Home Automation Bargain Alerts thread - No General Chat

Alkers

deezell wrote: »

The version with the full colour touch video screen well worth the extra tenner, these were genuinely €100 a year ago, went to €49.99 in Feb this year, I bought 2, but now only €39.99
https://www.currys.ie/ieen/smart-tech/smart-tech/smart-home/smart-home-starter-kits/lenovo-smart-clock-with-google-assistant-10194217-pdt.html

Missed this, if anyone is selling one let me know!

kmart6

Alkers wrote: »

Missed this, if anyone is selling one let me know!

Still available for purchase.

FastFullBack

Alkers wrote: »

Missed this, if anyone is selling one let me know!

They're still available

JDxtra

Black is available for delivery, grey seems to be in-store collection only.

Shlippery

https://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/smart-tech/smart-tech/smart-home/voice-control-assistants/lenovo-7-smart-display-with-google-assistant-grey-10202557-pdt.html

Adding to our bargain list of smart displays! 7" Lenovo

Sheep Shagger

Harvey Norman Black Friday deals are live.....nothing spectacular from what I see but if you don't want to buy online.

Officer Giggles

Is the currys.ie site down for anyone else

Gregor Samsa

Officer Giggles wrote: »

Is the currys.ie site down for anyone else

nope, working here.

Officer Giggles

Cheers, have it on the laptop, something must be up with my phone

Alkers

kmart6 wrote: »

Still available for purchase.

Its showing as unavailable anywhere near Dublin for.me?

Officer Giggles

yea me too, closest one available to Dublin is showing as Sligo

boardz

Doesn't mention Alexa compatibility so I presume it doesn't work with it ....would you know for sure?

EDIT I mean the lenovo 7inch touchscreen

hazbot

deezell wrote: »

Touch screen one is brilliant as a clock, lovely colour display,auto dims to soft colour scheme at night, very easy on the eye. Then of course its a full video screen, perfect for the kitchen.

Are you having the alarm-clock volume issue with these? I have three of them and was using one as a bedroom alarm. Had to give up using as an alarm because a recent over-the-air firmware update has introduced a really annoying bug where the alarm starts abruptly at max volume and jolts you awake :mad:

https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/Lenovo-Smart-Display-Lenovo-Smart-Clock-with-Google-Assistant/Smart-clock-alarm-volume-too-loud-at-first/m-p/5040962

deezell

hazbot wrote: »

Are you having the alarm-clock volume issue with these? I have three of them and was using one as a bedroom alarm. Had to give up using as an alarm because a recent over-the-air firmware update has introduced a really annoying bug where the alarm starts abruptly at max volume and jolts you awake :mad:

https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/Lenovo-Smart-Display-Lenovo-Smart-Clock-with-Google-Assistant/Smart-clock-alarm-volume-too-loud-at-first/m-p/5040962

I haven't set the alarm at all, just got it as a Google assistant device. Nice clock, plays YouTube music, diverts it to the Chromecast on the HiFi, does everything the echo dot does with images.
An Alarm that jolts you awake?, I'd hate that, I prefer one you sleep through!

deezell

boardz wrote: »

Doesn't mention Alexa compatibility so I presume it doesn't work with it ....would you know for sure?

EDIT I mean the lenovo 7inch touchscreen

It's a Google licenced device, not Alexa.

Ush1

Torn between a few of those smart displays but heart set on Nest Hub Max. Just to wait for it to go on sale!

Sheep Shagger

Ush1 wrote: »

Torn between a few of those smart displays but heart set on Nest Hub Max. Just to wait for it to go on sale!

The max is the business

Down to €202 if you have or know someone VAT registered.

https://www.businessdirect.btireland.com/products/google-nest-hub-max---charcoal-ga00639-gb-FCFH.html

Ush1

Sheep Shagger wrote: »

The max is the business

Down to €202 if you have or know someone VAT registered.

https://www.businessdirect.btireland.com/products/google-nest-hub-max---charcoal-ga00639-gb-FCFH.html

I am self employed and VAT registered, what does it mean by the product is VAT exempt?

kmart6

That VAT is not applied to the price they have listed.

