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Homey @ Mediamarkt - why on earth would you buy it?

Today I red in the paper that nowadays you can buy the Homey in several 'normal' shops. Like shops where your grandmother would end up buying you christmas presents.

First of all; WELL DONE! Great achievement. 
Second of all; VERY daring. 
Third of all; I am really, really sorry for a lot of people who are gonna be disappointed. And that's gonna be heaps.

But serious; why on earth would you wanne buy it? It can do NOTHING at all without tons of other (ZWave) hardware. You pay 300 EUR to replace your RC of your TV / receiver? Normal people will think it sucks. I am still a tiny bit a nerd, but hardly enough to get anything out of the Homey. I already had a lot of Zwave stuff, and my Vera crashed, and was slow, and too nerdy for me.. so I bought a Homey, and I like it. My whole family likes it. Great for me. But for the rest of the world? NO WAY! 

Can you image, Klaas, John or Kees getting one for Christmas? Finding out they can do shit with it, and it's hard to make it do anything? And you need a shitload of other hardware to do anything? And it even can't find a basic remote control of your TV? And the app can turn your tv OFF, but not on? So, WOW, you got a 300 EUR piece of hardware which can't do shit? 

I don't think the world is ready for it, people won't understand what to do with it, people will get disappointed because it can do shit by itself. 

My opion; big, big mistake. 

But well, I hope it works. More users is more support for the rest of the world. 

Goodluck guys.. you're gonna need it. 




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Comments

  • What do you get out off this post?

     
  • Just my 2 cents. And maybe a usefull discussion. 
  • I don't think your average John, Kees or Klaas is into home domotica. Don't see any risk there.

    Question is if Homey is user friendly enough for the people who already use KAKU stuff and want to take it to the next level. As far as user interface goes I think it can do the job. But there are still challenges concerning pairing devices and more advanced stuff. You need some geek skills once in a while to get things to work (stable).

    If Athom and the community can help out this new user base I think it can come a long way and improve over time.


  • Just that KaKu stuff is just a point of disappointment. Put IR part to it.
    If I buy as normal user a Homey tomorrow than I would it bring beck on Monday.
  • Kaku works 'sort of', IR has never been so good for me. But hey, that's an ancient technique.... All other stuff works really well. Nest, Hue, controlling my Sony Bravia TV and Onkyo receiver, my Nuki door lock...
  • IR ancient? My very new Android TV works great wit it. 
    Why shoelt homey not?

    Red it alott of times her, but not getting wy every on saing it. 

    IR is so 2016 and vurther.
  • IR is just really old and, in my opinion, not such a "well defined" technique.
  • My self i think it is to early to put the Homey in the shops. 
    It is a beautiful product and a lot had happened the last year but it is stil no reliable product.
  • MHubertMHubert Member
    edited November 2016
    jorden said:
    IR is just really old and, in my opinion, not such a "well defined" technique.

    So wat? Almost every Hifi, TV, home cinema device use it. Logitechs hubs ar working superb and ar, reding her, superior on homey. 
    People by Logitech hubs because the neet IR and homey can not do it. 

    Homey €300
    Logitech hub €250

    I tink IR is the mostly used wireles tech in a modern house,after wifi. 

    My2sents
  • What makes you (and all other homey owners) better then mediamarkt people? My grandparents never bought me a 300 euro presents btw for Christmas.
  • This is the same as saying that people buy a gaming console and can't do jack shit with it without buying tons of games. 

    Off course people need to have or buy supported hardware, but isn't this how we all started? Buying one Kaku device and expanding step by step with more devices.
  • That I knew what I bought. Read about it. 

    People in the Mediamarkt will buy it because they like the way it looks. A nice toy. And those ppl will be disappointed. 

    BTW: Infrared and Homey.. does that work? 
  • First, I agree with the OP that Athom has come a long way since their Kickstarter announcement. And that to me that is indeed a great achievement which I can only respect them for. Especially since the road has been more bumpy than they expected, they have persevered. And in doing so reached another goal. 

    At the same time I have concerns, as I don't think Homey really is a consumer device. 

    A while ago I showed Homey to my parents in my house, showed what it could do but also what it takes to set it all up.  They were immediately impressed with the possibilities, but after seeing what it takes their comment was: well, we can not do this, you can set it up for us..

