Category: Videos

Automating Z-Wave/Zigbee Home Basics

home automation ideas

Can my smart home get my kids to school on time?

In our latest YouTube video, we give you some ideas for helping get your kids out of the house for school in a timely and stress-free manner. In my house, this involves using wakeup lights to rouse the kids in a gentle manner (at least as gentle as it gets at 6:30 in the morning).…
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Alfred DB1 Z-Wave + Bluetooth Smart Lock

Alfred is a relative newcomer to the smart lock market. I first learned about them at CES 2020 when I passed what I thought were some of the most interesting locks I’ve ever seen. Very sexy in my opinion. Currently Alfred makes an entry-level line (DB1) and a professional line (DB2). This article discusses the…
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Hubitat EASY Home Automation – Without Rule Machine!

Hubitat Rule Machine can be a little overwhelming for first time users. The good news is, there are easier places to start your powerful home automations in Hubitat. We’ll look at four often overlooked apps that are user friendly. The apps include Motion Lighting, Simple Automation Rules, Groups and Scenes, and Button Controller. For the…
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Inovelli 4 in 1 sensor

Inovelli 4-in-1 Sensor Review

The Inovelli 4-in-1 Sensor model LZW60 is Inovelli’s first venture into the sensor world. I find the decision to go after the 4-in-1 market to be a good idea. The sensor offers Motion, Temperature, Humidity and Light detection. What else would you need? In true Inovelli form, this is a highly configurable device and requires…
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bring old alarm wires back to life

Convert Your Old Wired Home Alarm System into a DIY Smart Home Security System

Homes with existing alarm system wiring can provide your home automation system with a multitude of sensors. The problem to date is that there have not been really good options to take advantage of the wired sensors. Until today that is. In late 2018, Fibaro released the Smart Implant which is a Z-Wave plus device…
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Yale YRD256-CBA / ZW2 / iM1 Smart Deadbolt Review

The Yale YRD256 line provides options for all home automation enthusiasts regardless of your platform. There are options for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee and Z-Wave Plus which aligns it with Apple HomeKit, SmartThings, Hubitat, Connected by August and other popular platforms. You can even use it with an app or no automation at all.  Connected by…
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Smart Home Lock Comparison

This page is a work in progress. As I test more locks, they will be added here. Thank you for your patience. Make/Model  Protocol Install Complexity Proximity Unlock Motor Noise Power-fail Backup Hub Command Reliability Lock Status Report Reliability User Report to Hub Reliability Alfred / DB1 Bluetooth Z-Wave Low Yes Low USB High High…
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Yale YRD156-ZW2 Smart Deadbolt Review

If you’re a dedicated Z-Wave enthusiast or you’re looking for reliable Z-Wave lock to integrate with your security system, this lock deserves a serious look. While it doesn’t have all of the cool features contained in the YRD256, this lock (YRD156) contains the functions required to ensure your smart home is safe and secure.  Buy…
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29 Home Automation Tricks

Here is the How behind the What. Since I use the Hubitat Elevation (HE) Home Automation Hub, all examples are based on HE and Alexa.

Lock Testing and Error Rates

When it comes to testing smart locks, I focus on two aspects: 1) does the lock do what it’s told to do when commanded by the hub; and 2) does the lock tell the hub what happened (locked, unlocked, which user, etc.). My goal is for these tests to be as automated as possible. The more…
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