I haven't used it at all thus far except for using Chromecast at home, which I intend to do on the road as well, by using two devices and using one as a Wireless Area Network.

How do you currently use google home for your Lighting, whats the benefits and what bulbs do you buy, or do you have to buy another interface in between the bulbs and the device. I assume your using a tablet or phone to control it? Any other applications you would use on the road via google home?

It's something I've not looked at yet, lighting via home. Haven't felt the need. There again our air con and fans and some lights come with remote controls, so I guess I should be looking at it.

Hi Palaceboy.   Am just starting out with Google Home to automate lighting etc, but there is lots of info on line yet little on caravan.  Generally either the bulb ha built in Wifi or for Led strings you get a controller which is wifi enabled.  Buy through EBay much cheaper than in local stores.

Hi Ausron,
Welcome to the forum, I trust you, like most of us will put in some advice, hints, etc & get equal back in return as we travel around this great country.

However, I wouldn't trust Google being loose in my house (using Google minded computers is dramatic enough) - letting it control my van would be a waste of time as I'm happy with manually switching our limited lights on/off as required.

If I wanted flashing multiple colours going on & off all the time, I'd go to a Luna-Park or similar.

And if Mr Google get hacked, will you be dealing with Mr Putin, Xing Ping?

palaceboy, are you going to have room in your HiAce for this?

Ausron wrote:

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I guess its really a matter of Horses for Courses. Some like roughing it, some like just being on the road and some like bells and whistles. Different strokes for different folks!!

looking forward to a post from somebody who has set this up or similar.

Cheers

 

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 Hi and welcome.

A couple of years back we were camped near a couple, he was loud, they needed exercise but didn't go that far, anyone back to the story, they had a very common poptop caravan that had issues with the 12 volt electricals switches. I remember him telling me he operated it with his mobile phone as it was an easy fix, lights would blink here and then here just like a Christmas tree. Hidden in the back of my mind I think he was a school teacher and the caravan restoration was a hobby. So can be one one way or the other.

Ausron wrote:

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Hi Dickdownunder. My intention is to have all my lights to be RGB/W and be able to create any colour or mix that I want.  Necessary? No.  Also, Iaim to eliminate multiple remotes and be able to control Tv stereo, air con etc by Voice command using Google or Alexa..

Can an is being done in houses so why not in a casravan?

 

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 Probably no reason it cannot be done in a caravan.

Brother in law has it in his home and google now runs his life. I asked him does she assist with ablutions of a morning and I think he took slight offence.  

Go for it mate if that is what you want or need and let us know how it goes..

We have a Google Home Mini and apart from a bit of entertainment early in the piece, it is mostly turned off now. I have no need for it. Sometimes it is nice to get away from modern technology and get back to basics. If you want to control lights, etc. with Google (because you can), go for it.

Hey Ausron,


I Can't see any reason why this wouldn't work.
although it needs to be on a wifi network to operate right ?
This means you would be tethering to your mobile device for any network access and if you're out camping you may not have that.
So in certain places you could rule out using it for streaming content like music.

Also I'm not sure how the control of the lights etc work, whether it be via the wifi network or otherwise.
So I think you would need a wifi router to be connected to your phone for the access and then the devices and google device connected to that to create a network.
I could be off here. I remember setting one up for my nephew a last xmas but that was just a basic set up.
I didn't look into the control options.

Re the light control, I was looking at the mi light option for doing the inside and outside lighting.
These can be used with the remote or by wifi from your phone.
They also have zones, so have plenty of options for control and effect.

www.ebay.com.au/itm/Mi-Light-WiFi-RGBW-Controller-2-4G-Remote-IOS-Android-for-RGBW-led-strip-light/112028561894

I guess that would be an advantage to the google option, no running wires around .
You may need to adapt the globes/lights though, as I'd be unsure if they will work out of the box in the van unless you're using the 240v fittings.
Were you thinking 12v or 240v ?
Can you get a 12v google home ?

At the end of the day mate, it's your van and you can go what ever you want with it.

I also get that sometimes it's more about getting the stuff, making the stuff or figuring out how the stuff works rather than it having any real practical use.

Just remember to post up some pics of the results. I'd be interested in that :)

Sheesh whats the wife for ? Lol

Mike Harding wrote:

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Aus-Kiwi wrote:

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Sheesh whats the wife for ?

