Reddit mentions of Etekcity ZAP 5LX Wireless Remote Control Outlet, white

These bad boys for every lamp in the apartment. Makes turning on all the lights (in the morning, walking in/out the door, etc) a complete breeze. It's a real game changer.

Also, I velcroed my remotes to the side of my coffee table so I always have them handy.

1. Fire Extinguisher
   
2. Plunger
   
3. Bleach (even if you don't use it in the laundry)
   
4. A crock pot
   
5. A humidifier/dehumidifier as needed.
   
6. A screen door for either the front or back door
   
7. These: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DQELHBS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
8. Tupperware
   
9. A good kitchen knife or two (better than getting a cheap set of 12
   
10. A grill

Remote operated plug things - turn off your plugged-in things with a simple remote. (This 2-remote 5-plug combination is 48 cents over BUT they have a 1-remote 3-plug version). Total lifesaver.

>7)These: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DQELHBS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Yes sir these will be bought. Good lookin out

Warm up your kitchen space with a butcher block table, maybe something reclaimed? Consider moving your desk as its the very first thing you see when you walk through the door. The living room/kitchen is a long space so no matter what your living room furniture will be a focal point. It looks like a nice updated apartment, I think an industrial decor with a splash of bohemian conversation pieces would officially make this place baller. Below are two photos that I think you should marry together.

http://www.renopedia.com.sg/products/blogimg/4801Industrial-home-decor-furniture.jpg

http://www4.pictures.lonny.com/lo/Bohemian+Living+Room+white+sectional+neutral+Ju6Ho_WaJ1xl.jpg


You should find a desk with some character:
http://cdn.homedit.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Rustic-desk.jpg
(and some wire management wouldn't hurt)

You have some space near the entryway beside the cabinet, I like having a table there to place my keys/wallet/phone when I come home.
https://img1.etsystatic.com/015/0/6671391/il_fullxfull.426696237_o5vl.jpg

You need some huge art. If you have a Buddha in the can, you should have one in the living room!
http://myoshka.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/buddha_mural_2.jpg?w=510

I like the natural light, but does it feel like an operating room at night with the lights on? You'll need some lamps:
http://2i.c-b.co/is/image/CB2/GroveFloorLampAVF14/&$web_zoomTrans$&/1406251340/groove-floor-lamp.jpg
http://www.homestreetdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Standing-lamp-designs-113.jpg
http://i00.i.aliimg.com/wsphoto/v0/1907182050/Vintage-Personality-font-b-Table-b-font-Lamps-Water-Pipe-Light-Props-Bedroom-font-b-Bedside.jpg
Pair them up with one of these bad boys so the ladies all think you're a rocket surgeon:
http://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-ZAP-5LX-Auto-Programmable-Function/dp/B00DQELHBS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417982915&sr=8-1&keywords=remote+outlet

You need a place to check out the goods:
http://www.favething.com/uploads/images/main-fave-images/mirror_framed_in_large_reclaimed_boards-1.jpg

The bathroom just needs color, consider more vibrant towels and floor mat.

Last but not least, green. Studies show, people with plants are happier. Consider taking advantage of all the natural light with something like this:
http://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/static.brit.co/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Hawaiian-Umbrella-Bonsai-Tree1.jpg

Just buy an RF based outlet and be done.

here you go

or supposedly this bluetooth plug

Depending on where you land on the spectrum of make something from scratch -> just buy something, this might be applicable:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00DQELHBS/
There are a number of different brands and designs available too

All you have to do is plug in your appliance into one of these and set up one of the buttons on the remote to control it. You can control up to 5 things with one remote and it uses RF not infrared so you don't have to point it in any particular direction.

I use them quite a bit. You can go beyond the 5 device remote control if you're willing to get your hands dirty a bit. The protocol used in the communication is very straightforward and you can make your own RF remote that can send a more diverse set of signals that will let you control even more devices. I've taken if even further by having my custom remote connect to the home WiFi and now I can trigger the outlets from my phone, it's pretty handy!

I have my entire vive setup (both base stations and link box) connected to a remote outlet I bought on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Wireless-Electrical-Household-Appliances/dp/B00DQELHBS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1504725565&sr=8-3&keywords=remote+outlet

I turn them on with a press of a button only when I use my vive. It works great! If you can, I recommend doing this so the stations and headset aren't always getting power.

This with this and this will do what you are doing without the soldering iron.

I've got a fake wemo device defined, that triggers the broadlink to send RF or IR commands to any compatible device.
This, these, and these work really well for us.

