea is the same. myServer is MUCH more customizable than Control4 so it’s a little more involved.

    Each device / channels are associated to a room. When you choose that room, then the system assumes you want to watch video in that room. So, the Outputs are made “active” for that room. You then choose a video source (like “Roku”). This then sets the Active video input. Behind the scenes, myServer tells the HDMI matrix to set that Input to that Output. And then you are watching your Roku (in your equipment rack) in your Living Room (the room you selected).

    With the SmartRemote, you can choose that room, indicate it’s YOU (not your significant other) and that you want to watch Roku. The rest is done using the programming like described above. An emulator of this experience is available at https://allonis.com

    And if this is what you want to implement, your timing is good because we have an active Kickstarter for what you would need at a greatly discounted prices:

    https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1957275162/smartremote-a-customizable-remote-control

    Feel free to ask further questions!!!




  • Like others have said - don’t buy Cloud based products. Don’t buy from huge marketing companies intended on World Domination.

    That being said, there are lots of good options.

    HomeAssistant, Homeseer, and certainly our (Allonis) myServer controller.

    Speaking specifically about myServer (I think this applies to all three), there is no requirement for Internet connectivity. The only things you need Internet for is: Software updates from our cloud server, optional TVGuide data, optional Weather data updates. Remote assistance from Allonis. We have done high security installation for the government, a prison, and schools and a very popular Silicon Valley company. All require NO Internet connection for security. Some required the system to be on it’s own standalone network (not even from a managed switch).

    Even our in development voice control system does not require any Internet access. Optionally you can decide to forward your “words” (not your conversations) to cloud based services that you are all very familiar with. But the core “remote control” aspects are handled by myServer in house.

    We haven’t done Matter development yet (not ready for prime time) but I don’t believe there is any requirements for Internet if it’s executed with that requirement from the company that integrates it (Allonis). Feel free to raise and cite exceptions that are known.

    Z-Wave and Zigbee and Lutron and DMX and hundreds of other protocols don’t require any connection to the Internet.

    Make sure you have a well architected and engineered network starting with your firewall. Make sure you have modded the default password!!! That’s the number 1 gotcha.

    Don’t give anyone access to your non Guest network. Ensure your Guest network has no connection to your devices or computers on your network.

    Create a Control Network that is it’s own subnet independent of the rest of your casual use PCs. Ensure you use good password control of your Wifi network.

    Anyway, the above items brings you into a pretty secure environment.


  • There are plenty of solutions for this simple problem.

    The safety aspect is a couple of things:

    1. ensure nothing is draped over the heater before you turn it on. This is the hard one to do with any automation. Maybe with “AI” on cameras this could be done in the future. Of course that would then require a camera in the bedroom…
    2. ensure you have electrically the right capacity relay switch to handle the amperage of the heater. This one is easy. Many “appliance switches” are available in multiple technologies
    3. Is this a one shot project? Or to be part of a larger ecosystem of automated devices? This is the hardest to answer. If larger then pick your automation controller first, then your technical means of support of the appliance switch (ie: Z-Wave vs, Zigbee, vs. proprietary Wifi). Once those two choices are made, then your list of Appliance Switches to use is a shorter list.

    If this is a One shot project, then there are proprietary smartphone apps that talk Wifi or bluetooth to matching appliance switches. But then your phone needs to be on the same network / proximity of the heater. That then starts to point on some of the benefits of a “real” control system that is always available to trigger automation tasks (ie: scheduled events like turning a heater on at 6AM during work days, and 8AM on weekends). Your phone does not then need to be present.





  • I had lots of X10 way back in the day. Still have at least 30 devices. I like them because they are so easy to setup. But, like others have said, not the most reliable communications.

    I still use them for Holiday decorations to put a candle in the window and have automation scheduled events turn them on / off. Wall relays plugged into outlets. Simple stuff!