> the cheapest and best option My father and I implemented all of those features trivially and cheaply in the late 1980s with X10 switches/outlets/fixture. ht

> the cheapest and best option My father and I implemented all of those features trivially and cheaply in the late 1980s with X10 switches/outlets/fixture. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X10_%28industry_standard%29 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X10_%28industry_standard%29 X10 devices also featured: * No internet (or other network) access. It worked as long as the mains power was on. * Putting the control in the outlet or fixture allowed any type of light or device to be controlled. (My father used this to remotely control a CCTV camera) * Plugging a X10-enabled dimmer lamp into a standard outlet (like any other lamp) allowed remote dimming without the need for any modifications to the existing electric outlets/etc. (full-range color LED lights didn't exist yet, but controlling color could have easily used a similar protocol). This type of feature doesn't need and shouldn't be implemented with a "smart" controller. If the design includes a "reset" procedure, it's overengineered and overcomplicated for basic automation of simple devices like lights. If the design requires internet access, it's a broken design that unnecessarily introduces an external dependency and risk of remote attack.