5 Smart Home Ideas You Really Should Have Thought Of

Summary

The script depicts a home automation enthusiast reminiscing about iconic YouTubers from years past. He then reviews smart home automations he's created, ranging from simple exterior lighting activated at sunset to an advanced gaming mode using contact sensors and Alexa skills. Other highlights include tracking a partner's arrival, interrupting media to display doorbell footage, and leveraging the Flick Twist as a light switch. Throughout, the narrator injects self-deprecating humor and imagines critical viewer comments.

Takeaways

• 🚀 Smart home automations have evolved significantly, with both simple and complex setups available to enhance home convenience and security.
• 💡 Installing smart bulbs in outdoor lighting is an easy and effective starting point for home automation, offering scalability and customization options.
• 🔧 Utilizing smart switches or gadgets to prevent manual interference with automated systems can streamline home automation effectiveness.
• 🛠 Creative use of smart home devices, like contact sensors on game pads, can trigger custom automations such as setting a room into gaming mode.
• 📱 Leveraging home assistant automations and Amazon Alexa routines can automate and personalize home environments based on specific actions or time of day.
• 📲 Integrating smart home technology with entertainment systems can enhance the viewing experience by automating tasks like turning on devices or adjusting settings.
• 📚 The use of specialized screen protectors, like Paperlike, can significantly improve the drawing and note-taking experience on tablets.
• 🛡️ Home assistant offers privacy-focused solutions for tracking and notifications, allowing users to keep informed about family members' locations without compromising security.
• 📷 Automating responses to doorbell rings with smart TVs or devices can streamline security and convenience by displaying video feeds directly on the screen.
• 🔍 The Flick Twist device demonstrates the potential for highly customizable controls over various home automation tasks, from lighting adjustments to playing music.

Q & A

What type of video was the narrator describing in the beginning?

He was describing YouTube videos from around 10 years ago focused on home automation and technology.

What are some examples of basic smart home automations the narrator mentioned?

Turning on outside lights at sunset, creating gaming mode by activating devices when picking up a gamepad, and notifying when a family member arrives at a location.

How does the narrator suggest hiding light switches to prevent family from turning off smart bulbs?

He suggests using smart switches, wiring the switch to be permanently live, or using switch covers.

What can you do to make outside lights more advanced?

Add motion sensors, link to doorbell, make lights change color for holidays/events.

What technology does the narrator use for his gaming automation?

He uses a Broadlink RM4 Pro to blast IR signals and activate his Xbox, projector, and candles.

How does the narrator suggest interrupting Star Trek to show the doorbell camera?

Use an Alexa routine triggered by the doorbell to show the feed on a Fire TV device.

What product does the narrator showcase for advanced lighting control?

He demos the Flick Twist as a way to control lights via Alexa routines.

How does the narrator fund his YouTube channel?

Through Patreon donations and one-time PayPal tips from supporters.

What social media does the narrator invite people to follow him on?

Facebook, Instagram, TikTok.

What time period does the narrator imply YouTube was better?

He implies YouTube was more enjoyable around 10 years ago.

Outlines

00:00

🏠 Home Automation Overview

The first paragraph provides an introduction to the video, with the host Paul reminiscing about a previous popular YouTuber who made home automation videos years ago. Paul notes he has also created lots of useful home automations recently, which will be covered in this video ranging from simple to more complex.

05:00

🖥️ Turn Living Room into Gaming Mode

The second paragraph describes an automation using a contact sensor on a gamepad, so that when the gamepad is picked up it will turn on various gaming devices in the living room like the Xbox and projector. Additional related ideas are suggested, like using Alexa routines or Home Assistant for further customization.

10:06

👩‍🏫 Know When Someone Arrives Safely

The third paragraph outlines an automation to get a notification on an Amazon Echo when a loved one arrives safely at a destination. This uses GPS tracking on phones along with Home Assistant to send announcements. Privacy implications are briefly discussed.

Keywords

💡automation

Automation refers to smart devices and systems that can operate automatically and independently. It is a core theme of the video, as the host demonstrates home automation projects like lighting, security cameras, and TV integration. For example, he shows how to set up automatic outdoor lights at sunset or integrate a video doorbell to interrupt TV streaming.

💡scalable

Scalable means something that can be expanded and built upon easily. The host emphasizes how the home automation projects he demonstrates are scalable - they can start simple but have room to add more complexity and functionality over time. For example, the outdoor lighting can be upgraded from bulbs to colored lights synchronized to holidays.

💡contact sensor

A contact sensor is a device that detects when something is opened/closed or moved/removed. The host suggests using contact sensors creatively to trigger actions, like detecting when a game controller is picked up to launch gaming mode routines. This demonstrates how sensors enable automation.

💡endpoint

An endpoint in home automation refers to a target device or service commanded by an automation routine. The host shows how to set up customized Alexa endpoints to trigger complex sequences of actions from a single voice command. This expands automation capabilities.

💡Shield

Nvidia Shield refers to Nvidia's lineup of Android TV set-top boxes. The host demonstrates using them as automation hubs to control and integrate smart home devices and services that don't natively work with Alexa.

