Breaking a window or using slim jims, to get into a car, is so last century: https://www.express.co.uk/life-styl...ss-entry-hack-Mercedes-Solihull-Birmingham-UK
It was really impressive (if that's the correct term); the place was a maisonette from I think the 1920s, solid build, and I'm to this day amazed they got through the wall. I suspect it was a known weak point but who knows. Good luck getting through the walls of my current place
D-d-double post! (Sorry). I remembered the most important bit of the recent home automation we implemented: It's ace. It's not internet-connected, but it's an awesome teasmade!
It's wonderful, isn't it. I mean, all of the glass tubing and bungs and things! Makes a nice coffee, or a nice tea, mind. Plus the lovely sound of the water bubbling through the pipe. Aaah.
I've been looking into this some more; I'm currently fitting out the bedroom which has a bay window, I like darkness so most likely this will mean blinds and curtains. Part of the problem with automation is that next to no-one makes a motorised curtain track for a bay window, and if I go with someone who does I end up with a weird home-brew that is one app update away from being useless. I'm starting to think I'd be better off getting individual devices and just communing up the remotes with some discrete components, but I've not even begun to research this. There must be loads of people doing it, perhaps this problem has been solved? It's that, or have four separate pull cords to operate twice a day for the next 30 years.
I've just started to tinker with Home Assistant. Lots of options for what to run it on and one can add relatively inexpensive components to get the desired functionality. There is an App, but so far I just login via a browser. To get things started there are the windows coverings controls listed on Z-Wave's, website. You also need a Z-Wave controller, refer to Home Assistant's website for compatible units. But that does not solve the fundamental problem of getting a mortised window covering.
Can you not use a pulley based bendy curtain rail, then add a motor to that? Ikea have done curtain motor in other markets, I'm waiting for them to bring it to UK.
My journey started with finding a decent pulley based curtain rail, £260! I can buy a motorised one off eBay for £130. My main thing is I want something that can learn its limits without a tonne of effort. I'll look into Home Assistant, thanks, I'm just starting out in this investigation and I'm a bit swamped with choices. From what I've seen Ikea are launching motorised blinds very soon but they're coming in at Somfy prices but without any choice of colour.