• 433mhz Transmitter with Etekcity Outlets
  
  -I followed BRUH Automation's tutorial to set this up. I immediately reprogrammed the outlets to custom codes. Home Assistant now has sole control over the outlets and I can re purpose the remote to be used for other commands
  
  
• 433mhz Receiver with Etekcity Outlet Remotes
  
  -I currently use the remotes to control automations within HomeAssistant. When I push a button on the remote, it is received by the 433mhz rx that is connected to a NodeMCU. The NodeMCU takes the signal received and published the rf code to an MQTT topic. Home assistant is subscribed to that topic. I look for the payload of each published topic and if it matches the button I pressed it will run an automation.
  
  
• 433mhz Motion Sensor
  
  -These broadcast a rf signal that is also received in the same fashion as the Etekcity Remotes do. Then published via MQTT from the NodeMCU.
  
  
• Hue Bridge
  
  -I am currently using 2 white bulbs, 1 bloom, and 1 colored bulb. They are spread out across multiple rooms. I absolutely love the control you have with this product!
  
  
• IR LED
  
  -The NodeMCU is subscribed to a topic that Home Assistant will published to when I tell it to trigger. This is currently in use to turn on the TV, Soundbar, and tower fan via Alexa. "Alexa, Turn on the tv" - runs a script in HA to publish to a MQTT topic. NodeMCU grabs the payload, my code determines the device, and blasts the signal - turning the TV on/off
  
  
• IR Receiver
  
  -The TV remote has many useless buttons on it. I use these to also send commands to Home Assistant. For instance, I push button '1' on the remote. The NodeMCU processes the value received, publishes it via MQTT, Home Assistant looks at that payload and runs the corresponding automation - turning on the lamp in the living room.
  
  
• Amazon Echo Dot
  
  -I currently use this with the emulated hue component. It works great for what I currently want it to do!
  

Depending on how much you want to spend, this could be done several different ways. Let's just say you want to keep it under $35... Here's what you might do (keep in mind this isn't exactly what you were going for, but it might be a better option depending on how you look at it):

Get the ZAP 5XL from Amazon for $30. It comes with 5 outlet adapters that plug into one socket on each of your existing outlets, and gives you a remote controlled outlet. These outlets are then controlled by a wireless remote that has 5 on/off buttons. The remote can be programmed to control multiple outlets with one button.

You could then surface mount a blank wall plate to the wall, and use a 3m command Velcro like strip to attach the remote to that blank wall plate. This would allow the remote to act as a stationary wall switch and also a removable remote control.

I have refurbished / reconditioned or otherwise repaired just about every component in my theater. The KEF speakers are all same era and generation, plus or minus a few years.

Front Channels: KEF 103/4 Reference speakers - owner replaced foam surrounds on the internal push/pull woofers - and I refurbished the ferrofluid in the tweeters. $175 off craigslist

Center Channel: NOS (new old stock) KEF Model 100 - found on craigslist. Someone found it in their garage, sitting new in box for 20 years. Refurbished the tweeter (ferrofluid replacement). $60 off craigslist.

Surround Channels: KEF C55 speakers that I found at Goodwill for $20. Complete cleanup - ferrofluid treatment of tweeters. Great condition otherwise.

Rear Channel: KEF Model 90 "center channel" speaker - bought this before I found the Model 100. Roughly the same speaker, but smaller tweeter than the model 100. Tweeter refurbed, cleaned up inside and out. I went with a 6.1 configuration because my room wouldn't benefit much from 7.1 - and the window placement made that difficult. Mixing 7.1 down to 6.1 doesn't change much. $40 off Craigslist.

Subwoofer: PA-120 Premier Acoustics 12'' Subwoofer had this sub for 8 years now, and love it to pieces. Very punchy, very powerful, very affordable. Weighs a metric ton - and customer service was top notch. (Amp malfunctioned after 6 years - got a new one from them free of charge).

Surround AV Receiver: Marantz SR6008 receiver I bought for $200 on ebay because it was 'for parts/not working.' The HDMI1 output (there are two) was burned out. Bought a new HDMI board from Marantz for a hundred bucks and the thing is good as new.

Speaker Mounts: The left C55 surround and rear channel are on custom made speaker mounts - the rear is half custom - mounted to one of the speaker mounts I got from Amazon.

Projection Screen: Custom 105'' Screen Frame and made from a canibalized Da-Lite screen I got for free from work. (was hiding in the plenum when we purchased our office space.

Projector: Benq HT1075 - bought new, because it's already so cost effective. Found it on sale at Frys for $699 a year ago. Very happy with this little projector.

Theater/Home Automation: Home Assistant running on an iPad 3 in the theater room. The iPad was sitting in a drawer, not in use for at least a year, and found an OEM apple dock for $5 on ebay for when it's not in use. I can control my Smart Things devices (z-wave dimmer) - MiLight LED strips behind the screen, in the EXIT light, and the bulbs in the uplight/spotlights in the room, I also integrated Broadlink RM2 support for controlling cheap 433mhz outlet switches for the air purifier, popcorn machine, and whatever else I need to control.

