Alfredo shares his journey into home automation, explaining how his exploration aligned with his personal values of privacy, choice, and sustainability, which he found mirrored in Home Assistant's philosophy

Watch the full episode on YouTube

https://hasspodcast.io/ha186

Chapters

00:00:51 Alfredo's Journey into Home Automation

00:01:59 Building the Ultimate Smart Home

00:02:10 Challenges in Home Automation with Electricians

00:06:27 Teaching and Sharing Home Assistant

00:13:15 Building a Home Lab and Home Assistant Philosophy

00:17:27 Importance of Privacy and Data Control

00:20:09 Home Automation Hardware and Setup

00:26:46 AI and the Future of Home Automation

00:26:59 Automation with Google Meet and Home Assistant

00:32:24 Challenges of Interoperability

00:33:04 VLAN Setup for Network Security

00:41:30 Resilience in Smart Home Automations

00:50:22 Technology Challenges: Zigbee vs Wi-Fi

00:55:37 Designing User-Friendly Dashboards

00:56:04 Adapting Dashboards for Family Needs

00:59:32 Default Dashboard Blueprints

01:01:03 Automation Philosophy

01:03:45 Accessibility in Smart Homes

01:05:50 Future of Home Automation with AI

01:11:59 Educating the Community About Home Assistant

Support the Podcast

Get early-access to episodes and an ad-free feed by supporting our Patreon.

Support Rohan and Phil on Patreon

This episode was made possible thanks to our sponsors

Home Assistant Cloud by Nabu Casa

Easily connect to Google and Amazon voice assistants for a small monthly fee that also supports the Home Assistant project. Configuration is via the User Interface so no fiddling with router settings, dynamic DNS, or YAML.

Zooz

If you're looking to upgrade your smart home - you can’t go past Zooz! Zooz offers a range of affordable and innovative devices, including water leak sensors, water valve controllers, smart plugs and scene controllers.

So for the best prices on all Zooz products, head over to thesmartesthouse.com

Hosts

Phil Hawthorne

Website

Smart Home Products

Twitter: @philhawthorne

Bluesky: @philhawthorne.com

Buy Phil a Coffee

Rohan Karamandi

Website

Smart Home Products

Twitter: @rohank9

Buy Rohan a Coffee

We’re kicking off our new Vendor series of episodes, and first up are Connor and Tez who are making a business of installing Home Assistant for their customers

Watch the full episode on YouTube

https://hasspodcast.io/ha185

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:48 Jimmy's Journey into Digital Creation

00:01:43 Discussion on CES and Content Creation

00:02:25 The Beginnings of Smart Home Adventures

00:04:00 Jimmy's Transition from TikTok to YouTube

00:13:23 Jimmy's Smart Home Evolution and Insights

00:16:42 Discussion on Home Assistant and Smart Home Platforms

00:26:32 ESPHome Devices

00:26:50 Home Assistant Yellow Upgrade Process

00:27:45 Challenges with CM5 and NVMe Drive

00:29:59 Silicon Labs Multi-Protocol Mode Issues

00:32:40 Voice Assistants and Home Automation

00:40:34 Home Assistant Community and Features

00:42:38 User-Friendly Requests and Improvements

00:49:52 Recommending Home Assistant to Beginners

01:06:24 Wrap-up

Support the Podcast

Get early-access to episodes and an ad-free feed by supporting our Patreon.

Support Rohan and Phil on Patreon

This episode was made possible thanks to our sponsors

Home Assistant Cloud by Nabu Casa

Easily connect to Google and Amazon voice assistants for a small monthly fee that also supports the Home Assistant project. Configuration is via the User Interface so no fiddling with router settings, dynamic DNS, or YAML.

Zooz

If you're looking to upgrade your smart home - you can’t go past Zooz! Zooz offers a range of affordable and innovative devices, including water leak sensors, water valve controllers, smart plugs and scene controllers.

So for the best prices on all Zooz products, head over to thesmartesthouse.com

Hosts

Phil Hawthorne

Website

Smart Home Products

Twitter: @philhawthorne

Bluesky: @philhawthorne.com

Buy Phil a Coffee

Rohan Karamandi

Website

Smart Home Products

Twitter: @rohank9

Buy Rohan a Coffee

A new Areas dashboard type lands in 2024.5. Meanwhile we’ve got some announcements about the podcast to share

Watch the full episode on YouTube

https://hasspodcast.io/ha184

Chapters

00:02:18 Open Home Foundation Transition

00:05:17 Leadership and Organizational Changes

00:06:52 Non-profit Status and Challenges

00:11:41 Commercial Partnerships and Growth

00:22:35 Community Survey Insights

00:26:43 Z-Wave Certification and Bug Fixing

00:27:07 Building Relationships with Big Brands

00:27:34 Home Assistant Certification and Reliability

00:28:25 Community Interaction and Automation

00:29:20 Device Database and AI Utilization

00:32:51 Importance of Open Standards

00:33:12 Matter and Local Device Integration

00:35:34 Benefits of Localized Smart Products

00:36:18 Community Day Announcement

00:37:19 Listener Feedback and Parenting Automation Tips

00:44:13 Home Assistant Backup and Update Features

00:47:32 New Text-to-Speech Variants

00:49:17 Entity Picker Overhaul

00:52:54 UI and YAML Integration

00:54:25 Direct YAML Pasting

00:55:45 Network Discovery Tools

00:57:31 Z-Wave Smart Start and Long Range

01:02:55 HomeKit and AI Features

01:05:57 New Integrations

01:07:35 Breaking Changes and Theming Updates

Support the Podcast

Get early-access to episodes and an ad-free feed by supporting our Patreon.