💡flick

Flick refers to Flick Technology's lineup of Bluetooth remote controls. The host suggests using Flick devices as smart home controllers, with button presses triggering customized automation routines and Alexa voice commands.

💡timer

Timers are used to schedule actions within automation routines. For example, the host suggests using a timer to turn off the TV after a certain time when displaying a doorbell camera feed.

💡broadlink

Broadlink is a company that makes remote controls capable of learning and transmitting IR codes. The host demonstrates using Broadlink devices to control TVs, projectors etc. within home automation routines when normal commands don't work.

💡routine

A routine is a pre-programmed sequence of actions performed automatically by home automation devices and services. Routines are core to automating the smart home. The host provides many examples of creative routines throughout the video.

💡trigger

Triggers are events that initiate an automation routine, like a sensor detecting movement or a voice command. The host provides examples like using a contact sensor on a gamepad to trigger gaming mode when it's picked up.

Highlights

Smart home automations to control outside lights based on time of day or motion sensors

Use a contact sensor on gamepad to trigger gaming mode when picked up

Contact sensor routine to notify when a loved one arrives somewhere safely

Integrate video doorbell feed into TV when someone rings the doorbell

Use a flick twist as a smart home controller for lights, music, etc.

Hide light switches to prevent family from turning off smart bulbs

Scalable solution for outside lights with motion triggers, video doorbells, etc.

Very easy to install Home Assistant on a Raspberry Pi

Can create custom Alexa routines to control almost anything

Use flick twist smart home controller for music, lights, thermostat

Suggests some practical smart home automation ideas

Points out that smart home devices need to be easy for families to use

Notes complexity of advanced integrations between devices/services

Encourages sharing ideas and collaborating as a community

Relies on Patreon supporters to create YouTube content full-time

Transcripts

you remember when YouTubers used to be

really cool like 10 years ago hello and

welcome back to the world of home

automation with your host Paul hibbit

that'll be me switch the rear lights

on man that guy was

awesome what a guy but he wasn't he was

a complete doofus but he did make some

of the best smart home automations ever

and I was kind of thinking do I not do

that anymore and the answer is yes I've

made loads of really cool automations

over the last few years and so without

further ad do this video is all the

really cool smart home automations that

I've created recently and they're going

to graduate from really straightforward

to Super complicated over the course of

the video

enjoy we'll start with the absolute

easiest of easy smart home automations

and that's my outside lights but this is

an often overlooked really

straightforward thing to do that almost

any body can Implement and it's really

really cheap but most importantly it's a

scalable thing you could make this much

more complicated if you want to and make

it an even better solution if you have

any outside lights of any description

just pop in a smart home bow there are

an abundance of different varieties from

e27 to gu10s and personally I have some

gu10s in my outside lights from a

company called Ajax their Zito range is

really bright and really color and

they've worked perfectly as outside

lights for me and once your smart home

bulbs are in place just hide the light

switch from your stupid stupid

family I'm kidding I mean they they

probably won't keep turning off your

small home bulbs they'll probably just

do as they're told you just tell them

they won't do it keep doing wow the land

of make

believe they definitely will so you can

either do one of three things you could

install a smart white Switch which I am

going to do you could actually just wire

the switch to be permanently live cover

the wiring over with a cover plate and

then control the bulbs directly using

your smart home equipment or you could

use what I call marriage soers which is

little things that just go over the

switch to stop people pressing them you

could then use Amazon Alexa routines or

home assistant automations to have these

lights come on automatically at Sunset

and go off at say 11:30 at night you

could even have them react to your video

doorbell or an Ikea motion sensor cuz

the Ikea motion sensors are Splash proof

at the very least and then have them

come on whenever somebody approaches the

house the added bonus being of course

that if you have colored RGB lights you

could set them up for doing things like

Christmas themes or Halloween or scaring

off burglar by having them flash red

whenever your house Salon goes off the

scalability of this solution is really

really cool and definitely something you

should be thinking about so is that um

was that one good

a good automation or too obvious thank

you Captain Obvious how would we ever

know unless you were here to tell us

you're welcome citizen

away right how about this one

then you could use a Smart Home contact

sensor on your gamad so that every time

you pick your game pad up from it stand

it turns your living room into gaming

mode I did this with my broadlink rm4

Pro which blasted infrared signals to

switch on everything from my Xbox to my

projector and even some infrared battery

powered candles but if you have a smart

TV and an Xbox you could actually turn

both on using Amazon Alexa skills that

you can enable right now for free your

only purchase if you wanted to do

exactly what I have done in that case

would be a contact sensor and there's

one very cheaply in my description now

if you're interested in picking one up

go check the link down there and this is

another really scalable solution ution

because you could use Amazon Alexa or

you could do an awful lot more using

home assistant with everything from

locking your front door to using a

broadlink rm4 pro to lower the projector

screen switch candles on and do all

those good things that I did and it's

really easy to do in home assistant all

you've got to do is get your head around

using broadlink to send remote commands

using a service call as part of a

routine in home assistant very

easy

[Music]

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feature Nisha has arrived safely at

