Project Smart Home

29/09/2025

Ever get frustrated when Home Assistant broadcast messages stop your music or radio on Google Nest speakers? 🎶 In my latest video, I show you how to fix that! Using Home Assistant, Nabu Casa, and Google Home, I’ve set up automations that send reminders (like when the dishwasher finishes or the kids need to get ready for school) without interrupting playback. Your music or radio will resume seamlessly after the announcement. 🙌 Check out the full tutorial to see how you can set this up in your own smart home!

Tired of Home Assistant broadcast messages interrupting your music or radio on Google Nest speakers? 🎶 In this video, I’ll show you step-by-step how to set ...

27/08/2025

Want to make your existing light switch smart without replacing the whole thing? In this step-by-step tutorial, I’ll show you how to install and set up a Shelly Dimmer 3 relay behind a standard light switch. By the end of this video, you’ll have a smart dimmable light that works with your existing switch, the Shelly app, and can be fully integrated into Home Assistant for automation.

🔧 What you’ll learn in this video:
How to safely remove and rewire a standard light switch
Installing the Shelly Dimmer 3 behind the switch (with or without a neutral wire)
Configuring the Shelly app & updating firmware
Calibrating dimming levels for better brightness control
Integrating the Shelly Dimmer into Home Assistant
Creating smart automations with motion sensors & lighting routines

💡 Why use a Shelly Dimmer 3?
Works with existing wall switches (no need to change the look of your home)
Affordable alternative to expensive smart dimmer switches
Full Home Assistant support for advanced automations
Dimming + energy monitoring features built-in

Want to make your existing light switch smart without replacing the whole thing? In this step-by-step tutorial, I’ll show you how to install and set up a She...

08/08/2025

I can never find the key for my garage door, so I thought that I would try swapping it for a smart lock. Welock sent me this lock to review, so I thought this was the perfect opportunity to fix my "lost key" problem. In this video I provide an honest of the Welock ToucA51, which is packed with features such as keypad, fingerprint, RFID tags and bluetooth for phone unlocking. It's also super easy to install. Watch the video to find out more...... and if you like it you can use the code in the video description to get a discount on it.

https://youtu.be/lVjk7JFLCUo

🔐 Welock Smart Lock ToucA51 (Fingerprint + Keypad + RFID Tags) FULL Installation & Review | Keyless Entry for Your Home or Garage. If you’re tired of losing...

01/08/2025

I've just got this very cool looking Smart Lock to review from Welock. I'm working on the installation and setup right now and will have a video out soon.

28/07/2025

Everything Presence One Review: Best mmWave Presence Sensor for Home Assistant?

Looking to improve your smart home lighting automation with reliable presence detection? In this video, I review and walk you through the Everything Presence One in Home Assistant — a powerful mmWave-based presence sensor that integrates seamlessly with Home Assistant.

🔍 We’ll explore why motion sensors alone aren’t enough, and how the Everything Presence One ultra-sensitive mmWave technology can detect even the subtlest movements like breathing — keeping your lights on when you actually need them.

💬 From Tech Review to installation, to tweaking the right settings and building powerful automations in Home Assistant, this guide has everything you need to get up and running.

🛠️ Key Features Covered in this Everything Presence One Review Video:
mmWave presence detection
Motion and occupancy sensing
Illuminance, temperature & humidity sensors
Home Assistant integration
Comparison with Aqara FP2
Automation examples (lighting control, night mode, etc.)

🆚 EP1 vs Aqara FP2 – Which One Should You Buy?
If you need multi-zone presence detection and fall detection, the Aqara FP2 might be the better choice. But if you're looking for incredible value and accurate room presence detection for a single zone — the Everything Presence One is an excellent option at nearly half the price.

✅ Recommended For:
Smart home beginners using Home Assistant
DIYers looking for budget-friendly presence detection
Home automation enthusiasts setting up room-based lighting control
Anyone tired of waving their hands to keep the lights on!

💬 Let me know in the comments:
Have you tried the Everything Presence One? How did your setup process go? Any automations you're proud of?

https://youtu.be/MKyusf-6DVw

Everything Presence One Review: Best mmWave Presence Sensor for Home Assistant?Looking to improve your smart home lighting automation with reliable presence ...

18/07/2025

5 Real-World Home Assistant Assist Voice Automations You’ll Actually Use!

Description:
In this video, I’m sharing five practical automations I’ve built using the Home Assistant Voice Preview Edition and the evolving Assist satellite features. If you’ve recently picked up one of these devices—or you’re just curious what others are doing with theirs—this video will give you a real-world look at how I'm using voice control and conversational responses in my daily smart home routines.

📦 What's in the video?
Here are the 5 Home Assistant automation ideas I walk through in detail:
•Wake-Up Blinds Routine – A gentle (but persistent!) automation that opens my teenage sons' blinds using Assist voice prompts.
•Fridge Door Override – Avoid constant "Close the fridge!" alerts when loading groceries with a voice-based delay function.
•Garage Door Reminder – Get notified if the garage door is left open and choose to close it via voice with confirmation feedback.
•Morning Radio Selector – A multi-option voice prompt that asks which station to play in the kitchen using Assist and presence detection.
•Bin Day Reminders – Never forget to take the bins out again with smart calendar triggers and voice confirmations to stop the nagging!

https://youtu.be/EuZmOROf6po

5 Real-World Home Assistant Assist Voice Automations You’ll Actually Use!Description:In this video, I’m sharing five practical automations I’ve built using t...