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Washing - Ironing - F****** - Etc

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       Hi Mike. Thats Fighting is it?

Well after thinking about a couple of observations and then watching the Ch 7 news tonight I decided to do a bit of research.

Rockylizard would be proud of me..

The report covered the security problems which may exist using Google home etc.

Here are some of my personal observations and a few links to other reports re security.

A bit of internet research has revealed some disturbing factors about Google Home and other systems.
I have recently gone off of Facebook due to some disturbing observations.
Maybe Google as a search engine has more control over us than we know....

Recently my daughter, my wife and I were camped next to a very heavy snorer and we could hear him easily during the night.
The next morning we were talking about his snoring and then up on my daughters Facebook page came a suggested cure for snoring by a Facebook suggested web site.
Last night my wife was talking to a friend about scanning all our family photos to a file so that we have the photos forever then low and behold, this morning on her Facebook page came a link to a sponsored link to an app that provides the ability to store these family photos.
Both these results came from our conversations and not searches, so really, is this how our future world will be.
Our search history to these people is now old hat as far as our privacy is concerned.

This to me at least is very disturbing.

Below I have placed a couple of links that may make at least a few think about using Google Home and the like regarding our long term security.

www.abc.net.au/news/2017-12-20/google-homeamazon-tech-devices-threat-to-personal-data/9273550

nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2017/01/27/data-privacy-day-know-the-risks-of-amazon-alexa-and-google-home/

www.tomsguide.com/us/secure-google-home,news-27076.html

There was another report on Chanel 7 news tonight but I can not find a link to it at the moment.

I think that the less we encourage these invasive sites and services into our personal lives the better we will be.

I also find it amazing that after going off Facebook about a week ago I have received a message from a friend that he has received a Friend Request from me when we are already friends on the FB page.

The term very dodgy **** comes to mind......
Can our search engines even know what we are typing on these member only forums?

-- Edited by Dickodownunder on Monday 8th of October 2018 08:38:52 PM

Dickodownunder wrote:

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Well after thinking about a couple of observations and then watching the Ch 7 news tonight I decided to do a bit of research.

Rockylizard would be proud of me..

The report covered the security problems which may exist using Google home etc.

Here are some of my personal observations and a few links to other reports re security.

A bit of internet research has revealed some disturbing factors about Google Home and other systems.
I have recently gone off of Facebook due to some disturbing observations.
Maybe Google as a search engine has more control over us than we know....

Recently my daughter, my wife and I were camped next to a very heavy snorer and we could hear him easily during the night.
The next morning we were talking about his snoring and then up on my daughters Facebook page came a suggested cure for snoring by a Facebook suggested web site.
Last night my wife was talking to a friend about scanning all our family photos to a file so that we have the photos forever then low and behold, this morning on her Facebook page came a link to a sponsored link to an app that provides the ability to store these family photos.
Both these results came from our conversations and not searches, so really, is this how our future world will be.
Our search history to these people is now old hat as far as our privacy is concerned.

This to me at least is very disturbing.

Below I have placed a couple of links that may make at least a few think about using Google Home and the like regarding our long term security.

www.abc.net.au/news/2017-12-20/google-homeamazon-tech-devices-threat-to-personal-data/9273550

nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2017/01/27/data-privacy-day-know-the-risks-of-amazon-alexa-and-google-home/

www.tomsguide.com/us/secure-google-home,news-27076.html

There was another report on Chanel 7 news tonight but I can not find a link to it at the moment.

I think that the less we encourage these invasive sites and services into our personal lives the better we will be.

I also find it amazing that after going off Facebook about a week ago I have received a message from a friend that he has received a Friend Request from me when we are already friends on the FB page.

The term very dodgy **** comes to mind......
Can our search engines even know what we are typing on these member only forums?

-- Edited by Dickodownunder on Monday 8th of October 2018 08:38:52 PM

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Understood and research I've been doing as well.   First point is that Google Home is also an app that one uses to control in home devices.   It's not always Alexia the intelligent home assistant.   I personally dont have one of those assistants but do realise that your phone could well be listening for all we know.   In fact the security services have been using phones as in home bugs for probably over a decade now in certain circumstances.    But lets not get paranoid yet.   There currently is a fake facebook scam going around which is re the freind request as per here....https://www.hoax-slayer.net/pointless-got-another-friend-request-from-you-facebook-cloning-warning/   So honestly I wouldnt worry about that one at present.  It's everywhere on the net at present.

