Home Assistant Podcast

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.

  1. Trying to convince Pete the DIY Smart Home Guy to embrace Home Assistant

    6D AGO

    Trying to convince Pete the DIY Smart Home Guy to embrace Home Assistant

    Pete Borchers is one-third of the Technical Difficulties Podcast, host of the DIY Smart Home Guy YouTube channel, and he doesn’t think Home Assistant is the bees-knees. Rohan and Phil try to see Pete’s point-of-view and to point him towards to right path Watch the full episode on YouTube https://hasspodcast.io/ha189 Chapters 00:01:02 Guest Introduction: Pete 00:02:10 Discussion on Smart Home Devices 00:04:12 Content Creation and YouTube Journey 00:07:25 Smart Locks Discussion 00:16:19 Home Assistant Experience 00:24:59 Video Concepts Introduction 00:26:01 Automation with Node-RED 00:27:08 Comparing Hubitat, Homey Pro, and Home Assistant 00:27:48 Homey Pro Preferences 00:28:33 Community in Home Automation 00:29:38 Z-Wave and Wi-Fi Devices 00:33:12 Proprietary Systems and Acquisitions 00:34:27 LG's Investment and Integration 00:38:45 Matter Protocol and Interoperability 00:39:15 Future of Streaming Services 00:42:44 AI in Home Automation 00:45:33 Smart Home Stories 00:49:44 Project Introduction 00:49:46 Water Valve Project 00:50:08 Automated Door Opener 00:50:40 Pico Remote and Automation 00:51:34 Govi Lights and Sync 00:52:18 Motion and Vibration Sensors 00:54:35 Smart Homes and AI 00:56:21 Technical Difficulties 00:57:30 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 Our Sponsors: * Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    59 min
  2. 2025.6 delayed, IKEA and Sonos respectfully breakup

    JUN 3

    2025.6 delayed, IKEA and Sonos respectfully breakup

    While the Home Assistant core team are off to Dublin for the Open Home Foundation summit, Rohan and Phil are breaking down the 2025.6 release that will ship a week later. Meanwhile we discuss some self-hosted apps we love, and the IKEA and Sonos breakup. Watch the full episode on YouTube https://hasspodcast.io/ha188 Chapters 00:00:04 Introduction 00:01:00 Open Home Summit 2025 00:01:56 Community Day Recap 00:03:07 Mailbag 00:05:07 Podcast Feedback 00:06:15 Sonos and IKEA Collaboration Ends 00:10:11 Home Assistant Installation Updates 00:14:18 Bluetooth and ZigBee Updates 00:17:44 Ikea Desk and Automation Discussion 00:22:25 Home Assistant 2025.6 Updates 00:23:53 Customization and Sidebar Features 00:25:59 Sonos Multizone Playback 00:26:29 ESPHome 00:28:49 Improved Shelly Devices 00:29:13 Smart Things & Integration Updates 00:32:42 Amazon Device Integration 00:36:23 Image App Integration 00:45:21 Breaking Changes Changes 00:46:38 2025.6 Release Recap 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 Our Sponsors: * Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    47 min
  3. The evolution of Zooz with Agnes Lorenz

    MAY 27

    The evolution of Zooz with Agnes Lorenz

    We’re back with another vendors episode, this time talking with Agnes from Zooz about the evolution of Zooz, and the challenges being a smart home company Watch the full episode on YouTube https://hasspodcast.io/ha187 Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:15 Background and Evolution of Zooz 00:03:49 Certifications and Challenges in Manufacturing 00:06:43 Z-Wave Standards and Certification 00:13:11 International Support and Market Strategy 00:18:23 Impact of Tariffs and Supply Chain Considerations 00:22:45 Upcoming Products and Innovations 00:26:56 Integration with Home Assistant 00:30:03 Partnerships and Works With Program 00:31:05 Integration Challenges and Improvements 00:35:43 Smart Home Technology and Personal Insights 00:42:24 AI and Smart Home Automation 00:48:21 Design Process and Matter Discussion 00:57:41 Introduction to Quality Integration 00:57:46 Ring Alarm App Features 00:58:14 Importance of Z-Wave Standardization 00:58:39 Alarm.com Integration 00:58:59 Focus on User Experience 00:59:53 Home Assistant's Reach 01:00:36 Benefits of Z-Wave Long Range 01:02:02 Tips for Z-Wave Beginners 01:04:03 Understanding Z-Wave Security 01:06:10 Firmware Updates in Z-Wave 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 Our Sponsors: * Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    1h 9m
  4. How Alfredo, Developer Relations at Google uses and teaches Home Assistant

    MAY 20

    How Alfredo, Developer Relations at Google uses and teaches Home Assistant

    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 Our Sponsors: * Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    1h 20m
  5. Talking with Jimmy Hawkins from Automated House

    MAY 13

    Talking with Jimmy Hawkins from Automated House

    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 Our Sponsors: * Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    1h 7m
  6. Paulus joins us to break down 2025.5 and the State of the Open Home

    MAY 6

    Paulus joins us to break down 2025.5 and the State of the Open Home

    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 Our Sponsors: * Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    1h 14m
  7. APR 21

    From music theatre to Home Assistant installers with Connor and Tez

    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 Our Sponsors: * Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    1h 26m
  8. APR 15

    How Bob automates an RV and a smart home with Home Assistant

    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 Our Sponsors: * Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    1h 20m
4.9
out of 5
66 Ratings

About

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.

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