    I feel a lot depends on how Homey is presented in stores. If Homey is presented as a plug-and-play device, a lot of new buyers will be disappointed when they get home. Home Automation in general has not achieved that level yet, so Homey can't possibly live up to that promise to buyers. It will need a technically savvy person to set up correctly. And after initial setup, it will need a little maintenance from time to time.

    To Athom's credit, they have built a wonderful machine with good software, but setting it up is nowhere near as simple as installing a TV or a microwave. Homey buyers should be aware of that. Good presentation will (and should) do that.

    At the same time I also feel the software is not as good as it could have been, both from a technical (IR is an example) and from a user interface perspective (even up to the point that I think they should hire a UI\UX designer with more experience).
    Fortunately Athom now appears to have their update procedure well under control and I can only hope they will make extensive use of it...

    With regard to the IR comments: IR is still the most widely used control technology in consumer products today, especially considering not everyone has the latest products at home and older products are often used elsewhere in the house. I feel Athom should have put a lot more effort into getting IR to work reliably.
    But again: updates, updates..

    Maybe I'll be getting my parents a Homey for Christmas after all..

    DenW

    @OP: I think the title of this thread could be reworded a little bit more positively. Scaring off potential buyers is in no-one's interest.
  • mruitermruiter Member
    edited November 2016
    tokkies buy a heineke thuistap and a big flatscreen to watch football and boxing.
    somebody has to try and trigger the normal people to start with domotica

    15 years ago people said computers are just a big calculator.
    nowadays its just a small step and we will call them gods.

    progress starts at easy delivery . athom takes this first steps.
    sometimes you fall during these baby steps but after a few times you can even run.

    ps the only things in my house that uses ir is my 10 year ood fireplace and those dawn tv.s that cant seem to make progress (and then fact ir on battery can last for years)

  • RocodamelsheRocodamelshe Member
    edited November 2016
    I did read a lot of your other posts and this is exactly the same as all your other posts.
    Just looking for what you miss, not what u got.
    "En zie je dan de zon, of zoek je achter alles de schaduw op de grond"
    IR is working fine here, no problems at all.
    If you have other questions about IR, just ask in the forums. Dont use this post for that.
    If you think it's a big mistake thats fine. Most of the people like it!


  • @DenW  +1 (I agree with your worries)
    Tip for title: homey know what you're buying
  • MennoMenno Member
    edited November 2016
    <<<< tokkie alert >>>> uhmmmm now I'm thinking it would be cool if homey could tap me a beer and bring it to me
  • DenWDenW Member
    edited November 2016
    @mruiter ;
     
     Good thing I'm an atheist.. 

    I agree with the easy delivery bit.. but for that to happen the underlying technology must be ready. And imho it is not as there are simply too many of them. And none of them easy to implement\understand.

    Joe Consumer does not know and does (and should!) not care about these technologies. It should just work for it to have any consumer acceptance. And in Home Automation, there is a long way to go.. But Homey definitely is a (big) step in the right direction as it tries to unify the different protocols (at least from a user perspective).

  • Menno said:
    @DenW  +1 (I agree with your worries)
    Tip for title: homey know what you're buying
    But it's not all worries.. Let's not forget that.

    Homey is a most user-friendly Home Automation device. If set up correctly it can do its job well.. and it will only get better and more versatile in time..
  • I think it is just the right time for Homey. Home automation has never been more popular. Philips Hue was the first step. Smarthings never got off the ground in Europe and now Amazon and Google have pretty good devices on the market. Even Apple developed an app for that (tm)

    But Homey is different.

    Since the beginning, Homey has pushed the boundaries. They have made a product like no other. It is the true home automation platform for the serious tweaker/maker/hackers and now, it is available for everyone at a reasonable price.

    Homey has stayed true to it's nature and that is why I love it and that is why I think many people will love it.
  • Correct ;
    I'm not aware of a gadget that can control almost all my devices in my house okay with a little bit of help from my logitech Harmony

    tv check
    curtain check
    xbox check
    ps check
    motion detection check
    amplifier check
    dimmer check
    vacuum-cleaner check
    doorbel check
    htpc kodi check
    security camera / synology check

    Speech like a little kid not always listing to me

    move shades  nope (bluetooth work inprogress???)
    bring beer nope (hee you must have something to wish for)

    But it has been a longgggg ride to get to this point (Geek backer)
  • MHubert said:
    jorden said:
    IR is just really old and, in my opinion, not such a "well defined" technique.