[Music]

work now this one will do one of two

things you'll either go oh this is

perfect I'll be able to tell if little

Mercedes got to school on time or you'll

wrap your head in tinfoil because you

think your minute by- minute whereabouts

is of value to some shady government

operative who is trying to unlock the

secret codes in your head that will turn

you into a Mindless slave that only

lives to fund Downing Street they

already did this it's called taxes you

you pay them already idiot but because

this particular automation is very

specific to home assistant and because

home assistant is a very private and

localized solution you don't really have

a lot to worry about me and Nisha are

one of those sickeningly loved up

couples that every time we go somewhere

it's like well text me when you get

there won't you I need to know need to

know that you're okay that you arrived

safely and then if we don't get a text

message cuz they forgot

then oh my God he's dead it's exactly

how my wife talks um and if you want to

avoid all this it's simply a case of

installing home assistant on a Raspberry

Pi and this is as straightforward as

taking some files from an SD card and

then just plugging them into the pie and

turning it on that's how simple it is to

actually install an instance of Home

assistant from there you install a

companion app on each of your phones

which is again just downloading

something from the store and you can

then create a routine in home assistant

that says when Nisha arrives at the

Target location make an announcement on

my Amazon Echo to let me know she got

there safely from there you can spy on

your loved ones all you like

brilliant

weirdo so you're watching Star Trek in

bed like the Preposterous nerd that you

are and all of a sudden the doorbell

goes and you've got a notification going

off in your pocket so you squeeze your

phone out of your jeans get it in front

of your fat face unlock the phone pull

down the notification window click the

notification and then wait for nest to

load which of course takes a prop ously

long time and then you realize there's

some you don't even want to

speak to What If instead you could have

it so that Star Trek was playing and was

automatically interrupted by your nest

video doorbell as soon as it was pressed

you could actually ignore this massive

dumbass without ever getting your phone

out of your pocket how cool would that

be what you've just watched is from a

tutorial that I made a couple of years

ago that you can go and watch here or

here wherever it is and it basically

takes you through all of the steps and

you can see for yourself how to do this

using any android-based TV or Nvidia

Shield to load up literally any camera

feed from any manufacturer even if they

don't have the ability to act as part of

a routine in Amazon Alexa don't get

don't go there yet um this is last res

stuff this tutorial it's really quite a

complicated way of doing it and it's

only if you're in a situation where you

want to load it on an Nvidia Shield or

an Android TV if you have a fire stick

or a Fire TV Cube there is a much much

easier way of achieving this and I'm

going to take you through it now as long

as you have a doorbell that is capable

of starting an Amazon Alexa routine then

you can create a customized end point

people often forget just how powerful

this customized endpoint is I can type

in any voice command and the routine

will run as if I spoke to it like

this

okay now if you have HDMI C turned on in

your Fire Sticks settings it will

actually automatically turn the TV on

and then give you the feed even if your

TV is off which is really cool but if

you're out of the house visiting friends

and someone rings the doorbell it's

going to turn your TV on and it's going

to stay on indefinitely until you come

and turn off there is only one way

around this that I can think of using

Amazon Alexa and that would be to set a

little timer that says after 2 minutes

turn the TV off again this is fine

unless you were watching the TV at the

time in which case it's going to turn

your TV off but if you've answered the

door maybe that's something you want

could actually work out

well so I showed you guys recently how I

was able to use my flick twist as a demo

for a smart bulb and how I was able to

use it as a controller to load my

favorite streaming services on my Nvidia

Shield that was a complicated Affair

using home assistant the spoke

configuration. yam files but you could

also do this exact same thing with a

fire stick and an Alexa routine without

home assistant very easily using the

customized endpoint we just discussed I

also showed you how you could use it as

a Spotify button for skipping tracks

loading playlists and playing and

pausing music and even as a controller

for your central heating to control any

smart homebased thermostat and three of

you responded to say what's the point

completely pointless

compl all all of that

was someone complained in the comments

the other day that I shouldn't be using

that joke that uh I shouldn't be abusing

myself why I break the habit of a

lifetime disgusting second of all don't

watch any cartoons will you don't

believe what they do to that road

runner anyway if you haven't already

thought of it the other very obvious use

for the flick twist is this as I've

already pointed out your family don't

give a toss about your smart bulbs I

have in the past wired my light switch

to be permanently on and attached a

simple flick button over the top of a

blanking plate to control my dining room

smart lights but can you imagine how

much cooler that would be if you put a

flick twist in its place this thing can

start Amazon Alexa routines which means

that you can get it to control anything

you could use the push button to

actually turn the lights on and off the

dial to dim the lights up and down and a

push and twist to get this thing to set

a particular playlist going on your

dining room speakers if you want one as

usual links in the description what do

you guys reckon let me know in the

comments if you've got better ideas or

if you've implemented these same ideas

in your house I would love to learn from

you guys too we are a community it would

be great for you to be able to share

those things with other people in the

meantime this video was brought to you

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time I don't know why I then looked at

the camera my eyeballs wouldn't be in

this

little Mercedes got to school on

time t t t don't know what accent this

is