Home Assistant Podcast

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TECHNOLOGY
EVERY TWO WEEKS

Home Assistant Podcast

Join hosts Phil Hawthorne and Rohan Karamandi as they explore the newest Home Assistant releases and the latest Home Automation news. Featuring guests who use or contribute to Home Assistant, the podcast aims to inspire new ways to make your home smarter.

19 NOV

Tim’s Aussie rental automated with Zigbee and Home Assistant

Tim is starting out with his Home Assistant journey like many of us did, in a rental with limited options for changing fixtures. Watch the full episode on YouTube https://hasspodcast.io/ha169 Support the PodcastSupport Rohan and Phil on Patreon Patreon supporters get access to an ad-free feed and early episode drops! Chapters00:00:15 Introduction 00:00:50 Meet Tim 00:01:07 Home Automation Beginnings 00:03:13 Challenges in Home Automation 00:05:33 Zigbee and IKEA Devices 00:12:27 ZHA and Zigbee to MQTT 00:31:35 Network Stability and Hardware Flexibility 00:33:39 Home Automation Planning 00:34:06 AI and Task Management 00:36:24 Smart Lighting Features and Security Concerns 00:38:53 Media Integration in Home Automation 00:40:33 Garden Automation with Sprinkler Systems 00:46:54 Exploring Zigbee and Hardware Segmentation 00:53:34 Energy Monitoring and Home Efficiency 01:01:26 Challenges and Insights in Renting vs. Owning 01:03:05 Introduction 01:03:16 IKEA Lighting Experiences 01:05:21 AliExpress Adventures 01:10:13 Automating Home Lighting 01:11:46 Challenges with TV Automation 01:15:05 Future Plans for Home Automation 01:17:14 Conclusion Thanks to our sponsorsThis 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. Hello Fresh With HelloFresh, you get farm-fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and seasonal recipes delivered right to your doorstep. Skip trips to the grocery store and count on HelloFresh to make home cooking easy, fun, AND affordable HostsPhil Hawthorne Website Smart Home Products Twitter: @philhawthorne Buy Phil a Coffee Rohan Karamandi Website Smart Home Products Twitter: @rohank9 Buy Rohan a Coffee Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

1h 16m
5 NOV

Sections and LG ThinQ go official in 2024.11

Section dashboard layouts are now official. LG comes to the party creating an official LG ThinQ integration. Phil and Rohan discuss the modern cord cutter dilemma Watch the full episode on YouTube https://hasspodcast.io/ha168 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. ExpressVPN Secure your digital life and get an extra three months free Hello Fresh With HelloFresh, you get farm-fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and seasonal recipes delivered right to your doorstep. Skip trips to the grocery store and count on HelloFresh to make home cooking easy, fun, AND affordable 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 Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

44 min
29 OCT

Using AI to help with your household admin w/ Benjamin

Learn how Benjamin is using AI integrations with Home Assistant to help organise and manage some of those mundane tasks we all have to do Timestamps: 00:00:16 - Introduction00:01:13 - Benjamin's Journey with Home Automation00:04:05 - Challenges and Solutions in Home Automation00:10:55 - Dashboard Design and Usability00:22:24 - Voice Assistants in Smart Homes00:30:44 - Project Highlights and Innovations00:31:37 - Introduction to Software00:31:46 - Clock Running Issue00:32:08 - ESP Home Flexibility00:33:55 - Mechanical Wristwatch Explanation00:34:35 - DIY Watch Solutions00:36:40 - ESP Home Projects00:41:15 - Home Network Setup00:45:06 - Home Automation Projects00:46:35 - Shopping List Automation00:53:18 - Weekly Wrap and Maintenance Tasks01:00:19 - Smart Home Management01:02:38 - Introduction to Home Security and AI Challenges01:03:39 - Leveraging AI for Home Automation and Cost Management01:05:09 - Practical Use Cases for AI in Household Management01:09:51 - Advanced Home Assistant Integrations01:12:35 - Collaborative Projects and Data Sharing01:14:35 - Potential of AI and Home Automation Watch the full episode on YouTube https://hasspodcast.io/ha167/ 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. Special thanks to today's guest Benjamin Ulstein. https://www.smarthusbloggen.no/ 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 Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