Ush1

kmart6 wrote: »

That VAT is not applied to the price they have listed.

Ah right, hard to justify that to the taxman as a business expense.

ted1

kmart6 wrote: »

That VAT is not applied to the price they have listed.

That wouldn’t be my understanding of Exempt. Exempt would apply that VAT is 0% as per tax laws

Synode

That site should not say VAT exempt as they're not VAT exempt. Exempt sales are for services such as insurance, financial services etc

grogi

ted1 wrote: »

That wouldn’t be my understanding of Exempt. Exempt would apply that VAT is 0% as per tax laws

Technicallity, but VAT 0% and VAT exempt are two different things

pigtail33

hazbot wrote: »

Are you having the alarm-clock volume issue with these? I have three of them and was using one as a bedroom alarm. Had to give up using as an alarm because a recent over-the-air firmware update has introduced a really annoying bug where the alarm starts abruptly at max volume and jolts you awake :mad:

https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/Lenovo-Smart-Display-Lenovo-Smart-Clock-with-Google-Assistant/Smart-clock-alarm-volume-too-loud-at-first/m-p/5040962

Yes! I have noticed this the last couple of weeks/months. I'm used to waking up to an old style loud alarm, so it doesn't bother me that much, but I did like how the Lenovo gently eased you into waking up! It's just the first sound of the alarm that is full volume and it is quite annoying.

dam099

grogi wrote: »

Technicallity, but VAT 0% and VAT exempt are two different things

Not sure its fully either though? That product would clearly be high rate of VAT in normal circumstances, I would guess that the BT entity you are purchasing from on that site is UK based and cross border VAT rules apply, it can be supplied free of VAT to an Irish business who provide their VAT number but the business would then have an obligation to self account for the VAT on it (and an offsetting claim for the input VAT would be dubious if not business related).

THE ALM

Discount on Tado for those in the market

thecivvie

THE ALM wrote: »

Discount on Tado for those in the market

Can these be used standalone?

xckjoo

thecivvie wrote: »

Can these be used standalone?

They use a gateway device so probably not or at least not easily.

BuzzFish

Been looking at smart thermostats for a while and have an eye on the Tado ones but just curious, what do people do with heated towel rails? I have one in each bathroom (4) so I'm wondering what I do with these if I go individual and not stay zoned by floor. Can't fit tado thermostats to the rails as the valve heads point outwards.

grogi

BuzzFish wrote: »

Been looking at smart thermostats for a while and have an eye on the Tado ones but just curious, what do people do with heated towel rails? I have one in each bathroom (4) so I'm wondering what I do with these if I go individual and not stay zoned by floor. Can't fit tado thermostats to the rails as the valve heads point outwards.

I have one dummy zone (created with an unused thermostat) that effective works as a zone for all-non-tado-radiators. Whenever it calls for heat, the racks heat up. I did set it for 25°C for 15 mins and 15°C for 75 mins. That switches the heating long enough for the racks to heat up. I've synced that with water heating to improve the boiler efficency.

Pity that you need extra thermostat and juggle like that. App should allow to control the boiler just on timers if you wanted.

jem

I purchased 2 hive plugs a while back thought ( wrongly it appears) that they would work with my existing hue hub & bulbs.
So if anyone interested let me know.
j

ctlsleh

Have 2 nests controlling the upstairs downstairs and hot water, (3 zones on the boiler) and Im wondering if i should go to Tado or something else for better in room control?
Any thoughts as the nests work fine, but hard to find the right spot for them so that the heat is more evenly spread.
Wondering if its really worth the effort to go to room by room control? and if so, whats the best solution?
thanks in advance.

grogi

ctlsleh wrote: »

Wondering if its really worth the effort to go to room by room control?

No, definately not worth it. IMHO. More zones means more chaotic patterns for the boiler, which kills the efficency.

Put the Nests in the coldest rooms on each floor and leave traditional TRV on the rads.

deezell

THE ALM wrote: »

Discount on Tado for those in the market

Rock bottom prices, £32.50 each for TRVs in a 4 pack, £99.90 for the stat starter kit, but only an extra £30 for this with TWO Trvs, that's only £15 each.

ctlsleh

grogi wrote: »

No, definately not worth it. IMHO. More zones means more chaotic patterns for the boiler, which kills the efficency.

