Started by: HomeAutomationNoob | Dec 2024
Planning to setup smart home in my new house. Keep hearing about this "Matter" standard everywhere. Do i really need Matter-compatible devices or is it just marketing hype??
Already bought some Philips Hue lights and Amazon Echo last year. Will these work or did i waste my money?
Reply by: SmartHomeEnthusiast
Matter is legit, not hype. Matter is a new smart home standard developed by Google, Apple, Amazon, and the Zigbee Alliance that enables seamless interoperability between different smart home ecosystems.
Your Philips Hue and Echo should be compatible or get firmware updates. The hole point is you wont need 5 different apps anymore - everything talks to each other.
Reply by: DIY_Dave
I've been running smart home for 3 years now and Matter is game-changer. Before Matter, I had:
Samsung SmartThings hub
Separate app for lights
Another app for thermostat
Different app for security cameras
Now with Matter, its mostly unified. Not perfect yet but way better than before. Also, Matter provides end-to-end encryption for improved security which is huge considering all the smart home hacking news lately.
Reply by: SecurityFirst_Tom
Speaking of security... anyone else worried about the security risks? I read that 56% of consumers cite cybersecurity concerns with smart homes. With everything connected, if someone hacks your network they control your whole house.
I'm sticking with offline automation where possible. Maybe im paranoid but better safe than sorry.
Reply by: HomeAutomationNoob
@SecurityFirst_Tom - thats exactly my concern too! But I also want the convenience...
@SmartHomeEnthusiast - so your saying I should look for Matter logo when buying new devices? Will my existing stuff stop working?
Reply by: SmartHomeEnthusiast
Your existing stuff will keep working fine. Matter is backward compatible for most major brands. Just when you buy NEW devices, yes look for Matter support. Saves headaches down the road.
Also protip: put all smart devices on separate network from your computers/phones. Basic security but lots of people dont do it.