 

The otherside of this coin is tracking, you can be tracked everywhere and when we go cashless, something that I personally have taken on board because it's so secure and easy inasmuch as you cannot lose your money as the bank does in any fraudulent use of your card.  There again it's the ultimate in potential for big brother control as well.  

 

As for tracking conversations on forums, well I wouldn't rule anything out.  I'd say the security services can definitely do it, once that door is opened then other organisations can probably do it as well.    It's a lot like security cameras in public places.  The net is public as well.

 

It's going to be a hard one to avoid, and to do so is a lot like being King Canute and trying to stop the tide.

 

 

-- Edited by palaceboy on Monday 8th of October 2018 10:54:09 PM

Ausron wrote:

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HI StewG,denmonkey, and of course Palaceboy and Dickdownunder.
Firstly to Dickdownunder, I quite agree and share your concern over the intruvisiveness of Facebook and Google Home and the items which mysteriously suddenly suggest things complimentary to ideas thoughts you shared with others. big Brother is certainly out there. .. but depending on your level of concern perhaps you one should not use a mobile phone as they cancertainlytrcan certainly track that and dont use a Credit Card either.

Forgettingaboutpersonalsecurity for the minute ...... To me the main advantage if Google Home istheabis the ability to control compatible Smart devices such as lights , TV sound system. AC etc devices by Voice command. My research clearly indicates that for Google Home to do its thing,it needs access to AI (Artificial Intelligence) and thus needs to have Internet acces. WithInternet access comes the risks Dandownunder warns about.

So my quest is to se if I can setup Google Home in a caravan using a Telstra 4G dongle to provide a constant WiFi networkforGooglfor Google Home to recognise and thus function.

Alternatively, I will then seek a means to get the same result (Caravan Smart automation with Voice Control) without the risk to personal privacy.

Ideas? Comments?

Cheers

---

 

 

For me personally a voice controlled intelligent assistant connected to the net, is a bridge to far in the security stakes.   I understand that my various devices could be listening in, but I wont be leaving the door wide open at this stage anyway.

 

I'll stick with controlling any smart device with my smart phone or tablet at this stage.  Which admittedly could well be listening in.  in fact prompted by Dickdownunder I'm going to research if Google home on a smart phone "always" opens that door.  Probably does admittedly.  Although there could be a way of turning that off.... Like google tracking and facebook tracking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

You dont need a google home for your device to be listening.
If you have google assistant on your phone or the equivalent on other devices they're always listening.
They need to be to know when you're talking to them.

I haven't checked out the links above but I do recall many moons ago when people discovered that the google option was recording your conversations which were being held in a data base.
The logic was that it would help it understand your voice patterns etc.

There used to be an option to delete those recorded files from the google system but I don't recall how to now. Ironically a google search could produce the answer. :)



Ausron,

no idea if you can operate it for voice control without network access.

on checking I found this

'Natural language processing is done on the Google servers. It can't understand you without the internet.'


So guessing it's not the ideal set up unless you'll always have access.

re the question on how often you're in a no signal area....often..bloody optus.
The point of going away is to be away from everyone else.
Unfortunately or fortunately, they tend to set up phone coverage for where everyone is :)

Hi Ausron,
As I have indicated it would not be something I would be doing personally however as you say there may be many others that the technology would suit.
Apart from my concerns with security my immediate other thought would be actually how much internet data would a system like that consume.
The mobile dongles that are currently provided by the Telcos in Australia are, by comparison, data hungry units with very low capacities.
I mentioned my brother in law having Google Home at his house and he is on an nbn unlimited plan and probably does not care about its usage.
I currently have a Telstra dongle (only for one more month) and when I use it to watch Netflix or similar it uses more data per hour then does my phone on another provider even though that provider is a Telstra partner (Boost)
If I use that same dongle to stream through Chromecast it uses even more than if I watch the stream directly on my device.
I am not mentioning this to start another debate on what is the best provider (we have had enough of those debates on here in the past) but probably more as a question as to wether these Google services are in constant demand of your data every minute that they are operating.
I am virtually full time on the road and my only option for data is the mobile services offered by the Telcos as are most others even if only on a holiday trip.

Not finding anyone with a set up on here is probably frustrating but considering that even though this forum boasts a large membership there are many more caravan owners and travellers who do not participate on any forums at all.

Your search may go on...