Missing Remote

Sofabaton X1S Universal Remote with Hub/App Control

Remote controls are an area of deep personal interest. There are so many things that need to get nailed on the hardware and software sides to create the perfect one. […]

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Use Ubiquiti AI Theta Speaker As A Doorbell Chime

It annoys me that Ubiquiti doesn’t allow me to use the speaker in the AI Theta speakers. This video outlines one way to fix that oversight.

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NextHaus Alliance Sustainable House Panel Q/A

Last night I participated in a panel discussion around building sustainable homes that was sponsored by NextHaus Alliance, the folks who are building our passive house. This is totally why […]

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EVDANCE Tesla NACS to J1772 Adapter

Testing out the 60A version of EVDANCE’s NACS (Tesla) to J1772 adapter. Lets you use Level 2 Tesla chargers (EVSE) at hotels, parking lots, or sharing one at home. EVDANCE’s […]

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Ubiquiti UniFi Protect Ai Theta / Pro Lens / AI Audio

I wasn’t able to find any reviews of the Ubiquiti UniFi Protect Ai Theta camera system that answered my questions around imaging performance. Specifically, how well it worked in low-light […]

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Risk Is Hard: EV + Garage Edition

A friend recently mentioned some hesitancy around parking an EV in their attached garage. I get that, kind of, we all probably remember the problems that Chevy had with their […]

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Emporia Vue 2 Smart Home Energy Monitor

This is a review of the Gen 2 Emporia 2 and a comparison to the IoTaWatt, which provides similar functionality.

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SiliconDust HDHR5-4US CONNECT Quatro network tuner for OTA cord cutters

February 5, 2018 Andrew Van Til

SiliconDust recently upgraded their HDHomeRun (HDHR) CONNECT line of over-the-air (OTA) network tuners to include a $149 MSRP four-stream Quatro (HDHR5-4US) companion for the $99 MSRP two-stream Duo (HDHR5-2US) model. Both models feature 100Mb Ethernet, all new internals, and an attractive form factor. Updated silicon components should bring power savings, so if SiliconDust can also maintain the stability of the […]

NVIDIA Shield Experience 6.3 Adds Plex DVR Commercial Skipping

February 2, 2018 Andrew Van Til

Plex added the DVR commercial skipping feature a couple months back for Plex Pass users, but it has just rolled out to the NVIDIA Shield via the Experience 6.3 update. This is great on so many levels: firstly commercials suck, and second it continues to demonstrated that NVIDIA remains committed to making the best media streamer device on the market […]

Dock Socket install a Google Home Mini or Amazon Echo Dot in a light can

February 2, 2018 Andrew Van Til

I love the idea of voice controllers for home automation that are installed in the ceiling. Which is why something like the First Alert OneLink appeals so strongly. But, the per unit price is kind of high, especially if you have a lot of rooms to automate. Enter the $32 “Dock Socket”. With an option for Google Home Mini or […]

c|net tackles the eternal question – how bright is bright enough

February 1, 2018 Andrew Van Til

Having witnessed the 10,000 nit 8K Sony display at CES last month, I can attest to its magnificence. And, just to be 100% clear, I don’t mean that in a hyperbolic way either. It really was most impressive. Bright, beautiful, incredibly real… but just a prototype… and even if it weren’t, likely well beyond affordability. Sigh… anyway, check out what […]

Wire-free NETGEAR Arlo Security Light available for pre-order

February 1, 2018 Andrew Van Til

If you’ve bought into NETGEAR’s Arlo camera system the $250 wire-free Arlo Security Light companion devices seem like a no-brainier. The kit comes with a few power options, including rechargeable batteries or via a solar panel. Post installation these IP65 “weather resistant” lights with customizable color, pattern, and beam width can tie into a wider Arlo ecosystem either as a […]

CES 2018 – First Alert OneLink Google Home / Amazon Alexa enabled smoke detectors

January 31, 2018 Andrew Van Til

Installing a Google Home Mini or Amazon Echo Dot is a popular way to add the home automation enabling functionality to your house in an unobtrusive way. As neat as that is, it isn’t quite as slick as incorporating the technology straight into a smoke detector. If you have powered detectors already installed, as most modern homes do, the First […]

ASUS Launches Blue Cave 802.11AC AC2600 Wi-Fi router

January 30, 2018 Andrew Van Til

Beyond the doesn’t look like a Wi-Fi router visage, the most interesting thing about the ASUS Blue Cave 802.11AC AC2600 Wi-Fi router is that it’s the first Intel Home Wi-Fi Chipset (what a product name :)) based networking kit that I’ve run across. Given the 4×4 1733Mbps + 800Mbps specifications, it has to be using the WAV524. SoC considerations aside, […]

CES 2018 – abode itoa all-in-one security camera home automation controller

January 29, 2018 Andrew Van Til

I wasn’t familiar with abode’s iota security system, home automation controller (HAC), and camera system before meeting them at CES. Overall the system looks quite approachable, and is obviously more intended for users who prioritize ease of installation and user experience (UX) over flexibility. I don’t mean that as a negative, per se. Just something that would need to be […]

CES 2018 – Nightingale smart home sleep system

January 28, 2018 Andrew Van Til

As a light sleeper the Nightingale smart home sleep system is very appealing to me, even at its $149/$249 price point. For the price you get “smarts” not found in a traditional white noise machine, like schedules and Amazon Alexa/IFTTT support. IFTTT support is particularly interesting from a home automation perspective because it means that you can tie the Nightingale […]

CES 2018 – Phrame smart license plate frame

January 28, 2018 Andrew Van Til

Being completely honest, I’m not sure how I feel about the Phrame smart license plate frame. By replacing the rear license plate frame with it, you can keep a spare key (or fob) on the car opened by a combination or your smartphone. It has other features like temperature and location reporting, but the primary use case is just that. […]

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