Happy Saturday everyone! This thing looks nuts! Checkout @homekitnews for a more indepth look at the little brother to this! *UPDATE* according to Aqara I've said something wrong in the video with regard using the virtual buttons to control Homekit devices, apparently "the S1 Plus wireless switch connects with HomeKit-compatible devices and automations, allowing users to control other third-party HomeKit-compatible devices directly from the dashboard. However, not all third-party devices available in HomeKit can be displayed on the dashboard." I am seeking clarification on which devices can not be displayed and why!
Paul, if they are open to feedback while the UK version is still in development, please for the love of god ask them to ensure that the UK version can work without an independent neutral. Not just because of UK wiring but because if they only work with an independent neutral, it's not a replacement light switch and will likely cost them a lot of business.
Modern UK houses should have a neutral at the light switch. The reason older houses don't is because it's cheaper, and arguably easier, to run all the lighting supplies to the ceiling rose and just take a switch drop (a piece of t&e cable) down to the switch. As someone else has said, you can reconnect and thereby repurpose the switch drop as a permanent live and neutral, but you need to know what you're doing and you need to remember to remove any sleeving from the 'neutral' wire. I've done that on all of my intermediate light switches to give me a live and neutral for installing smart switches. Oh, and a lighting circuit isn't a 'ring', it's a radial circuit so probably best just to refer to it as the lighting circuit, not the lighting ring. As always, excellent review. That 'future Paul' backdrop looked like it was from the Fifth Element 🤔.
That's a very dangerous thing to do, 1. The uninsulated core is now just that, we require things to be earthed or double insulated in the UK and this would not comply. 2. Anyone doing work on your system will assume the earth core is just that.
@@wilfredkent9864 he is clearly stating repurpose the switch drop with permanent live and neutral. With only 3 cores, that gives you no switched live to return to the lamp.
Sorry if I haven't been clear. The switch drop is simply a length of T&E cable with the neutral (blue) sleeved as a live conductor. The cpc (it's not an earth) is usually sleeved and terminated if it's in a plastic fitting, or connected to the faceplate if it is metal. All you need is a permanent live and neutral to power the smart switch and a means of switching the light, usually a switched live from the smart switch. You are correct that you still need a neutral for the light, but with a lighting circuit that is looped at the ceiling, there is already one there. I did one today that was a 2 way light and extractor fan switching to a shared bathroom. I've got neutrals at the switches so after determinining which switched live went to the fan and which went to the light, you can use one of the 4 core cables to feed a live and neutral to the other switch and terminate both ends of the other 4 core cable as it's not needed. I also have smart luminaires so I just provide them with a permanent live and use the smart switch through an automation in home assistant. It's not the easiest thing to explain in a YT post, but I know what I'm doing and everything is compliant with the requirements of BS7671.
Don't feel so bad in the US we're having the neutral wire issue as well although not nearly as much. There's a lot of places where it made more sense to loop down to the switch and back to the light without the neutral. Generally bedrooms some kitchens and living rooms etc. so Code has actually been updated to start requiring the neutral. Now we just have to have various municipalities adopt newer versions and still have to deal with all the older houses that for whatever reason they decided to do it that way. I wear it at the laundry room where the switch was literally 5 feet away from the light fixture it didn't make sense to run a neutral but there are many other scenarios where it probably should've been there. Shoot we have the issue of ceiling lights getting installed without the appropriate extra wire for a fan control so stupid wireless remote control things get wired in as well as the wall switch making things really confusing.
You might be able to solve the neutral problem by re-purposing the switch live. You’ll need an electrician to change the switch live at the ceiling rose to the neutral that’s up there. It will depend on what the S1 needs. If it’s just a live and neutral then no need to run an additional cable. Of course the AMPs it draws could mean the switch cables are too small. Very interesting. Thanks Paul
Agreed, if the device no longer requires a switched live, it could be changed over to a neutral, I can't see the current draw being higher than the capacity of a 1mm cable 👍
@@paulhibbert You should have gone to the IFA in Berlin they had it there. I dropped another comment here giving the dimensions and also the Screen resolution.
We recently bought a new house and the new kitchen has a socket in the tabletop. We didn’t realize we also have one in the wall next to it 🫣. I just realized this would fit there perfectly.
In the UK if you do not have a Neutral wire present in the switch backbox, it is a simple matter to repurpose the Switched Live wire to provide a Neutral for a smartswitch by connecting it to Neutral at the light fitting and then use a permanently powered smartbulb and control it wirelessly. This would make use of the "Intelligent Load" feature that the S1+ has built-in.