Support Rohan and Phil on Patreon

This episode was made possible thanks to our sponsors

Home Assistant Cloud by Nabu Casa

Easily connect to Google and Amazon voice assistants for a small monthly fee that also supports the Home Assistant project. Configuration is via the User Interface so no fiddling with router settings, dynamic DNS, or YAML.

Zooz

If you're looking to upgrade your smart home - you can’t go past Zooz! Zooz offers a range of affordable and innovative devices, including water leak sensors, water valve controllers, smart plugs and scene controllers.

So for the best prices on all Zooz products, head over to thesmartesthouse.com

Hosts

Phil Hawthorne

Website

Smart Home Products

Twitter: @philhawthorne

Bluesky: @philhawthorne.com

Buy Phil a Coffee

Rohan Karamandi

Website

Smart Home Products

Twitter: @rohank9

Buy Rohan a Coffee

We’re kicking off our new Vendor series of episodes, and first up are Connor and Tez who are making a business of installing Home Assistant for their customers

Watch the full episode on YouTube

https://hasspodcast.io/ha183

Chapters

00:01:05 Background and Challenges

00:02:02 Finding Home Assistant

00:03:53 Development and Expansion

00:13:47 Client Onboarding and Integration

00:23:11 Practical Challenges and Aesthetic Considerations

00:24:36 Smart Home Technologies and Sensors

00:32:00 Client Consultations

00:34:45 Hardware Recommendations and Remote Support

00:48:19 Managing Updates and Customization

00:55:54 Client Practices and Smart Home Installations

01:06:55 Security and Automation in Smart Homes

01:10:43 Product Recommendations and Home Automation Introduction

01:11:04 System Integrations and Favorite Automations

01:18:15 Presence Detection and Backup Strategies

01:22:33 Design Practices and Final Thoughts

Support the Podcast

Get early-access to episodes and an ad-free feed by supporting our Patreon.

Support Rohan and Phil on Patreon

This episode was made possible thanks to our sponsors

Home Assistant Cloud by Nabu Casa

Easily connect to Google and Amazon voice assistants for a small monthly fee that also supports the Home Assistant project. Configuration is via the User Interface so no fiddling with router settings, dynamic DNS, or YAML.

Zooz

If you're looking to upgrade your smart home - you can’t go past Zooz! Zooz offers a range of affordable and innovative devices, including water leak sensors, water valve controllers, smart plugs and scene controllers.

So for the best prices on all Zooz products, head over to thesmartesthouse.com

Notion

Notion combines your notes, docs, and projects into one space that’s simple and beautifully designed.

Try Notion for free when you go to notion.com/homeassistant

Hosts

Phil Hawthorne

Website

Smart Home Products

Twitter: @philhawthorne

Bluesky: @philhawthorne.com

Buy Phil a Coffee

Rohan Karamandi

Website

Smart Home Products

Twitter: @rohank9

Buy Rohan a Coffee

We talk with Bob who is using Home Assistant to automate and secure his RV, as well as helping his disabled son

Watch the full episode on YouTube

https://hasspodcast.io/ha182

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:54 Bob's Journey with Home Assistant

00:01:40 Efficient Home Automation for Families

00:24:43 Exploring Advanced Automation Systems

00:25:50 Safety in Home Automation

00:33:35 RV Home Automation Challenges

00:50:12 Integrating Node-RED with OpenHAB and MQTT

00:50:32 Lighting Solutions with WLED

00:54:08 Innovation with 3D Printing

00:55:12 Home Automation Projects Discussion

01:18:58 Conclusion and Community Insights

Support the Podcast

Get early-access to episodes and an ad-free feed by supporting our Patreon.

Support Rohan and Phil on Patreon

This episode was made possible thanks to our sponsors

Home Assistant Cloud by Nabu Casa

Easily connect to Google and Amazon voice assistants for a small monthly fee that also supports the Home Assistant project. Configuration is via the User Interface so no fiddling with router settings, dynamic DNS, or YAML.

Zooz

If you're looking to upgrade your smart home - you can’t go past Zooz! Zooz offers a range of affordable and innovative devices, including water leak sensors, water valve controllers, smart plugs and scene controllers.

So for the best prices on all Zooz products, head over to thesmartesthouse.com

Hosts

Phil Hawthorne

Website

Smart Home Products

Twitter: @philhawthorne

Bluesky: @philhawthorne.com

Buy Phil a Coffee

Rohan Karamandi

Website

Smart Home Products

Twitter: @rohank9

Buy Rohan a Coffee

We’re kicking off our new creators special episodes by talking to one of the best out there, Travis from the YouTube channel digiblurDIY.