1h 16m
17 OCT

Grant Hinds on his smart home journey with Home Assistant

Grant is a South African tech enthusiast and content creator, who joins Rohan and Phil to discuss his joy of using Home Assistant in his smart home Chapters 00:01:23 - Background in Tech and Smart Homes 00:02:04 - Discussion on Home Assistant Setups 00:04:12 - Synology and NAS Performance 00:05:27 - Exploring Efficient Tech Solutions 00:11:21 - Innovative South African Technology Solutions 00:17:14 - Load Shedding Solutions Using Smart Technologies 00:22:09 - Utilizing ESPHome and Bluetooth for Smart Homes 00:25:40 - Introduction to Home Automation 00:29:02 - Samsung Smart Tags and Security 00:37:20 - Getting Started with Home Assistant 00:41:20 - Advanced Home Automation Setup 00:45:20 - Building and Using Home Assistant Dashboards 00:47:40 - Innovative Uses of Smart Devices 00:51:41 - Vacation Mode and Convenience Features 00:52:22 - Accessibility and Family Considerations 00:54:43 - Smart Alarm System Integration 00:56:01 - Challenges and Improvements in Home Automation 00:57:05 - Importance of Consistency and Reliability 01:00:01 - Designing User-Friendly Interfaces for Smart Homes 01:02:51 - Redundancy and Reliability in Smart Home Systems 01:05:02 - Limitations and Opportunities of Smart Home Technology 01:10:36 - Role of Home Assistant in Smart Home Ecosystem 01:17:42 - Discussion on Consumer Standpoint 01:18:13 - Cloud Frustrations for Consumers 01:18:22 - Recommendation for Local Servers 01:18:44 - Corporate Struggle with Costs Watch the full episode on YouTube https://hasspodcast.io/ha166/ 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. ExpressVPN Secure your digital life and get an extra three months free Hello Fresh With HelloFresh, you get farm-fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and seasonal recipes delivered right to your doorstep. Skip trips to the grocery store and count on HelloFresh to make home cooking easy, fun, AND affordable 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 Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

1h 20m
2 OCT

Google Photos Integration and Energy Usage Monitoring in Home Assistant 2024.10

In this episode 2024.10 of the Home Assistant Podcast, hosts Rohan Karamandi and Phil Hawthorne discuss many exciting updates which extend from YAML updates to Tesla Fleet and EV integration. From new Matter integration surprises to advanced dashboard customization features, this episode breaks down the key improvements you’ll want to implement in your home setup. Phil shares his hands-on experience with a Matter presence sensor, while Rohan discusses the latest support for button and valve entities, smart devices, and more. Whether you’re a seasoned automation enthusiast or just getting started, this episode offers plenty of insights to help you optimize your smart home. Key Takeaways: Home Assistant 2024.10 Release Overview: A comprehensive breakdown of the latest updates, including the new heading style card, Matter integration updates, and the introduction of button and valve entities.Matter Integration Experiences: Phil's firsthand experience with a Matter-enabled presence sensor, from setup surprises to the challenges of managing devices through Amazon Echo.Dashboard Improvements: The new heading style for Home Assistant dashboards allows for better organization and customization, with support for subheadings and sensor data integration.YAML Updates: Changes to YAML formatting now allow for easier readability and section collapsibility, making automation scripting more intuitive.Long-Term Statistics Repair: Home Assistant now offers better visibility and repair options for long-term statistics, helping users maintain accurate data tracking.Tesla Fleet and EV Integration: Expanded support for Tesla vehicles, offering more control over climate, media players, and other essential features within the Home Assistant ecosystem. Timestamps: 00:15 - Introduction00:55 - Overview of Home Assistant 2024.10 Release01:47 - New Dashboard Features - Heading Style04:34 - Limitations of the New Heading Card07:01 - Long-term Statistics Repairs07:25 - Using SQLite vs MySQL for Data Storage10:53 - YAML Updates - Pluralized Top-Level Items14:37 - Automation UI vs YAML for Creating Automation18:44 - Wish for Auto-Tagging YAML Automation22:10 - Phil’s Experience with Matter Devices24:00 - Phil’s Matter Integration with Amazon Echo31:04 - Ring Device Updates - Motion Detection35:59 - Assist Satellite for Upcoming Hardware38:34 - YAML Editor Enhancements45:46 - Limiting Template Render Output Watch the full episode on YouTube https://hasspodcast.io/ha165/ 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 Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