Tech needs to concentrate on elderly people being able to use phones, TVs, remote controls and other stuff. Nothing is easy for them. Alexa voice was the only move forward. Looking forward to Claude arriving on Alexa
I'm in my mid 60s. Do I count as "elderly"? Because not only do I love and rely on technology, I am tech support for my family. Try this. Tech needs to concentrate on creating adaptive devices that can assist folks with all kinds of impairments to live better, fuller lives.
@@mikeys4u you aren’t wrong that it’s difficult for them to and I 100% agree there should be options for them But my point is the market is so small that optimising things for them and annoying the larger younger audience who don’t want large print isn’t really an option And I’ve seen a lot of phones and remotes and products for old people specifically and they never sell very well
@@himynameisryan I get your point, but the market for elderly-friendly products is actually much larger than it seems, with over 761 million people aged 65+ globally. Rather than changing mainstream products and risking annoyance, creating separate, dedicated options like brands such as Doro do could cater to both younger and older audiences. Seniors are becoming more tech-savvy and have spending power, so it’s more about improving design and marketing than a lack of demand. The growing elderly population makes this a bigger opportunity than it may appear.
Always interested in NEW things, but I have NO level of the elaborate sophistication as you have setup and being in the smarthome world for MANY years I still rely on SmartThings and others and am deeply rooted into Amazon Alexa as it works with SO many devices. I have the recent Amazon Alexa Hub and when GROUPS are setup properly this offers a good solution to my needs for me. I also have Ring Alarm and the Amazon Echo hub just works great for my needs and has served me well for my needs. I understand your level of sophistication that I do not need. I can't even tell you how many sensors/devices I have because it's MANY. If you have an imagination, you can get pretty elaborate with Routines as well with Alexa. I have SEVERAL Routines that enable/disable based on times. This functionality is enough for me but, I understand the NEED for more! I LOVE your videos as you always give me "ideas" and work-arounds to things in the "real" world!
Glad it has USB power, as this is something that I would like to have on my desk instead of replacing light switches in my rental apartment. Just need Spotify to get intergraded and I am sold
What's wrong with a normal tablet and a smarthome app ? Also uses USB to charge and you can remove the USB and use the battery if you need it in another room. Spotify is easy to install on most tablets and you can install other apps too, not just the ones Aqara has approved/licensed for this pseudo tablet ...
@@lwebb7 I didn't know prices for this are known, so please enlighten me ?! There are so many decent (second hand) tablets out there that are reasonably priced, but if you say this is going to be like 50 dollar/euro it might be competitive on price ... "will run a purpose built OS" ... that's generally not a good thing though. A custom made OS by a company for a niche market usually means that support and longevity will be very limited. Also, like I mentioned, you are limited to apps and customization that Aqara wants to develop and unless they are selling millions of these they will probably develop the bare minimum ...
Could there be any concerns with privacy. With it coming from China and other brands being painted in a bad light i.e Huawei. Apart from that,this looks amazing
My biggest problem with aqara is their support and the range of their devices. I bought the m3 which only has 10 meter range and contacted them to ask if there was any way to extend this. Their answer after a week or 2 waiting was to move it somewhere else. I also had a device break after about 4 months and contacted them but never received an answer.
I love watching your videos. I have to point out that every light switch in the UK is live and neutral. You can buy a lot of smart bulbs for £75 to £500, so move the switched wire to the neutral at the light and replace the bulb with a smart one :)
Those Aqara panels look amazing but how I wish I was specifying all of my house wiring now not 30 years ago when it was last done. Of course I would run Ethernet to all rooms and have neutrals in every light switch but I was looking just now at the S1 panel switch listing on Ali Express and if I’m reading one of the pictures correctly not only does it have 2.4/5GHz WiFi but it also has a wired Ethernet port so in my “if only” house wiring I should probably also run a “just in case I ever need it” Ethernet cable into every light switch back box. I would have never thought of that. And I suppose a USB 5V supply as well just in case some future gadget that I might want to wall mount only had a USB-C power option. Wiring a home for maximum future home automation flexibility is becoming a pretty comprehensive task.
To get around the neutral wire you could move switch wire in the ceiling rose to make the switch into live supply and put a smart bulb in and not connect the switch part of the aqara? Obviously never go back to a normal switch with converting back lol. But in reality why bother haha. If doing above there is no need for the switch part so maybe make a cheaper version without any switching circuit, all thats needed is a display touch screen hub that fits in place of a wall switch and runs off the mains. Maybe it already exists?