Movie Posters: Marketing department had a bunch of these frames in storage from an old PR campaign. Tore out the foamcore inserts, found high res posters, and ordered them on this silk-like fabric directly from China for $9 a pop. They look incredible up close, almost lithograph-like.

RGB Lighting: Generic RGB Strips I bought for $5 a pop on price mistake with Milight RGB controllers. Milight 9W RGBW bulbs I got for $13 each in $15 brushed steel uplights from Lamps Plus. All controled with the Milight WiFi controller through Home Assistant.

Seating was transitioned from the living room when we bought new sofas - raised the rear seating on 10'' platform. 12GA Speaker wire from my local wire wholesaler (similar price to monoprice). Looking for some carpet options - and have a lead on a local seller of OC703 for acoustic panels.

It's come a long way in a year - here's a before and after - December 2015 and April 2016 -- not the most recent, obviously - but I'm very proud with how it's coming together.

Home automation is fun as hell too. You can get some RF outlets and an RF Transmitter and Receiver and hook them up to your pi and then install Home Assistant to control it all from your phone.
This was just one quick tutorial I looked up that explains it pretty well. I've got the same thing on my setup. You can program command line switches into it, so anything you normally do from the command line you can program into Home Assistant as a button. Backups, file transfers, ssh commands, bash scripts, anything.

So I've got Tasker and when my phone connects to my home's wifi it will trigger the job in Tasker to start the CL switch in Home Assistant called "Home" and it runs a bash script to basically send the RF codes to turn on power strips for computer/ monitors, send a Wake On Lan (WOL) packet to turn on my computer, send an SSH command to an IR transmitter to turn on my AC, and send an RF signal to turn on the radio. AND, if you set up your own OpenVPN server at home you can log in remotely to your local network and turn on your RF outlets from anywhere. Telling you, you can get deep lol. If you ever need any help I'll do what I can.

These things are your best bet. Then you just need to control the remote using the arduino, and nothing on your end is exposed to line voltages. You'll be hard pressed to source the parts yourself and build something cheaper than what you can buy pre-made.

I've used https://www.amazon.ca/Etekcity-Programmable-Wireless-Control-Learning/dp/B00DQELHBS/ to do the same thing and they worked great. I also had some older ones from years ago that I got working too, although it turned out that they used 315MHz instead of 433MHz, so I got added a 315MHz transmitter and now I can control both groups from the same Pi.

All the lights are connected to my remote switch. https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Wireless-Electrical-Household-Appliances/dp/B00DQELHBS/

So you want the other lamps to turn on when you turn on the switched outlet?

The sarcastic answer is: extension cords.

Non-sarcastic, I'm not aware of any consumer RF product that detects when an outlet turns on and sends out a signal to other smart plugs to also turn on.

I think the closest thing you'll find at the budget you're talking about are these Etekcity wireless wall plugs. I would forget about the switched outlet, and just use command strips to stick the remotes at locations you like, so all the lamps can be controlled by the remotes.

Exactly!
But honestly the small hangers they include are pretty good and running your light house up to a permanent place on the wall isn't a bad deal considering it gets rid of any space concerns.

But consider something like this as well - https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Household-Appliances-Unlimited-Connections/dp/B00DQELHBS/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1551114394&sr=8-6&keywords=remote+switch

So you can turn stuff on and off from one area and don't have to plug/unplug each lighthouse when you want to use or put away. Something like this lets you just control power remotely. I had AUKEY ones that apparently aren't sold anymore so I can't link them. There should be some better ones that are smaller in my opinion, but it made turning off the whir/whine sound of the lighthouses much easier than plugging/unplugging them over and over.

I actually was looking for the information on the one i bought to post after I hit submit on my comment. [Etekcity Wireless Remote Control Electrical Outlet Switch for Household Appliances, White (Learning Code, 5Rx-2Tx)] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DQELHBS/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_FkNjxbPQZMPPN) P6OGMCD7 promotion code gets you $8.50 off right now, which gets it to $21.48 with free Prime shipping for five outlets and two remotes. You can actually do even better than interfacing with the remote, since the protocol is wrll documented at 433mhz, and you can just buy a couple dollar transmitter board and interface it to your arduino or RPi or whatever.

Christmas tree light remote..

It overpowers all steam VR updates fo’ever

Etekcity Wireless Remote Control Electrical Outlet Switch for Household Appliances, Wireless Remote Light Switch, White (Learning Code, 5Rx-2Tx) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DQELHBS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_k2IFAbYV9CP4Q

I did the same except with these, slightly better per outlet cost but I use the other 4 around my house. If you just want them for lighthouses might as well only get two.