Watch the full episode on YouTube

https://hasspodcast.io/ha181

digiblurDIY on YouTube

digiblur.com

Chapters

00:00:00 Guest Introduction: Travis aka DigiBlur

00:01:32 Travis' Journey into Home Automation

00:03:10 Challenges and Achievements

00:04:05 ESPHome and Tasmota

00:08:54 Sponsorships and Content Creation

00:19:45 Family Involvement and Outro Stories

00:20:51 Inspiration and Content Creation Approach

00:22:23 Design Ethos in Home Automation

00:22:52 Origin of DigiBlur

00:25:13 Introduction to Unraid and Docker

00:25:28 Accidental Discovery of Home Assistant

00:26:04 Exploring Smart Home Automation Options

00:26:46 Home Assistant Setup and Features

00:27:41 Transition from SmartThings to Home Assistant

00:28:43 Challenges and Evolution of Home Assistant Setup

00:34:55 Smart Home Setup Discussion

00:42:44 Scene Controllers and Automation

00:47:43 Managing Node-RED for Home Automation

00:49:16 Home Automation Discussion

00:50:29 AI in Home Automation

01:01:27 Speaker and Audio Quality

01:05:32 Advice for New Creators

01:08:30 Community Engagement

01:09:34 Conclusion

Support the Podcast

Get early-access to episodes and an ad-free feed by supporting our Patreon.

Support Rohan and Phil on Patreon

This episode was made possible thanks to our sponsors

Home Assistant Cloud by Nabu Casa

Easily connect to Google and Amazon voice assistants for a small monthly fee that also supports the Home Assistant project. Configuration is via the User Interface so no fiddling with router settings, dynamic DNS, or YAML.

Zooz

If you're looking to upgrade your smart home - you can’t go past Zooz! Zooz offers a range of affordable and innovative devices, including water leak sensors, water valve controllers, smart plugs and scene controllers.

So for the best prices on all Zooz products, head over to thesmartesthouse.com

Hosts

Phil Hawthorne

Website

Smart Home Products

Twitter: @philhawthorne

Bluesky: @philhawthorne.com

Buy Phil a Coffee

Rohan Karamandi

Website

Smart Home Products

Twitter: @rohank9

Buy Rohan a Coffee

A new Areas dashboard type lands in 2025.4. Meanwhile we’ve got some announcements about the podcast to share

Watch the full episode on YouTube

https://hasspodcast.io/ha180

Chapters

00:00:58 Upcoming State of the Open Home

00:02:49 Matter Certification and Open Home Innovations

00:06:06 Motion Blinds and Community Day

00:07:22 Podcast Updates and New Sponsor

00:10:23 SwitchBot Integration Update

00:11:56 Home Assistant 2025.4 Release Highlights

00:12:18 Voice Support Enhancements

00:19:10 New Areas Dashboard

00:24:51 Backup Sensors and UI Breadcrumbs

00:27:39 Home Assistant Features

00:29:48 SmartThings and Home Assistant

00:32:00 Home Connect Integration

00:32:24 Roborock and Reolink Updates

00:40:10 Breaking Changes & Updates

00:43:59 Additional Episodes & Patreon

Support the Podcast

Get early-access to episodes and an ad-free feed by supporting our Patreon.

Support Rohan and Phil on Patreon

This episode was made possible thanks to our sponsors

Home Assistant Cloud by Nabu Casa

Easily connect to Google and Amazon voice assistants for a small monthly fee that also supports the Home Assistant project. Configuration is via the User Interface so no fiddling with router settings, dynamic DNS, or YAML.

Zooz

If you're looking to upgrade your smart home - you can’t go past Zooz! Zooz offers a range of affordable and innovative devices, including water leak sensors, water valve controllers, smart plugs and scene controllers.

So for the best prices on all Zooz products, head over to thesmartesthouse.com

Notion

Notion combines your notes, docs, and projects into one space that’s simple and beautifully designed.

Try Notion for free when you go to notion.com/homeassistant

Hosts

Phil Hawthorne

Website

Smart Home Products

Twitter: @philhawthorne

Bluesky: @philhawthorne.com

Buy Phil a Coffee

Rohan Karamandi

Website

Smart Home Products

Twitter: @rohank9

Buy Rohan a Coffee

Jeroen is a software developer from The Netherlands with a passion for saving money by saving energy. In this episode Jeroen shares his energy dashboard and e-ink calendar display.

Watch the full episode on YouTube

https://hasspodcast.io/ha179

Support the Podcast

Get early-access to episodes and an ad-free feed by supporting our Patreon.

Support Rohan and Phil on Patreon

This episode was made possible thanks to our sponsors

Home Assistant Cloud by Nabu Casa

Easily connect to Google and Amazon voice assistants for a small monthly fee that also supports the Home Assistant project. Configuration is via the User Interface so no fiddling with router settings, dynamic DNS, or YAML.

Hosts

Phil Hawthorne

Website

Smart Home Products

Twitter: @philhawthorne

Buy Phil a Coffee

Rohan Karamandi

Website

Smart Home Products

Twitter: @rohank9

Buy Rohan a Coffee