The listening approach is, perhaps, more complex overall, but most of the complexity is in software. The hardware is simple commodity hardware.
The put an ESP8266 in each device approach puts the complexity in hardware, and in interfacing the hardware to the smoke detector. If you ever replace a smoke detector with one from a different manufacturer you may have to change the interface method.
In addition to that, the ESP8266 approach is harder to manage. Whenever you change your wifi network in a way that requires updating login parameters you have to update the firmware on all your smoke alarm monitors.
With the listening approach, you just have to change login parameters on the device that is doing the listening (if it is using wifi...I'd probably actually have it on ethernet)
Furthermore, the listening approach can be expanded to listen for other things besides smoke detectors just be changing software. You could add listening for your doorbell, or your telephone, or your dog barking, or glass breaking.
> Furthermore, the listening approach can be expanded to listen for other things besides smoke detectors just be changing software. You could add listening for your doorbell, or your telephone, or your dog barking, or glass breaking.
Or a whistling gas kettle, which is an actual use case for me.
Generally, I very like the approach of listening and trying to recognize sounds. It's much more flexible than trying to put a brain in every other thing you have at home.
The put an ESP8266 in each device approach puts the complexity in hardware, and in interfacing the hardware to the smoke detector. If you ever replace a smoke detector with one from a different manufacturer you may have to change the interface method.
In addition to that, the ESP8266 approach is harder to manage. Whenever you change your wifi network in a way that requires updating login parameters you have to update the firmware on all your smoke alarm monitors.
With the listening approach, you just have to change login parameters on the device that is doing the listening (if it is using wifi...I'd probably actually have it on ethernet)
Furthermore, the listening approach can be expanded to listen for other things besides smoke detectors just be changing software. You could add listening for your doorbell, or your telephone, or your dog barking, or glass breaking.