I hope its not as buggy as the S1E Magic Switch... where the screen frequently freezes... and while its nice to have a few "services" .. they seem to be limited by Weather and Clock only.. not so many options there either.. although.. I did manage to put in 6 or so extra buttons and make them available in HA.. (while available in my country.. still pretty expensive at >395GBP)
I have to admit, the idea of local, permanent, accessible dashboards has always intrigued me. Currently, I've "low-teched" it and use keypads with multiple labeled buttons for things like light/fan and other ambience controls and it works, but I do like the idea of having an actual dashboard that I don't have to reprint labels for when I redo something. Besides, I do like the Stark's shed effect. Sure, Tony could likely have cobbled it together in a cave with a bunch of scraps, but I'm not Tony Stark. "Tax write-off": It is a nice feeling when you can get something useful (= something you've wanted, but couldn't justify it really) and write it off. As an aside, how do you characterize rubber implements for slapping impertinent "viewers" in a way that passes audit. I'm asking for a friend. Thanks for doing the hard work of figuring out the Chinese commercial. I suspect it would have been easier with an actual Universal Translator but those have been hard to come by since those Berlinghoff Rasmussen incidents. I've already got a ZigBee hub so that's not as much of a draw for me, but I can see why being able to connect Aqara ZigBee devices into Homekit would be a plus for a lot of folks. Likewise with the advertisable buttons. [Aside: I agree completely that Batman: the Dark Night is a far better love story than Twilight.] On the "neutral wire in our light switches in the U.S." thing: It is required by code now. However, older connections are often "grandfathered" so you can still often find them. I have one on the front porch light :( Thanks for doing a pre-review of this product. I will be interested to see about the product when it actually comes to our far-flung shores. See you next week.
Question: do you know if a sensor is available that will turn on a light depending on light levels? Not just sunset/sunrise but adjustable to a set level.
Spanish wall sockets also no neutral. Pain in the backside as many smart switches I get to test need neutral. But then I guess Aqara's largest market is USA and we don't really matter?
I'm guessing it still doesn't support dusk/dawn controls natively. I have the FP1E and I have to manually change the active times as the autumn comes to a close. Since I don't have Apple products I can't use Homekit and Home Assistant doesn't see most of my Aqara products, so I only have Alexa as an alternative - which does have a dusk/dawn setting - but doesn't let you use dusk/dawn in addition to a smart home device, when setting up a routine.
Assume it wont run Homeassistant companion app. But does it come with a web browser at least? I dont need the Aqara UI and their limitations just allow a HA dashboard to be used and its an option for me
Looks really interesting, looking forward to your more detailed review when it comes out. It has to pass the total moron test to be useful which means when the house is switched in to 'we have guests' mode, any press on the screen must toggle the light.
I guess my main question is - How many Zigbee Hubs do we need in one home? Other than that, this looks like a great wall plate option. I am guessing it will require a neutral at the switch, which unfortunately is not always standard here in Australia. By the way, not EVERY US home will have a neutral, but would have to be a pretty old install to lack one given the code there. But some really old places in the USA still have knob and tube wiring. The USB Power option could be a seriously good option for switch boxes that don't have a neutral. I am very surprised AQARA got away with calling it Copilot given Microsofts new AI is called Copilot. Actually, I shouldn't be surprised. China wouldn't recognise Microsofts use of the name Copilot lol :) Thanks for a great video. I know how much work this one would have been translating a whole commercial and then waiting for AQARA to respond. Edit: The part about guessing needing a Neutral I typed before the video finished, You confirmed that later in the video
I was indeed watching this on the toilet and somehow I wasn't already subscribed even though I have been watching for bloody ages. I have remedied that as instructed. :D
Shame it is just two gang so one HAS to have a neutral connection - sadly most older houses in the UK don't have neutral in their lightswitch pattresses. I suppose the USB C is a slight mitigation. (PS with my pedant hat on - I should express my disgust at a split infinitive just ten seconds in!) - Many thanks for making my Saturday mornings interesting!
Great video Paul. Unfortunately, not everyone in America has a neutral wire. They really only started being used in 1985 and later home construction. I would buy this switch in a heartbeat, but sadly my house was built in the early 60s so just have to hope they can come out with a non-neutral version.
No, they only certified 3 (well, 4 if you count their hub) devices as HA compatible. All of them are matter devices and they don't seem to be interested in certifying their zigbee products
I had just written my question when you answered it in the video. Fun “side note” here in the U.S., homes built before the mid-nineties do not have neutral wire. Yes, that sucks!
@@paulhibbert Your so right...I'm going to mount my phone on the wall. So much easier having to walk to the lounge wall when I'm upstairs to see who's at the door. Lol
"every American has a neutral wire in every light switch". While we all don't live in medieval castles like the entirety of England does, we do have a few homes built in the late 1800's to early 1900's with cloth wrapped wires which do not have neutral wires. My 1920' Chicago bungelow has an annoying mix. So every time I open a panel or junction box it is a game of Guess the Wiring.
