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If you want to change color temperature, a smart bulb is the only real practical way. But still a compromise in usability.

If you don’t, then smart switches on a proper mesh protocol (thread, zigbee, zwave; not wifi) is the only answer. That way everything just works as everyone expects. There is no user training. You don’t have to worry about your automation not working because somebody turned the switch off. Everything just works like you are used to, but now they are also smart.

All my dimmers also have RGB LEDs built in. They are great for notifications.

Do you have any sort of automation control system? Even something as simple as SmartThings hub or even an Alexa or Google home device that is not ancient.

With a controller it is just a matter or mapping inputs to outputs. You could wire the magnetic door lock to also send a relay signal to the controller. The controller would then be programmed to turn on the TV when it sees that input.

But if you are going to turn them on remotely, what will turn them off? Will you have a separate signal that people are leaving the cage?

What will trigger the TV’s to turn off?

Yeah, the problem is that is the job he was brought in to do and they are just now figuring that out. Now what? Let him go and hire a manager that plays United style? Who would that be?

If you have your Ring camera connected to any sort of controller, the motion sensor becomes a trigger that your can program actions for.

I programmed mine to bring up video of the front door on the Echo Show screen. But the Ring integration with Alexa is too slow and I can just walk to the door instead of waiting for the video to load.

I don’t think I understand your use case.

I just buy ZigBee switches. I control them remotely using HomeAssistant, SmartThigns and Alexa. Any user in the house has access to the same phone app.

If you are dealing with API keys you must be stuck trying to control WiFi lights across the internet through their cloud service and back.

How does the remote work? RF or IR?

The standard approach would be to get a blaster for the same type of communication and have it learn the commands. But since the existing remote doesn’t work, this will be hard.

You will have to see if you can get a hold of the commands in a document that you can use to program your blaster.

1- there are smart switches specific for this. But most work differently than the old dumb switch. You usually wire them with only one master switch actually controlling the load and how many slave switches you need for the other locations. The salves just tell the master what to do.

There are some special ones that allow you to only have to change one switch to a new smart master switch and will work in conjunction with the existing dumb switches in the circuit. Much cheaper, but you only get dimming control from the master.

2 - Sounds like you need a double-switch. I know zooz has one. https://www.getzooz.com/zooz-zen30-double-switch/

Just break it. It is garbage anyway.

What I am thinking of is something like a kasa smart plug

That will work.

but controlled by USB by the Pi.

Now you made it difficult. I’m not aware of any smart plug that can be controlled via USB. They are either WiFi and you make an API call or ZigBee/Thread/Zwave and you need a controller like SmartThings/Alexa/HomeAssistant to send the command to the device.