Put the Nests in the coldest rooms on each floor and leave traditional TRV on the rads.

Thanks, forgot to mention that i have traditional TRVs, yes, think ill stick with what i have, much appreciated!

championc

ctlsleh wrote: »

Have 2 nests controlling the upstairs downstairs and hot water, (3 zones on the boiler) and Im wondering if i should go to Tado or something else for better in room control?
Any thoughts as the nests work fine, but hard to find the right spot for them so that the heat is more evenly spread.
Wondering if its really worth the effort to go to room by room control? and if so, whats the best solution?
thanks in advance.

I can't say that I agree with @grogi

The one brilliant thing with Tado's are that they soooo evenly heat a room. Set it to 22deg and it will never really reach 23 nor will it drop to 21. You then have the added control of turning off some rads completely at certain times of the day, or having different temperatures on a rad at different times and even on different days.

And as for the prices - I paid 179 for Quads last year - and at the time, it was a good price, but a quad pack at 129 is a steal

SouthWesterly

championc wrote: »

I can't say that I agree with @grogi

The one brilliant thing with Tado's are that they soooo evenly heat a room. Set it to 22deg and it will never really reach 23 nor will it drop to 21. You then have the added control of turning off some rads completely at certain times of the day, or having different temperatures on a rad at different times and even on different days.

And as for the prices - I paid 179 for Quads last year - and at the time, it was a good price, but a quad pack at 129 is a steal

Looked at it last night and the prices have now rocketed...Im not impressed:mad:

grogi

SouthWesterly wrote: »

Looked at it last night and the prices have now rocketed...Im not impressed:mad:

It was a 12h offer. Have a look on Amazon (they are massively invested in Tado°), there will be more offers from now till new years.

grogi

championc wrote: »

I can't say that I agree with @grogi

The one brilliant thing with Tado's are that they soooo evenly heat a room.

You'll get exactly the same with quality TRVs and smart thermostat in coldest room in each zone.

SouthWesterly

grogi wrote: »

It was a 12h offer. Have a look on Amazon (they are massively invested in Tado°), there will be more offers from now till new years.

Will i need to drain the rad to put the valves on?



Ive a heating job being doen at the end of the week so it would have been ideal

grogi

SouthWesterly wrote: »

Will i need to drain the rad to put the valves on?

I've a heating job being doen at the end of the week so it would have been ideal

You need to have the TRV valves. Once those are in place, installing Tado is just Plug-and-play, no mess.

unklerosco

Where Tado can come in handy is in older homes with no zones. I've a bungalow and it's just the one zone. When I changed all the rads I put a tado on each one. I now have multiple zones with plenty of control.

BoardsMember

Anyone know if the new Nest Home (google home new version) is likely to be discounted on Black Friday, either on a site like Currys or on the Google store itself?

Mickeroo

BoardsMember wrote: »

Anyone know if the new Nest Home (google home new version) is likely to be discounted on Black Friday, either on a site like Currys or on the Google store itself?

Google store tends to discount most of its items on Black Friday as do all of the retailers selling them. Pretty sure I got some nest minis in HN last black friday for a fiver less than what google were selling them for.

JDxtra

BoardsMember wrote: »

Anyone know if the new Nest Home (google home new version) is likely to be discounted on Black Friday, either on a site like Currys or on the Google store itself?

That is very likely. Nothing confirmed, but I'd expect it to be around €30.

garion

grogi wrote: »

No, definately not worth it. IMHO. More zones means more chaotic patterns for the boiler, which kills the efficency.

Put the Nests in the coldest rooms on each floor and leave traditional TRV on the rads.

That's one view alright but I've had Honeywell Evohome for the last 4 years and I love the room by room control. I'm not a plumber so I can't comment on boiler efficiency but from an end user perspective not having to manually turn on/off TRVs is brilliant.