Pricing in China is currently around $335 USD 255 GBP. I'm still wary of getting it until I'm convinced it can talk nicely to non-Aqara stuff without going thru homekit. Ultimately it is what we all want, but at the moment I'd still be more comfortable with a tablet running some kind of open dashboard like "hoooommme assistant". Great video, Batman and Spiderman bits, AI Darth, and Film Noir (see Coffeezilla for inspiration). Keep up the good work. 👍
From what I can tell you can control 3 physically connected lights that you've wired it up to (2 in the UK) , and their documentation seems to suggest 6 virtual switches, but it looks like mot win the ad so maybe I'm misunderstanding what they mean by the 6 switches
I’m pleased your videos are funny, because all this home automation stuff is absolute crapware. Presumably you only need to worry about it if you live in some WEF member grand design in Oslo. Chicken Zigbee Caesar.
Happy Saturday everyone! This thing looks nuts! Checkout @homekitnews for a more indepth look at the little brother to this! *UPDATE* according to Aqara I've said something wrong in the video with regard using the virtual buttons to control Homekit devices, apparently "the S1 Plus wireless switch connects with HomeKit-compatible devices and automations, allowing users to control other third-party HomeKit-compatible devices directly from the dashboard. However, not all third-party devices available in HomeKit can be displayed on the dashboard." I am seeking clarification on which devices can not be displayed and why!
Paul, if they are open to feedback while the UK version is still in development, please for the love of god ask them to ensure that the UK version can work without an independent neutral. Not just because of UK wiring but because if they only work with an independent neutral, it's not a replacement light switch and will likely cost them a lot of business.
Hello Mr Hibbert, it's available on Aliexpress, but not sure if you can change the language :)
The bigger risk is it not fitting your back box 😕
@@paulhibbert I've got an SDS 🤣😂
Keep your comedy style man, I love it. It is my Saturday morning comedy hour… thanks 😊
Do we know anything about compatibility with home assistant? It would be great to use it as a zigbee router for HA as well
Dresses up like a detective from the 1940s. Doesn't add a noir style voice over or a smooth jazz track. My day is ruined. 😂
Dammit, you are right sir. I am Ashamed of myself!
@@paulhibbertPurchase the instruments to record said jazz track - tax write off
@@paulhibbert Don't be ashamed, you have a new kid. Ready made excuse right there. You can't think of everything. Cheers.
Been waiting for an Aqara display hub for ages.
The spiderman bit HAD ME ROLLING 😂
Modern UK houses should have a neutral at the light switch. The reason older houses don't is because it's cheaper, and arguably easier, to run all the lighting supplies to the ceiling rose and just take a switch drop (a piece of t&e cable) down to the switch. As someone else has said, you can reconnect and thereby repurpose the switch drop as a permanent live and neutral, but you need to know what you're doing and you need to remember to remove any sleeving from the 'neutral' wire. I've done that on all of my intermediate light switches to give me a live and neutral for installing smart switches. Oh, and a lighting circuit isn't a 'ring', it's a radial circuit so probably best just to refer to it as the lighting circuit, not the lighting ring. As always, excellent review. That 'future Paul' backdrop looked like it was from the Fifth Element 🤔.
That's a very dangerous thing to do, 1. The uninsulated core is now just that, we require things to be earthed or double insulated in the UK and this would not comply.
2. Anyone doing work on your system will assume the earth core is just that.
@@mikef3324 You have misunderstood what he has written, he is not suggesting using the earth as a live conductor.
@@wilfredkent9864 he is clearly stating repurpose the switch drop with permanent live and neutral. With only 3 cores, that gives you no switched live to return to the lamp.
Sorry if I haven't been clear. The switch drop is simply a length of T&E cable with the neutral (blue) sleeved as a live conductor. The cpc (it's not an earth) is usually sleeved and terminated if it's in a plastic fitting, or connected to the faceplate if it is metal. All you need is a permanent live and neutral to power the smart switch and a means of switching the light, usually a switched live from the smart switch. You are correct that you still need a neutral for the light, but with a lighting circuit that is looped at the ceiling, there is already one there. I did one today that was a 2 way light and extractor fan switching to a shared bathroom. I've got neutrals at the switches so after determinining which switched live went to the fan and which went to the light, you can use one of the 4 core cables to feed a live and neutral to the other switch and terminate both ends of the other 4 core cable as it's not needed. I also have smart luminaires so I just provide them with a permanent live and use the smart switch through an automation in home assistant. It's not the easiest thing to explain in a YT post, but I know what I'm doing and everything is compliant with the requirements of BS7671.
@@daveforrester61 gotcha. Don't want people hurt cos they don't understand
Really cool.!! A couple of questions come to mind... Does it work with HOOOOME ASSISTANT? Can it be installed vertically? Keep it up!