THESE ARE AN ABSOLUTE GAME CHANGER

Hook these up to a bunch of lamps. Turn them on right when your alarm goes off. Also useful for getting sleepy and really wishing that light was off.

Mine are on the celling but with wireless sockets. Make shure you don't move them while switching the modes or you'll have to recalibrate.

Not sure if you mean a smart plug as meaning a plug which can keep track of things like how much power is consumed or if you just need an outlet which can be switched on and off.

If it is the later (just swtiching an outlet on and off) I've been pretty succesful with my project (so far) of using these Etekcity remote outlets which routinely go on sale @ Amazon.com : http://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-ZAP-5LX-Auto-Programmable-Function/dp/B00DQELHBS

Mixed with the knowledge gained from this article: http://www.msilverman.me/2014/01/interfacing-with-remote-controlled-outlets/ it is pretty simple, safe and most importantly to me: cheap to interface the outlets to a wifi enabled device.

Definitely not plug and play by any means but there is no mains voltages to have to worry about fooling around with and if you get your ducks lined up outlets can be very very cheap compared to outlets which come with WiFi connectivity which seem to go from $30/piece to almost a hundred bucks a pop.

EDIT: for a more out of the box solution you might check out Connor Wolf's video here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjry28Ym7kI where he fiddles with a outlet that is capable of measuring power consumption... If I remember he does do a little work on the software side of things so that he doesn't have to use the smartphone app provided with the outlet.

Not really. Those power strips are built as a unit and can't really be modified without basically starting over from scratch. You could use one of these to control your outlets, but I don't think they will all fit in one power strip.

Hi there! I have used these types of switches in my home for about a year now and have only had a good experience! However, I have also always been somewhat perplexed about the sheer number of these various branded and non-branded switches available on various sites, that all basically seem to be made of the the same components. This isn't something you really see very often here in the US, mainly due to patent laws. I'm thinking that might really be the reason these switches, and so many other electronic devices from China, exist in the overlapping way they do - I'm thinking it's very likely able to happen due to poorly enforced or non-existent patent laws. That's my main guess anyway... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

​

As for my experience with the setup and performance of these switches, I initially came across them out of the necessity of finding a wall switch that did not require a common neutral wire. My home was built in 1950 and half of the wiring in my home does not have a ground wire and most of the circuits are not wired with a common neutral line, which has been the norm/requirement here for most everyone likely since sometime in the 1980s. Unfortunately, most WiFi connected "smart" switches/devices all require a common neutral wire. These have been a lifesaver for me! I found my switches on Amazon and have only purchased "Funry" and "Livolo" branded switches, the versions that work via RF signal. Originally, it seemed that was all they made (the RF kind), but as this IoT/home automation thing has really become such a big market noticed they started producing WiFi and Bluetooth switches, using the same housings and touch panels/exterior components.
Which leads me to my next thought - and I have nothing to base this premonition on, but I have a feeling / feel it can only be prudent to not assume that all of these switches, while appearing nearly identical on the outside, are of the same quality and same technologies on the inside. I have nothing to base this on, and most of these devices aren't certified by the various engineering certification groups (like UL here in the US) anyway and I'm sure some people would say to stay clear of them altogether, but inevitably having spent a lot of my budget on cheaper consumer electronic products made in China/other neighboring regions that are sold online, I've seen this to be the case. However, all I can speak to is the quality of the products from the two manufacturers I mentioned above and my experience has been positive. I mean, I felt they were at least well-made enough that I wasn't completely terrified to install them in my home. I've had no trouble with the switch mechanism itself, and the tempered glass panels do feel and look solid/of quality.

​

As for trying my best to help provide insight on your three bulleted needs laid out above - I do think it's possible for you to achieve each of those wants; however, I'd say my answer probably echos what I rambled on about above (lol), that the various functions and features can really be very different from one manufacturer to another on these switches, even though they may look the same, at least if you mean right out of the box. With a little bit of configuration (and sometimes a lot), you can connect basically anything to anything these days, one way or another. One problem with not going with a "name-brand" here is that you're also less-likely to get "name-brand" software/apps for the devices. But that may not matter. As I wrote above, the units I've purchased have all been RF-controlled models, so I had to buy a small hub/controller to work with RF. Prior to this Google Home/Alexa explosion, I'd already purchased tons of these wireless plugs/switches and had them connected to devices/lights all over my home, so buying a cheap RF hub and these affordable glass wall switches allowed me to turn what I already had into Google/Alexa-connected devices affordably, instead of having to start from scratch (just throwing that out there if you have anything similar in your setup). I imagine you're wanting just the straight WiFi switches? I can't give any feedback on the particular WiFi version of these switches, but I guess I can say if you find any on eBay from the two brands I mentioned, I'd feel OK about it for my home.

