I love the concept of the flic buttons, but they are prohibitively expensive for just a simple button. I wish there was a cheaper option, a zigbee button that connects and directly works with the Echo gen 4.
I agree Flic buttons are overpriced but for when I can't talk wearing my CPAP mask at night they are invaluable for turning lights on and off as needed, and without waking up my sweetheart or the dog. LOL!
Hey, Brian, you nailed it again. I love the YoLink stuff as there is no better system for leak sensors and you can shut off the water to your house with no electricity or Internet working...try that with anything else. The LoRa enables you to even put a thermometer in a freezer without signal issues. Of course, folks whine about Hue expense, but after trying a LOT of different bulbs I find the Hue system is totally reliable and works well with everyone including Alexa, SmartThings, Hubitat, Home Assistant, and Homekit. I, too, have a couple of the Govee corner lights and love them. A couple of Alexa integrations I like are with the Rachio Irrigation system ("Alexa, water the backyard for 10 minutes"), etc. or use a routine with Rachio and a YoLink outdoor motion sensor, or camera motions to briefly turn on sprinklers to scare deer away who are turning your flowers into a salad bar. I like the iRobot (Roomba) Alexa integration with routines like "Alexa, suck it up, Buttercup" to send it off to clean the kitchen. There are more, of course so keep doing it!!!
Yeahhhh! iRobot with its ability to do specific rooms with a command is so good, and I like how you customized that further with routines! :) Always learn something from ya sir! Thanks!
idk, if I have to download other apps, it means the device is not really prepared to connect with alexa, I rather have devices that directly connect with alexa
In my smart home setup, I use Alexa, Google, Phillips Hue, Samsung, and Wyze products. I find Amazon products are my favorite and easiest to work with.
Hey Brian, been a while since I've commented on a video. I really haven't gone much beyond smart bulbs for my smart home, and a couple of Amazon Smart Plugs. As I've mentioned to you on Twitter, I have a few devices that have smart home integration, but not so much dedicated smart devices. I'm still watching product videos though to see if I come across things that really would apply to me though, and I would actually use. I always look forward to you videos, even if I don't watch, or comment consistently, there is always something new to learn.
Great video Brian!!! I think sometimes smart home devices reviews overlook the fact that most people are interested in knowing whether the device can trigger Alexa Routines or not.
I have a netgear stand alone router and want to jump into mesh. I use alexa and have 5 of them of different generations. Orbiy seems to be the mesh king right now with speed and pairing to 200 devices with 4 bands. IS the eero that much better using alexa integration?
Is Eero better than Orbi? Well I haven't tested Orbi, but I will say that Eero's been VERY stable for me when I've used it. The integration with Alexa is powerful when you want to take things on/off your WiFi often because it's a simple voice command or even a push button with routines. The integrations will get better with Matter, Thread, and Zigbee in the future though. I really do like that.
Brian what about Aqara. Do you think it's a viable security system instead of Ring. They have a lot of positive feedback even if they are pushed more towards Homekit
Aqara's good yep! I think just treat it more like a hub than anything and plan to use it all within the Aqara app the most. Aqara's integration with HomeKit is good, but other than that I haven't found their integrations to be very strong. That'll change as they add more Thread I think. :)
I'm OK buying a bit, yes. I don't think I'd go and build a full home from scratch with non-matter stuff at this point though. Just build with an understanding of 2-3 years right now I think for anything you're buying non-matter.
You more or less can't now. See if you can watch the game on the Fire TV somehow and that might work then...but you'd only be able to connect 2 Echoes or 2 Echo Studios and an Echo Sub to that.
What???!!! Big Brother Canada, said it was illegal for you to do that? So if you own your home AND the mailbox, you can't see if your mailbox gets opened? I think another video continuing this line of review, would be good.
Thank you for bringing up the switchbot response time concern. I love switchbot... its my only qualm with using thier products. My curtains are all on routines and automated so no real issue there. My TV'S and sound bar respond right away with IR blaster. I can voice command turn on my office computer from bed when I wake up for working at home with a button pusher. Only issue! The button pushers and curtains are SUPER slow to respond to voice command and can't take up to 15-20 seconds to respond 🤣
I'm sold on Yolink. What I really like, aside from their ecosystem appearing to be reliable with more than one connectivity option, is that their corporate office is in North America. The key fob that they have that can trigger Alexa Routines is a big reason they got my attention in the first place. Sure, their products are made in China, but having support here if there is a problem and not having to deal with time differences, email conversations, and language barriers is worth it's weight in gold.
