Smart Home Solutions

I would like to start a thread on Smart Home Solutions. I'm starting to get into connected home products and would like to get people's input on how they've done it. I understand there are turn-key solutions by Vivint, Comcast, and others but there should be a way for those of us that are more technical to build our own systems. I've installed an addition Wifi access point and POE switch in my garage for current and future expansion.

In researching this I can see that companies are scrambling to rise to the top with their own proprietary solutions. Insteon is using the X10 through power line protocols but no one else. I'm looking for something more open so I like products using the Z-Wave bands. They sell Z-Wave light bulbs and switches at Home Depot. I purchased a Wink hub to get started since it seems to handle most of the generic protocols like Z-Wave and Zigbee. There are many others but at $50 you can't go wrong plus so many things are Wink compatible now.

As I purchase smart home products I try to buy IFTTT (If This Then That) compatible products so everything is tied together. You can do things like "If one device is <condition> then another device performs <action>"

I've just started so this is what I have so far:

MyQ garage door controller (Wink, IFTTT, standalone)

Nest Thermostat (Wink, IFTTT, standalone)

OpenSprinkler. (must be Ethernet hardwired to router, IFTTT. It links to weather reports and adjust watering times or turns off. Way cool product!)

2 Cree smart LED lightbulbs (Wink, IFTTT)

2 Lutron smart switch (1800W version). Using IFTTT I have my wink controller turn my Christmas lights on at sunset and off at 11:00 PM. In the evening, turn on exterior driveway lights when door is opening (Wink, IFTTT)

Now here is what I want to do next but don't know exactly how to do it. I want to install a few security cameras outside that are motion activated. I then want to have the video recorded and stored on my 6TB NAS storage connected to my router. I don't want to pay someone to store my video in the cloud. I have plenty of spare PC's laying around that I can build as controllers. I'm willing to pay for a software product that does this (reasonably priced of course) but I don't want to have to pay for a subscription. It should record video and hold it for like 6 months. In addition using the products above I would like to create IFTTT recipes or Wink robots that turn exterior lights on, lock doors, or anything else I want when the cameras detect motion. I could even turn on the sprinklers on trespassers if I want. ;-)

Any ideas from those that have done a video security system?

So many other things like Z-Wave deadbolts ($200) and Amazon Echo (whole home siri) that I can do in the future. Hey, there is even a Wink egg tray that you tells you which eggs are the oldest in the refrigerator and how many you have left when you are at the grocery store. Everyone needs one of those.

 

very interesting