We periodically publish articles on the topic of assembling a smart home, but personally, I didn’t really want to bother with their complex setup via Rapsberry Pi and other third-party devices.
I’ve been thinking for a long time about trying to put together something similar, but not to bother so much. Previously, it seemed like something unattainable, futuristic, expensive and not very useful for an apartment. But now everything is more than real.
So far I have only assembled a small fragment of a smart home, but this is just the beginning. And I already like the result. Especially when working with Alice from Yandex.
Why even buy equipment with built-in Alice?
Do you know a better option that speaks Russian? Me not. It’s most pleasant to work with Alice, who communicates normally and knows the basics of managing a smart home.
It is compatible with the most popular brands:
▪️ Elari ▪️ Philips ▪️ Redmond ▪️ SmartThings ▪️ Xiaomi ▪️ Z.Wave ▪️ Rubetek
I think you know 4 of them for sure. And all these devices are configured directly in the Yandex application, which is a kind of hub for managing a smart home.
Yes, Alice does not have a lot of functionality , but she can still do something, which is enough for me for now. And over time, she will still learn more (I believe in it).
Google Assistant? In the furnace, he doesn’t fully control the equipment in Russian. Siri? The Home app requires a million HomeKit-compatible switches and adapters.
The main feature
How does Smart Home work? In fact, the brain of the system is not in the Interactive Column, not in the application and, of course, not in the control panel. All voice commands that you gave to Alice go to the Yandex server. This is where the decision on further actions is made.
If the command is intended for equipment of another brand, for example, Xiaomi, then the command is sent further to the Xiaomi servers. There the command is processed and goes back to the device for which it is intended. Despite the long path, the execution of commands takes a few seconds. The main thing is a high-quality Internet connection.
Expert opinion
Yakovlev Alexey Sergeevich
Electrician with 20 years of experience and extensive experience
The simplicity of Yandex's solution is that, without a controller (network node) capable of analyzing commands and managing modules, the system functions perfectly. We can say that Yandex cheated and agreed with other manufacturers to do all the work for it.
The application and interactive column are only intermediate control points. All commands are analyzed, and then new ones are created for each device on cloud servers.
What did I end up choosing?
I’ll say right away, this is not an advertisement, but purely my opinion. After reading about Xiaomi on our website, I decided that there are too many problems with their technology that I am not at all eager to deal with.
I want simplicity - insert it, connect it, it works. Without crutches and writing tons of lines of code for proper operation of devices. But this does not mean that I completely abandoned the Chinese; they probably have the widest selection of smart devices. So I just put them off for later.
Why not Yandex? Alice!
Firstly, he doesn’t have much smart technology . The company has only three smart devices:
▪️ Smart light bulb: 1190 rub. ▪️ Smart socket: 1190 rub. ▪️ Remote control for smart home: 1390 rub.
Secondly, it is incredibly poorly . I remember coming to the office and hearing outrage from setting up that light bulb that had to be turned on and off several times to pair with the hub. And it didn’t connect the first time.
I can’t say anything about the socket, but the remote control, although configured in the same crooked way, at least works with the same air conditioner.
In general, Yandex technology works for some, but not for others. The reviews were too mixed, and I didn't take the risk.
Smart base
Therefore, for now I settled on the Russian Redmond, which has relatively inexpensive equipment. And the choice is not as small as it might seem: from smart sockets and light bulbs to smart kettles and coffee makers.
Actually, I decided to build myself a smart home from a small scale. To start, I bought 2 bases, 2 sockets, a coffee maker and a kettle. They can be controlled through the Ready for Sky application from Redmond, which allows for more fine-tuning than through Alice.
For example, you can set the heating temperature of the water in the kettle, change its lighting according to the RGB palette, and so on.
But these are little things that I personally don’t really need.