    So wat? Almost every Hifi, TV, home cinema device use it. Logitechs hubs ar working superb and ar, reding her, superior on homey. 
    People by Logitech hubs because the neet IR and homey can not do it. 

    Homey €300
    Logitech hub €250

    I tink IR is the mostly used wireles tech in a modern house,after wifi. 

    My2sents
    I do not have one device that only has ir. And ir is by far working worse than the other methods available. The range is limited and you always have to point it towards the device.

    So infrared is not a big  thing for me at all.
  • jorden said:
    MHubert said:
    jorden said:
    IR is just really old and, in my opinion, not such a "well defined" technique.

    So wat? Almost every Hifi, TV, home cinema device use it. Logitechs hubs ar working superb and ar, reding her, superior on homey. 
    People by Logitech hubs because the neet IR and homey can not do it. 

    Homey €300
    Logitech hub €250

    I tink IR is the mostly used wireles tech in a modern house,after wifi. 

    My2sents
    I do not have one device that only has ir. And ir is by far working worse than the other methods available. The range is limited and you always have to point it towards the device.

    So infrared is not a big  thing for me at all.
    For u not, but for most MM users IR is big deal.

    A device hafing it, and using it is a nother thing.

    My AndroidTV kan bee controled by http, but I only use IR by my Harmony One (great device 8 year old device and working flalesly!!).
    Explain MM user to use http instet of IR because Homey can't use IR.

    I also hafe a Denon receiver and nefer used the WiFi option and only using it by Harmony. 

    Why shoelt I configure my Vera to use control the TV/Denon by foice if IR is working great? 

    Also stuf like AC, Vacuum, Fireplases, Beamers, Decoders, LED controllers, etc

    Why is my Harmony Remote kapable to receive IR commands for copieing and reuse it to a device and Homey isn;t ?


  • MennoMenno Member
    edited November 2016
    Why harmony can do it has proberly something to do that it is their core business and they are doing it for years.
    Maybe it would have been better for athom not to use IR but maybe it will be better later on (I'm wondering this)
  • SailingDuckSailingDuck Member
    edited November 2016
    On the other hand. I waited for it until it was available in retail. I could not have used it a year ago because it didn't support Sonos for example.

    So got it yesterday in the Mediamarkt. Installed it and made two flows in 10 mminutes. At the moment I'm typing this message after Homey woke me up by putting the lights on and playing music on my Sonos Play 1. So I'm impressed, I think it can be safely sold in retail to people who are interested in domotica. 
  • Reading through this discussion @SailingDuck 's last sentence ( ", I think it can be safely sold in retail to people who are interested in domotica.") is in my opinion the most useful and intelligent one between all others.
    Btw, since yesterdays update to 1.0.1 my enthousiasm, as a complete non-geek, is growing even bigger than before. What a progress in all ways!
  • I use the Logitech hub for IR. That works great. It's not €250 euro. It's only €69,- @ bol.com.
  • At Mediamarkt Rotterdam it didn't look very glamourous this morning..
    It is sold in the computer department, not at the tv-hifi stuff.
  • undergroundunderground Member
    edited November 2016
    My first thought when reading the topic was: WTF? (why such a post)
    But when I read the reactions, my thoughts are:

    I think it could be (and probably will be) a great product. Yes, even a great consumer product and not only for nerds.
    It all depends on the availablity of good apps AND the option to backup your device. The first is obvious I guess. I have an LG WebOS TV and sadly the app is not working. Luckily for me the LG remote is available and the Homey is located right, so I can use that instead. But I have more devices with an API that are not supported (VUDUO setopbox (Enigma2) and Bose soundtouch) right out of the box, read apps.

    But maybe even a more frustrating thing users might run into is that all their hard work getting devices and flows into Homey might get lost. There is no way (I know of) that you can backup your Homey system. What if you need to restore to factory setting? To be honest, I am reluctant to program all the flows, because one day everything gets lost and I have to do it all over again.
  • Well, I might have written it a bit harsh.. but at least it's clear. I was just trying to start a discussion. Bit of black/white helps in that case. 
This discussion has been closed.