48 min
18 SEPT

From Slopes to Smart Homes: Using Home Assistant for Ski Conditions and Traffic Tracking w/ Nick Dawson

In this episode of the Home Assistant Podcast, hosts Rohan Karamandi and Phil Hawthorne are joined by Nick Dawson, a ski instructor, mountain guide, and passionate home automation enthusiast. The conversation takes a deep dive into Nick's unique approach to home automation, particularly how he integrates smart technology into his life both on and off the ski slopes. From automating his morning routine to ensuring his dog's safety while he's away, Nick's insights provide a wealth of practical advice for those looking to enhance their home automation setups. Nick Dawson shares his journey of balancing a dual life as a ski instructor in the winter and a designer in the summer. His home automation setup reflects this balance, focusing on reducing cognitive load and ensuring safety, especially when he's an hour away on a ski mountain. Nick discusses how he began with simple smart devices and eventually embraced Home Assistant, despite initially finding it overwhelming. The episode explores a wide range of automation projects, including heating the garage on cold Montana mornings, scraping ski condition data to plan his day, and even using Frigate to detect his dog's barking. Nick also delves into the challenges and successes of room-level presence detection and his continuous quest to design a seamless, automated home experience. Key Takeaways: Reducing Cognitive Load: Nick's primary goal with home automation is to reduce cognitive load by automating tasks like adjusting thermostats and managing morning routines, allowing him to focus on more important aspects of his day.Advanced Ski Automation: Nick discusses how he automates his ski-related tasks, including scraping data from weather stations and managing his drive to the ski resort, ensuring he has all the necessary information for a safe and efficient day on the slopes.Innovative Dog Safety Measures: Nick uses various technologies, including Frigate and a whistle tracker, to ensure his dog's safety while he's away, showcasing how automation can provide peace of mind.Home Automation as a Design Challenge: As a designer by trade, Nick approaches home automation as a design problem, aiming to create solutions that are not only functional but also intuitive and user-friendly.The Struggles with Room-Level Presence Detection: Despite his best efforts, Nick has found room-level presence detection to be unreliable in his setup, highlighting the challenges many face with this advanced automation feature. Chapters: [00:00:00] - Introduction of Nick Dawson[00:02:56] - How Nick Got Into Home Automation[00:04:48] - Automating Tasks for Convenience[00:14:47] - Automation and Reducing Cognitive Load[00:21:59] - Home Assistant Dashboard[00:32:23] - Home Automation Focused on Safety[00:42:18] - Designing Home Automation Systems[00:50:57] - Dashboard Design and User Experience[01:08:09] - Room-Level Presence Detection Challenges[01:12:18] - Future Projects and Home Automation Exploration[01:14:17] - Conclusion For complete show notes and more information about the topics discussed in this episode, be sure to check the notes at https://hasspodcast.io/ha164/ Watch this episode on YouTube 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 Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

