Best Wifi enabled thermostat

[eatontrifles]

RossP said:

I didn't know there was a new app. What's the difference?

The old one works, the new one doesn't - apparently.

Or, officially;
What's New in Version 2.0
• Completely rewritten native application
• Revised Settings for Operations-Modes for Heating and Hot-Water (if supported by heating system)
• Redesigned Report including display of heating activity, sun intensity & hot-water (if supported by heating system)
• Support for French, Italian and Spanish languages.

This is iOS by the way, the android version was released a few weeks ago and I think they had problems with that as well - the normal stuff (location etc) seems to work on my OH's Android but the settings slide out often doesn't render properly and the layout goes wonky making it unusable until it's closed & opened again.

[Leithen]

sjj84 said:

Is it reliable? Easy to use and set up?

Initial setup was done by the heating engineer who installed the system. It involved connecting the relay box to the boiler (central heating only for us as we have unvented megaflow hot water cylinders), replacing all the TRVS and pairing them to the controller. We have room stats in three of our twelve zones so they needed to be paired too. He then did an initial settings entry which we have since changed gradually as winter has arrived and as we have learnt how the system works.

In the whole it has been pretty reliable - it has had the odd glitch that has needed the system to re-sync with all the zones - but it has done that itself. The plug transformer to the internet gateway has broken, which is apparently a known issue and a new one is on its way to us.

There has been a bit of tinkering required with TRV settings - our is an old house with a mix of radiators. Some have needed a longer throw than others to work properly.

Is it easy to use? Yes, very. We have a five bedroom farmhouse with three "reception rooms", a big open plan kitchen/dining area and four bathrooms. We have been able to "zone" all of the rooms separately apart from one bedroom/bathroom due to the twelve zone limit.

It's a doddle to setup individual daily schedules with several different periods within each day. Schedules can easily be copied to other days and other zones. Overriding the system is equally easy and can be done by the controller, TRV or app. A new app has been released that apparently allows schedule changes via app too. I haven't tried it yet as we are still waiting for the power supply replacement to the internet gateway.

Overall we are very happy - I expect to make a significant saving in oil consumption with far greater control of the heating system than I have ever attempted before.

[paulrockliffe]

New app is crap for me. Rather than highlighting the graph with when the heating was on or the sun out you have to click a button. There's no week view and it reports me as away even though I'm home. It puts the heating on, so it does know I'm home. Temperature on the display is unreliable too.

[tucker61]

Any of you got the old apk file so I can roll back to previous version?

[sjj84]

Thanks for that leithan, I'm going to order the controller tomorrow, and build the system from there.

[Leithen]

sjj84 said:

Thanks for that leithan, I'm going to order the controller tomorrow, and build the system from there.

The only limitation I can see with the system's current setup/configuration is that it relies upon the controller being able to wirelessly communicate with all the TRVs and boiler relay. This introduces the possibility of distance limitations depending on size/layout of a particular house. We have our controller located centrally and the boiler relay wired along with the hot water timer at a distance from the boiler. Several old two foot walls mean that if it was wired next to the boiler it might be at the limit of wireless connection.

I'd love to know why the wireless signals can't be extended via repeaters, or why the system couldn't use ethernet to create several wireless areas. No doubt it's something to do with different signals etc, but it seems a limitation that would prevent the system being used in big houses where it might be especially useful.

Ours isn't a small house and we have have old farmhouse walls, so the signal is strong enough, but it's worth bearing in mind.

[Pheo]

eatontrifles said:

Looks like Tado are geting a bit of a slating on Facebook & Twitter about the new app - apparently it's almost unusable and has tripled the amount of data used. I haven't updated yet (thankfully) - anyone here updated and got any experiences?

Working fine here on ios8.1. Can't comment too much on data usage as my plan is unlimited but will keep an eye out. Seeing minimal power usage at the mo as well

[mondeoman]

Had a look at the honeywell kit, couldn't see anything on projected savings?

[pikeyboy]

A friend of mine at work has built his own using a raspberry pi, the softwares still a little clunky but it works a treat.

[RossP]

eatontrifles said:

RossP said:

I didn't know there was a new app. What's the difference?

The old one works, the new one doesn't - apparently.

Or, officially;
What's New in Version 2.0
• Completely rewritten native application
• Revised Settings for Operations-Modes for Heating and Hot-Water (if supported by heating system)
• Redesigned Report including display of heating activity, sun intensity & hot-water (if supported by heating system)
• Support for French, Italian and Spanish languages.

This is iOS by the way, the android version was released a few weeks ago and I think they had problems with that as well - the normal stuff (location etc) seems to work on my OH's Android but the settings slide out often doesn't render properly and the layout goes wonky making it unusable until it's closed & opened again.

Mine upgraded itself and now I can't swipe to the right to change my heating settings :-(

On a plus note, my second new Tado has been delivered today so should be able to get the upgrade done. In the first kit they sent, the gateway was duff. I also have the extension kit to install too.

[recalluk]

RossP said:

Mine upgraded itself and now I can't swipe to the right to change my heating settings :-(

On a plus note, my second new Tado has been delivered today so should be able to get the upgrade done. In the first kit they sent, the gateway was duff. I also have the extension kit to install too.

If you slide finger slowly from left or right it works. VERY slowly.

Or do a slight diagonal swipe downwards.

[boxst]

recalluk said:

If you slide finger slowly from left or right it works. VERY slowly.

Or do a slight diagonal swipe downwards.

Thank you for that. It works a bit more consistently than the stabbing, random fingers and general swearing that I've been doing for the last few days before resorting to the browser version.

[dirty_dog]

boy said:

A friend of mine at work has built his own using a raspberry pi, the softwares still a little clunky but it works a treat.

would be interested to hear how he did it unless its all custom?

[RossP]

recalluk said:

If you slide finger slowly from left or right it works. VERY slowly.

Or do a slight diagonal swipe downwards.

Brilliant! Thanks!

[CMYKguru]

Would go for the Nest myself for ease of use and it is rather sleek looking

[Trustmeimadoctor]

It works fine on my nexus 7 swipe fast or slow it works

[page3]

Just had an email from Nest, detailing new software due to be pushed this week.

[Max M4X WW]

As above, didn't seem that interesting but hoping for bits behind the scene which will make things better (though even then, not sure how as it seems to work fine!)

[jon-]

A week later and TADO still can't tell me if an extender will work in my system (hint, it will, it's 7 wires)

Their customer service is useless by email.

[pikeyboy]

dirty_dog said:

boy said:

A friend of mine at work has built his own using a raspberry pi, the softwares still a little clunky but it works a treat.

would be interested to hear how he did it unless its all custom?

He built all himself from scratch he's one our instrumentation/software boffins