I have the first echo dot that came out, it's still working, but..has anyone else noticed their dot getting that raspy, course sound like old speakers use to get when it had a hole in it? 🤔
Brian, THANK YOU for this video! One of your best as far as I am concerned! I did not realize that I could add Blink cameras without their hub, using my Echo 4! Will have to give them another look. OTOH I too am a big fan of YoLink products with their long range coverage from a twenty-dollar hub!
Love the videos. One of the key things I'm trying to workout is a motion sensor. One that I can link to my Echo 4th gen or Echo Studio via zigbee and use in the routines to turn lights on, or, off after a length of time with no motion.
Wait, how do you use govee diy scenes for Alexa to see and use? Can’t find anything aside from preset scenes but not my diy also, please do a video explaining which ring sensors works with echo 4th please!
Not the Govee DIY scenes. All the other stuff comes across. :) Anything that says "Ring Bridge Required" works with the Echo 4th Gen or Echo Show 10 Samuel! I actually wanted to show that, but I've struggled to get it working myself here in Canada. I have a problem with how I purchased things or got them from the US and then have them in Canada...so it'll be a while before I can show much of anything there.
@@AutomateYourLife thanks for your answer. Asked the same on Reddit and someone said it’s possible to use DIY scenes and even custom colors for Alexa routines, use the tap to run (Siri) option on command page (where device are) on the Govee app and before adding to Siri it appears as scene on Alexa, just tried and it works flawlessly!!! So for the ring devices, I’ve been wanting the contact sensor that rings offers, specially the outdoor one but didn’t know that they could work for Echo 4th (as I understand for you) but, now that you mention location, I’m on Mexico and those are not available here directly from ring so not sure if they work (even if I set an US Amazon account)
I bought the eero 6 Dual mesh system in Dec '21. I am a smarthome nut and devices started dropping offline. In short order, I realized that eero is limited to 75 devices and there's the rub. I had 140 IoT devices and had to replace my erro6 with a ASUS ZenWiFi product. I can't imagine that you don't have more than 75 devices. How are you getting around that problem using eero 6?
Great question! I mentioned this problem in my full review of them! 1. Split it into 2 networks if you can. Never tried it but that's what I was told to do. Annoying for "mesh" but ok if you do it right. 2. Go ZigBee and Thread. I think that's the better way to go :)
@@AutomateYourLife Nope, Brian, that will not work on eero. You have no control on which devices connect to which node. When I realized I had 84 devices on the main, I started deleting devices I could do without, to bring the number down below the 75 limit. Nope, didn't work. What I saw in a few hours, the 73 had grown past the 84 to 88 and they had migrated from the second mode on their own to the first. We have no control on pushing devices to balance the access on the network. Which makes me wonder. considering all the products you review and praise, you telling me you have less than 75 devices on your new erro 6? Because you would experience this device-dropping-offline if you had 75. Something sounds fishy to me, sir. And I admire your truthfulness.
No, what I said is set up eeros with 2 separate network IDs. Use 2 different accounts if you have to. Again, I didn't try it but that's what I was told would be the way to go above 75. So you have to decide on that. And yes, I have less than 75 devices on my eeros. I don't need that much stuff!!! Most of my home is Smartthings based anyways, and that means ZigBee and Z-Wave. Which is the point I'm making here. Use ZigBee and Thread (when it gets better) to have less than 75 on your network, or break it apart as I suggested
@@seaeyeare the buttons are Bluetooth, so they have to pair to something. Without the hub that's usually a phone that must manage the connection to the cloud. So the hub manages that for you and keeps the buttons connected well
@@AutomateYourLife So are you saying that if you have a letter box in the front door of the house you own, it's still illegal? I'd be getting everyone together and charging the government a yearly sum for the mailbox/letterbox you actually own. Still I live in Brexitstan... 🤦♀️
@@AutomateYourLife So ..... what did Canada Post say. What was illegal about it. What if I put one in my personal mailbox not a group mailbox? Was it really illegal or did someone just show up and ask you what it was?
Someone showed up once. Asked me what it was. Then 1 month later they showed up again and told me it was deemed illegal because it's Canada post (government) property. I had defaced it. All would be fine if I removed it.
![NOSFERATU - Official Trailer [HD] - Only In Theaters December 25](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/nulvWqYUM8k/mqdefault.jpg)
Great review! Thanks for pointing at the many products that interface with Alexa Routines. Please do Part 2 as you mentioned.
