How to Make IR Devices Smart Easily

Updated on 6th Nov 2020 16:32 in General, Smart

You've probably seen the LED at the end of a TV remote before, but have you ever stopped to think about what exactly it is? The LED is not your typical kind as it emits infrared instead of visible light. This is useful for transmitting signals wirelessly across a short distance, such as when you want to control your TV. How does infrared come into play in a smart home and are infrared devices stuck being manually operated? Luckily for us, there are quite a few ways to make these devices smarter, such as by using a proxy that will connect to the internet.

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The 15 (Hidden) Hazards of Smart Home DIY You Need to Know

Updated on 3rd Nov 2020 18:12 in General, Smart

If you want to build a smart home chances are you have heard people talk about DIY. There's a good reason it will come up: it can save you serious money while getting it done your way. Those advantages are huge and almost always make it worth pursuing a DIY project, especially when it comes to smart homes. Despite the benefits, one question everyone should ask is when should you DIY and when should you buy an existing solution or pay a professional? The answer isn't always straightforward but generally, you will want to avoid projects that deal with safety and security directly.

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What Does No Smart Hub Required Really Mean?

Updated on 1st Nov 2020 18:06 in General, Smart

You may have seen it before on the packaging of an interesting, smart device you wanted to get: "No hub required". What does not hub required mean though? Quite simply, it means that the device does not require a smart hub to operate. There's a lot more to consider when deciding what kind of products you will be using in your smart home though, such as how they make it work without a hub or if hubless is even a good thing.

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The 4 Best HomeKit Hubs You Need To Get

Updated on 30th Oct 2020 17:01 in General, Smart

HomeKit is a great ecosystem that values your privacy by limiting the number of external communications, opting to use your local network for all device commands. At first, there weren't too many options for those looking to implement a HomeKit smart home, making the choice fairly straight forwards. That isn't the case anymore and picking which hub you want to use isn't always an obvious task. Let's see what the best HomeKit hub is for a few different situations.

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The Ultimate Guide To Home Automation Software

Updated on 26th Oct 2020 17:55 in General, Smart

Home automation is quite common commercially these days. Big companies such as Amazon and Google have products that are the entire experience in one neat little package. While offers like these are very tempting due to their availability and constant media attention, there are countless alternatives when it comes to automation software. Here is my list of the best home automation software, along with my recommendations for which you should pick. 

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