Kids rooms are heated to 21 degrees automatically from 7pm to 7am. Our master bedroom is heated to 19 degrees from 9.30pm - 7am as we like it a little cooler. Kitchen downstairs heats at 6.30am, living room downstairs at 2pm when the kids get back from school. My office in the garage from 8.30am to 5pm Mon to Fri only.
All rooms controlled individually either via a schedule or through Google Assistant over voice or by app.

I'd imagine that most people who move from zones to room by room control would not go back.

Do some research and see what works for you and your needs.

Bluefoam

garion wrote: »

That's one view alright but I've had Honeywell Evohome for the last 4 years and I love the room by room control. I'm not a plumber so I can't comment on boiler efficiency but from an end user perspective not having to manually turn on/off TRVs is brilliant.

Kids rooms are heated to 21 degrees automatically from 7pm to 7am. Our master bedroom is heated to 19 degrees from 9.30pm - 7am as we like it a little cooler. Kitchen downstairs heats at 6.30am, living room downstairs at 2pm when the kids get back from school. My office in the garage from 8.30am to 5pm Mon to Fri only.
All rooms controlled individually either via a schedule or through Google Assistant over voice or by app.

I'd imagine that most people who move from zones to room by room control would not go back.

Do some research and see what works for you and your needs.

Depends on your house type and living arrangements... What works for one doesn't work for all... My living room and kitchen, while separated by doors, act as one... I don't heat the upstairs because the house is well insulated... I just like the towel rail on for showers in the morning... Nest is far better for this, while radiator controls are way overkill, too complex and too much maintenance...

garion

Bluefoam wrote: »

Depends on your house type and living arrangements... What works for one doesn't work for all... My living room and kitchen, while separated by doors, act as one... I don't heat the upstairs because the house is well insulated... I just like the towel rail on for showers in the morning... Nest is far better for this, while radiator controls are way overkill, too complex and too much maintenance...

Yep, fully agree - all depends on your needs.

IMO radiator controls are very simple to operate. The only thing I've had to do with mine is replace the batteries (2 rechargable AAs) every 18 months or so - the app warns you when they're running now.

grogi

garion wrote: »

That's one view alright but I've had Honeywell Evohome for the last 4 years and I love the room by room control. I'm not a plumber so I can't comment on boiler efficiency but from an end user perspective not having to manually turn on/off TRVs is brilliant.

Evohome is not Tado, with the latter being probably 5x cheaper.

From my experience, Tado has a significant limitation of not being able to just open the TRV without calling for heat. For that reason tado multiroom doesn't work well.

paulgrogan.eu

garion wrote: »

That's one view alright but I've had Honeywell Evohome for the last 4 years and I love the room by room control. I'm not a plumber so I can't comment on boiler efficiency but from an end user perspective not having to manually turn on/off TRVs is brilliant.

Kids rooms are heated to 21 degrees automatically from 7pm to 7am. Our master bedroom is heated to 19 degrees from 9.30pm - 7am as we like it a little cooler. Kitchen downstairs heats at 6.30am, living room downstairs at 2pm when the kids get back from school. My office in the garage from 8.30am to 5pm Mon to Fri only.
All rooms controlled individually either via a schedule or through Google Assistant over voice or by app.

I'd imagine that most people who move from zones to room by room control would not go back.

Do some research and see what works for you and your needs.

I'm a new Tado user since earlier this year and thanks to buying up the parts via various Black Friday, Cyber Monday, random offers etc, I bought up all the parts in stages and by the time I did the install during the summer, had all the parts including TRV's for all my rads. I'd fully agree with this post and my schedule is nearly identical to this.


It's horses for courses for sure as another poster has said, but anyone here can take it that there is at least 2 users here on a very similar level of control (all be it 2 different branded systems) with a similar schedule and level of control that wouldn't dream of going back to the old way. Having room by room control sounds like overkill, but it's certainly worth the effort in the long run.


I guess I won't know until next year how it's impacted my heating bill overall, but at a minimum I have the confidence in knowing that I'm only heating the rooms I'm using, when I'm using them, as opposed to just turning the dial on the manual timer and blasting the whole house out of it just so our bedrooms can be warm at night, or our living room be warm in the evening while watching tv.