You got it!
I love the concept of the flic buttons, but they are prohibitively expensive for just a simple button. I wish there was a cheaper option, a zigbee button that connects and directly works with the Echo gen 4.
I agree Flic buttons are overpriced but for when I can't talk wearing my CPAP mask at night they are invaluable for turning lights on and off as needed, and without waking up my sweetheart or the dog. LOL!
In this video, there's a cheaper option. :) Watch the YoLink segment.
Hey, Brian, you nailed it again. I love the YoLink stuff as there is no better system for leak sensors and you can shut off the water to your house with no electricity or Internet working...try that with anything else. The LoRa enables you to even put a thermometer in a freezer without signal issues. Of course, folks whine about Hue expense, but after trying a LOT of different bulbs I find the Hue system is totally reliable and works well with everyone including Alexa, SmartThings, Hubitat, Home Assistant, and Homekit. I, too, have a couple of the Govee corner lights and love them. A couple of Alexa integrations I like are with the Rachio Irrigation system ("Alexa, water the backyard for 10 minutes"), etc. or use a routine with Rachio and a YoLink outdoor motion sensor, or camera motions to briefly turn on sprinklers to scare deer away who are turning your flowers into a salad bar. I like the iRobot (Roomba) Alexa integration with routines like "Alexa, suck it up, Buttercup" to send it off to clean the kitchen. There are more, of course so keep doing it!!!
Yeahhhh! iRobot with its ability to do specific rooms with a command is so good, and I like how you customized that further with routines! :)
Always learn something from ya sir! Thanks!
idk, if I have to download other apps, it means the device is not really prepared to connect with alexa, I rather have devices that directly connect with alexa
You'll be hard pressed to find any. Even Amazon's own Ring or Blink products require another app.
@@AutomateYourLife You were right. I ended up buying other stuff and it works fine, its a pain to setuo but after is done, it works as expected.
In my smart home setup, I use Alexa, Google, Phillips Hue, Samsung, and Wyze products. I find Amazon products are my favorite and easiest to work with.
Good stuff Vin!
The US post office hasn't hassled about my contact sensor. Maybe you should move your mailbox to the US.
If Brian moved to the US, I’ll keep him busy with consulting work, specially with setting up my Home Assistance.
Between the two of you, I'm sold. I'm on my way!!
Am I the only one that think the flick is way to expensive ?!?
Lots of people find the pricing high. It's still pretty capable so if you like buttons...it's tough to beat.
Hey Brian, been a while since I've commented on a video. I really haven't gone much beyond smart bulbs for my smart home, and a couple of Amazon Smart Plugs. As I've mentioned to you on Twitter, I have a few devices that have smart home integration, but not so much dedicated smart devices. I'm still watching product videos though to see if I come across things that really would apply to me though, and I would actually use. I always look forward to you videos, even if I don't watch, or comment consistently, there is always something new to learn.
Well thanks for this and for watching Clinton! Much appreciated.
Great video Brian!!! I think sometimes smart home devices reviews overlook the fact that most people are interested in knowing whether the device can trigger Alexa Routines or not.
That's the biggest thing for me Rene. Glad it hit right for you
I have a netgear stand alone router and want to jump into mesh. I use alexa and have 5 of them of different generations. Orbiy seems to be the mesh king right now with speed and pairing to 200 devices with 4 bands. IS the eero that much better using alexa integration?
I have 40 devices.
Is Eero better than Orbi? Well I haven't tested Orbi, but I will say that Eero's been VERY stable for me when I've used it. The integration with Alexa is powerful when you want to take things on/off your WiFi often because it's a simple voice command or even a push button with routines.
The integrations will get better with Matter, Thread, and Zigbee in the future though. I really do like that.
Another informative video, thanks. I use Amazon devices and you just gave me some more ideas.
Yesssss!! Enjoy!
Brian what about Aqara. Do you think it's a viable security system instead of Ring. They have a lot of positive feedback even if they are pushed more towards Homekit
Aqara's good yep! I think just treat it more like a hub than anything and plan to use it all within the Aqara app the most. Aqara's integration with HomeKit is good, but other than that I haven't found their integrations to be very strong.
That'll change as they add more Thread I think. :)
When you say GoVee support in alexa I assume they still haven't support using the DIY mode triggered by Alexa routine, isn'tthat correct?
