Saw these yesterday whilst at Aldi Goulburn.
Had around 10 boxes on display
Previous post https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/195203
Saw these at Goulburn Aldi
Had about 15 Boxes in stock
I use mine to turn on electric blankets from downstairs in winter.
Never fails to turn on.
Maybe yours were faulty? :(
Some of these require a web server / service that's out of your control, hosted by X / Y company.
If they disapear, your remote functionality dies.
I'd prefer some kind of open source solution (or very good closed source) that lets you log in DIRECT to the device rather than requiring third party hosting. At most a dyndns system for remote smartphone lookup.
(This one might be good, I don't know, I'm just sayin)
Not this unit. Just need to be able to access home WiFi & use free App on Android or iPhone. Explained in link to manual below.
Does it work outside of the home though? Over 3G / 4G TCP/IP, not just internal Wifi on the same network.
I've set one up after Xmas and it works over mobile network back to home wifi. The main transmitter unit must be plugged in though.
No just wireless something-or-other, don't need line of sight, as they look almost the same as ones I have already… watts saver brand as I recall
This deal will be very limited as these were in a sale May last year! So store specific & only enough stock to qualify as a deal. I've seen one sitting in Brisbane store for many months at $50.
I've used both these. The hub operates on WiFi & RF within house, plus sends IR remote signals within line of sight.
Manual, setting up app with timers etc - for this HE215041 hub
Discussed it
Uses a free app e-Control. Basic but works. Hub is a rebadged Broadlink RM PRO Home Appliance Remote Hub, cheaper than original or eBay - which does not include any power points.
Hub includes the other deal - 4 RF remote power points & remote.
You can add more packs of remote power points to hub.
Problem: these will disconnect from hub & remote if power fails or power point it is plugged into is turned off. Requires each power point to be paired again (its easy).
Major problem if you want to control from outside home via internet! Never been a problem so far & I am not controlling from outside house.
Hub has learning mode to replicate your IR remote signals. So if hub is in lounge, you can control from smart phone - TV, aircon, etc or other IR controlled units if in line of sight. From memory IR signal is sent from 3 different directions.
Power points are controlled via RF, so can be turned on/off in different rooms from smart phone or internet. Plus you can control power point from included RF remote.
Timers and macros to perform multiple functions can be set in App.
these will disconnect from hub & remote if power fails or power point it is plugged into is turned off. Requires each power point to be paired again (its easy).
Sounds like useless junk.
Ive played with so many of these home automation products and 90% of them are worthless.
I hadn't even thought about this problem (power failures here are so rare) until it was discussed in a post.
Agree with you - the automation hub is really just a gimmick, but I've had some fun with it. Don't rely on it.
Aldi is not a specialist supplier of home automation, it's just cheaper & has 60 day return policy to try it out.
Which one(s) do you recommend?
I use CBUS
(wireless CBUS is a bit flacky)
Pretty much forget anything that uses powerline modulation or wireless.
Powerline modulation ends in a partitioned network due to seperate circuits in the house. You end up having to wire in bridging devices between circuits.
Wireless is unreliable (be definition) so you get situations where pressing the button doesn't get to the target and you have to press again. If you have a system that has leds (status) they can get out of sync which complicates anything more than just switching the device on and off.
(I haven't tried zwave though and one of my colleagues was impressed with this tech).
I tried a bunch of these (cost lots of $$$) and they were so irritating and unreliable they would end up circumvented and in most cases removed.
@drunifex: I should say i used a combination of wireless CBUS on some points (hard to wire) and wired for the rest. The wireless always has little issues. Wired is very solid.
Cheap at around 50% and 62.5% of their original price in May but the power points have no memory requiring re-pairing after power loss or relocation according to https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/195203#comment-2770954. This may pose a problem depending on intend use case.
The IR/RF Controller alone costs more on its own so may worthwhile if you have a use for it.
It's meant to be able to clone both 433 and 315 MHz RF.
Worked with 433 but not 315. Unfortunately I needed 315 so returned it.