• the ability to turn them off and on through an app independently, but also as groups
  
  They likely come from the manufacturer with some junky/not so great, proprietary software/"app" that you'll have to download and use just to get the devices setup anyway, but if you can get them successfully connected to Google Home (or Alexa), then yes, you can turn them on and off independently and can also assign them to groups, for group control. There are dozens and dozens of apps/interfaces out there now to control IoT devices, so I'd have to say yes this is possible. Out of the box, using the manufacturer's app? I don't know... but yes, totally possible.
  
  
• Control them with Google Assistant independently and as groups
  
  My RF versions, yes. I imagine the WiFi version of these likely can be Google Assistant connected, one way or another, if they're not right out of the box. But I can't totally confirm this one.
  
  
• Have dimming control
  
  Now this question... based on my working knowledge of these and other similar low-end devices and how they operate and are built, it's quite possible you would not have dimming control with any variety of these switches. I think you'd really need to be certain to buy a model that clearly states it has dimming functionality. I don't believe the majority of these are designed for that - only for on and off. In fact, I have no dimming control on any WiFi or RF-controlled light switch in my home - only on WiFi bulbs I've purchased with dimming capabilities. It seems to me that dimming "smart" switches are only available from some of the more [recognized] name-brand manufacturers and their more expensive, proprietary lighting systems, pretty much all requiring some sort of proprietary hub to control them.

Another option to switch the lighthouses on and off is to get some remote controlled sockets - something like these.

Yeah, internet control will cost you.

I've used these around the house with good results. Local remote control only--might work for you.

It takes reading of water pH, EC, and temperature, as well as air temperature and humidity.

You can adjust how often the reading are taken. The shortest interval is 1 minute.

In the software interface, you can have set points. So for example, pH should be kept between 6.5-6.7. The system will automatically add up or down pH solution to keep that in balance.

Another example would be air temperature. You could say that the air temperature should be between 72-75F and it will turn on fans, air conditioners, or heaters to keep that at the correct value.

All external devices like heaters, fans, lights, etc. are controlled wirelessly from the Hydrobot using commonly found 433mhz wireless outlets like these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DQELHBS/

The floor lights are just three fixtures from Home Depot with a PAR20 LED spotlight bulb. They are pretty cool to the touch, so I think they're ok. I may just upgrade the lighting with dimmable smart bulbs. For the patio, I'm using a 35 watt Grow Light from Amazon. It's temporarily hung from a hurricane shutter rail. All lighting is remote controlled with these.

My mother is a retired nurse, and if you know anyone who worked in healthcare, they will tell you the last place they want is a nursing home. She would likely die within a few weeks, absolutely no exaggeration. So we have a nice wheelchair ramp into her home, plenty of rails in her walk-in shower, a nice seat and plenty of room to maneuver her walker. She has a push-button recliner and a handy remote control to turn on her bedroom lights and heater.

She is disabled, so I have to help her dress and cook for her and frequently pick up after her, but her mind is sharp and she takes care of her finances. It's just random things she needs help with, like her hearing and lack of dexterity makes it impossible to use automated phone menus, stuff like that. Every fall we buy cracked pecans that she opens to extract nutmeats, which helps her retain some range of movement in her hands.

I live with her now after years of rehabilitation following hospital screw-ups (some sent her to the ICU with organ failures due to hospital/facility incompetence). She has a much better quality of life and, again, both of us know she would be long dead if she were relegated to a nursing home.

Similar to what neuromancer_pl said: I have a little arduino-based remote that controls all of my lighting, TV, and A/C unit (obviously not anymore.. but I may extend it with a relay to work with my space heater).

For the lamp controls I use a 433 MHz transmitter to replace the remotes that came with these outlets.

For the TV and AC remote part I have two IR LEDs to replace each respective stock remote (used a IR receiver to discover which encoding to use for each).

Finally a HC05 bluetooth module that lets me talk to the arduino through an android app I made.

If you can't use a sensing power strip, you can do what I did with my HS5s. Get one of those remote controlled outlet units like this: https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Wireless-Electrical-Household-Appliances/dp/B00DQELHBS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1484561260&sr=8-3&keywords=Remote+control+outlet

Then attach your studio monitor power cables get to a power strip, and plug the power strip into that outlet. That way you can use the remote control to turn them on and off. Just leave the power switch on your monitors turned on.