1h 15m
4 SEPT

HACS 2.0 and New Integration Features in Home Assistant 2024.9

In this episode of the Home Assistant Podcast, hosts Phil Hawthorne and Rohan Karamandi, discuss the recent appointment of Paulus on the Z-Wave Alliance board, and dive into the improvements with HACS 2.0 and energy management discrepancies. The hosts also highlight innovative use cases for technologies like LoRa and the integration of Claude LLM into Home Assistant. This episode is packed with insights, technical discussions, and a few fun anecdotes about their personal experiences with home automation setups. Key Takeaways: Z-Wave Alliance Board Appointment: Paulus joins the Z-Wave Alliance board, bringing a voice for open-source and home automation users.HACS 2.0 Release: A major update to HACS has been released, providing a more integrated experience with Home Assistant and reducing API requests to GitHub.Energy Management Improvements: New features in Home Assistant’s energy dashboard help users identify discrepancies in energy usage, providing a more accurate understanding of household energy consumption.Yale Smart Lock Integration: Updates to the Yale Smart Lock integration for European users now include a WebSocket for real-time updates, reducing server strain and improving response times.New Integrations: Introduction of Claude LLM, a new LLM model, and other new integrations such as Nice Geo and Fujitsu HVAC control, expanding Home Assistant's capabilities.LoRa Technology in Home Automation: Discussion on the potential of LoRa technology for low-power, long-range communication in home automation, including experimental use cases like creating mesh networks for offline messaging. Chapters: Introduction to the Episode - (00:00:12)Z-Wave Alliance Board Appointment (00:02:44)Discussion on HACS 2.0 Update (00:06:34)New iOS Widgets (00:11:15)The headline feature for 2024.9 - The Dashboards (00:12:28)Energy Management and Discrepancies (00:15:40)Yale Smart Lock Integration Update (00:24:07)KNX Integration Updates (00:30:56)New Integrations and Features (00:31:13)LoRa Technology Exploration (00:43:03)Technical Discussion on LoRa Implementations (00:47:44)Exploring Further Uses of LoRa Technology (00:53:30)Potential Home Automation Applications for LoRa (00:57:32)Conclusion (01:02:36) For complete show notes and more information about the topics discussed in this episode, be sure to check the notes at: https://hasspodcast.io/ha163/ Watch this episode on YouTube 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 Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

1h 4m
21 AUG

Integrating and Advancing Smart Home Technologies with Nir Lavi

In this episode of the Home Assistant Podcast, hosts Rohan Karamandi and Phil Hawthorne have a fascinating discussion with Nir Lavi, an enthusiast and active contributor to the home automation community. The conversation delves deep into Nir’s journey with home automation, focusing on the practical aspects and challenges of integrating advanced smart technologies into everyday life. Nir shares his experiences, from early experimentation with home automation to the sophisticated systems he uses today. The discussion covers a wide range of topics including lighting, security, energy management, and redundancy in smart home setups. Nir’s insights provide valuable lessons for both beginners and seasoned home automation enthusiasts, making this episode a treasure trove of practical advice and innovative ideas. Nir’s innovative projects include setting up a ring keypad, using millimeter wave sensors for presence detection, integrating a fingerprint scanner for secure home entry, and developing a OneDrive backup add-on for Home Assistant. His approach to automating routine tasks and enhancing the smart home experience highlights the importance of balancing technology with convenience and reliability. Key Takeaways: Predictive Maintenance: Utilizing energy consumption data to identify anomalies and predict potential failures in home appliances.Touchless Automation: Implementing presence-based automation with millimeter wave sensors for a more intuitive and convenient smart home experience.Voice Assistant Integration: The importance of local, cloud-independent voice assistants for enhanced privacy and reliability in smart home control.Sensor Utilization: Maximizing the use of various sensors, such as air quality, CO2 levels, and water leak detectors, for a healthier and safer living environment.Redundancy and Reliability: Ensuring the smart home remains functional even if the primary systems go down, highlighting the importance of failover mechanisms and backup plans. Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction & Sponsorship 00:01:12 - Nir’s Background in Technology 00:02:01 - Early Smart Home Experiments 00:05:21 - Challenges with Smart Lighting 00:09:24- Smart Home Projects 00:10:51 - Smart Speakers 00:18:54- Automating the Roborock S7 00:24:10- Security Setup 00:26:37- Challenges with Redundancy & System Reliability on Home Security 00:35:23- Contributing to the Home Assistant Community 00:39:26- Presence Detection & Sensor Utilization 00:43:50- Challenges with Smart Home Dashboards 00:45:48- Redundancy in Smart Home Systems 00:54:28- Favorite Automation & Lighting Projects 00:56:38- Frigate and Camera Integration 01:01:16- Conclusion For complete show notes and more information about the topics discussed in this episode, be sure to check the notes at https://hasspodcast.io/ha162/ Watch this episode on YouTube 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 Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

1h 2m

Join hosts Phil Hawthorne and Rohan Karamandi as they explore the newest Home Assistant releases and the latest Home Automation news. Featuring guests who use or contribute to Home Assistant, the podcast aims to inspire new ways to make your home smarter.

Channel

HK Media
Creator

HK Media
Years Active

2017 - 2024
Episodes

182
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© 2021 Home Assistant Podcast
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Home Assistant Podcast

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Updated 22/09/2022

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