Specifically, what I took for myself:
▪️ Smart base REDMOND SkySocket 202S: 599 rub. ▪️ Smart socket REDMOND SkyPort 103S: 599 rub. ▪️ Smart kettle-lamp REDMOND SkyKettle G213S: 3495 rub. ▪️ Smart coffee maker REDMOND SkyCoffee M1509S: 4990 rub.
The total cost was 10,881 rubles. Plus I took Yandex.Station for voice control from any room so that the whole family could use smart gadgets. This is an additional 9990 rubles.
Total : 20,871 rub.
You can take a simpler option with built-in Alice; this is even more reasonable for large apartments, where one column is not enough.
For example, Irbis A for 3000 rubles. — three pieces for an apartment will be enough. Although this speaker sounds objectively bad, its volume and powerful microphones are enough to communicate with a voice assistant.
How much do Yandex gadgets cost - current prices
| Category | Device | Price |
| Smart speakers | Yandex.Station Mini | 4,990 rubles |
| Yandex.Station | 12,990 rubles | |
| Yandex.Station Max | 18,990 rubles | |
| LG XBOOM AI ThinQ WK7Y | 10,990 rubles | |
| JBL Link Music | 8,990 rubles | |
| JBL Link Portable | 8,990 rubles | |
| Prestigio Smartmate Mayak Edition | 5,990 rubles | |
| TVs | TV on the Yandex.TV platform | from 12 thousand to 40 thousand rubles |
| Cars | Yandex.Auto on-board computer | from 23 thousand rubles |
| Smart House | Smart light bulb | 1,390 rubles |
| Smart plug | 1,190 rubles | |
| Smart remote control | 1,390 rubles |
I have collected several possible scenarios with custom builds for every taste and budget.
- Two Stations = 25,980 rubles.
- Station + Station Mini = 17,980 rubles.
- Station + two Mini Stations = 22,970 rubles.
- Station + two smart sockets = 15,370 rubles.
- Station + Station Mini + smart remote control = 19,370 rubles.
- Station Mini + smart light bulb + smart socket + smart remote control = 8,960 rubles.
- Smart light bulb + smart socket + smart remote control = 3,970 rubles.
- Three smart light bulbs + three smart sockets = 7,740 rubles.
- Three smart light bulbs + smart remote control = 5,560 rubles.
- Five smart light bulbs = 6,950 rubles.
How I set it up
Everything turned out to be easy here. The Ready for Sky application is enough to connect gadgets with each other, but this is not enough for normal integration with the head control through Alice.
1. Download the Yandex application.
2. Go to the Devices tab in the additional menu, hidden behind the icon with three sticks.
3. Open Smart Home -> Add Device -> Ready for Sky.
4. Click Merge accounts, you will be transferred to the Ready for Sky application and will be asked to connect your Yandex and Redmond accounts.
After this, it would seem that Alice should make money with smart technology. But no matter how it is.
An ideal combination for remote control of Redmond equipment
To control all gadgets you need to create a bridge . And here there are 2 options: either buy an additional control panel from Redmond, or pick up an Android smartphone.
I used the second option because I have an HTC One M8 at home. He acted as a bridge connecting Alice and technology. The devices communicate with each other and the digital assistant via the R4S Gateway application.
The setup is simple - turn on Bluetooth, find unpaired gadgets, click Connect and hold down the power button on each gadget for 3-5 seconds. After a couple of moments everything is connected.
Important : You cannot use the Ready for Sky and R4S Gateway applications on the same Android smartphone. This may lead to malfunctions and poor performance of the devices. But no one forbade installing Ready for Sky on iPhone.
Or if you don’t have an Android smartphone, you can install any popular Android emulator on a Mac or PC and control your equipment from your laptop via Bluetooth.
Actually, the setup is complete. Alice learned how to control my smart home.
True, the assistant does not yet know how to finely control it. For now, you can only turn it on and off. So the lights/sockets/kettle/coffee maker only work in one preset mode.
