No smart meter would be complete without an IHD. Here at So, we issue two different types of widely-used devices, so have put together the following handy guides in case you are looking for additional support. Just having a nosey? Please see the ‘What's on this page?’ section below. 

ivie Bud meters look different - you can read more about them here.

chameleon ihd
IHD manual

Model: Chameleon IHD3

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geo trio II ihd
IHD manual

Model: GEO Trio II

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What's on this page?

What is an in-home display (IHD)?

Your IHD is a small device that comes with your smart meters and acts as a display for them. You can take reads from this rather than the actual meters (though we advise you to check any readings against your actual smart meter on the wall, especially for older smart meter models and IHDs), and it also shows you information about your usage and your bills. These devices make it much more convenient to keep on top of your energy costs instead of rooting around under the stairs to check your meter. There's also a tutorial built into some of our IHDs in case you need extra assistance.

What does it show?

The main use of your IHD is for you to keep an eye on how much energy you are consuming. It can show you current and past consumption figures, both in kilowatt hours (kWh) and in monetary terms. You can see daily, weekly and monthly consumption figures. 

You can also see amounts for you past bills, information about your smart meters and your current tariff and account information. It won’t show any personal information.

How do I change the budget on my IHD?

With this year's rise in energy prices, you might have noticed your household regularly exceeds the budget set on your smart meter. To avoid this, you may want to change your budget so it's set at a higher value in line with your usage.

If you have a Chameleon IHD 3, here's how to change the set budget:

  1. Press MENU/OK, go to settings, select “Set Budget” and press MENU/OK

  2. Use the arrows to set your budget

  3. Change your fuel type and preferred time period (day, week, month) and view your budget in pounds


If you have a GEO Trio 2 IHD, here's how to change the set budget:

  1. Whilst on the Home screen, press the “Home” button (house icon) to enter the Menu

  2. Select "Settings" using the "O" button and then "Budget" using the "O" button

  3. Enter your monthly Direct Debit amounts into the Electricity and Gas using the arrow buttons to scroll to the desired budget


If you have an Ivie Bud IHD, you can find lots of information on their helpful FAQs page, or you can call them for free advice about how to set the budget on your Ivie IHD.

Don't worry if your household's energy usage goes over budget, we won't switch off your supply.



Where should I keep my IHD?

IHDs are happy when connected up close to your electricity meter. This is because they talk with the communications hub (essentially a transmitter) that sits on top of the electricity meter. Ideally, the IHD should be within a 2-3m range, and should not be obstructed by any thick walls or other electronic devices in your home. You will know when your device is happy, as it will show signal ‘bars’ in either the top left or top right-hand corner of the screen.

Do I get an IHD with my smart meter installation with So Energy?

Yes! If you get a smart meter installed with us, you will be provided with a handy IHD to get all the useful information mentioned above. We install two types of IHD called Chameleon and Geo. If you want any guidance on how to use them, please view our manuals at the top of the page.

My IHD is no longer working, can you help fix it?

The most common issue we see with smart meters is their connectivity to the paired in-home display. Often these issues resolve themselves within 24 to 48 hours so do allow some time after your appointment has finished for the IHD to rectify itself.

Rest assured, if your IHD is not showing data, has lost connection or is waiting for data, it doesn’t mean your meters have lost supply, only that there are connectivity issues with the smart meters.  As long as your smart meters are commissioned, your billing won't be effected and you will still be getting the benefits of those new smart meters. 

To get started on solving any issues if they persist, the first step would be to check our IHD guides above which both contain troubleshooting guides offering solutions to things we often see. 

If you still can't seem to get it working, send us the following information to help@so.energy and we'll try to resolve the issue as soon as we can:

  • A photo of the screen showing the issue at hand
  • How far away the IHD is from your electricity meter
  • How far apart your gas and electricity meters are (if you're a dual-fuel customer)

In some cases, we may need to remotely reboot your devices so that they can reconnect to the Home Area Network (HAN). This is the secure in-home network that allows all of your smart devices to talk to one another. It can sometimes take up to two weeks for the reboot to take place, and we may ask you to manually reboot your IHD once done.

I've lost or damaged my IHD, can I get a new one?

If you have second-generation (SMETS2) meters and your in-home display has been lost or damaged, please get in touch and we can send you a replacement for a small fee. To help speed up this process, please send us a photo of your damaged device when reaching out. 

If you have first generation SMETS1 meters and your in-home display has been lost or damaged, we are unfortunately unable to provide you with a new one. At So, we are working very hard to provide you with your smart consumption data via our website, but we are a little way off that yet. Rest assured, your smart meters will still send us remote readings and do all the smart stuff you're used to, so you won't be missing out. If you have a first-generation smart meter, you can read more about the plan to 'wake up' those meters here so don't worry if it doesn't work just yet.