Don't feel so bad in the US we're having the neutral wire issue as well although not nearly as much. There's a lot of places where it made more sense to loop down to the switch and back to the light without the neutral. Generally bedrooms some kitchens and living rooms etc. so Code has actually been updated to start requiring the neutral. Now we just have to have various municipalities adopt newer versions and still have to deal with all the older houses that for whatever reason they decided to do it that way. I wear it at the laundry room where the switch was literally 5 feet away from the light fixture it didn't make sense to run a neutral but there are many other scenarios where it probably should've been there. Shoot we have the issue of ceiling lights getting installed without the appropriate extra wire for a fan control so stupid wireless remote control things get wired in as well as the wall switch making things really confusing.
You might be able to solve the neutral problem by re-purposing the switch live. You’ll need an electrician to change the switch live at the ceiling rose to the neutral that’s up there. It will depend on what the S1 needs. If it’s just a live and neutral then no need to run an additional cable. Of course the AMPs it draws could mean the switch cables are too small. Very interesting. Thanks Paul
Live to a neutral -- are there no color codes for wires?
@@rexsceleratorum1632we have sleeving for that👍
Agreed, if the device no longer requires a switched live, it could be changed over to a neutral, I can't see the current draw being higher than the capacity of a 1mm cable 👍
Done this in mine. Just put a blue sleeve over the neutral wire to indicate its neutral and not live.
So glad my modern (2010) UK home has neutral wire, I do feel sorry for older wired houses though
Thank you! Its been near impossible to find info in english on the S1
Sooooo much sleuthing 🤣 took me a week to make this video despite not having to film any B-roll!
@@paulhibbert You should have gone to the IFA in Berlin they had it there. I dropped another comment here giving the dimensions and also the Screen resolution.
We recently bought a new house and the new kitchen has a socket in the tabletop. We didn’t realize we also have one in the wall next to it 🫣. I just realized this would fit there perfectly.
Oh that would be so flipping cool!
@@paulhibbert my wife is always complaining about which buttons or for which lights… so this could be helpful for her.
In the UK if you do not have a Neutral wire present in the switch backbox, it is a simple matter to repurpose the Switched Live wire to provide a Neutral for a smartswitch by connecting it to Neutral at the light fitting and then use a permanently powered smartbulb and control it wirelessly. This would make use of the "Intelligent Load" feature that the S1+ has built-in.
I had bought that hat months ago when I saw it on clearance at craft store here. Did not know how to work into my videos yet…..now I know 🤣
Tech needs to concentrate on elderly people being able to use phones, TVs, remote controls and other stuff. Nothing is easy for them. Alexa voice was the only move forward. Looking forward to Claude arriving on Alexa
I feel like they are such a small market that is shrinking for the elderly to use tech
@@himynameisryan not one elderly person could set up a phone, TV or games machine. Everything is sign up and small print.
I'm in my mid 60s. Do I count as "elderly"? Because not only do I love and rely on technology, I am tech support for my family.
Try this. Tech needs to concentrate on creating adaptive devices that can assist folks with all kinds of impairments to live better, fuller lives.
@@mikeys4u you aren’t wrong that it’s difficult for them to and I 100% agree there should be options for them
But my point is the market is so small that optimising things for them and annoying the larger younger audience who don’t want large print isn’t really an option
And I’ve seen a lot of phones and remotes and products for old people specifically and they never sell very well
@@himynameisryan I get your point, but the market for elderly-friendly products is actually much larger than it seems, with over 761 million people aged 65+ globally. Rather than changing mainstream products and risking annoyance, creating separate, dedicated options like brands such as Doro do could cater to both younger and older audiences.
Seniors are becoming more tech-savvy and have spending power, so it’s more about improving design and marketing than a lack of demand. The growing elderly population makes this a bigger opportunity than it may appear.
Always interested in NEW things, but I have NO level of the elaborate sophistication as you have setup and being in the smarthome world for MANY years I still rely on SmartThings and others and am deeply rooted into Amazon Alexa as it works with SO many devices. I have the recent Amazon Alexa Hub and when GROUPS are setup properly this offers a good solution to my needs for me. I also have Ring Alarm and the Amazon Echo hub just works great for my needs and has served me well for my needs. I understand your level of sophistication that I do not need. I can't even tell you how many sensors/devices I have because it's MANY. If you have an imagination, you can get pretty elaborate with Routines as well with Alexa. I have SEVERAL Routines that enable/disable based on times. This functionality is enough for me but, I understand the NEED for more! I LOVE your videos as you always give me "ideas" and work-arounds to things in the "real" world!
