• Home Assistant Podcast

  • By: HK Media
  • Podcast

Home Assistant Podcast

By: HK Media
  • Summary

  • 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.

    © 2021 Home Assistant Podcast
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Episodes
  • Google Photos Integration and Energy Usage Monitoring in Home Assistant 2024.10
    Oct 2 2024
    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 OutputWatch the full episode on YouTubehttps://hasspodcast.io/ha165/Support Rohan and Phil on PatreonThis episode was made possible thanks to our sponsorsHome Assistant Cloud by Nabu CasaEasily 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.HostsPhil HawthorneWebsiteSmart Home ProductsTwitter: @philhawthorneBuy Phil a CoffeeRohan KaramandiWebsiteSmart Home ProductsTwitter: @rohank9Buy Rohan a CoffeeAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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    48 mins
  • From Slopes to Smart Homes: Using Home Assistant for Ski Conditions and Traffic Tracking w/ Nick Dawson
    Sep 18 2024
    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] - ConclusionFor complete show notes and more information about the topics discussed in this episode, be sure to check the notes athttps://hasspodcast.io/ha164/Watch this episode on YouTube Support Rohan and Phil on PatreonThis episode was made possible thanks to our sponsors:Home Assistant Cloud by Nabu CasaEasily 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.HostsPhil HawthorneWebsiteSmart Home ProductsTwitter: @philhawthorneBuy Phil a CoffeeRohan KaramandiWebsiteSmart Home ProductsTwitter: @rohank9Buy Rohan a CoffeeAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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    1 hr and 15 mins
  • HACS 2.0 and New Integration Features in Home Assistant 2024.9
    Sep 4 2024

    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
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    1 hr and 4 mins

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