I personally use a hook ( http://www.gethook.io , $50 USD), which works as a wifi to rf bridge allowing you to use Alexa to control very cheap outlets like these:

https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Wireless-Electrical-Household-Appliances/dp/B00DQELHBS

It's not perfect, I do have to repeat myself occasionally, but it's tremendously more reliable than the wemo switches I have. Those etekcity outlets frequently have coupon codes that will make them a good bit cheaper, but if you only need to control 1-2 outlets, the initial cost of the hook may still make it not very cost effective.

I turn mine off manually w/ a Wireless Remote Control Electrical Outlet Switch, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DQELHBS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I had a same problem. I couldn't find a way to fix it. So I ended up buying wireless remote outlets like these.

I highly recommend you grab this. You just press a button and the stations turn on and off. I can even use it way across the house. Makes turning them off freaking quick and when you demo to people it looks cool to just (already have PC on) turn on controllers and hand them the headset as you press 2 buttons on the remote to power on the base stations.

I've had them for ~3 years now for my front room which has lava lamps and other light up geeky stuff. When I got Vive on launch, these puppies were ready to help make startup easy.

These are basically the best budget LEDs I could find and I tested a lot of different brands around that price range. I have 10 strands of these on my setup, essentially one per shelf, tied along the front edge, but hidden from direct view. That casts an even light across the whole shelf, as opposed to if you put them behind one of the TVs, the light was casting more of an aura effect that I didn't quite like.

These are also really great for casting a larger volume of light, say if you want to bounce a color off your back wall behind your monitor. Then put all your lights onto the same power switch and put them on a controller like this one. That's essentially the cheapest way to get a nice effect of whichever color you'd like.

Ah, gotcha. Yeah if they're all spread out that doesn't really work. They do make wireless remote outlets, though. That might be an option.

I'll be using a small outlet remote to quickly turn off the Lighthouses.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DQELHBS?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

Will a Harmony hub work on remote controlled outlets?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00DQELHBS/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1491084823&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=etekcity+remote+outlet+switch&dpPl=1&dpID=41WGW5kir8L&ref=plSrch

I bought [these wireless electrical plugs] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00DQELHBS/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1474653280&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=wireless+plug+outlet&dpPl=1&dpID=41sAODwOCCL&ref=plSrch). I have 3 lamps in my living room and I can turn them on and off by pressing a button on the little remote. No more walking over and manually turning each of them on. It's so hard to find that little knob!

If you're comfortable with some python and working with a relay, you can pretty much roll your own with very little trouble. You can do voice control integration on your own, or work with Google assistant or Alexa. Even for 120v, you can intergrate something like [this] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DQELHBS/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1).

I like to use these to manually turn them on and off. If you have an echo or other smart home stuff there are similar voice coms for that.

​

Motivation behind this setup: There are no overhead lights in the living room. So the lights we use are regular floor lamps. The wall outlets are not connected to any wall switches. So we use the etekcity remotes and outlets. It's nice because the remote sits centrally located in the living room on the coffee table.

Here is my setup:

- Etekcity remote controlled outlets, 5pk set, with 2 remotes: amzn link

- I wanted more remotes, so I bought more: amzn link

But you'll notice that the remotes are not paired to the outlets. Yes, the outlets have a "learn" button, but ... You have to think of it like this, the outlet learns the remote's code, not the other way around. So what if your remotes (the transmitters) have different codes? it doesn't work. So the only way to fix that is to make all the remotes transmit the same codes. So that's where you go to this review on amazon and do some soldering "It's about a 5 minute job if you're handy with a soldering iron." If you're not confortable with soldering, this is such an easy job that you could find a friend that does solder and show them the amazon review and have them do it for you.

So now I have 4 remotes (transmitters) controlling 5 outlets. Each transmitter has 5 pairs of on/off buttons and each transmitter operates the same way.

Outlet 1: Living room light 1

Outlet 2: Living room light 2

Outlet 3: Something

Outlet 4: small reading lamp in bedroom

Outlet 5: Main light in bedroom

Transmitter 1: living room coffee table

Transmitter 2: on the wall by the door to the bedroom

Transmitter 3: My side of bed

Transmitter 4: Wife's side of bed.

(Bonus: if I'm in the bedroom in bed and forgot to turn off the living room lights, I can use the same remote to turn off the living room lights)

Then, I paired the RF transmitter/outlets with a "Hook". (This particular smart home device does not appear to be available for sale any more, but it's still working for now. An alternative appears to be the Broadlink or Sonoff). The "hook" connects to the internet and converts internet commands to RF so that my Alexa can communicate with the RF outlets/lights.

So in summary, I have a wife-approved smart home situation. The wife can use the remote or Alexa to turn on or off these 5 lights. Nothing gets messed up if a light is turned on with one method and off with another. The setup doesn't care.