Thanks John! Alexa is still a bit part of my setup, she's great for working around issues where home assistant can control a piece of functionality
Glad it has USB power, as this is something that I would like to have on my desk instead of replacing light switches in my rental apartment.
Just need Spotify to get intergraded and I am sold
This is my kind of use case too
What's wrong with a normal tablet and a smarthome app ?
Also uses USB to charge and you can remove the USB and use the battery if you need it in another room.
Spotify is easy to install on most tablets and you can install other apps too, not just the ones Aqara has approved/licensed for this pseudo tablet ...
@@_MicZ_ This will be a lot cheaper than a normal tablet and will run a purpose built OS.
@@lwebb7 I didn't know prices for this are known, so please enlighten me ?!
There are so many decent (second hand) tablets out there that are reasonably priced, but if you say this is going to be like 50 dollar/euro it might be competitive on price ...
"will run a purpose built OS" ... that's generally not a good thing though. A custom made OS by a company for a niche market usually means that support and longevity will be very limited.
Also, like I mentioned, you are limited to apps and customization that Aqara wants to develop and unless they are selling millions of these they will probably develop the bare minimum ...
Would be interesting to know if it uses a single box or a double box and depth of the gubbins…
Could there be any concerns with privacy. With it coming from China and other brands being painted in a bad light i.e Huawei. Apart from that,this looks amazing
Don't expect any, and you'll be fine. Plus you're not a person of interest to China, right?
My biggest problem with aqara is their support and the range of their devices. I bought the m3 which only has 10 meter range and contacted them to ask if there was any way to extend this. Their answer after a week or 2 waiting was to move it somewhere else.
I also had a device break after about 4 months and contacted them but never received an answer.
Older homes in the US don’t necessarily have a neutral wire for the light switch.
I love watching your videos. I have to point out that every light switch in the UK is live and neutral. You can buy a lot of smart bulbs for £75 to £500, so move the switched wire to the neutral at the light and replace the bulb with a smart one :)
Those Aqara panels look amazing but how I wish I was specifying all of my house wiring now not 30 years ago when it was last done. Of course I would run Ethernet to all rooms and have neutrals in every light switch but I was looking just now at the S1 panel switch listing on Ali Express and if I’m reading one of the pictures correctly not only does it have 2.4/5GHz WiFi but it also has a wired Ethernet port so in my “if only” house wiring I should probably also run a “just in case I ever need it” Ethernet cable into every light switch back box. I would have never thought of that. And I suppose a USB 5V supply as well just in case some future gadget that I might want to wall mount only had a USB-C power option. Wiring a home for maximum future home automation flexibility is becoming a pretty comprehensive task.
Looks really nice.
To get around the neutral wire you could move switch wire in the ceiling rose to make the switch into live supply and put a smart bulb in and not connect the switch part of the aqara?
Obviously never go back to a normal switch with converting back lol.
But in reality why bother haha.
If doing above there is no need for the switch part so maybe make a cheaper version without any switching circuit, all thats needed is a display touch screen hub that fits in place of a wall switch and runs off the mains.
Maybe it already exists?
Removing switch wire good until you come to move home....
Can it integrate with home assistant? Would seem cool to be able to use it with home assistant's voice control...
Thanks Paul. Happy Saturday.
7:26 lmao 😂 you're killing me
I cannot wait for V1 knob . I'm exited that Aqara decided to launch EU version.
When do we get a HomeKit enabled alarm panel!!!
I hope its not as buggy as the S1E Magic Switch... where the screen frequently freezes... and while its nice to have a few "services" .. they seem to be limited by Weather and Clock only.. not so many options there either.. although.. I did manage to put in 6 or so extra buttons and make them available in HA.. (while available in my country.. still pretty expensive at >395GBP)
Many thanks Paul. This looks great.
The clip of wife cutting off the light switches to my smart bulb is exactly how I play it in my head 😂😂 thanks for that Paul. Happy Saturday!
I have to admit, the idea of local, permanent, accessible dashboards has always intrigued me. Currently, I've "low-teched" it and use keypads with multiple labeled buttons for things like light/fan and other ambience controls and it works, but I do like the idea of having an actual dashboard that I don't have to reprint labels for when I redo something. Besides, I do like the Stark's shed effect. Sure, Tony could likely have cobbled it together in a cave with a bunch of scraps, but I'm not Tony Stark.
"Tax write-off": It is a nice feeling when you can get something useful (= something you've wanted, but couldn't justify it really) and write it off. As an aside, how do you characterize rubber implements for slapping impertinent "viewers" in a way that passes audit. I'm asking for a friend.
Thanks for doing the hard work of figuring out the Chinese commercial. I suspect it would have been easier with an actual Universal Translator but those have been hard to come by since those Berlinghoff Rasmussen incidents.
