# Controlling your heating by phone



## likesfish (Oct 27, 2014)

why?
 What possible reason would you need to control your hearing when your out?


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## Pickman's model (Oct 27, 2014)

likesfish said:


> why?
> What possible reason would you need to control your hearing when your out?


controlling your hearing is very important in all environments as aural signals may help you anticipate danger.

in a noisy environment you may wish to insert earplugs to prevent a deterioration of your hearing.

i hope that answers your question.


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## cesare (Oct 27, 2014)

To get it warm before you get in.

To turn it off if you forgot to do that before you went out.

To warm it up a bit if you're on holiday and there's a sudden freeze, so the pipes don't burst.

Etc


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## BandWagon (Oct 27, 2014)

Someone is trying to make money out of people who think it's cool.


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## likesfish (Oct 27, 2014)

Pickman's model said:


> controlling your hearing is very important in all environments as aural signals may help you anticipate danger.



The intelligence nazi strikes again


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## Pickman's model (Oct 27, 2014)

likesfish said:


> The intelligence nazi strikes again


that's it, godwin's invoked within 5 replies: thread over.


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## Lord Hugh (Oct 28, 2014)

I've considered making a tea-maker I can control by phone, so if I'm out I can make tea on my way back and have it ready when I come home, or have it made and cooled the right temperature to drink in the morning while I'm showering. I actually have a lot of the bits I will need to make it, just need the tea-leaf dispenser and a lot of assembly time.


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## Wilson (Oct 28, 2014)

likesfish said:


> why?
> What possible reason would you need to control your hearing when your out?



AYE, WHY CAN'T THEY JUST GET ON WITH IT AND MAKE US ALL ROBOT SAVANTS BY NOW.


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## Lord Camomile (Oct 28, 2014)

Because what's the alternative? I _get off the sofa_ to do it?!

You barbarian


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## Ted Striker (Oct 28, 2014)

BandWagon said:


> Someone is trying to make money out of people who think it's cool.



...indoors and don't want it to be.

Even the first syllabul of the whimsicle shitheap of the hive advert is more thinking than should have ever been considered for the idea, let alone the gargantuan project that was no doubt instigated.

You would have loved to have been the mid-project new recruit..."Controlling the heating from my phone? Eh? Why?"

(I do get the slight benefit of putting it on before you get in, but still...)


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## RedDragon (Oct 28, 2014)

also if you're away for an extended period it can be useful to keep the heating on low.


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## Ted Striker (Oct 28, 2014)

Timers?


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## RedDragon (Oct 28, 2014)

A bit old school especially if there's a temporary power outage, beside the remote access thing will move into lights curtains etc.


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## BandWagon (Oct 28, 2014)

Ted Striker said:


> Timers?


And thermostats. They're useful things too. See, you can adjust the temperature without using your phone.....


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## pogofish (Oct 28, 2014)

If they made an app so I could control my coffee machine then I might be interested.


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## likesfish (Oct 28, 2014)

I did have teasmaid and a toaster set up on a timer the eggs in a saucepanon a hob was never that brilliant though.


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## weltweit (Oct 28, 2014)

I may be becoming a bit of a luddite, I don't feel the need to collect my email and stuff on the move, I don't mind waiting till I get home.

As to my heating, it is switched off at the mo, the water heats in the evening and morning, I don't see great need to be able to vary that from out and about.

I guess what I am trying to say is that just because something is possible, does not make it necessary.


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## Dr_Herbz (Oct 28, 2014)

weltweit said:


> I may be becoming a bit of a luddite, I don't feel the need to collect my email and stuff on the move, I don't mind waiting till I get home.
> 
> As to my heating, it is switched off at the mo, the water heats in the evening and morning, I don't see great need to be able to vary that from out and about.
> 
> I guess what I am trying to say is that just because something is possible, does not make it necessary.


I see no point in not using every bit of available technology.


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## weltweit (Oct 28, 2014)

Dr_Herbz said:


> I see no point in not using every bit of available technology.


Perhaps you are an early adopter.
I ain't


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## Dr_Herbz (Oct 28, 2014)

weltweit said:


> Perhaps you are an early adopter.
> I ain't


I just love messing with technology... I'm contemplating networking my coffee machine and controlling it via an Arduino and a phone app, so I can I can make a coffee without having to wait in the kitchen for the machine to do its stuff


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## gentlegreen (Oct 28, 2014)




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## pogofish (Oct 28, 2014)

Dr_Herbz said:


> I see no point in not using every bit of available technology.



