You're an idiot for reacting without knowing what the person suggested. Home assistant is entirely local, run by you. It doesn't give data out, because you run it.
The software is literally called Home Assistant. It's open source and you'll need to set it up yourself or have a professional do it for you. You just install it on something like a raspberry pi or if you have it a home server/lab.
No that guy is correct. I own 10s of Pis and have been running HA for ~5 years now. Mini PC is the way to go for HA. Pi is fine (especially Pi5 with an nvme SSD) but SD cards are terrible. They die frequently due to wear.
Yeah, I learned that lesson. I use an 8gb pi 5 and an NVME SSD. Runs awesome after I had to figure out why it died after like 2 years, which was due to the SD card.
I think you're missing the point of home automation. For me it's either replacing some external service, like monitoring a security system/cameras, or doing stuff that could be put on a timer, but with more flexibility in exactly how it works. Maybe you want the HVAC to prioritize different rooms at different times of the day. like in the evening it's using the temp in the living room to control the thermostat, but at night it's using the bedroom temp.
Can also have it do something you'd otherwise have to regularly schedule time for, like check the forecast and soil moisture level, and decide how much to water the plants.
Automation isn't to do stuff you can't do, it's to do stuff you don't want to spend the time doing, but want done nethertheless.
Depends on what your definition of average person looks like. If you rent, and don't give a shit about privacy or security, then yeah, it's probably useless for you.
For me it's just fun figuring everything out. Home Assistant is super powerful and putting together automations with the troubleshooting that comes with that is tons of fun for me. I've learned a lot about a side of tech that I wanted to get involved in but didn't have a good opportunity. Now I have a home Proxmox server with Tailscale, Adgaurd, and a bunch of other shit.
Who the hell said I cannot manage my home without a computer? You can also get to work without using a vehicle, why don't you do that?
I love how this conversation went from condemning people who give their data and privacy away for convenience, to shitting on people who take their data and privacy seriously and have taken actual steps to provide alternatives. Who the hell are you arguing against? The actual concept of home automation?
118
u/SoulWager 5h ago
At least get something that you actually control, like home assistant instead of something on the cloud.