Correct, although there was someone who figured a workaround in these comments
I wanted to do the mailbox sensor too rip ahahah I'm from Canada too
So annoying go and check if there's mail
Ahhhh do it. I feel like it was someone with too much time on their hands in my area
Would you buy any devices until Matter takes hold?
I'm OK buying a bit, yes. I don't think I'd go and build a full home from scratch with non-matter stuff at this point though.
Just build with an understanding of 2-3 years right now I think for anything you're buying non-matter.
Anyone know how to connect all echoes to cable box? I’m trying to get the sound for the Super Bowl to play throughout my house.
You more or less can't now. See if you can watch the game on the Fire TV somehow and that might work then...but you'd only be able to connect 2 Echoes or 2 Echo Studios and an Echo Sub to that.
OR...this might give you an idea: ruclips.net/video/AUctb-9AWa8/видео.html
What???!!! Big Brother Canada, said it was illegal for you to do that? So if you own your home AND the mailbox, you can't see if your mailbox gets opened?
I think another video continuing this line of review, would be good.
Yeahhhh that's the problem. We apparently don't own the mailbox! Who knew!!?
Love the intro!!
Oh nice to hear! Trying some new stuff
Thank you for bringing up the switchbot response time concern. I love switchbot... its my only qualm with using thier products.
My curtains are all on routines and automated so no real issue there. My TV'S and sound bar respond right away with IR blaster. I can voice command turn on my office computer from bed when I wake up for working at home with a button pusher.
Only issue! The button pushers and curtains are SUPER slow to respond to voice command and can't take up to 15-20 seconds to respond 🤣
Right? It's very strange that those two products sometimes take these extra few seconds.
Great videos EERO mesh system is excellent I have one for a month now and am very impressed Easy easy app to setup Thanks for your videos great job
Oh great to hear Mike!! Enjoy!😃
I'm sold on Yolink. What I really like, aside from their ecosystem appearing to be reliable with more than one connectivity option, is that their corporate office is in North America. The key fob that they have that can trigger Alexa Routines is a big reason they got my attention in the first place. Sure, their products are made in China, but having support here if there is a problem and not having to deal with time differences, email conversations, and language barriers is worth it's weight in gold.
It's a pretty great system!
Is there anyway you could do a video on all the products you would use building around a SmartThings home?
Yep! Looking into bringing together the best video for that actually. :)
I have the first echo dot that came out, it's still working, but..has anyone else noticed their dot getting that raspy, course sound like old speakers use to get when it had a hole in it? 🤔
Well she's getting old!🤣
Interesting, I never even heard of those products!
That's great news! I love introducing folks to new gear!
wow so many devices work with alexa! Apple has to get there homekit game together for they have alot of catching up to do!
They're a bit behind. I think it's 140 000 devices/skills at this point? ;)
YOLINK all the way!!!!!
Some folks just love it!
interesting regarding the mailbox, I wonder what their rational is
Other than being an old and outdated method of delivering mail? Or a relic of a crown corporation?😂😂😂
Other than being an old and outdated method of delivering mail? Or a relic of a crown corporation?😂😂😂
Please do a another video like this with Wyze products and Amazon alexas
Did you mean the best Wyze products with Alexa? Or the best products with Wyze?
@@AutomateYourLife Yess please 🙏🏻 the best wyze products that work perfectly with alexa
Brian, THANK YOU for this video! One of your best as far as I am concerned! I did not realize that I could add Blink cameras without their hub, using my Echo 4! Will have to give them another look. OTOH I too am a big fan of YoLink products with their long range coverage from a twenty-dollar hub!
Oh hey...so I didn't say without a Blink hub! I said Ring security without their Ring Bridge! Watch that k?
@@AutomateYourLife Sorry - my mistake! That's for correcting me.
Love the videos. One of the key things I'm trying to workout is a motion sensor. One that I can link to my Echo 4th gen or Echo Studio via zigbee and use in the routines to turn lights on, or, off after a length of time with no motion.
This will help ruclips.net/video/5N-IAR4l7Uk/видео.html 😃
Oooh.. new intro!
😀😀😀
Can you do the samething for Google Home?
I can! I was kinda waiting on some of the routines options to be available, but I'll see what I can do!
@@AutomateYourLife you can wait it's not urgent
Wait, how do you use govee diy scenes for Alexa to see and use? Can’t find anything aside from preset scenes but not my diy
also, please do a video explaining which ring sensors works with echo 4th please!