Have you any idea how these services actually work?  

Do they charge a subscription, or is it every time you make a remote adjustment - and how much?  

Could you end-up in the situation where you may save money with better heating/resource management but end-up losing all that and maybe more because of the cost of the remote service itself?


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## pogofish (Oct 28, 2014)

Dr_Herbz said:


> I just love messing with technology... I'm contemplating networking my coffee machine and controlling it via an Arduino and a phone app, so I can I can make a coffee without having to wait in the kitchen for the machine to do its stuff



Now that would be of paramount benefit to humankind.

And after getting that running, can you get a shift-on with a remote ironing controller too!


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## Dr_Herbz (Oct 28, 2014)

pogofish said:


> Have you any idea how these services actually work?
> 
> Do they charge a subscription, or is it every time you make a remote adjustment - and how much?
> 
> Could you end-up in the situation where you may save money with better heating/resource management but end-up losing all that and maybe more because of the cost of the remote service itself?


I haven't looked into any of the off-the-shelf systems but it should just be a case of connecting to your home network, and would cost whatever it would otherwise cost to use the internet.


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## RedDragon (Oct 28, 2014)

pogofish said:


> Could you end-up in the situation where you may save money with better heating/resource management but end-up losing all that and maybe more because of the cost of the remote service itself?


This kind of stuff is generally referred to as the Internet of Things, the idea being chips will be in-built to consumer devices irrespective if you decide to utilise them or not.


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## weltweit (Oct 28, 2014)

Various companies build level sensors into propane and other fuel tanks which SMS the supplier when they need a refill. That sort of thing has a place for sure.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Oct 28, 2014)

Most heating/boiler system controls are wank. An app that lets you set timers to go at various times, like just before you wake up would be so much easier.


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## bubblesmcgrath (Oct 28, 2014)

Dr_Herbz said:


> I just love messing with technology... I'm contemplating networking my coffee machine and controlling it via an Arduino and a phone app, so I can I can make a coffee without having to wait in the kitchen for the machine to do its stuff



ROFL .....
You'll still have to get it from the kitchen to your desk...lol


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## Dr_Herbz (Oct 28, 2014)

bubblesmcgrath said:


> ROFL .....
> You'll still have to get it from the kitchen to your desk...lol


But it will save me 30 seconds per cup. All of those 30 seconds would add up to a lot of time that could otherwise have been spent posting shite on here


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## weltweit (Oct 28, 2014)

I wouldn't mind being able to start my car remotely (from inside the house) and for it to defrost the windows BEFORE I get into it. That would be a time saver in winter.


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## bubblesmcgrath (Oct 28, 2014)

weltweit said:


> I wouldn't mind being able to start my car remotely (from inside the house) and for it to defrost the windows BEFORE I get into it. That would be a time saver in winter.



That would be very handy


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## Wilson (Oct 28, 2014)

weltweit said:


> I wouldn't mind being able to start my car remotely (from inside the house) and for it to defrost the windows BEFORE I get into it. That would be a time saver in winter.



some car alarm systems will do that for you, just don't leave the car in gear.


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## bubblesmcgrath (Oct 29, 2014)

Gadget man recently showed a house that was full of remotely controlled gadgetry.... here's a list of some of the things that the owner could control from his tablet..

Windows and blinds.
Heating and lighting.
The hoover (want)
Most kitchen appliances. (Cooker, washing machine and dryer etc)
The tv (came out of a wall or something)
The floor (slid back to reveal a seating area which then raised up to floor level)
And that was only two of the rooms..

Ok..some of it was gimmicky but the idea is great. Especially for anyone with mobility problems.


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## weltweit (Oct 29, 2014)

bubblesmcgrath said:


> Gadget man recently showed a house that was full of remotely controlled gadgetry.... here's a list of some of the things that the owner could control from his tablet..
> 
> Windows and blinds.
> Heating and lighting.
> ...


The electronics company I worked for years ago had projects to provide all this sort of stuff, they were before their time though and didn't make a commercial success of it.


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## The39thStep (Oct 29, 2014)

I am flying back from portugal tomorrow so I will use the heating app to get the house nice and warm so I can acclimatise


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## Lord Hugh (Nov 4, 2014)

Dr_Herbz said:


> But it will save me 30 seconds per cup. All of those 30 seconds would add up to a lot of time that could otherwise have been spent posting shite on here


 Maybe even enough time to make a remote-controlled coffee maker!


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