They come with these.... Also with fairylights

Etekcity Wireless Remote Control Outlet Light Switch for Lights, Lamps, Christmas Decorations, Plug and Go, Up to 100 ft. Range, FCC, ETL Listed, White (Learning Code, 5Rx-2Tx) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DQELHBS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_9nv3DbQFD96HY

any chance of this working?

http://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Wireless-Electrical-Household-Appliances/dp/B00DQELHBS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1453668260&sr=8-1&keywords=remote+control+power+outlets

I've been playing with the BOND for a few days and the BOND app has a section for 'Fireplace (beta)' (and other future device support). I had a few of these RF switches laying around the house from when I first started building my smart home (https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Wireless-Electrical-Household-Appliances/dp/B00DQELHBS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1522435481&sr=8-2&keywords=zap+remote)
so I tested it and it actually works! I'm using 2 right now. I have one plugged into a Steam Link and another into a Roku Stick. I teach BOND the on and off commands, and I discover these two devices in the Amazo Alexa app and I can turn these two devices individually on/off using voice. No more reaching behind the tv, or using the individual remote to activate them.

Why would you not want to use cheap Etekcity RF control plugs and then use something like hook?

What about RF Plugs with a remote, if you don't need them tied into your board:

https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Wireless-Electrical-Household-Appliances/dp/B00DQELHBS/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1463366357&sr=8-4&keywords=etekcity+outlets&linkCode=sl1&tag=brau01-20&linkId=cacca3487d02a6935ba645567d014e9b

These?
https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Wireless-Electrical-Household-Appliances/dp/B00DQELHBS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1477964136&sr=8-1&keywords=wireless+on%2Foff+socket+adapters

If you have a smartphone, I'd say this will suit your needs depending on if the lights plug into the walls or not? The two links you provided made it somewhat unclear if it was wall switch controlled or overhead fan lighting.. Anyway, relevant info:

In the app (on my iPhone, at least, can't speak to Android but I believe its the same) it allows you to set up "scenes" where one button press can turn on multiple lights/tvs/whatever on/off. You'd basically plug the light into the Buzzi, leave the power to it always "on" and just control the power from your phone through the Buzzi instead.

I also have 2 sets of these they're uglier and less "high-tech" than the Buzzi but you get more outlets [5 instead of 1] for the same price. Only reason I didn't recommend those above the Buzzi is that you want to be able to turn on all 3 with one click (which the Buzzi will do, the ZAP would be on one remote but you'd have to press 3 buttons).. Depends on just exactly how lazy (or fancy) you're trying to be.

Truthfully, the Buzzi is still a beta product and the app can be kind of a PitA at times, but if you're just desperate to be able to network the lights together its a good fit. I personally would only recommend it if you are using it to control a device that needs an IR remote (ie a TV/radio) as that can all be done from in the app (and its pretty well done) - otherwise the nursing home-esque ZAP product is more than sufficient. The range can be a little shoddy, FWIW, but if you're in an apartment you probably wont have issues.

TL;DR:

Buzzi | Etekcity ZAP
---|---
---|---
Pretty/Stylish | Ugly
Only controls 1 device per unit | Controls 5 outlets from 1 remote
Integrated from smartphone/your current home wifi | Has a standalone remote
App can load slowly at startup | Remote is responsive, if a bit short ranged
Can control/replace an IR remote for TVs/radios/etc | Can't do IR, but you don't seem to need that feature anyway
Works over WiFi, no range issues | You live in an apartment, so this may be a moot point

Removed Amazon referral links, mea culpa

Amazon or eBay. Like this

Holy shit I paid $19 for the 5 pack.

Yeah if i did do that I would probably use some wireless outlet relays and just solder the GPIO pins to the remote control board leads. I've seen a few videos where people use relay boards but I don't trust my wiring skills enough to have uncovered wires exposed in a house.

Like an idiot, I wrote everything out below before I fully read your post. I'm not sure if a 50% would be possible with the below set up but it would make the shades 'smart'.

This should help you out. I'm in the process of testing everything out for my basement (working on finishing it now). I already received the Broadlink RM Pro and got it working with some remote control outlets. When I receive the shade motor, I'll let you know if I have any difficulties. Also, this video should help with some difficulties people have with the Broadlink.

Just get one of these they're amazing.