If you decide to take Redmond sockets, here is their correct setting so that you can say “Alice, turn on the light in the hallway/bedroom/toilet.”
Smart home interface from Yandex
1. In the Yandex application, create a Corridor group (or whatever you require).
2. Rename the base to Corridor (or wherever your device is located).
It is important to name the technique the same way as the group in which it is located is called. The application itself recognizes the type of device. If the “names” do not match, then Alice will not understand what exactly you want to include. At first, when asked “turn on the lights in the hallway,” the voice assistant simply turned on all the lights in the apartment.
Yandex.Auto - from Lada Vesta to Hyundai Solaris
Among other things, Yandex offers an automobile platform for drivers called Yandex.Auto. This is a built-in on-board computer with a large screen, Yandex.Navigator, Yandex.Music, Alice and a browser for Internet access. Can be installed in cars produced in 2005, including domestic Lada Vesta and Lada X-Ray. An alternative use case is to project Yandex services onto the smartphone screen via a USB cable.
Yandex.Auto takes into account traffic jams and road conditions in real time. Everything works offline and even offline if you first download maps of the desired cities. When you connect your smartphone, you can make and receive calls.
Supported Models
- Lada : Vesta (since 2015), X-Ray (since 2015).
- Volkswagen : Tiguan (2009-2016), Polo Sedan (2014-2020), Passat (2005-2017), Jetta (2005-2017), Golf (2005-2014).
- Toyota : RAV4 (2012-2019), Camry (since 2017).
- Skoda : Rapid (2014-2020).
- Renault : Sandero (since 2013), Logan II (since 2012), Kaptur (2016-2020), Duster (since 2012).
- Nissan : X-Trail (since 2013), Terrano (since 2017), Qashqai (since 2013).
- Mitsubishi : Outlander III (since 2012).
- Kia : Rio (2011-2020).
- Hyundai : Solaris (2010-2020), Creta (2016-2019).
- Geely : Atlas (2020-2021).
- Chery : Teego 5 Connected MT (2016-2020).
- Honda : CR-V (2015-2020).
According to the MTS operator (issue partner), prices for the Yandex.Auto on-board computer start at 23 thousand rubles. Those interested are invited to leave a request for installation at one of the installation centers on the official website. They are located in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Volgograd, Yekaterinburg, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Novosibirsk, Rostov-on-Don, Krasnodar, Tyumen, Samara, Kaluga and Veliky Novgorod.
What are the plans for the development of a smart home?
Now I’m thinking of taking the Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum Cleaner smart vacuum cleaner and adding more sockets to control the existing equipment in the house.
For now, TVs are controlled at the sockets, but no one bothers you to connect a microwave and other devices.
Plus, I would like to buy additional smart locks Xiaomi Aquara Smart Door Lock, but for them you will need to create a separate secure network so that no one can just enter your home. Well, as a bonus - smart blinds.
I'll talk about this later when I implement my ideas.
Flaws
Despite a number of advantages, the Yandex smart home has a number of weaknesses. Let's highlight the main ones:
- the ability to control from only one smartphone (the platform is tied to only one profile);
- the number of devices for connection is limited, but this list is constantly expanding;
- limited functionality of the remote control, which only works for air conditioning and TV;
- difficulties when interacting with systems from other manufacturers.
In addition, some users note the complexity of the menus and controls.
General impressions
Yes, this is not Apple's Home app. Gadgets do not support HomeKit and are not controlled by Apple Watch. But if I have speakers with Alice, this solution is quite enough for me.
Moreover, through the Yandex application you can create scripts for the voice assistant. Let’s say the command “Alice, I’m home” - relaxing music is turned on, coffee is brewed and the TV is turned on. Isn't this a basic convenience worth dreaming about?
Who is interested in more about smart home:
1. What will work in a smart home without the Internet 2. How to assemble a hub for a smart home very cheaply 3. Choosing a smart table lamp. Five good options
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63 votes, overall rating: 4.29 out of 5)