I've already got a ZigBee hub so that's not as much of a draw for me, but I can see why being able to connect Aqara ZigBee devices into Homekit would be a plus for a lot of folks. Likewise with the advertisable buttons.
[Aside: I agree completely that Batman: the Dark Night is a far better love story than Twilight.]
On the "neutral wire in our light switches in the U.S." thing: It is required by code now. However, older connections are often "grandfathered" so you can still often find them. I have one on the front porch light :(
Thanks for doing a pre-review of this product. I will be interested to see about the product when it actually comes to our far-flung shores. See you next week.
Ah Keith Ledger. Fabulous performance.
Question: do you know if a sensor is available that will turn on a light depending on light levels? Not just sunset/sunrise but adjustable to a set level.
I was waiting for a video yesterday at exactly 10 when I realized it was still friday😂😂😢😢.
I too no longer know what day of the week it is since becoming a father 😂
Can you get info on a USA model? Verify it'll be 2 gang too (hopefully). Also how's well will it play with home assistant?
I'm assuming that it won't be released to the US anytime soon?
You went from talking about main ring, to talking about seeing the back of it, utter filth xxx
Spanish wall sockets also no neutral. Pain in the backside as many smart switches I get to test need neutral. But then I guess Aqara's largest market is USA and we don't really matter?
Vader's beer needs a straw.
I'm guessing it still doesn't support dusk/dawn controls natively. I have the FP1E and I have to manually change the active times as the autumn comes to a close. Since I don't have Apple products I can't use Homekit and Home Assistant doesn't see most of my Aqara products, so I only have Alexa as an alternative - which does have a dusk/dawn setting - but doesn't let you use dusk/dawn in addition to a smart home device, when setting up a routine.
Assume it wont run Homeassistant companion app.
But does it come with a web browser at least?
I dont need the Aqara UI and their limitations just allow a HA dashboard to be used and its an option for me
Looks really interesting, looking forward to your more detailed review when it comes out. It has to pass the total moron test to be useful which means when the house is switched in to 'we have guests' mode, any press on the screen must toggle the light.
50MB of photos?!
So... a photo then? Let me just compress my entire album to 480p.
Yep we americans have a neutral wire in the with the rest of the wiring almost chocked on my own breakfast when I heard that one classic 😂
Home Assistant? Work offline ?
Happy Saturday Champ!
I guess my main question is - How many Zigbee Hubs do we need in one home?
Other than that, this looks like a great wall plate option. I am guessing it will require a neutral at the switch, which unfortunately is not always standard here in Australia.
By the way, not EVERY US home will have a neutral, but would have to be a pretty old install to lack one given the code there. But some really old places in the USA still have knob and tube wiring. The USB Power option could be a seriously good option for switch boxes that don't have a neutral.
I am very surprised AQARA got away with calling it Copilot given Microsofts new AI is called Copilot. Actually, I shouldn't be surprised. China wouldn't recognise Microsofts use of the name Copilot lol :) Thanks for a great video. I know how much work this one would have been translating a whole commercial and then waiting for AQARA to respond.
Edit: The part about guessing needing a Neutral I typed before the video finished, You confirmed that later in the video
Finally he said my name, cheers Paul but I already subscribed
Everyone in America doesn't have a neutral 😢 1940's detective could have lived in my house.
No home assistant I guess? 🙃
I do wonder why there is no neutral wire in the UK? Wonder if it was just a cost saving thing?
It was post ww2, perfect way of doing switching before IOT devices etc
Aqara must be waiting for the hip-thrusts. "If you thrust it, they will come"
HEY fellow trekkie, is that a pc running LCARS in the background!?
Tax write off, tax write off, tax write off. Can relate. Keep up the great work.
US houses built prior to 1985 did not require a neutral wire at the switch. So, there are lots of US houses in that category.
I was indeed watching this on the toilet and somehow I wasn't already subscribed even though I have been watching for bloody ages.
I have remedied that as instructed. :D
Gonna name my kid "Anythingatall" and show these videos to him/her when he/she turns old enough to wonder about the name...
If I have to get up and walk to the light switch to turn on a light, I’ll stick with my light switch and Hue lights I control from my phone.
My name isn’t Lee but I was on the toilet :)
Shame it is just two gang so one HAS to have a neutral connection - sadly most older houses in the UK don't have neutral in their lightswitch pattresses. I suppose the USB C is a slight mitigation. (PS with my pedant hat on - I should express my disgust at a split infinitive just ten seconds in!) - Many thanks for making my Saturday mornings interesting!
