Author: Ryan
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Bose QuietComfort – Product Review
Recommended High quality noise-cancelling headphones. Introduction I recently had the good fortune of acquiring a pair of Bose QuietComfort Headphones from a work event. Needless to say, I was excited to try them out. Unsurprisingly, the headphones lived up to the high expectations that come with a Bose product. You can find reviews of Bose…
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Don’t Rely on DHCP for Smart Home Devices
Use manual IP/Host Name assignment instead. Introduction When it comes to managing your home network, many of us don’t think much beyond connecting the router Wi-Fi or plugging in an ethernet cable. Your phone, computer, and smart TV all connect seamlessly, and everything just works. Part of the seamless design is due to most network…
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Hubitat Room Lighting with Linptech Presence Sensor
Introduction I have talked a lot about how much I like presence sensors. I think it is also pretty clear that I like Hubitat Elevation and its advanced automation capabilities. In this article I will show you how I have set up my room lighting for a complete no-touch lighting automation. This automation features: Prerequisites…
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Build a Smart Home Without a Voice Assistant
I have recently started asking myself “do I really need a virtual voice assistant?” Introduction Voice assistants like Siri, Google and Alexa are often the first step towards building a smart home. Afterall, it’s “just ask” right? They integrate with a wide variety of devices, provide simple control, and offer unified dashboard that allows you…
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Roku Express Product Review
Recommended A user-friendly product with a low cost. Introduction Many TVs these days come with apps and streaming services. If, however, your TV does not have these capabilities, it is easy to add with a plug-in streaming device such. I had an old TV that was using an old Fire TV Stick, but it was…
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Should You Buy Wi-Fi, Zigbee, or Z-Wave?
Zigbee Best balance of price, easy-of-use, compatibility, and availability; but don’t let that deter you from Wi-Fi or Z-Wave if that’s what’s available. Introduction I’d like to start by stating that most smart homes are built from a mix of Wi-Fi, Zigbee, and Z-Wave devices. They each have a specialty and can have a place…
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Motion Sensor or Presence Sensor: Which is better?
Presence Sensor More sensitive and faster response times Introduction Motion Sensors have been on the market for a long time. They are the hallmark of smart home security and automation. More recently, presence sensors have become abundantly available. Overview Feature Motion Sensor Presence Sensor Detects Motion ✔️ ✔️ Detects Static Activity* ❌ ✔️ Adjustable Sensitivity…
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Linptech/Moes Human Presence Sensor Product Review
Recommended Highly sensitive presence and illuminance sensor Introduction Human presence sensors have a great little addition to my Smart Home. I have now purchased 4 of these devices and will likely pick up some more in the future. I found them to be superior to motion sensors, and their dual capability as presence and illuminance…
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Smart Bulbs or Switches: Get it Right on the First Try
Answer (most of the time): Smart Switches Best when you need to control multiple bulbs at the same time They do not get disabled when the light switch is turned off Avoid if: You do not want to mess with any electrical You need a feature that switches don’t offer Introduction Smart lighting is often…