Reading Time: < 1 minuteHue Labs was a successful beta platform for Hue routines and automations. It led to many excellent smart home features. Hue Labs died in March 2024. Most or all of the beta features were migrated to the Hue app (there is a Beta annotation on features in the app). Lets Read more…
Reading Time: 5 minutesElsewhere in this blog (see posts here, here, here, and here) I presented a general overview of smart lighting systems. I also touched upon their usefulness and effectiveness when considering automations. In this post I list the steps that one must follow for smartening his/her home lights. Smart home enthusiasts Read more…
Reading Time: 3 minutes NFC technology The Near Field Communication (NFC) technology allows us to wirelessly transfer data between two devices that are less than 4 cm apart. Our phone has an electronic reader which reads the data stored on NFC tags. We first need to download the NFC Tools app, which is Read more…
Reading Time: 4 minutesContinued from post here. The following issues must be also considered when setting up a smart lighting system: wireless protocol brand compatibility battery duration of accessories malfunction and customer support compatibility with smart home platforms and price. Wireless protocol As described in an earlier post, smart light devices Read more…
Reading Time: 4 minutesContinued from here Turning lights on/off We have installed and named all lights/ accessories and allocated them to the available rooms. Now we must turn them on and off and adjust their color and brightness to fit our mood and/or the time of day. We do this using six methods. Read more…
Reading Time: 3 minutesContinued from post here For all smart light brands, the brightness and color of installed lights as well the behavior of accessories (e.g., motion sensors, remotes) are controlled with an app. Generally all apps are user friendly and guide you through a step-by-step instruction set. Thus, the average user Read more…
Reading Time: 2 minutesContinued from post here Installation For all brands, the installation of smart bulbs, strips, plugs, switches, and sensors is done through the brand’s app. Albeit not perfect, all apps are constantly improved and make the process simple. In addition, there are numerous YouTube videos on the installation of almost Read more…
Reading Time: 3 minutesSmart home and smart home cinema are very creative hobbies. Smart devices and the platforms in which they are embedded allow us to set automations that make our everyday life easier. We save time, money, and energy, protect the environment, entertain ourselves, and last, but not least, exercise our mind. Read more…
Reading Time: 4 minutesPlugs, switches and bulbs Light is everything. It is the most important aspect of home decoration and atmosphere that drastically changes our emotions and mood. Thus, any (smart home) cinema starts from smartening the lights. The way to achieve a smart light environment is by using smart plugs/switches and/or smart Read more…