Maybe I got a dud.
I tried with a different RF power point from Jaycar (didn't note frequency) & wouldn't pair. I returned the other power points & kept the hub.
I have the original Broadlink RM Pro and it's hooked up to a UPS powerboard so loss of power isn't a problem…. for a while anyway.
That's the easy part. You could just run the hub from a 5V powerbank on charge to maintain continuous power.
Its maintaining power to the remote power point units (that come with the hub in this deal) scattered around the house which is difficult & expensive.
Yep, the IR/RF controller should operate the same after power is restored. It's the power points that require re-pairing with the remote control after power loss. I found a cheap pair of power points that work with the IR/RF controller and have memory to avoid the need to re-pair available from Jaycar (few at some Sydney stores) for $9.95 back in May 2015 that appeared to be clearance items so I don't know whether they are still available https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/195203#comment-2790271.
Ah, I remember that Jaycar catalog special well. I was going to post it, until I used 2 sets.
I used & returned those. Constantly had to re-pair, without power failures. Battery in receiver kept going flat after a month or two with little use, as well.
Worked by receiving IR signal from a TV or other remote, transmitted RF to power points.
Aldi hub wouldn't work with these remote RF power points.
@Infidel: Thanks, I didn't know how long batteries last before needing replacement in the Jaycar IR/RF bridge because I only used it to program the Broadlink e-control app used for the Aldi WiFi enabled IR/RF controller. After that, I put away the bridge (taking out the batteries) because I am only interested in controlling via network using the app instead of an IR remote control.
@samlor:
You got the power points to work with the Aldi hub? I didn't manage that - so could have been a faulty batch. Unusual 2 different sets would fail. That could also have caused the batteries to go flat.
@Infidel: Yep, the "hub" IF/RF signalling seemed a bit finicky at first, needing me to fiddle/persist a bit with the e-control app but once it worked, it was fine and I could continue to use the app with the "hub" continuously powered. Actually, at $39.99 I would have kept the Bauhn Smart Home Automation Remote Control Pack just for the "hub" to save me the hassle but it was $79.99 at the time so I returned it (love ALdi's generous return policy) and bought a Broadlink a bit cheaper from eBay. A bit stingy, I know, but this is OzBargain and I didn't like nor want the power points without memory.
@samlor:
I got the App & Aldi hub working with everything I tried, except those Watts Clever power points. So they may have been faulty.
@Infidel: Odd/unlucky but possible I guess.
Now, with an Android device kept powered and running set up for remote control access to via TeamViewer Host, I can switch power points on/off using the e-control app over the Internet on the cheap. Hurrah!
I LOVE the remote control pack. The app on my phone tells me what the temperature is inside the house and I can turn the air conditioning on 30 minutes out and the house is fantastic when I walk in the door.
oh man this is perfect for a project (mine is ongoing) using a raspberry pi and RF sniffer and sender. You can then host your own home automation system such as OpenHAB or HomeAssistant. Im going to check my local ALDI and fingers crossed they have it too.
Left over stock from sale in May!
Thanks OP :)
I have been looking for these for a while now with no luck.
I called ALDI a few days ago and enquired about the 4x Remote Controlled Outlet ($12.49), and they advised NO STOCK ANYWHERE!! How useless.
Any chance you may be going back to that store?
I'm in Parramata, Sydney.
I would love it if I can get 2 of them!?
Sorry I live in Melbourne and was just driving thru. My local aldi also have the home automation but it's 59.00
Had 1 Remote Controlled Powerpoint fail - remote was not recognised unless almost held against power point.
Emailed support address in warranty doc, with photo of receipt & explaining it failed on 2 remotes shown in photo. About 1 hour later they requested my address & dispatched new box of 4 Remote Controlled Powerpoint & remote.
Great service. Didn't have to return faulty set.
The remote controlled power points are crap. The remote control buttons are not reliable sometimes works sometimes not. Really bad if you are trying to control something in another room, have to walk over to verify.
Returned it.