Not the Govee DIY scenes. All the other stuff comes across. :)
Anything that says "Ring Bridge Required" works with the Echo 4th Gen or Echo Show 10 Samuel! I actually wanted to show that, but I've struggled to get it working myself here in Canada. I have a problem with how I purchased things or got them from the US and then have them in Canada...so it'll be a while before I can show much of anything there.
@@AutomateYourLife thanks for your answer.
Asked the same on Reddit and someone said it’s possible to use DIY scenes and even custom colors for Alexa routines, use the tap to run (Siri) option on command page (where device are) on the Govee app and before adding to Siri it appears as scene on Alexa, just tried and it works flawlessly!!!
So for the ring devices, I’ve been wanting the contact sensor that rings offers, specially the outdoor one but didn’t know that they could work for Echo 4th (as I understand for you) but, now that you mention location, I’m on Mexico and those are not available here directly from ring so not sure if they work (even if I set an US Amazon account)
I bought the eero 6 Dual mesh system in Dec '21. I am a smarthome nut and devices started dropping offline. In short order, I realized that eero is limited to 75 devices and there's the rub. I had 140 IoT devices and had to replace my erro6 with a ASUS ZenWiFi product. I can't imagine that you don't have more than 75 devices. How are you getting around that problem using eero 6?
Great question! I mentioned this problem in my full review of them!
1. Split it into 2 networks if you can. Never tried it but that's what I was told to do. Annoying for "mesh" but ok if you do it right.
2. Go ZigBee and Thread. I think that's the better way to go :)
@@AutomateYourLife Nope, Brian, that will not work on eero. You have no control on which devices connect to which node. When I realized I had 84 devices on the main, I started deleting devices I could do without, to bring the number down below the 75 limit. Nope, didn't work. What I saw in a few hours, the 73 had grown past the 84 to 88 and they had migrated from the second mode on their own to the first. We have no control on pushing devices to balance the access on the network.
Which makes me wonder. considering all the products you review and praise, you telling me you have less than 75 devices on your new erro 6? Because you would experience this device-dropping-offline if you had 75. Something sounds fishy to me, sir. And I admire your truthfulness.
No, what I said is set up eeros with 2 separate network IDs. Use 2 different accounts if you have to. Again, I didn't try it but that's what I was told would be the way to go above 75. So you have to decide on that.
And yes, I have less than 75 devices on my eeros. I don't need that much stuff!!! Most of my home is Smartthings based anyways, and that means ZigBee and Z-Wave.
Which is the point I'm making here. Use ZigBee and Thread (when it gets better) to have less than 75 on your network, or break it apart as I suggested
Hey Brian! Any intel on maybe Amazon updating their line of Alexa products this summer?
Ohhhh they told me they'll be in touch soon. Something's up!
That didn’t sound like smart tech. Sounded like smart ass. 😂
Love the N7 tee shirt 😁 Still my favourite game.
Classic! I just played it a bit the other day. Good nostalgia!
Do you need the flic hub to work with Alexa?
No, but to integrate with other platforms and it works more reliably that way. Like... a lot more reliably.
@@AutomateYourLife with the hub if wifi goes out it will still operate your lights? Without the hub it won't?
@@seaeyeare the buttons are Bluetooth, so they have to pair to something. Without the hub that's usually a phone that must manage the connection to the cloud. So the hub manages that for you and keeps the buttons connected well
Any idea as to why that was made illegal?
Because I don't "own" the mailbox...it was silly.
@@AutomateYourLife So are you saying that if you have a letter box in the front door of the house you own, it's still illegal? I'd be getting everyone together and charging the government a yearly sum for the mailbox/letterbox you actually own.
Still I live in Brexitstan... 🤦♀️
Does anyone have a link for the mailbox contact sensor being illegal in Canada, I would like to read more about it?
Oh man...all I got is Canada Post showing up at my door to talk to me about it.
@@AutomateYourLife So ..... what did Canada Post say. What was illegal about it. What if I put one in my personal mailbox not a group mailbox? Was it really illegal or did someone just show up and ask you what it was?
Someone showed up once. Asked me what it was.
Then 1 month later they showed up again and told me it was deemed illegal because it's Canada post (government) property.
I had defaced it. All would be fine if I removed it.
Ooooooooh like the new opening graphic!
Oh thanks! I like it too!
Thank you sir!
Thank you Ron!
I can only dream of doing all of this.
You can do it!!