16/07/2025

I'm a big Shelly fan, I use them for various use cases around my house, so I'm really looking forward to trying out this new Shelly Dimmer smart relay in Home Assistant. It's so tiny! It should fit nicely behind my existing light switch...... and it doesn't require a neutral. I'll let you know how I get on.

12/07/2025

Integrate X-Sense Smoke & CO Detectors with Home Assistant + Smart Automations! 🔥

In this video, I’ll walk you through how to integrate your X-Sense XPOA-MR11 smoke and carbon monoxide detectors into Home Assistant, enabling powerful smart home automations that enhance your safety and awareness.

I’ll cover everything from account setup to installing the custom HACS integration and configuring your devices. I’ll also show you how to create smart automations — like monthly smoke alarm tests, smart light alerts, and critical mobile notifications — all triggered by your smoke detectors.

📌 What you'll learn in this video:
•How to set up dual X-Sense accounts for Home Assistant integration
•Adding the custom HACS repository for X-Sense
•Exploring the entities surfaced in the integration
•Building practical automations for alerts, lights, safety actions, and critical notifications
•Creating monthly self-tests with Google speaker announcements

By the end of this video, you’ll be able to build your own automations using the X-Sense entities in Home Assistant — and you’ll have a much smarter and safer home as a result.

https://youtu.be/YxYu6WOWT70

Integrate X-Sense Smoke & CO Detectors with Home Assistant + Smart Automations! 🔥In this video, I’ll walk you through how to integrate your X-Sense XPOA-MR1...

10/07/2025

I've now got the X-Sense Smart Smoke Alarms setup in my house. While setting them up I documented the process and provided a bit of a review. As well as the fact that they are great a solution, they also integrate in to Home Assistant..... I'll be covering X-Sense HA integration in my next video.... Coming Soon.

🛑 Looking for a new smart smoke and carbon monoxide detector now that Google Nest Protect is being discontinued? In this video, I unbox, install, configure, and test the X-Sense XP0A-MR11 smoke and CO alarm system with the SBS50 base station — a great alternative for those wanting a modern, connected home safety solution.

🔥 What You’ll See in This Video
📦 Unboxing the X-Sense smoke detectors and base station
🔧 Full step-by-step installation using the X-Sense mobile app (iOS/Android)
📱 App walk-through: setup, device linking, room assignment, and notifications
🔊 Real-time smoke test and alarm response demonstration
🧠 Final thoughts, pros & cons, and why I chose X-Sense over Nest Protect
🏠 Bonus: X-Sense supports Home Assistant with a custom integration – covered in my next video!

💡 Whether you're starting your smart home journey or replacing aging detectors, this review gives you a hands-on look at how the X-Sense system performs in a real home setup.

🛑 Looking for a new smart smoke and carbon monoxide detector now that Google Nest Protect is being discontinued? In this video, I unbox, install, configure,...

02/07/2025

🔐 Home Assistant Alarmo Setup & Configuration | Smart Home Security Made Simple

In this video, I take you through the complete setup and configuration of Alarmo in Home Assistant, the powerful and flexible home security integration for Home Assistant. If you're rebuilding your Home Assistant environment (like I just did on the Home Assistant Green) or simply want to enhance your home’s security, this is the guide for you.

🛠️ What You'll Learn in This Video:
✅ What Alarmo is and why it's a great option for smart home security
✅ Step-by-step installation via HACS
✅ Detailed walkthrough of settings including modes, sensors, codes, actions, and notifications
✅ How I use Alarmo day-to-day in my own home setup
✅ Examples of notifications (mobile + Google Home speakers)
✅ Using scripts to trigger lights, alarms, and more
✅Tips on adding Alarmo to your dashboards with enhanced UI options

💡 Bonus:
How to create grouped sensors to avoid false positives
Automating reminders when the house is empty but the alarm isn’t set
Using Home Assistant scripts to take Alarmo to the next level

Whether you’re new to Alarmo or looking to fine-tune your setup, this video will walk you through everything you need to know — from install to real-world usage.

https://youtu.be/rXAU9vrijS0

🔐 Home Assistant Alarmo Setup & Configuration | Smart Home Security Made SimpleIn this video, I take you through the complete setup and configuration of Ala...

24/06/2025

Tired of constantly giving out your Wi-Fi password to guests? Here's the solution.

In this Home Assistant tutorial video, I’ll show you how I automated guest access to my Unifi Wi-Fi network using Home Assistant and UniFi Hotspot Manager. No more repeating passwords—just a simple QR code and a secure voucher system displayed right on a Home Assistant dashboard or a Google Nest Hub.

By the end of the video, you’ll know how to:
✅ Install and configure the UniFi Hotspot Manager via Home Assistant Community Store (HACs)
✅ Set up a dedicated super admin account in UniFi Hotspot Manager
✅ Generate secure, time-limited voucher codes in Home Assistant
✅ Display QR codes and vouchers on a Home Assistant dashboard
✅ Give guests access to your Wi-Fi in seconds—with no hassle!

I'll also walk through a real-world demo of a guest connecting to the network via QR code and voucher, right from my kitchen display.

This has completely transformed how visitors connect to my network—perfect for when the kids have friends over, or when family drops by.

If you've got Home Assistant and UniFi, this is a must-have smart home feature.

https://youtu.be/l409-yaj8PM

Tired of constantly giving out your Wi-Fi password to guests? Here's the solution.In this Home Assistant tutorial video, I’ll show you how I automated guest ...