Android Authority details DIY smart home hub built from old Android phones

In the account, the first step was setting up an IR blaster to control home appliances. The author chose a Tuya model, which Android Authority described as one of the cheapest hardware options in their area. The blaster connects to a 5V-1A power supply, pairs with a phone through the Tuya app, and can be configured in the Smart IR interface. Most basic appliances can be set up with Quick Match, and the system can learn commands from original remotes using on-screen instructions. Once connected, the phone can replace physical remotes for air conditioners, fans, and televisions, the article said.

Although the author expected to use MacroDroid for automation immediately, Tuya's built-in Geofence Entry and Exit routines were enough for arrival and departure triggers. After testing various routines, the author kept only one location-based trigger: turning on the air conditioner shortly before arriving home from work. Once inside, the author adjusted the AC temperature or toggled the TV on the phone based on real-time weather and personal comfort.

The approach favored manual control over predetermined patterns. The author wrote that rigid schedules often fail to accommodate real-world variables and changing needs, and that they did not want the system to predict their next move. For more aggressive automation, the article pointed to the Tuya app's Automation and Tap-to-Run sections, as well as Tasker or MacroDroid.

Drawbacks included IR signals not penetrating walls, meaning the user sometimes needed to be in the same room as the target device. Other glitches occurred, particularly when a physical remote was used to toggle a device on or off, but resyncing was straightforward, the author said.

The author argued that advanced devices such as presence sensors, smart door locks, smart thermostats, and motorized curtains are unnecessary for an entry-level setup, because basic solutions address most everyday hassles. Building a smart home should be a gradual upgrade, the account said, rather than spending money on many smart devices and overautomating them until the user forgets what each one does.

The most optional but rewarding part of the project was converting an old Pixel into a hands-free, voice-controlled home hub. The author enabled Hey Google by navigating to Settings, then Google, then Settings for Google apps, then Search, Assistant and Voice, then Gemini, and then Talk to Gemini hands-free.

The author encountered a difference between Gemini and Google Assistant: Gemini Live requires a manual trigger to start a new session. The Hey Google prompt worked for individual queries but could not sustain an ongoing conversation. To activate Gemini Live remotely from a Galaxy phone without reaching over to the plugged-in Pixel, the author used a MacroDroid trigger. Android Authority said MacroDroid was chosen over Tasker because it offers a seven-day free trial and its price remains reasonable after the trial, adding that this does not mean Tasker is inferior. The account described configuring distant Gemini Live activation on a Pixel 3 XL used as the receiver unit.

Android Authority said the project ended as a success: a budget-friendly, self-built smart home suited to the author's needs and retaining a certain level of control over the system. The article's setup involved only an IR blaster, two Android phones, a smart plug, and a couple of apps; one phone would suffice for users who do not want a DIY home hub.