Many smart home devices rely on USB power to function. USB power is convenient, but not all USB ports or power supplies are the same. If a device isn’t getting enough power, it may not work properly or could behave unpredictably.
Getting the right USB power supply ensures your smart home devices stay reliable and connected.
USB connectors power and connect many smart home devices, especially for initial setup, charging or ongoing power. Below is an overview of the different types of USB connectors used by smart home devices
When choosing a smart alarm for your home or garden building, you’ll often see the volume listed in decibels (dB). But what does that actually mean And how loud is “loud enough” when it comes to scaring off an intruder.
If you’re setting up a YoLink smart home system, one detail you might overlook is which server region you’re connecting to US or EU. But it matters more than you might think. This guide explains the difference between the two, the pros and cons of each, and whether users in one region can connect to the other.
A Raspberry Pi is a small, cheap computer that’s popular with hobbyists, developers, and anyone interested in DIY tech projects. Despite its size, roughly that of a deck of cards, it can run a full operating system, connect to the internet, and handle a wide range of tasks. One of the most popular uses for a Raspberry Pi is turning it into the brain of a smart home.
If you want a low cost way to heat your garden log cabin or home office, a Chinese diesel heater is a solid option. They’re compact, inexpensive to run, and pump out plenty of heat. On their own they’re manually operated, but with a few smart home additions and some basic automation, you can turn them into part of a smart, climate controlled setup. Here’s how:
Many outdoor network cameras embed AI to act as advanced motion detectors. They run on device intelligence to classify moving objects, telling a person from a car or a pet, instead of just detecting any motion. These smart cameras can integrate with smart home automation systems to trigger actions such as turning on lights or sending alerts only when a person is detected. Below we explain how this technology works and how it can be setup.
IFTTT stands for “If This Then That.” It’s a web based service that lets you create simple conditional rules, known as applets, that trigger actions when a specific event occurs. In smart homes, it acts as a bridge between different brand smart devices and systems that don’t natively connect with each other.
Smart electricity meters are common in UK and European homes. They track energy usage in near real time and send readings directly to your energy supplier, removing the need for manual meter readings. The good news is they can also be used as part of a smart home setup for insights to energy use and smart automations.
Smart thermostats are internet connected devices that replace a home’s old dial or programmable thermostat. They measure indoor temperature with built-in (and sometimes remote) sensors and then automatically control your heating system via a wireless link. Being Wi-Fi enabled, they let you monitor and adjust settings through a smartphone app or voice assistant from anywhere.