I'd use one of these

https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Wireless-Electrical-Household-Appliances/dp/B00DQELHBS

I should have bought the 5 pack not the single. So many uses

I bought one of those 3 outlets with a remote at ALDI (but they sell similar ones online, see below). You can set the remote to turn on pairs or all three at a time. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DQELHBS/ref=psdc_6291368011_t3_B0000ERN8H

I am controlling wireless sockets with my pi and a 433 MHz transmitter and it works flawlessly, so might be worth a thought

If you are looking into wiring them to the gpio pins, you have to make sure you find a dedicated relais that is able to switch the voltage and current and can be used with the pi. But please be careful when handling those. Don't just cut the cable and drill and place the wires into the relais. Use something like this to make sure you get a good contact. You are dealing with a lot of power afterall.

Sorry, English is not my first language :D

What exactly makes up your $100 budget? Because a wireless dimmer switch is likely at least half of that.

Are you saying this bedroom has no light switch at all, and no fixtures?

If you have nothing but receptacles, and none of them are controlled by a switch, and you only have $100 in your pocket - I'd buy this: https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Wireless-Electrical-Household-Appliances/dp/B00DQELHBS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1495475955&sr=8-2

and two or three floor lamps. They won't dim, but they will provide a nice light.

there’s many!

Etekcity Remote Control Outlet Kit Wireless Light Switch for Household Appliances, Unlimited Connections, Up to 100 ft. Range, FCC Certified, ETL Listed, White (Learning Code, 5Rx-2Tx) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DQELHBS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_QxEDDbQ2E9H2J

Wireless Remote Control Outlet, Kasonic Smart Home Remote Control Multi Purpose Combo Set [3 Electrical Outlets + 1 Remote] Perfect for Household Appliances and Devices; ETL-Listed https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BH5S222/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_FyEDDbS64CY6X

DEWENWILS Wireless Wall Control Outlet, Electrical Remote On Off Light Switch for Lamp, No Interference, 15 AMP Heavy Duty, 100' RF Range, Compact Side Plug, White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DT9QP8P/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_ozEDDbJQH2TZ8

Oh Wow! This just made my cheap home automation even cheaper.. This is my rig: a 2x $30 pack of 5 RF outlets and a $50 Hook that converts these outlets into smart outlets, with a $49 echo dot now i can control all my lamps and appliances in my home all under $200 with my Voice and my phone.. Loving it!

This one should work however. All you need is a 433Mhz transmitter.

I have a bunch of these that I use for my lighthouses, and just about everything else (lights, ambilight, guitar pedals, etc). They work nicely.

I got the 5 pack AMAZON LINK

1 - Computer
2 - TV

3 - Breakout Box


4 & 5 Lighthouses.

A bonus is when I turn the TV one on the TV comes on automatically.

This might work for you.

I use those cheap eTekCity remote control outlets to shut my game room surge protectors on and off. I don't think I'm saving any electricity, but I sleep better knowing I don't have a dozen AC adapters from the 1980s plugged in, especially the ones that stay warm even when things are turned off.

I hear you about the budget. I went with some zap remotes I had around the house and the sonoff RF bridge (standalone is just $10).

You should, in theory, be able to uninstall it. I noticed the google home only takes a snap of the ewelink account. Meaning you can't make updates in the app and have google see them live. You need to unlink the account then relink it for changes to take effect. This btw resets all your google room assignments etc. so each new device added means reassigning and readding all the devices.

If you uninstall you won't be able to use the timers or other feature which are run by the app itself and not google. I said "in theory" because I haven't tried it myself. I use the timers to shut things on and off. I hoping google with update to have a workaround like a device scheduler.

I've been having the reverse problem. My base stations will randomly go off while I'm playing. They don't do it if I have the sleep mode disabled. I've been considering getting some of these. Might work for your problem too.

Very cool. I use something similar. https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Wireless-Electrical-Household-Appliances/dp/B00DQELHBS

http://www.amazon.com/Etekcity®-Auto-programmable-Function-Wireless-included/dp/B00DQELHBS/ref=sr_1_1/176-0348618-9065603?ie=UTF8&qid=1406080234&sr=8-1&keywords=remote+control+for+outlet

These? https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Wireless-Electrical-Household-Appliances/dp/B00DQELHBS#

I'd not, which ones?

You also can buy zwave light bulbs and rf outlets which you can control through Google Home. These do not force you to replace switches.

I got a fan hooked up to one of these. Might just try that when demoing going forward. Never thought about turning it on for demos other then as a way to combat VR motion sickness.
https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Wireless-Electrical-Household-Appliances/dp/B00DQELHBS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485373853&sr=8-1&keywords=etekcity+outlet

Using Hook https://www.amazon.com/Hook-remote-control-outlets-Amazon/dp/B01ITSEU3C and wireless outlets https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Wireless-Electrical-Household-Appliances/dp/B00DQELHBS/ref=pd_sim_60_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=XT4T9HSA4MEJSR1XEMPH

Will probably do it with air compressor as well.