Great video Paul. Unfortunately, not everyone in America has a neutral wire. They really only started being used in 1985 and later home construction. I would buy this switch in a heartbeat, but sadly my house was built in the early 60s so just have to hope they can come out with a non-neutral version.
Yeah my broadlink light switches are dead and I don't know what others will work.
I feel your pain. Some of my light switches have neutrals most don’t.
It is to my great surprise & chagrin that you’ve never been formally cast as a Hobbit xxx
I hope this is android based so gonna find a way to get home assistant dash board in this
Thanks Carl Baron! 😂🤘🏻
Woahhh
Didn't aqara announce that everything is going to be compatible with home assistant? So perhaps it will work with the home assistant voice stuff?
No, they only certified 3 (well, 4 if you count their hub) devices as HA compatible. All of them are matter devices and they don't seem to be interested in certifying their zigbee products
Paul, will this device require a “neutral wire?”
I had just written my question when you answered it in the video. Fun “side note” here in the U.S., homes built before the mid-nineties do not have neutral wire. Yes, that sucks!
I use voice control for all my smart lights and switches. I don't want a dashboard that;'s stuck in one location.
Not true. Not every switch box in America has a neutral. I wish it was true.
A tablet on the wall with different UI. What does it do you can't do on the phone?
It looks pretty in your wall and stops you getting you phone out of your pocket 😂 it's a ZigBee hub too and a intercom for the aqara doorbell.
@@paulhibbert Your so right...I'm going to mount my phone on the wall. So much easier having to walk to the lounge wall when I'm upstairs to see who's at the door. Lol
😂 I get what you're saying but I can think of some genuine applications. Definitely cooler than a boring light switch
@@paulhibbertI feel like you should make another DIY project by using a cheap Android tablet and put it on the wall to achieve the same thing.
Does your room back wall have a Star Trek symbol cut into it?
Kinda. Check out my studio build and you'll see! : ruclips.net/video/UH79qBuivm0/видео.html
Not Leigh, but I was on the toilet when you called me out you sneaky Zigbee powered RUclipsr 😅
My name isn’t Lee… or Anythingatall sooo… we’re good right?
Homeassistant support?
"every American has a neutral wire in every light switch". While we all don't live in medieval castles like the entirety of England does, we do have a few homes built in the late 1800's to early 1900's with cloth wrapped wires which do not have neutral wires. My 1920' Chicago bungelow has an annoying mix. So every time I open a panel or junction box it is a game of Guess the Wiring.
The s1 switch is the one around $50, the s1 panel is more than $100
Why you have to dress up as the lead singer of ska band "The Specials" is quite baffling yet highly entertaining as usual.
Home assistant?
Looks rad.
I know right? I just need to get a neutral installed at the switch!
Tax right off, tax right off.
Jimmy Carr wants his accountant back.
Pricing in China is currently around $335 USD 255 GBP. I'm still wary of getting it until I'm convinced it can talk nicely to non-Aqara stuff without going thru homekit. Ultimately it is what we all want, but at the moment I'd still be more comfortable with a tablet running some kind of open dashboard like "hoooommme assistant". Great video, Batman and Spiderman bits, AI Darth, and Film Noir (see Coffeezilla for inspiration). Keep up the good work. 👍
Oh, the Paul from the future parts were nailed too. Remote control.... shadows of future Paul... Spaceships flying in background.... awesome stuff. 🙂
Thanks my friend! A lot went into this week's video despite me not technically having to film any B-roll!
Anyone know? Any good light switches non neutral. Broadlink ones are dead.
So, this only controls 3 devices?
From what I can tell you can control 3 physically connected lights that you've wired it up to (2 in the UK) , and their documentation seems to suggest 6 virtual switches, but it looks like mot win the ad so maybe I'm misunderstanding what they mean by the 6 switches
Good morning buddy!!
Morning dude!
What I dont get is we all want them to simply make LED down lights... yet they keep making everything but that 😅
3:59 STOP REMINDING ME😭😭
R.I.P. Gwen
🤣
I've got a neutral
What about AMERICA 🇺🇸. Lol. Home assistant ? Home assistant! ?
Does it "report" anything back to China?
Unless I can use HA or Hubitat, its a locked eco system which is 💩 no matter how cool it is!
Aqara Aqara Aqara It’s Always Aqara….😱
What? You expect us to read what you put on the screen when we could be seeing your mug instead? What are you, and what did you do with Paul?
It’s never “Neil” is it.
No support for the reviewer, imagine for us users?
I’m pleased your videos are funny, because all this home automation stuff is absolute crapware. Presumably you only need to worry about it if you live in some WEF member grand design in Oslo. Chicken Zigbee Caesar.
Ohhhh my gosh!!! How the hell younknow i'm on toulet!!!!!
I have eyes everywhere!